Raw Foods

Why would a Hypnotherapist support the Natural Hygiene Diet?

Definition

The natural hygiene diet is a system of healthy living whereby moral, physical, and environmental pollution is strictly avoided, and natural healthy food is chosen in preference over processed food. The principle is to provide everything the body needs to be healthy, and to avoid anything that may hinder health and well being.

Origins

Actually, early in the twentieth century, there were similar "natural hygiene" movements or health culture societies advocating exercise, the consumption of healthy foods, and massage. The American Natural Hygiene Society was founded in 1948, and as such is the oldest and largest natural hygiene organization in the world. The Society publishes the Health Science magazine. The British Natural Hygiene Society was founded in 1959 by Keki Sidhwa and two other natural hygienists. Their magazine, Hygienist, which is published quarterly, was started in 1959, making it the oldest natural hygiene publication. Both organizations aim to educate and inform, and they can also recommend practitioners and clinics.

Benefits

This regime is designed to cleanse the body of all toxic matter, so that it is free to work, instead of being hampered by stored wastes that reduce the efficiency of the human organism. Together with improved nutrition, this should bring about a complete transformation for most people. Less sleep may be needed, and there should be a general feeling of increased well being and energy, which will almost certainly help the individual to make better and more productive use of his or her time.

Description

The term "natural hygiene" refers more to a way of life than merely to a diet. For some time, proponents have asserted that their recommendations can provide the foundation for a healthy, fulfilling life that is disease free and emotional ennui that have become commonplace in so-called modern society. These, and many other diseases of modern life, are due to the multi-faceted pollution of us and our planet, and a denatured diet. Together, it is considered that they cause poisoning and the stifling of the body's natural strength and vitality. Natural hygienists reason that since the body "constructs itself" after the fertilization of the ovum, it must also have powers of repair and renewal in order to maintain the organism, if given the right conditions.

 Natural hygiene concerns every aspect of a human being's life, because everything, the physical, the spiritual, and the moral affect the well being of the individual and society. The theory is that people should obey their natural instincts, and that only when they have achieved perfect health, will they be able to achieve their full potential as human beings.

 Natural hygienists believe that people are naturally good and virtuous, but will not display these traits unless they are following all the principles of healthy lifestyle. The theories of natural hygiene, they claim, if properly adhered to will allow people to achieve supreme heights of achievement at all levels of being.

 If given the right circumstances and facilities, the human body, believed to be perfectly functional, in its creation, will be able to preserve itself in an optimum state, and efficiently perform repairs when needed, quickly returning to a state of total well being. The prerequisites for total well being are pure air, pure water, sufficient rest and sleep, and uncontaminated food of a high quality that will provide all the necessary nutrients in a readily available form. In addition to these, satisfactory human companionship should be sought, as well as protection from extreme cold and extreme heat, sunshine, sufficient exercise, a purpose in life, and in general, an atmosphere conducive to all that is good concerning human life.

The first step, when embarking on a regime of natural hygiene, is to rid the body of accumulated toxins. There are many aspects to be taken into account for this procedure. Although cleansing is of major concern, natural hygiene therapists caution that it is also very important to ensure that the body has access to fresh, clean air, clean water, and good food while the detoxification is in process, so that the body can rebuild itself. They warn that cleansing without rebuilding will weaken a body and its immune system.

 There are many variations on this, but basically this consists of fasting the body at some time, and feeding it mainly fruits and vegetables that will have a dual effect of cleansing and rebuilding.

Usually, food combining is an important aspect of the nutrition of natural hygiene, and requires that a protein food is never eaten with a starch food. They should be taken at different meals with a minimum of four hours between each meal. Fruit is recommended to be eaten by itself, but since it digests quickly only half an hour need pass before other food can be consumed.

To follow the natural hygiene way of living at home, the only expenses that will be incurred are the cost of organic food, which can be more expensive than ordinary food. 

Preparations

Those wishing to treat themselves in accordance with natural hygiene principles are required to follow a mainly raw diet that includes all the nutrients and enzymes that will help to flush toxins from the body, while at the same time building health. However, it is wise to consult a natural hygienist before beginning treatment.

 There are special formulas for speeding the elimination of toxins, which can be obtained from practitioners who specialize in natural hygiene. Information regarding these treatments can be obtained from various national organizations.

 Precautions

 When undertaking a cleansing diet, it is important not to impose anything too harsh on the body. If an individual is suffering from acute toxicity, it may be better advised to proceed slowly and cautiously with the process of detoxification, particularly if the patient is continuing as normal with his/her everyday life. 

Side effects

There are few side effects associated with the practice of natural hygiene. Some may experience what is known as a "healing crisis" while the body is throwing off toxins. Symptoms may include headaches, nausea, or some other sensitivity. These symptoms are not permanent, and may normally be relieved with herbal teas, a walk in the fresh air, or by simply lying in a darkened room for a while.

 Under very rare circumstances, an individual may have such a toxic condition that it would be dangerous for him/her to undertake cleansing without assistance. When the body is subjected to poisons, whether in their food, in the air, or from the water they drink, the body attempts to deal with them in such a way that they will cause the least harm to the body. Thus, they may be stored in the liver, or in fatty deposits under the skin.

 When a person who has poisons stored in such a way undergoes a fast, or undertakes some other method to flush poisons from the body, sometimes the flushing cause’s large amounts of toxins to enter the blood system at the same time. Without proper supervision or consultation, and without the correct steps being taken, the results could possibly be fatal. However, many people continue to seek assistance from clinics dispensing some form of natural hygiene and are satisfied with the results.

 Keki Sidhwa, the president of the British Natural Hygiene Society, has records covering many years of successful treatment of his patients, where many leave from his clinic days or weeks later in a better state of health.

What are living and raw foods?

Raw and Living Foods are foods that contain enzymes. In general, the act of heating food over 116  degrees F destroys enzymes in food. (Enzymes start to degrade in as little as 106 degrees F).  All cooked food is devoid of enzymes, furthermore cooking food changes the molecular structure of the food and renders it toxic.  Living and raw foods also have enormously higher nutrient values than the foods that have been cooked.

What are Enzymes?

Enzymes assist in the digestion of foods.  They are known to be the "Life-Force" and or "energy" of food.

 Dictionary:

Noun: Any of the various complex organic substances, as pepsin originating from living cells and capable of producing certain chemical changes in organic substances by catalytic action, as in digestion.

Why are Enzymes Important?

Enzymes are important because they assist in the digestion and absorption of food.   If you eat food that is enzyme-less, your body will not get maximum utilization of the food. This causes toxicity in the body.   (Can you guess why over 75% of Americans are overweight?)

Doesn't the acidic ph of the stomach destroy enzymes?

Viktorus Kulvinskas, one of the world's foremost and most experienced active researchers into enzyme nutrition has information showing then stomach acid merely deactivates food enzymes.  The enzymes are then reactivated in the more alkaline small intestine.  Many people who eat all raw foods, sense a world of healthful difference in our energy, digestion and connectedness with nature by eating enzyme-rich living foods. When we stopped eating cooked protein foods which require large secretions of stomach acid (which is not healthful for several reasons) our stomach doesn't produce much stomach acid.  Many people who eat raw foods eat a low protein diet and are free from the stomach acid secretions and have much more energy and a lighter disposition.

Is there a difference between living foods and raw foods?

Living and Raw foods both contain enzymes. In living foods, the enzyme content is much higher. Raw, unsprouted nuts contain enzymes in a "dormant" state. To activate the enzymes contained in almonds, for example, soak them in water for 24 hours. Once the almonds begin to sprout, the enzymes become "active" and are then considered living.

Do I need to eat all organic to be raw?

You do not have to eat all organic to be raw. It has been shown that organic produce contains less pesticide and other toxic residues.  In addition, organic foods may contain more nutrition. 

Is this a new fad diet?

During the majority of our existence on this planet, what choices did we have for food? What did we eat before we discovered fire, tools and implements to kill animals? The original diet for us was most likely primarily vegetables, fruits, and nuts. What other choices did we have?

 Clearly, a raw, plant based diet is the main food staple throughout the majority of the history of Humankind! Before humans started killing and eating dead animal carcass, we ate fruits, leaves, nuts, berries, etc...

 What is the difference between a raw/living foods diet and a vegetarian one?

Vegetarians and vegans believe in only eating a plant based diet. Living and Raw Foodists believe in eating only an uncooked and unprocessed plant based diet.

 What is a Living Foodist or Raw Foodist?
 

A person who eats 75% or more living/raw food, the more, the better.

Optimally one should eat 100% raw and living foods if it feels right for them.

 What do raw and living foodists drink?

Water (purified water - never tap water), Freshly made juices (made with your own juicer - and consumed immediately), coconut milk (from a young coconut), are some of the liquids living and raw foodists drink. Most all drinks purchased at the store have been processed (Including: soda, bottled juices, coffee, alcohol, and most others) and are not included in a living / raw foodist diet.

 Do raw and living foodists drink tea?

Some living and raw foodists will drink sun tea, which is tea brewed by the power of the Sun.  Teas that contain boiling water are not considered raw.  Many teas that are purchased in the store may have been processed at temperatures above 118 degrees.   The best way is to grow your own herbs and dry them at a low temperature, and use them for sun teas.

 Where do raw and living foodist get their protein? 

The WHO (World Health Organization) says humans need about 5% of their daily calories to come from protein to be healthy. The USDA puts this figure at 6.5%. On average, fruits have about 5% of their calories from protein.

 Vegetables have from 20-50% of their calories from protein. Sprouted seeds, beans, and grains contain from 10- 25% of their calories from protein. So if you are eating any variety of living plant foods, you are getting more than adequate protein. Numerous scientific studies have shown the daily need for protein to be about 25-35 grams per day. So if you ate 2,000 calories per day, and ate raw plant foods that had an average of 10% of their calories from protein, you would get 200 calories worth of protein, or 50 grams. This is more than adequate to support optimal well-being.

 Other studies have shown that heat treating a protein (such as with cooking) makes about half of it unusable to the human body, so raw plant food protein is even a better source than cooked plant foods or animal foods. There is still a huge, foolish, misguided idea that plant protein is not "complete". This is based on studies done on rats in the 1940's. This false conclusion was drawn before we discovered the bodies protein recycling mechanism and its ability to "complete" any amino acid mix from our bodies amino acid pool, no matter what the amino acid composition of a meal consumed.

The human race learned long ago that cooking meat before eating it would protect them from certain diseases. Since then this practice of cooking has grown to include all types of foods and is now considered an art. Very few meals are eaten which include raw elements, except for the leafy green salad.

 One advantage of eating raw is that it brings Nature’s intentions into focus. When I speak of eating raw I am referring to fruit, nuts, and vegetables, which taste good to the majority of humankind in their basic simplicity direct from tree, bush or vine.

 Raw foods are better quality; therefore you eat less to satisfy your nutritional needs. The heat of cooking depletes vitamins, damages proteins and fats, and destroys enzymes which benefit digestion. As your percentage of raw foods increases you feel satisfied and have more energy on smaller meals because raw food has the best balance of water, nutrients, and fiber to meet your body’s needs.

Raw foods take very little preparation so you spend less time in the kitchen. Even a child of 5 or 6 can prepare most items for breakfast, lunch or dinner. 

 Eating a diet of raw foods can help people with, heart disease, obesity, and cancer. Remember, cooking creates free radicals, which are the major cause of cancer. When you lower the number of free radicals your cells are bombarded with, you lower your risk of cancer.

A raw food diet can help protect you from diseases such as colds, flu, measles, etc.

 As long as you combine raw food properly according to the rules of Natural Hygiene, you will soon reach a level where you no longer suffer from heartburn, gas, indigestion or constipation.

 It is environmentally sound. With humanity on a diet of raw foods, the food industry would close up shop and take up organic gardening. This would save us enormous amounts of natural resources used to produce power for these industries. Nuclear power would be clearly unnecessary. And think of how many trees and oil reserves could be saved without the need for the paper and plastics used in packaging our processed foods. There would also be less carbon dioxide released in to the atmosphere when all the cooking stopped and more oxygen produced from all the new orchards and gardens, thus helping to reduce Global Warming.

Ultimately eating raw saves you money on food, vitamins, pots and pans, appliances, doctor bills, drugs, and health insurance.