Diets That Work, the Raw Alternative

Many of you at some time in your lives have been on a diet, only to gain the weight back again. You felt deprived, irritable and counted the days until you could eat your favorite food again. So eventually you went back to your old habits. That leaves you wondering, "Are there any diets that work?"

We hear more often now that diets don't work. For the past two years I have been on a "diet" that really doesn't feel like one. I simply know I am eating the best possible food available. It's called a raw food diet. No, that doesn't mean you eat raw meat! It is a way of eating based on uncooked and unprocessed plant foods such as fresh fruits, vegetables, sprouts, seeds, nuts, grains, beans, dried fruit and seaweed. Since you will not be spending extra money on meats and processed food from your local grocery store you may put this in the category of "cheap diets that work."

Cooking anything above 114 degrees F destroys any enzymes in the food which then inhibits digestion and absorption. Eating food that is uncooked and unprocessed gives us the "life force" value.

What are the benefits of Raw Food?

• More energy
• Weight loss
• Relief from constipation
• Clear skin
• lower cholesterol
• overall improvement in health

Now, before you get overwhelmed in thinking you can't do another diet, don't think of it as such but rather a new way of eating. Forget about counting calories, watching the carb intake, portion control, etc. What about thinking about the quality of your food instead? Everyday, think of the best possible foods you can put into your mouth. Think of adding more good whole food in your body instead of what you can't have.

You can start out by having a green smoothie every morning. That's it!
You may find it easier to transition into a raw lifestyle rather than jumping in head first-- only to quit. You will likely feel so much better and energetic when you eat food in its raw or living state. When you eat a raw dinner you won't have that lethargic, bloated feeling anymore.

What's in a green smoothie?

• fruit (whatever fresh or frozen fruit you have)
• dark green leafy vegetables(kale, spinach, chard, arugula, collard greens, dandelion greens, watercress, romaine lettuce, beet greens)
• water

Put it all in your blender, add water, blend and drink to your health!

Besides feeling better it also helps relieve constipation which many people suffer with, in our contemporary western food choices.

We all know most of us do not get enough dark green leafy vegetables. A smoothie helps to increase our intake of greens, adds more fiber to our diet and takes away cravings as well as keeping our blood sugar stabilized. I will often have a full blender of smoothie throughout the morning to keep the hunger away.

Check out Raw Divas. They have a free 7 day detox program that gets you on track with easy raw food recipes, a blog with inspiring stories and invaluable information to keep you on track. It really is one of those detox diets that work.

Holistic Nutrition always points us to a healthy way and balanced way of eating, such as eating more fruits and vegetables. There are so many anti-oxidants in living food that when consumed regularily, they can help prevent disease and illnesses.

Whether you want to label this under "best diets that work" or a "lifestyle change", try this one and you will be on your way to a healthy, more energetic you!