As we get older, it’s normal to lose bone density. If you are a women, you have a higher risk of bone density loss, which can lead to osteoporosis. Statistically, one in four women over the age of 65 develop osteoporosis. That doesn’t have to be your fate, though. It’s important to take action now so you’re bones can be healthier in the future.

This juice contains essential nutrients that help the body build stronger bones. Calcium is necessary for optimal bone density, but you need vitamin D to increase calcium’s bioavailability. This juice doesn’t have vitamin D in it, but you can soak up the sun as you drink this juice for the perfect nutrient combo. Additionally, this juice contains folate, vitamins C & K, zinc, manganese, and more nutrients that are necessary for bone-building.

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High blood pressure or hypertension has become one of the leading causes of death worldwide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), high blood pressure is responsible for 12.8% of total deaths around the world each year. Defined by increased pressure in the arteries, high blood pressure makes the heart pump harder, increasing the risk for heart attack, stroke, arterial aneurysm, or heart failure.

When people get serious about lowering blood pressure, there are many foods that you need to ditch. These high-sodium foods include canned soups, deli meats, frozen meals, refined sugars, trans fats, sodas, and more. Many people have turned to plant-based foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, and whole grains to help decrease LDL cholesterol levels and blood pressure. Vegetables that contain potassium and fiber have been especially helpful in managing blood pressure levels. In addition to making the plant-based switch, someone with high blood pressure is encouraged to consume a combination of the following juices on a daily basis.

Celery Juice

Celery juice has become one of the most popular juices in the health world as of late, and for good reason. Containing 3-n-butyphtalide compounds, which contribute to the taste and aroma of celery, celery helps to relax the muscles in the walls of blood vessels. When blood vessels dilate and allow blood to flow more smoothly, it is possible for blood pressure levels to decline.

Spinach Juice

Spinach is an excellent source of potassium, which has been proven to relax tension in blood vessels and arteries. In doing so, blood can flow more fluidly, bringing blood pressure levels down in the process. Spinach also contains lutein, which helps to prevent the thickening of arterial walls, ultimately reducing the risk of increased blood pressure levels and heart attack.

Pomegranate Juice

Pomegranate juice should be made fresh at home, or fresh at a juice bar. Most bottled pomegranate juices often contain processed ingredients and sugar, both of which are detrimental to high blood pressure patients. Fresh pomegranate juice is loaded with potassium and other heart-healthy nutrients, and it contains three times more antioxidants than green tea. A 2017 study found that regular consumption of pomegranate juice significantly reduced blood pressure levels.

Carrot Juice

People tend to think that carrots are solely beneficial for eye health, when they are beneficial for many conditions, including high blood pressure. The potassium content makes them attractive to those looking to decrease blood pressure levels. According to the book Healing Food, carrots may help reduce the risk of atherosclerosis and stroke.

In addition to consuming the above juices, people with high blood pressure should also drink hibiscus tea. The antioxidants and anthocyanins may inhibit blood vessels from narrowing, the act of which causes blood pressure to increase. Should you decide to sweeten hibiscus tea, choose stevia, raw agave syrup, or grade A maple syrup. Drink about three cups a day to reap the full benefits.

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Many people have the desire to eat healthily, but it can be difficult to determine which foods are necessary for the optimal health of you or your family. You don’t want to deprive yourself of certain treats that you enjoy, but you understand that solely eating unhealthy foods will result in illness or disease. With all of the conflicting information on the web about the health benefits of certain foods, how do you know which foods to add to your diet?

What if you didn’t have to do research about the foods you should eat? There are many trustworthy foods, meaning there are foods that are, quite simply, life-changing. Now, adding the foods in this article to your unhealthy diet will not fix your situation. It takes more than a few fruits and vegetables to improve your health; rather, it takes thinking about food differently and embracing fresh foods for a healthy life, not bad foods with a shelf life.

As you move forward in a healthier direction, take time to learn about the healing properties of different foods. Additionally, take the time to notice negative reactions, like bloating, gas, acid reflux, water retention, or skin irritations, after eating other foods. These are common signs of food sensitivities that you may not be aware of. When you eliminate the foods that are making you sick and focus on regularly consuming healing foods, the body will no longer be confused by food. This allows for full mind and body connection, a powerful step towards health.

Celery

Celery is one of the trendiest foods to eat or juice right now. The anti-inflammatory properties work to starve unproductive mold, fungus, bacteria, or viruses that are present in the body and eliminate toxins residing in the digestive tract or liver. Regularly consuming celery is one of the best ways to alkalize the gut. This can be attributed to the trace mineral salts, which work symbiotically with each other to raise the body’s pH and flush out toxic acids. Celery is not the bland vegetable you thought it was; rather, it helps to support neuron function and hydrate the body on a cellular level. If you have any of the following symptoms, try bringing celery into your life:

• Sluggish liver
• High cortisol levels
• Abdominal distension
• Dry eyes
• White film on the tongue
• Acid reflux
• Inflamed gallbladder
• Rashes

Raw Honey

If you are going to consume honey, the best honey you can consume is organic raw honey. Don’t think that honey is just sugar because it is far from high fructose corn syrup or table sugar. In its raw form, honey contains a wide range of undiscovered phytochemical compounds and agents that have anti-cancerous properties. The B12 coenzymes and absorbable sugar make raw honey one of the best brain-boosting foods. Additionally, raw honey supports healthy immune function because of its adaptogenic nature. In fact, it should be a go-to remedy if you are experiencing stomach problems or cold and flu symptoms. Raw honey is true medicine and it is worth adding to your diet if you are experiencing:

• Sore throat
• Inflammation
• Canker sores
• Bacterial infections in the gut
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Respiratory infections
• Bronchitis
• Eye infections

Apples

In case you didn’t know, apples are the ultimate colon-cleansing food. The pectin in apples moves through the gut, simultaneously collecting and removing bacteria, yeast, and viruses. The pectin also helps to eliminate impacted debris and protein, which hides in intestinal pockets and feeds on harmful bacteria like E. coli. Apples contain phytochemicals that help increase electrical activity and feed neurons. The pigments, especially deep reds, in the skins of apples contain compounds that help improve digestive strength, which is an essential step towards healthy weight loss. Finally, one of our favorite aspects of apples is that they contain glutamine and serine, both of which are amino acids that can detoxify the brain of monosodium glutamate (MSG). If you are experiencing the following symptoms, add one to three organic apples a day to your life:

• Hypoglycemia (and other blood sugar imbalances)
• Anxiousness
• Weight gain
• Back pain
• Acid reflux
• Equilibrium issues
• Fatigue
• Gas, bloating, or constipation
• Dandruff

Ginger

In the hectic, fast-paced world we live in, we need foods that can slow the pace and keep our thoughts and emotions from spiraling out of control. When the body remains in a heightened, reactive state all the time, stress related illnesses like adrenal fatigue, sleep apnea, insomnia, digestive issues, and spastic bladder are more likely to develop. The antispasmodic properties of ginger help to relax tense areas in the body for up to 12 hours. Ginger helps the body let go of tension, no matter if it is in the muscles or organs. One way ginger does this is by eliminating excess lactic acid from muscle tissue. While lactic acid builds up after exercise, it can also build up because of increased stress hormone production. Ginger also enhances the body’s B12 production and aids with DNA reconstruction. If you experience the following symptoms, try adding ginger to your life:

• Gastritis
• Muscle cramps
• Stomach pain
• Congestion
• Cough
• Food allergies
• Mineral deficiencies
• High cholesterol
• Fatigue

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Anyone who has been on Instagram lately has most likely seen celery juice in the feed, or the #celeryjuice hashtag. Perhaps you have seen celery juice recipes on Pinterest or other infographics detailing the “4 Amazing Benefits of Celery Juice,” or some click bait title of the like. Celery juice has gained recent popularity because of claims saying that it helps to relieve chronic pain, improve digestion, or help out those with asthma, adrenal fatigue, sinusitis, and more. All of this sounds amazing, but should you try drinking celery juice?

First and foremost, let it be understood that you can also eat raw celery to obtain its benefits. It is completely safe to eat multiple stalks a day and drinking celery juice isn’t going to harm the body, unless of course you have a celery allergy. What you should be aware of, should you plan on consuming celery juice, is that it is necessary to consume adequate fiber by including whole, plant-based foods in your diet.

Does Celery Have Health Benefits?

The short answer is, “Yes, it does.” Is it the cure-all ingredient that it is been hyped up to be? Not entirely. There is research-backed evidence supporting that the phytochemicals in celery work to decrease inflammation, fight oxidative stress, and reduce blood pressure. More research, however, needs to be conducted on whether or not celery can fight infections and viruses like the Epstein-Barr virus. Claims that celery cures viruses like that are anecdotal and based on personal experiences. Raw celery is extremely rich in fiber, fluids, and the following nutrients:

• Vitamin A
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin K
• Folate
• Calcium
• Magnesium
• Electrolytes
• Potassium
• Sodium
• Phosphorus
• Flavonoids
• Phytochemicals

Should You Join The Celery Juice Trend?

We said it earlier and we’ll say it again: there is nothing wrong with drinking celery juice if you enjoy it. Celery’s nutritional properties are not specific to its juice, though. You can absorb the same benefits by chomping on celery stalks. We actually prefer eating celery with other vegetables because you obtain fiber, which is necessary for energy, weight maintenance, and blood sugar balance, from eating the whole vegetables. If you are cleansing, you’ll find that celery stalks make wonderful snacks, especially when you dip them in raw almond butter.

Is There Any Science-backed Research On Celery’s Health Benefits?

The antioxidant properties in celery have been known to aid in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, urinary tract obstruction, gout, rheumatic disorders, and liver disease. Recent experimental studies have shown that celery contains antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties, all of which may help remedy skin conditions like psoriasis, or respiratory diseases like bronchitis.

The Bottom Line

Eat celery because it’s good for you, but don’t think that it will cure every disease on the face of the earth.

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One of the most common questions we get asked at Dherbs is whether or not the Full Body Cleanse can help lower blood pressure. Since high blood pressure affects 1 in every 3 American adults, it makes sense that we get asked if the cleanse can help. The short answer is: yes, it does, but the person has to be willing to actively make lifestyle changes and follow the cleanse and diet regimen.

It is hard to attribute high blood pressure to one particular cause, but a poor diet filled with a lot of salt is near the top of the list. On average, Americans consume over 3,400mg of sodium per day, which exceeds the recommended 2,300mg amount. For those with high blood pressure, the recommended daily amount of sodium is 1,500mg. When someone with high blood pressure is cleansing, the amount of salt he/she eats is extremely minute, which helps naturally lower the body’s sodium content. Just to give you a relatable figure, 1 teaspoon of salt equals 2,300mg of sodium and 1,500mg of sodium is just over ½ teaspoon.

Should You Take High Blood Pressure Medication While Cleansing?

It is not the policy of Dherbs.com to recommend, suggest, insist, imply, tell, or instruct any individual to change the dosage of or stop taking any prescribed medication(s) while taking herbs, participating in a Cleanse, or at any other time. Any decision about changing your dosage of or ceasing the use of pharmaceutical-grade drug(s), while taking herbs or participating in a cleanse, that have been prescribed by a doctor or other medical practitioner is a decision that can only be made by you, based on your own free will. Please contact us by phone (866-434-3727) or email us (info@dherbs.com) with any questions.

In the Beginning of the Cleanse

When someone with high blood pressure begins the Full Body Cleanse, it is better to completely stay away from salt, even if it is sea salt. The reason for this is because you body has to reduce the amount of sodium that is in it. During this process is attempting to naturally regulate blood pressure. This means that the person may experience dips or spikes in blood pressure. The important thing is to remain calm and realize that the body is relearning what it knew how to do prior to taking medication.

Herbs That Pull Sodium & Processed Foods From Body

The formulas in the Full Body Cleanse which are most beneficial to people with high blood pressure are the Blood & Lymphatic, Cardiovascular, and Colon & Digestive Tract formulas. These help cleanse your digestive tract, your cardiovascular system, and your blood. An ill-functioning cardiovascular system can create that elevated pressure that is necessary to pump blood throughout the body.

Go For Potassium Rich Foods

Since you are going to be on a raw foods diet (only eating raw fruits, vegetables, and raw nuts & seeds) while cleansing, make sure you get your fair share of potassium-rich foods to remove sodium from the body. Foods that are high in potassium include:

• Leafy Greens (chard, spinach, kale)
• Acorn Squash
• White Mushrooms
• Dried Fruit (apricots & raisins without sulfur)
• Bananas
• Avocado
• Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice

Foods That Naturally Help Lower Blood Pressure

• Flaxseed
• Beets
• Pistachios
• Berries
• Hibiscus Tea
• Celery juice
• Beet juice
• Garlic

Drink A Lot of Water

You are going to drink a lot of water while you are cleansing. This helps flush toxins from your system, while nourishing the cells in your body. The alkaline water also aids with creating a neutral pH balance in the body.

Take A Walk

Walking or being active reduces fluid build up in the body. Being active for at least 30 minutes a day, even if the activity is low-impact, can also improve your metabolism. After you are finished exercising, elevate your legs for 20 minutes to help increase circulation.

Things To Keep In Mind When The Cleanse Is Over

Remember that eating a lot of processed foods, snack foods, junk foods, fried foods, dairy products, meat, meat products, or refined sugars is what lead you to cleansing. Take into account how your body felt while cleansing and incorporate what you learned on the cleanse into your new lifestyle. Always go easy on the salt! Season your food with citrus juices, herbs, and other spices to add flavor to the point where salt isn’t necessary. Don’t negate the progress you make by reverting to old habits. Stay strong, eat your way healthy, and you can always cleanse again in the future to maintain your new-found health.

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High blood pressure is an extremely common condition that affects roughly 29% of adults in America. That means that 1 in 3 adults have high blood pressure, and only half of these people have the condition under control. If you leave high blood pressure alone, it won’t go away. There has to be an aggressive effort to normalize blood pressure levels so that you are not at risk of heart attack, stroke, or kidney failure.

There isn’t one specific cause for high blood pressure; rather, there are usually several factors that cause the condition to occur. Being overweight or obese, having a poor diet, smoking cigarettes, lack of physical exercise, and eating too much salt can all cause high blood pressure. You don’t have to resort to high blood pressure medication to correct the problem, though.

Certain vegetables, fruits, and herbs can naturally lower your blood pressure. Some of these ingredients are powerful and you’ll notice positive results within days, while others may take longer to show results. Pick some of the following juices to drink in order to naturally lower your blood pressure.

Beet Juice

Beets can do some pretty amazing things for the body; for example, they can help detoxify the liver. Your blood pressure can lower within hours of drinking beet juice because the health properties in beets nurture your heart and can help bring down inflammation in the body.

Berry Juice

Just one cup of blueberries per day could be the key to reducing blood pressure and arterial stiffness, both of which are associated with heart disease. You can add blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, or raspberries to your juices to get healthy flavonoids and antioxidants that help lower blood pressure.

Celery Juice

You may not think that celery juice would help lower blood pressure, but drinking the juice helps to relax the muscles in and around the arterial walls. By allowing blood to flow more easily, this helps lower blood pressure. Additionally, celery contains potassium, which helps to regulate blood pressure levels.

Leafy Green Juice

Many leafy greens, including spinach and kale, contain high amounts of folate, nitrates, iron, and magnesium. Magnesium can help lower blood pressure, but it is more effective if you consume vitamin C-rich produce like oranges, bell peppers, guavas, kiwis, or grapefruit to help the body use magnesium more efficiently.

Garlic

Make sure you aren’t kissing anyone after you drink juice with garlic in it. Since garlic is a natural blood thinner and has anti-inflammatory properties, it can help lower blood pressure.

When you juice, it is necessary to buy a lot of fruits and vegetables. If you decide that you’d like to buy less produce and make smoothies instead, you will receive the same benefits from these foods. Check out our Smoothies & Juices section for recipes!

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Crohn’s Disease is medically defined as: “A chronic inflammatory bowel disease of unknown origin, usually affecting the ileum, the colon, or both structures. Diseased segments may be separated by normal segments.” Mosby’s Medical Dictionary, 3rd ed., p. 321 “Crohn’s disease is characterized by frequent attacks of diarrhea, severe abdominal pain, nausea, fever, chills, weakness, anorexia, and weight loss. Children with the disease often suffer retarded physical growth. The diagnosis of Crohn’s disease is based on clinical signs, x-ray studies using a contrast medium, and endoscopy. The disease is easily confused with ulcerative colitis, which is also an inflammatory bowel disease affecting the colon and rectum.” Ibid.

Anal fistulas are very common in cases of Crohn’s Disease. An anal fistula is: “An abnormal opening on the cutaneous surface near the anus, usually resulting from a local crypt abscess. Also called Fistula in ano.” Mosby’s supra.

Because Crohn’s Disease is known as ‘ileocolitis’, it is characterized by inflammation of the ileum section of the colon.

Causes and Risk Factors

Though Western medicine openly admits their ignorance as to what causes Chron’s disease, it is most likely caused by a constipated mind, poor diet and excessive lifestyle.

Because Crohn’s Disease deals with inflammation in the colon, it is a disease physically caused by MUCUS due to excess ACIDITY in the body, the colon in particular. All inflammation is caused by extreme acidity (acidosis), which is created by the breakdown and byproduct of meat, dairy products, refined grains refined starches, and a host of other things that have no business in the human body.

Symptoms

Crohn’s Disease is most commonly indicated by these symptoms:

• Diarrhea
• Abdominal pain
• Fever
• General weakness
• Anorexia or weight loss

The diarrhea aspect of Crohn’s Disease is the body attempting to pass hardened fecal matter via process of liquefying the stools, a process that robs sodium from the body.

The abdominal pain aspect of Crohn’s Disease stems from old gas pockets in the colon opening up releasing gas, causing severe spasms. The body is simply attempting to heal itself, but of course to the Western human mind, healing is considered sickness or a problem and must be interfered with.

The fever aspect of Crohn’s Disease is the body raising its own heat level or temperature so as to effectuate healing via hyperthermia that induces sweating, which is very therapeutic.

The weakness aspect of Crohn’s Disease is indicated by the body’s attempt to heal itself. People don’t move around as much when they feel weak so many times the body induces a feeling of weakness to keep people steady and still so healing can effectively take place. The mind has a tendency to operate on its own and many people will convince themselves via the mind that instead of lying in bed all day to allow optimal healing, they instead should be up doing things, working, making some money, cleaning up around the house, etc.

The anorexia and weight loss aspect of Chrons Disease stems from necrosis, whereby the cells begin to attack the body by eating away at the body.

HEALING CROHN’S DISEASE NATURALLY

Herbs

Herbs can stimulate peristalsis and help tone, strengthen, nourish and repair the intestinal tract. Herbs that help remedy or prevent Crohn’s Disease include all cathartic and laxative herbs such as Senna Leaf/Pods, Cascara Sagrada, Aloe Vera Resin, Glucomannan, Buckthorn, Trifala, Bibitaki, Bilwa, and Ipecac Root.

Catalyst family herbs such as Cayenne, Ginger, Cloves, and Cinnamon are also helpful in cases of Crohn’s because they facilitate a fever; not breaking it, but working with it. They can also help to naturally break chills and counter nausea, especially Ginger.

Antispasmodic herbs are also beneficial for Crohn’s Disease. These herbs include Cramp Bark, Wild Yam, and Black Haw. They address and resolve painful spasms.

Nutritive herbs are also important in remedying Crohn’s Disease. A nutritive herb provides nutrition to the body. Nutritive herbs are usually rich in minerals, vitamins, B-vitamins, and amino acids (protein). Nutritive herbs include Moringa Seed, Irish Moss, Spirulina, Alfalfa, Chlorella, Blue Green algae, Suma, Dulse, Sheep Sorrell, Kelp, Barley Grass, and Wheat Grass.

These individual herbs help to counter anorexia and involuntary weight loss which are usually present in cases of Crohn’s Disease.

Carminative herbs are also recommended for Crohn’s Disease. These herbs soothe the digestive system and include Cardamom, Chamomile, Anise Seed, Fennel Seed, and Caraway Seed.

Crystals

Crystal elixir of Carnelian is very helpful in cases of Crohn’s Disease. No other crystal impacts the colon to the degree that Carnelian does. A crystal elixir is made by placing a crystal in distilled water for 24 hours (overnight, for the moon’s influence on the elixir). After 24 hours, the elixir can be drunk (1-4 ounces per day).

Sea salt

Because diarrhea is associated with Crohn’s Disease, sodium loss is inevitable as diarrhea causes sodium to be lost. The sodium can be replaced by drinking celery juice (4 ounces per day) and/or drinking a glass of warm water with sea salt (one-third teaspoon of sea salt).

Diet

People suffering from Crohn’s Disease should switch to a vegan diet balanced with raw foods. All meat and dairy products should be cut out of the diet. Refined starches and grains should be entirely avoided.

Enemas and Colonics

Enemas and colonics should not be performed during severe bouts of Crohn’s Disease, but nevertheless should be performed after recovering from Crohn’s Disease. Weekly enemas and monthly (every 3 months) colonics are a great preventive measure of Crohn’s Disease and we at Dherbs.Com highly recommend these effective modalities.

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Notes for a talk held at the SF-LiFE Expo on June 1, 1997, and updated in November, 1997. SF-LiFE is the San Francisco Living Foods Enthusiasts, the oldest and largest raw/living foods support group in the world.

Thanks to Dorleen Tong, Ward Nicholson, and a reviewer who wishes to remain anonymous, for valuable comments on this paper; the present version incorporates some of those comments.

Disclaimer: the information here is for educational purposes only. Readers are solely responsible for their health, and any actions they take in reference to any matters discussed herein. If you have health problems, you should consult a qualified health professional for advice before applying any of the suggestions herein. No guarantees are made or implied, as regards the information presented here: use solely at your own discretion, and at your own risk.

Preface

The reality of raw diets is that many try such diets, but very few succeed on them, in the long run. Problems are common on raw diets – far more common than some of the idealists promoting such diets, care to admit. The purpose of this paper is to list some of the more common problems that can occur on raw diets, and to present a list of possible solutions for you to consider. The approach here is a frank, and honest one. Because of this, some readers may find that portions of the material here might not agree with their dietary philosophy.

The material here reflects my personal experience (since the early 1970’s) in raw foods diets, and my personal biases. Additionally, although the list below is lengthy, I do not claim that it is complete or perfect. Further, readers should be aware that the author (that’s me) does not claim to be perfect. The preceding claim should be obvious, so why am I explicit about it? Reason: because some people put the dietary “experts” on pedestals and effectively worship them (e.g., those who worship Shelton or Fry). I don’t want anyone to do that with me – I want people to think for themselves, to ask questions, and to actively search for the truth. Glorifying “experts” leads some people to just “ask the expert” when they would be best served by their own experimentation and independent thinking. (There is nothing wrong per se, with “asking the expert”; my point here is that you should apply common sense to all “expert opinion”, and take personal responsibility for your own actions and health. Common sense also provides an excellent defense against the utter nonsense promoted by many raw food extremists.)

I hope this paper is interesting, and maybe even helpful, to you!

– Tom Billings

I. Physical Problems that Can Occur in Any Raw Foods Diet

1. Detox Symptoms: headache, nausea, upset stomach, diarrhea, acne/rashes, strong body odor. – these symptoms are usually short-term – if the symptoms are due to detox, you can slow down detox by increasing % of cooked food in your diet, and/or by eating “heavier” raw foods like avocados, coconut, or nuts – don’t let dogma override your common sense – some of the above symptoms may have a serious underlying cause if they persist (i.e., they might not be “detox” symptoms). Consult a qualified health professional if serious symptoms persist!

2. I’m always hungry, even though I overeat! (gluttony) – psychological causes may be a factor – try meditation or other spiritual practices – eat mindfully, in a non-stressful environment. Foods eaten in a hurry or under stress will not satisfy your physical or psychological hunger. – if you have a very restricted diet (like fruitarianism) – expand your diet. Sprouts, eaten when short (root shoot is length of soaked seed), can be very filling. Experiment with fancy recipes, also raw dairy (if available, and you have no philosophical objections). – consider that your body may be telling you something: that it needs more calories, particularly from the foods avoided by many rawists: those high in fat, protein, and other concentrated foods – see also section on sugar addiction

3. I have cravings for “undesirable” foods. How can I resist? – may be a symptom (result) of detox of those foods – suggestions for item 2 above apply – substitute raw foods for cravings: sugar dried fruit/dates, very sweet fruits (mangos), carrot juice, comb honey (use sparingly). Caution re: sugar addiction. salty foods seaweeds, tomatos, celery juice, or for instinctos: RAF fatty foods avocados, coconut, soaked nuts, raw sesame tahini, raw dairy, or for instinctos: RAF – avoid temptations to the extent possible – a psychological tool: consider the consequences (how bad you will feel physically, the after-effects) if you do eat the “undesirable” food. You may want to make written notes on the bad effects, to reinforce the memory thereof, as it is very easy to forget when faced by temptation. – if cravings persist in the long-term, consider that your body may be telling you that the “undesirable” food contains nutrients that are missing in your diet. Your health is more important than dogma – you may actually need the “undesirable” food!

4. I’m underweight and emaciated. How can I gain weight? Help! – primarily a concern for men, as our society foolishly considers extremely thin/underweight women to be more “beautiful”?! – regular strenuous exercise, such as working with light weights, or Ashtanga style yoga, can be very helpful in gaining/maintaining weight (Viktoras suggested weightlifting in an interview in “Eat it Raw!” newsletter.) Strenuous exercise may stimulate weight gain by promoting muscle growth. – expand the scope of your diet – eat heavier raw foods like nuts, avocados, sprouted sesame. Raw goat milk will put weight on quickly, if you are willing to drink it. Note to fruitarians: it is extremely difficult to gain weight on a fruitarian diet, even if you overeat avocados! – some raw food authors recommend fasting to increase the digestive fire, and indirectly increase food assimilation. This is really not a good idea when you are emaciated – for alternatives, see increasing digestive fire below.

5. I’m always cold! – this usually passes in time; indeed some long – time raw fooders develop the opposite problem: too hot! – indicates low liver bile output and sluggish digestion – fasting not recommended here – vigorous physical exercise (fast walking, rebounding, etc.) for 20 minutes or more, may help warm you up – see increasing digestive fire section below – daily warm oil massage (using unrefined, crude sesame oil), Ayurvedic style, can be very helpful – gain weight (per above)

6. The food that I eat passes through me and looks the same when it comes out, as it did when it went in! What’s going on here? – may be result of overeating; try reducing food intake – may indicate that you are not properly chewing your food; eat more slowly; practice meditative/mindful eating – indicates sluggish, weak digestion; common in fruitarianism – see increasing digestive fire section

7. I’m frequently very weak/fatigued. – if short term, usually a detox symptom – are you getting enough sleep? eating enough calories? Are you under heavy stress or suffering emotional trauma? Indulging in excessive sex? Using recreational, natural drugs like marijuana? All these can be factors in fatigue. Evaluate your life as objectively as possible, and try to remove or reduce any potential causal factors. – can be caused by sugar addiction (common in fruitarianism) – carrot juice may be a useful short term solution, but it can lead to sugar addiction – be careful! – raw dairy may be helpful, or for instinctos: RAF. Adding animal foods to the diet often increases strength, and may eliminate fatigue. – long term, may be a symptom of B-12 deficiency (or something much more serious). Consult a qualified health professional.

8. Vitamin B-12 deficiency – algae, chlorella, spirulina are not reliable sources – also expensive and some are sold by the inefficient, unpopular method of multi-level-marketing – supplements are best source: reliable, cheap – supplements not required if you eat raw dairy or are an instincto – blood test for B-12 is available – see your Physician – symptoms of B-12 deficiency usually appear very slowly – high sugar consumption (fruitarians take note) can accelerate and aggravate B vitamin deficiency – some raw fooders are also at risk of Vitamin D, zinc, and in few cases, calcium deficiency

9. Animals don’t brush their teeth, why should I? – because if you don’t, your dentist will eventually make lots of money repairing the damage you will cause by not brushing your teeth. – this sentiment is sometimes motivated by a fear or dislike of commercial toothpastes. Natural alternatives are available, ranging from salt/baking soda to astringent herbal toothpowders (some of which are excellent).

10. I’m hyper sometimes and can’t sleep. – although many raw fooders are mellow people, the diet provides substantial energy which must be burned some way – meditation and hatha yoga can be very helpful here – regular exercise can be helpful – slow, deep breathing, and simply concentrating on the breath, is very calming – evaluate your life for stress factors – reduce stress – if due to hunger, see also the “I’m always hungry” section – herbs with a sedative action are available, including the commonly available chamomile tea (many other herbs are available, see holistic health prof. for recommendation) – long-term 100% raw, restricted diets (e.g., fruitarianism), may place one at risk of nervous system disorders, which can disrupt sleep – if problem persists, see qualified health professional

11. Little or no sex drive – not seen as a problem by many; seen as spiritual progress by some, and/or allowing you to relate to others in a loving, yet non-sexual way. Others see this as a serious problem indeed! – to increase sex drive, you can try (no guarantee they will work): increasing % of cooked food in diet, eating onions/garlic (though the odor may drive away people who have a good sense of smell!) – some have found that increasing the amount of sea vegetables in the diet can be helpful here – may be a sign of zinc deficiency; broaden the diet to get more zinc, or try supplements – may be due to EPA/EFA deficiency – EPA/EFA are found in animal foods, flaxseed, and surprisingly, in the common weed purslane (Portulaca oleracae) – certain herbs may increase the sex drive (note: the claim is they may impact the “sexual mind”, not that they are “aphrodisiacs”)

Supplement: Increasing Digestive Fire – hatha yoga is best exercise system for this. No conventional exercises can compare to nauli kriya, and many other yoga exercises are superb for increasing digestive fire: peacock pose, agni sara dhauti, uddhiyana bandha, agni sara pranayama, kapalabhati, bhastrika, etc. – some raw fooders report that long-distance running sharply increases their appetite, and improves their digestion – spices: ginger, cayenne, black pepper, other spices. Used carefully and correctly these may be beneficial. The dogma of some raw fooders prevents them from even considering these. Pungent greens, like mustard, watercress, arugula, are alternatives to pungent spices. – some foods increase digestive fire – onions, garlic. Some raw fooders have religious objections (and other objections) to these. – daily Ayurvedic oil self-massage, with clockwise massage of the stomach area, can increase digestive fire over time (sounds strange, but it really works!) – fasting, if not contraindicated by conditions, can increase the digestive fire – try reducing number of meals per day. This allows your digestive system to rest longer each day. Caution: in some people this may work too well, and may aggravate your digestive fire. – tonic herbs: the Ayurvedic herbal blend, triphala churna, which is 3 fruits, dried and ground up, strengthens the entire digestive system, and is extremely good for the colon.

II. Physical Problems Associated with Specific Dietary Styles

A. Fruitarianism and Natural Hygiene

1. Dental problems: severe erosion of tooth enamel (enamel hypoplasia) – caused by consumption of excessive amounts of acidic fruit like citrus, pineapples, kiwi – may be caused by acid reflux, due to overconsumption of sweet fruit, esp. dried fruit/dates; common in sugar addiction – very similar to dental damage encountered in bulimia (an eating disorder) – if damage already done, see your Dentist for restorative work: bondings, veneers, crowns, etc. – prevention is better than repair! Limit acid fruit, always brush with baking soda and floss after eating acid fruit, do something about acid reflux/sugar addiction. Have your teeth checked by your Dentist for enamel erosion.

2. Sugar Addiction: Sugar Highs, and Sugar Blues – serious problem in fruitarianism, as modern hybrid fruit contains UNnaturally high levels of sugar, and some fruitarians claim that 100% fruit (hybrid sweet fruit, not the sour, fibrous, wild fruit!) is the “ideal” diet – a physical addiction, but it has mental effects: highs like a stimulant drug, followed by depression, with accompanying psychological dependency – excess sugar can produce symptoms similar to those found in diabetes and hypoglycemia: excess urination and thirst, mood swings, fatigue, temporarily blurred vision, pains in extremities, etc. (Good idea to see a health professional if these symptoms persist.) – the traditional antidote for excess sugar is to eat bitter foods: bitter greens (endive, escarole, dandelion, wild greens like the thistle family), bitter melon, turmeric, or bitter herbs. Eat some of these regularly – daily. – see Ayurvedic practicioner, OMD, or Western herbalist and get herbal anti- diabetes program – overeating of sugar is clear evidence that your diet is not psychologically satisfying, in the long run. Make appropriate dietary changes and address underlying psychological factors via mindful eating and meditation/spiritual practice.

3. I was a fruitarian for year(s), and now my digestive system is extremely weak; I eat food but have real difficulty digesting it. Help! An alternate, but equal form of this question: I was a fruitarian for year(s), and now I find that I cannot digest raw protein foods like seeds & nuts. Help! – very common complaint among former fruitarians – see increasing digestive fire section, (above); hatha yoga can be very helpful in this situation – use of tonic herbs is suggested here; the Ayurvedic herbal blend, triphala churna, is a truly excellent tonic.

4. Mental Problems – common, as former fruitarians openly admit. Those who are currently fruitarians are often less candid. Natural Hygiene is subject to many of the same problems – see mental problems section.

B. Living Foods

1. Flatulence (gas) – from sprouts or certain vegetables, esp. cabbage family – see section on increasing digestive fire – mono-eating and food combining are options for experimentation – eat with oily dressing or food – avocados or tahini dressing – slows down passage of food through digestive system – for sprouts: turmeric and ginger are a great help in digesting protein foods – for vegetables: fermentation (e.g., sauerkraut), and marination in lime/ lemon juice (which may include spices also) – dental caution re: lime/lemon. – if all else fails, eliminate the offending foods from your diet

2. Watermelon Juice Fasts Are Not For Everyone. – some living foods books advocate watermelon juice fasts as a cleansing tool. – Ayurveda and TCM say watermelon juice is contraindicated in: hypoglycemia and diabetes (disorders characterized by excess urination and problems with sugar metabolism) congestive lung disorders (watermelon is cooling, may increase mucus) Note: some living fooders suggest fasting on juice of the watermelon rind (the green part, not the sweet red part), in hypoglycemia/diabetes. As the green rind may be an antidote for the sugar in the flesh, fasting on the rind juice might be OK then. (Warning: try at your own risk.) – Ayurveda says watermelon increases intraocular pressure – the pressure in your eyes. This suggests that watermelon fasting is not appropriate if one has glaucoma, optic nerve disorders, detached retina, or other serious eye problems (consult your Opthalmologist). Obviously, your eyesight is too valuable to put at risk! If you have eye disorders and want to fast, fast on water or some other type of juice, not watermelon juice. – some advocates of watermelon juice “fasting” suggest consuming an entire large watermelon in a day. While this can be cleansing to the kidneys, it may provide more sugar than can be tolerated by some. One can argue that eating a whole melon in one day, is gluttony rather than fasting. An alternative is to limit the amount of melon used – say to 3 kg. (1 kg. per main meal), drinking good quality water (instead of watermelon juice) between juice meals.

C. Fasting

Avoid excess fasting – generally fasting is NOT necessary to receive the positive results of a raw food diet – fasting may create a psychological feeling of deprivation – leading to over-eating/binge eating after the fast. The result is a yo-yo process of fasting followed by gluttony. If this is your reaction to fasting, it is not helping you in the long run. (If the yo-yo eating persists, it is bulimia.) – can make backsliding or cheating easy: “It’s OK to eat this junk; I’ll get rid of it by fasting”. (Not good for you if it becomes a habit.) – a certain amount of fasting can reset the body’s metabolism, making it very difficult to lose weight and easy to gain weight. Grossly excessive fasting, as in anorexia nervosa, can have the opposite physical effect. (The latter effect can also occur after years on a high % fruit diet.) – some instinctos report that a short-term (2-3 days max.) mono-diet of cassia pods is highly effective at promoting detox, and may be an alternative to (or supplement for) conventional juice/water fasting. – moderate fasting can increase your digestive fire. In some people, this effect is helpful; in others it may be harmful. – fasting is strong “medicine” – take in “right dose”, when really needed – excess fasting weakens the mind-body connection, can lead to serious mental problems, particularly ego problems. (Following a high % fruit diet for a long time may produce similar problems.)

III. Mental Problems on Raw Food Diets

Personal experience and observation: mental problems are more common in fruit- arianism and natural hygiene, less common in living foods and instinctive eating.

1. Behaviors Found In Eating Disorders (Anorexia, Bulimia) and Raw Foods:

– lying about eating (common in fruitarianism) – obsession with food (fueled by constant hunger/sugar addiction) – backsliding (“cheating”), eating in secret, binges – feeling guilty about eating – perfectionist attitude and resultant poor self-image – eating is a stressful act (anorectic: will it make me fat? raw fooder: will it produce mucus? will it constipate me? did I combine foods correctly?) – acceptance of severe underweight because of delusions/dogma (anorectic: I’m FAT! raw fooder: the lost weight is mucus/toxins; glad it’s gone!)

– fruitarianism can produce a physical and mental feeling of lightness. Some fruitarians mistake this for a “spiritual” feeling – it usually is not – it is comparable to a mild drug high. This mental feeling may really be a symptom of zinc deficiency. Also, the misinterpretation of this feeling may lead a few down the path to narrow-minded zealotry and hostile behavior. – the types of behavior described above, reflect a very UNhealthy emotional and mental relationship to food!

2. The WRONG Motives for a Raw Food Diet

common but inappropriate motives: – fear of mucus – obsession with toxemia – hatred of protein foods, including raw protein foods – hatred/fear of cooked foods, and those who eat cooked foods

– unfortunately there are people in the raw foods movement who promote the above as reasons to have a raw foods diet. (Shame on them!) – hatred and fear are not a healthy basis for a diet; they are not healthy emotions. To have hatred and fear as motivations for your diet is to “eat” hatred and fear daily, and to put them at the very center of your life – a very bad idea!

other inappropriate motives: – you think it makes you morally superior (“more compassionate”) than those who eat meat, or cooked/processed foods (ego) – you think it is 100% guaranteed to bring you perfect health (there are no guarantees in life) – you think you can eat your way “into heaven”, that eating raw foods will make you enlightened, or will somehow make you spiritually superior. Eating must be subordinate to spirituality; it can be a part of, and support your spirituality, but should not dominate it. – you read book(s) by raw food expert(s), and you think the expert(s) know everything there is to know about health (they don’t, and some of the so- called experts are frauds). An example of this would be those people who view the writings of Shelton or Fry as being, in effect, ‘holy scriptures’. Side note: I am not suggesting Shelton was a fraud; as for Fry – no comment. – it is a cover for your eating disorder(s)

3. The Terrible Mental Poison Called Zealotry

– fear of mucus; blaming all sickness on mucus – intellectual dishonesty of blaming protein foods for most health problems – fear/hatred of protein foods, including raw protein foods – intellectual dishonesty of blaming cooked foods for all the world’s problems – fear/hatred of cooked foods, and those who eat cooked foods

– dietary philosophy becomes a de-facto religion. “My diet is the ONLY truth, all other diets are wrong; even other raw food diets are wrong!” (Alas, such stupidity is far too common in the raw foods movement.) – you MUST adopt a raw foods diet or the world will come to an end! (Chicken Little environmentalist syndrome)

To Avoid Mental Problems:

* have positive motives for your diet * avoid the poisons of obsession, hate, fear, ego, zealotry * raw/living foods – an excellent diet, but a terrible religion. Don’t make it your religion! It can be incorporated into your spirituality if you wish, but don’t make it more important than your spiritual path. * It is better to be a cooked food eater with a healthy emotional/mental relationship to food, than to be a raw fooder who has an UNhealthy emotional/mental relationship to food. However, best of all is to be a raw fooder who has a healthy emotional/mental relationship with food.

Appendix: References of Possible Interest

1. Some of the hatha yoga practices listed under “Increasing Digestive Fire” are advanced practices which one must work into over time. It is best to have a yoga teacher to learn these practices from; books and videos are nice but are not a substitute for a real teacher.

References that discuss many of the practices mentioned here include:

– “The Practices of Yoga for the Digestive System”, by Dr. Swami Shankardevananda Saraswati; Bihar School of India (this book is hard to get, but see below for a source) – “Integral Yoga Hatha”, by Sri Swami Satchidananda; Integral Yoga Publications, Yogaville, Virginia – “Ashtanga Yoga Primer”, by Baba Hari Dass; Sri Rama Publishing – A reference that deals specifically with agni sara pranayama: “Solar Power”, reprint from “Yoga International” magazine (NOT “Yoga Journal” magazine)

2. The Ayurvedic properties of foods are discussed in the book, “Ayurvedic Cooking for Self-Healing”, by Dr. Vasant Lad and Usha Lad. Even though it is a cookbook, and the recipes are of very limited value to a raw fooder, I recommend the book because it has the most detailed set of food tables and properties (more detailed and much better than the tables in Gabriel Cousens’ book), and it has a lot of information on the use of spices, including medicinal uses.

In order to use spices in accord with your Ayurvedic body type, you need to know what your body type is: your prakruti – what you should be, and your vikruti – what you are now (ideally, same as prakruti). The best way to get this information is to see a qualified Ayurvedic practicioner, and have your pulse read to determine this (there are a very few qualified practicioners in the area, can give you a referral). Alternately, you can use the various tables/tests in books to determine your type. The best book in this regard is: “Prakruti”, by Robert Svoboda; Geocom Ltd.

3. Ayurvedic massage – is discussed in most basic books on Ayurveda, and is easy to do for yourself. Detailed information on self-massage is in the book, “Ayurvedic Beauty Care” by Melanie Sachs, and the topic is covered in “Ayurvedic Massage” by Harish Johari.

Many of the above books mentioned above can be obtained at the bookstore at the Integral Yoga Institute (770 Dolores St; San Francisco, CA. 94110; U.S.A.)

I am a long-time raw-food vegetarian, and have (at different times) followed many of the common raw vegetarian diets: fruitarian, natural hygiene-style, living foods. My current diet is lacto-vegetarian (includes some raw dairy), 75-90% raw. I enjoy writing about nutrition, health, yoga, Ayurveda, and other topics. I am active on this website, a few email lists, and in SF-LiFE: the San Francisco Living Foods Enthusiasts, the oldest living foods support group in the world. I frequently contribute articles to the SF-LiFE newsletter. Additionally, my (internet) writings have been (or are being) published in a number of other venues. Readers are advised that many of my writings are controversial in certain raw food diet circles. My approach to raw foods is one of realism, moderation, common sense, sanity, honesty, and staying open to new information. Additionally, I am critical of fruit diets as my extensive experience with them was very problematic, to say the least. My willingness to challenge the dogmatism and excess idealism that infects the raw vegan movement has upset some of the more extreme rawists.

Copyright 1997 by Thomas E. Billings; all rights reserved. Not to be published without express consent of the author.

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