Why Eat More Raw? by Lapis Blog entry

Blog: In The Raw
by Lapis

Why Eat More Raw?

Here is a good article on why to utilize a raw food lifestyle.

Date: 8/23/2005 8:24:44 PM ( 19 y ) ... viewed 2353 times

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Why Eat More Raw Foods?

For hundreds of years scientists have been seeking methods to deal with disease. And for hundreds of years they've been looking in the wrong place. The answer was right there under their noses - In an organ called the mouth! What we put in our mouth creates either health or disease - our choice. But we only have a choice if we find out what edible substances are beneficial and which are harmful.

Thousands of years ago, our ancestors picked up the bad habit of cooking their food which has been passed down to us ever since. That bad habit, which neither we nor the scientists ever question, is the true source of most disease - directly or indirectly.

If you spend a little time observing the physical condition of animals in the wild, you will find that so-called degenerative or old age diseases are relatively unknown to them. Except for the danger from natural predators, wild animals generally live quite long and healthy lives. Now, what happens when we domesticate animals and make them into house pets? Are you aware that they quickly develop the same diseases as their human "owners"? We must be making the same mistake with them that we're making with ourselves.

Some years ago, Dr. Francis Pottenger tried an experiment on several hundred cats. He divided them into two groups and fed one group their natural diet of raw meat and the other group a man-made diet of cooked pet food. He carried on this experiment through three generations. The cats that were fed their normal uncooked diet thrived. The cats that were fed a cooked diet developed the same diseases, and required the same medical treatment, as we humans.

Just think of it. Hundreds of billions of dollars spent on scientific research to identify and treat disease symptoms, when the actual source of disease was literally right under their noses: humans consume too much cooked food. But of course, why would anyone question a habit that is generally accepted by everyone we know, including our parents, friends, political and religious leaders, physicians and business associates? Virtually everyone cooks their food.

When we're too young to make a choice, cooked food is introduced into our lives. From that point on, we take it for granted that food should be cooked, that it will nourish us and will produce good health. But what is there in cooked food that can produce health? The answer is: very little! Our bodies struggle for years to stay healthy, despite the fact we keep putting devitalized food into our mouths. Gradually our bodies lose this struggle and we begin to develop disease. Most of our childhood illnesses were not necessary and could have been avoided if our parents had only known the importance of eating vital food, rich in natural enzymes.

Enzymes are essential in building and maintaining health. These living microscopic structures are in all fresh food, and are necessary to help digest food when we eat it. Enzymes break the food down into its component parts so that our body can sort out the nutrients and utilize them throughout the body for repair and maintenance. Unfortunately, heating food to temperatures in excess of 118 degrees disables those living enzymes so they're unable to function.

Cooking converts digestible food into a substance that is difficult to digest. No matter how hard our bodies try to break it down, we get very little value from cooked food. It places a constant strain on our digestive system. Instead of the simple and efficient digestion that occurs with natural food, our bodies have to deal with food that has been turned into an alien substance, much of which cannot be used. Our body uses what little it can, and much of the leftover is converted to toxic byproducts. Over years the accumulation of these toxic byproducts produces a condition called "toxemia", which almost invariably leads to a variety of illnesses and diseases. Cancer, arthritis, rheumatism, heart disease, obesity and most other non-genetic diseases are symptoms of toxemia.

Now for the good news! In the majority of cases toxemia can be rectified, in a significant reversal of disease symptoms, including obesity. There is another problem that occurs from eating devitalized food. While trying to digest cooked food, our body has to rob enzymes from it's own enzyme reserves, ultimately depleting our immune system and decreasing our ability to fight off unfriendly bacteria and viral invaders. Is it any wonder that immune system disorders are now reaching epidemic proportions?

If you choose to learn methods by which you can enjoyably increase your intake of health-building living food, your health will improve and your weight will normalize. This may sound easy, yet we have to admit that it's not quite as easy as it sounds. We've all been conditioned since infancy to eat cooked food. In fact, we're emotionally and physically addicted to it. Our social life revolves around it. Everyone we know eats it. It nurtures and comforts us when we're stressed, and it provides a source of entertainment when we need diversion. In other words, cooked food is a major part of our collective lifestyle.

Most of us have tried many "quick fixes" such as medications and crash diets to solve our health or weight challenges. If these methods don't work (and they seldom do), we should be willing to consider modifying our cooked food lifestyle. If you're facing a chronic health problem or weight challenge, you may be ready to take affirmative action.

Here are some testimonials from people who live this lifestyle:

Katie: "Before this way of living began for me, I was well over 200lbs. and maintained on any pill, fast food, alcohol or other relief available. I was a captive in my own house and in my own body. I had five surgeries, all related to food and self-abuse. Today I am a trim, vibrant, fifty-year-old woman, in love with life. I have friends, including myself, who would not be alive if not for this way of life."

Jack: "I'm an ex-pharmacist. 79 years of age, had a 200/100 blood pressure. Now it's 147/77 and I've never felt better. I am convinced that the results obtained from this way of eating can not be found in a drug bottle."

Roy: "Diabetes, high blood pressure, myasthenia gravis, angioneurotic edema. Unable to work. Within one month, normal blood sugar, normal blood pressure, normal neurological function, working 40 to 50 hours per week."

http://www.newveg.av.org/WhyRaw.htm