Really, it’s about what’s leaving the body, not only what’s entering it.

Today, in some circles, being a raw foodist has almost become a religion. Some notable names in this field cringe when thinking of raw food newbies eating anything other than enzyme filled, living foods.

The focus on the food itself, however, is really not the point of eating raw foods nor was it when the raw food movement first began decades ago. The point is to use these uncooked vegetables, fruit and leafy greens as “natural cleansers” to scrub the body of old crusty gunk from years of poor eating and overeating. While the body does a pretty rockin’ job keeping up with what we pour into it, it often can’t keep up with our lifestyle all the time (hey, preservatives and medications can be hard to process!). Waste then accumulates from what the body is unable to effectively metabolize AND release. Physical and emotional imbalances as well as excess weight then follow; Excess waste in the body = excess weight.

Awaken toxins naturally with raw foods, use lightly steamed foods to help moderate this awakening

The key to natural cleansing and detoxification begins with eating lots of uncooked foods for their natural cleansing benefits. In conjunction with this, the goal is to help your body along with the removal of all the gunk these “natural cleansers” are prying from your tissues and cells. After all, as detox guru Natalia Rose so aptly notes, “the body only ‘cleanses’ when it RELEASES awakened waste.” And so we must be diligent with the awakening and the releasing of waste. True “cleansing” then is the process of removing debris in the body that is inhibiting your physical and mental clarity.

“Health is not about what vitamins and minerals you put into your body but about removing the debris/waste matter that keeps your body from it’s inherent perfection.” – Natalia Rose, Author of The Raw Food Diet Detox

Lightly steamed or cooked foods are therefore incorporated today in “raw food diets” to help you better transition to a cleansing lifestyle. These cooked foods moderate the pace of the body’s detoxification efforts stimulated by eating so many raw foods. They also provide emotional and savory satisfaction. Certainly, you may feel better eating a larger quotient of raw foods over time, but transition is key. Add in new foods, before you subtract too many old favorites. Otherwise, you might just set yourself up for failure. No fun.

Even though you will be eating some cooked foods, they are better than raw but super heavy nut patties, and heavily processed vegetarian meat-free foods. These dense foods just tend to sit in the digestive system. Lightly steamed and cooked vegetables, quality meat and fish actually leave the body faster than a dense, raw nut patty because the body knows how to fully metabolize these natural foods.

Learn more about the benefit of eating more natural foods to cleanse, restore and rejuvenate that beautiful body of yours!

1. Raw Food Diet: Skip the War on Cooked Food
2. Raw Foods: Feeling Bloated, Not Losing Weight?
3. Eat More Real Foods, Feel Better
4. More About The Real Foods Movement and Green Lemonade

In general, healthy diet first, supplements second. However, if you are not eating much meat anymore, a B12 supplement is the way to go.

“There are virtually no nutrients in animal-based foods that are not better provided by plants,” according to Dr. T. Colin Campbell author of The China Study.

“There are four nutrients which animal-based foods have that plant based foods, for the most part, do not: cholesterol and vitamins A, D and B12. Three of these are nonessential nutrients” and the body can make Vitamins A (through beta-carotene found in yellow and orange fruits and vegetables as well as leafy greens,) and D (through some good sun exposure) readily. “B12 is more problematic” according to Dr. Campbell.

If you are in the market for a B12 supplement a good, whole foods (which means it doesn’t have any artificial fillers), multi-vitamin favored by detox veterans is Vita Synergy. This multi-vitamin also contains Vitamin D – in case you might be lagging during these cold, wintery months.

Awards are given for a lot of things: making the most awesome piñata for a school project, dancing the limbo, even for being the nicest person in high school.

But paying a lot of money to order stuff on the internet doesn’t
win much at all.

So if you find yourself ordering a lot of goods on the net for whatever reason (maybe you’re really into superfoods), check out Amazon Prime. New members get to try this annual membership service free for 3 months before subscribing. The annual fee is $79. Sure, the fee sounds steep but you’d be surprised how quickly the shipping charges can add up at Amazon on just a few purchases.

Only wish I had discovered it earlier, myself.

Amazon Prime

iHerb is a great resource for vitamins, supplements and natural products. They offer good discounts, flat rate shipping and often free shipping.

When you can’t find your favorite natural product or organic supplement at your local pharmacy, natural food store or health food store, check out iherb.com.

While they don’t have quite the scope of product offerings of Amazon, they offer some attractive discounts, flat rate shipping and often times free shipping if you spend a minimum amount. They also just lowered their shipping rates.

And that’s what it’s all about today. Making a good effort at healthy living and saving some money !

To learn more, go to iherb.com.

SWEET DEAL! Enter noelle@greenlemonade.com to save $5.00 off your first order.

Being healthy doesn’t mean spending money on expensive supplements or superfoods.

We now know that the foods we eat can help keep us healthy and beautiful. And everyone agrees that foods filled with living enzymes are healthy for the body. After all most foods today – packaged foods for sure – can be comforting but are not health generating.

Healthy diet first, supplements second

However, not everyone today agrees on just how big of a role supplements should play.

Today’s growing thinking under the contemporary health food umbrella is that supplements are there if you want them but not required to be healthy.

The thinking here is that a diet filled with fresh, organic (when possible) fruits and vegetables is the best way to get the nutrition we need. The only exception is Vitamin B12 – where a supplement is suggested most often if you are not eating meat for an extended period of time.

“There are virtually no nutrients in animal-based foods that are not better provided by plants,” according to Dr. T. Colin Campbell author of The China Study.

“There are four nutrients which animal-based foods have that plant based foods, for the most part, do not: cholesterol and vitamins A, D and B12. Three of these are nonessential nutrients” and the body can make Vitamins A (through beta-carotene found in yellow and orange fruits and vegetables as well as leafy greens,) and D (through some good sun exposure) readily. “B12 is more problematic” according to Dr. Campbell.

One of the ways B12 is made is by microorganisms found in our soil, and our soil in many cases today is not as nutrient dense as a result of chemical sprays and pesticides. Dr. Campbell suggests that a B12 supplement is recommended if you are not eating any meat for a significant period of time. B12 is also made in the intestines of animals including our own.

If you are in the market for a B12 supplement a good, whole foods (which means it doesn’t have any artificial fillers), multi-vitamin favored by detox veterans is Vita Synergy. This multi-vitamin also contains Vitamin D – in case you might be lagging during these cold, wintery months.

Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotic Is Also Worth Considering

I personally also like to take a good probiotic. The increasing focus on improving digestion and boosting our immunity are a fabulous trend from 2009 that I’m pumped to see more of in 2010.

If you want to start replenishing the healthy bacteria in your digestive system start incorporating more fresh leafy greens, fruits and veggies into your diet and take a probiotic in a gel cap form with a protective coating. Remember the majority of your immune system is located in your digestive tract. And many of us have digestive tracts that are full of imbalances from a few big nights of indulgence over the years. Imbalanced digestive tracts mean yeast and bacteria are running rampant. And if you’ve ever wondered why sometimes you crave a whole loaf of bread, well yeast is your answer…especially for us ladies.

If your digestive health isn’t up to par, chances are your immune system isn’t either. And, having a healthy digestive system means having plenty of healthy bacteria, and that’s where probiotics come in. Why not give those suckers a little extra support?

Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotics are one of my favorites. I personally have had much success with them.