Yoga

Raw and Lifefoods

Be sure to check the Uncooking classes and Retreats pages for the next Raw and Lifefood adventure!

Raw and Lifefoods are: Uncontrived; Uncooked; In the natural state; not processed or manufactured; all the vital enzymes and nutrients intact; Organic and vegan.

All fruits, vegetables, sprouts, nuts, seeds, grains, sea vegetables, superfoods and other organic and natural foods that have not been processed are Raw Lifefoods.

Benefits of Uncooked Foods:

The first thing that is lost when something is cooked is its' water content. Our bodies are between 60% and 70% water. Vegetables and fruits are abundant in organic water; water that contains vital life force. This water is structured in a way that better facilitates our biological processes. Cooking destroys this vital component of the food and further alters its molecular structure often to the extent that the food is converted to substances harmful and toxic to our bodies, health and well being.

Cooking food over 118 degrees F destroys 50 percent of the protein in the food and largely denatures them, rendering them harder to digest and utilize. Cooking also destroys between 50-80 percent of the vitamins and minerals. When cooked, pesticides break down into more toxic compounds, which are then more easily assimilated into our bodies. Oxygen is lost and free radicals are produced. Most importantly, enzymes are destroyed when food is cooked.

Eating a diet containing all or a high percentage of live food means that a person is consuming food that has all its nutrients intact, including the enzymes and even the subtle energies of the food. It also means that the person is avoiding or reducing exposure to the harmful substances that are produced when food is cooked. Persons embracing this type of diet invariably become more in-tune with their body; many report a heightened sense of awareness and spiritual connection, improvements in their general physical and mental status, including more energy, better health, weight loss, detoxification, and a stronger immune system that better resists and recovers from just about any kind of disease.

Enzymes:

Enzymes are the catalysts of every chemical reaction in our bodies. Without them, there can be no cellular division, immune system functioning, energy production nor brain activity. No vitamins or hormones can do their work without enzymes. Cellular rejuvenation cannot occur without enzymes. Every food contains exactly the perfect mix of digestive enzymes to break it down completely. These are called food enzymes. Nature in its perfection sees that all food whether flesh, fruit or vegetable, decomposes and returns to the earth from which it came. However, cooking food above 118 degrees destroys its enzymes, leaving our bodies to generate the enzymes necessary to digest it. The production of enzymes is a great strain on the body diverting a large amount of its energy reservoirs from other important bodily tasks such as immune functioning, cell and tissue reparation and inter-cellular communication.

Food depleted of enzymes can only be partially digested by the body resulting in partially digested fats, proteins and starches that clog up our body's intestinal tract and arteries. It has also been demonstrated that our bodies produce a finite lifetime supply of enzymes. Every cooked meal we eat causes enzyme production that draws on our finite reserve. A raw lifefood meal does not cause this drain. This can help us understand why an 85 year old has only 1/30 the enzyme activity level of an 18 year old. Aging is really nothing more than running out of enzymes. Cells stop dividing, our immune system fails to handle challenges it managed easily when we were younger. Our enzyme reserve is depleted over a lifetime of eating cooked, denatured and processed foods.

Eco-Factors:

Eating Raw Lifefoods is:

Energy and Ozone Positive: Gas and electricity usage are reduces by not cooking and help minimize energy usage. Did you know that the number one air pollutant is restaurant fumes? By not cooking our foods we help create a better atmosphere for a better environment.

Minimizes waste: Raw and lifefoods largely consist of organic produce; fresh fruits and vegetables, supporting local and Organic Farming practices and minimizing waste materials used for packaging.

Animal friendly: Some of the most vicious and greedy industries in existence today are those that produce animal products: meat, chicken, dairy and eggs. To learn more about the cruel and highly toxic practices of these industries and the impact of meat production and consumption on the environment check out PETA and Earthsave.

Organic:

Why eat only Organic Foods? When juicing or eating foods, it is very important to choose to consume organically grown produce. "Conventional" or "industrial" produce are grown with pesticides, herbicides, synthetic fertilizers, and other chemicals that are toxic and harmful to our body. Organic foods are grown without the use of these harmful substances, taste better, and contain an average of 60% more nutrients than non-organic foods.