Raw and living foods are foods that have not been heated over 105–118°F. It’s basically eating food in its whole real form, without damaging the true nature and nutrition of the food. The enzymes in the food retain much higher nutrient levels in this form.

We need enzymes for digestion and nutrient absorption. Live enzymes in foods help us digest efficiently and completely. Remember, the key to health is a clean and nutrient-rich body.

Raw and living foods are the best form of foods for optimum health and wellness. These foods will feed the body on a deep, cellular level without stressing it as much as cooked food does. Cooked foods are dead. They don’t supply any live enzymes.

When foods are devoid of living enzymes, it means the body has to work much harder and supply more of its own enzyme store to digest the foods. Pulling enzymes from storage and using them to digest enzyme-empty food makes the body work harder compared to eating foods that supply their own enzymes ready for digestion.

In addition, raw and living foods have more nutrients available for the body during digestion. One of the most vital nutrients is sulfur, which is often overlooked. Sulfur is critical to our body’s metabolism, specifically the catalytic function of large numbers of enzymes. Without the proper levels of sulfur, our bodies can’t build good healthy cells, and this leads to illness.

Although sulfur is present in most organically grown fresh food, it is mostly found in fruits, vegetables, and some grains. Due to its unstable nature, the sulfur is quickly lost from food when it is processed, cooked, or stored. That’s another reason having a diet high in freshly picked, raw, unprocessed, whole, organic food is vitally important.

Raw, living, unprocessed foods are also highly alkalizing. The body’s pH (acidic balance) should ideally be 7.2–7.3. However, most people with chronic or acute diseases usually have overly acidic bodies with a pH well below 7.3. Eating foods that are highly alkalizing can help the body maintain a healthier pH.

Our well-being depends on the quality of our food. Food starts to die the moment it is picked. Food we buy at the supermarket is probably at least five days old. The fresher the food, the more alive it is. The enzymes will be more vibrant and rich in nutrients. Locally grown or home-grown, fresh, organic fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and grains will give the body more nutrient-dense, enzyme-rich food to process, absorb, and turn into the body cells. It is all about energy. Fresh food is more vibrant.

A diet with a ratio of about 80 percent raw to 20 percent cooked food will work for most people throughout most of the year. I say this because, I think taking anything to extremes aren’t always the best way.

If you add warm foods to your diet in the cool months, this can be supportive to certain parts of the body. For instance, the thyroid is better supported when cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower are lightly steamed or sautéed instead of eaten raw. This is because these foods—as well as yams, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage—contain natural chemicals called goitrogens that can interfere with thyroid hormone synthesis. Lightly steaming or cooking these vegetables deactivates these chemicals. Adding foods like cooked whole, sprouted grain rice can work as a tonic for the spleen and pancreas.

Enjoy your raw foods, but listen to your own body and be mindful of how they affect it. Your goal is to create balance in your health, your diet, and your life, too.

We are, after all, what we eat.

by Nancy Addison CHC, AADP
copyright@nancyaddison2012

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