Healthy gurus

Raw foods can be a great way of detoxing. It is a tough diet path to be taken because it limits the types of foods you can have.  If you’ve been an omnivore for a long time you will definitely feel different in the first week of the diet. The diet becomes easier on the second week and so forth.  Tips:

    * The fresh produce isle is your best friend.

    * Restores your body and gives you a fresh new start.

    * You will feel loaded with energy.

    * It requires a lot of control in order to maintain your diet.

If you follow the diet for a couple of weeks you will definitely fell more energy, a different type of energy, with more clarity in your mind. It is an incredible feeling. If you feel this a little too radical, here is a little twist so you still get a good amount of protein and get the benefits of the raw diet:

o Breakfast- Stay with the grains and fruits (dry or fresh). If you are a big fan of cereal try to substitute your milk for soy milk or rice milk. Eat as many fruits as you wish. If you really get into it you can dry the fruits and other foods yourself.

o For lunch – Lunch is a good meal to get most of your nutritients because you will still have the rest of the day to burn any extra calories.  Here is where you could cheat and have some cooked items. Try to eat a meal containing a type of protein, one type of grain and vegetables.  Types of protein should not exceed cooked or raw (sashimi) fish, tofu and nuts. You could add a fatty fruit as avocado to your meal as well. For grains you could use brown rice, beans, peas, lentil, etc. Vegetables would add the fiber and vitamins you would need. Feel free to sauté your vegetables in olive oil, especially the hard ones. Careful though, you don’t want to cook them all the way. A salad is always welcome.

o Dinner- Since after dinner you will most likely rest, you should be more strickted with your raw food diet. Salad would be the main course. A great way of getting your greens is to wrap them in seaweed. It gives them an amazing flavor and gives variability to your meals. Seaweed wraps are sometimes sold in regular supermarkets, but can definitely be found in Korean stores.

Recipes:

o Cabbage wraps:Use a raw cabbage and slice it diagonally so you have strips of cabbage. In a big bowl mix the cabbage with oil, vinegar and a little bit of salt and other condiments to your taste. Get a square piece of seaweed (the same used in sushi) and wrap the cabbage. It sounds simple but it’s great for a side dish.

o Raw Sushi- Since rice is cooked, we will be using sprouts instead of rice in our sushi. You can use bean sprouts or alfalfa sprouts. Cut vegetables (cucumbers and carrots), avocado and tofu into strips. In a square piece of seaweed add a bed of sprouts to one of the extremities and in the middle of it add the strips of vegetables , avocado or tofu. The combinations may vary to make an assorted plate of rolls.

Vegetarian foods are great because they lack any animal direct products (meats). As a nutrition value a vegetarian meal can be great for reducing cholesterol, chances of heart problems and preventing colon cancer.  Here are some thoughts:

    * A vegetarian diet is easier to be followed when it is started in an early age. Although, many college students declare they only became vegetarians after they left their omnivore parent’s house.

    * Introduce at least one vegetarian meal a day. It can be of great advantage to one’s health.

    * Some of the options to vegetarian meals can be very fattening because of their caloric and flour content. Increase intake of breads and pastas, in conjunction with cheese (animal byproduct, but not resulting of its death) can be very fattening.

    * Vegetables and leafy greens are full of vitamins and fibers essential for the body’s nutrition.

Here are a couple of my favorite recipes:

o California Salad – Mixed greens, avocado, grapes, carrots, tomatoes, radish and meatless grilled chicken. It can be great for a snack or small dinner.

o Brown rice and sauté tofu with vegetables- Brown rice can be made the same way as white rice, only it will take a little longer to be ready. Add condiments and spices with some stir fry chopped onions to give some extra flavor. Make sure to not overcook the rice, otherwise it will be sticky. To make a quick meal you may purchase frozen vegetables. If you do, stir fry them first until they are defrosted. In a separate skillet cook the tofu in olive oil until it attains a brown color. Add spices to taste (Curry and soy sauce tend to bring a great taste to tofu). Mix the tofu with the cooked vegetables. This recipy is good for lunch or dinner.

Macrobiotic is the art of eating healthy foods and processing it in the most efficient manner. Is is similar to a vegetarian meal, but the difference here is the chewing. Yes, that’s right, you should chew each spoon full around 100 times. Getting acquainted with Macrobiotic:

    * The diet includes mostly cooked grains, beans, fruits and vegetables, all organic and fresh.

    * It is a little bit tough for someone that never tried before to do it at once.

    * The lesson to be taken here is the importance of a good chewed meal. The digestion of the food starts at your mouth. The process of chewing allows the saliva containing enzymatic catalysts to start digesting your food in your mouth. The food is then processed easier at the later stages of digestion.

    * This ritual has been followed by macrobiotics for years, then why not chew your meal well in order to absorb the highest quantities of its nutrients?

    * Macrobiotic also looks at the types of foods using the Chinese method of Yin and Yang. For example, potatoes are consider as a vegetable high in yin energy and therefore should be avoided in their diet. Foods not contained in the four categories mentioned above can be considerate over stimulating or being able to stagnate the body energies.

    * Macrobiotic also takes into consideration the seasons, and with them special foods that would better suit your metabolism for the climate.

The lesson to be taken here is to keep chewing as much as you can, while eating fresh foods!

Everyone has its own eating habits, with most acquired by family cooking traditions. Sometimes the meals that you are used to aren’t balanced with the nutrients that you need. Here are some tips for a healthier eating habit:

* Make your dish as colorful as possible. Different color foods have diverse nutrients with most of the essential vitamins.

* Add vegetables to your menu. Vegetables are rich in nutrients and can be very tasty if used with the right seasoning.

* Just use the bottled vitamins if you can’t prepare a meal. Nutrients broken down from your meals are better absorbed by your body than vitamin supplements. Whenever you have a chance, give your body a boost by giving it the direct natural nutrients.

* Don’t exaggerate. Anything in excess can be harmful to the body. Be careful with the quantities of types of foods and supplements you take. Any foods, even the healthy ones can become toxic when taken in excess.

* Find a diet that will be easy for you to follow. Strict diets are hard to maintain because they expect you to completely change your regular eating style. Most diets fail because people betray them. When choosing a diet use your instinct and criticize the parts that you know you won’t be able to follow.

* Allow your body to be efficient. Eat smaller meals per serving, many times per day.

* Use a nutritionist to guide you, but not to control you. Nutritionists can show you the nutrients your body needs and in which foods they are found. Nevertheless, you are the best judge on which diet will work for you.

Hope the information and tips will help you!