DIABETES CHANGED MY LIFE – HOW IT CAN CHANGE YOURS ON THE RAW FOOD DIET

Diabetes, a condition where the body can not make use of insulin correctly, is one of the fastest growing diseases in America……..and it is deadly. Diabetes is the number one cause of kidney failure.

The first time I entered a kidney dialysis unit with my husband, an ‘uncontrolled’ diabetic, I was shocked by the number of people in the waiting room and in the numerous beds and chairs tightly packed in the unit, each one hooked up to a dialysis machine. There were elderly people, children, teens, and people of almost every ethnicity I knew. I was appalled at the ‘sign of the times,’ and I shook my head in disbelief, aghast that the “the numbers are increasing!”

Statistics indicate the number of people (between the ages of 30 and 39) with diabetes is increasing at an alarming rate, as high as 70% over the recent 10 years! Currently over 20 million people in the United Sates alone have diabetes. Are you diabetic? Have you been checked? Many diabetics don’t even know they’re diabetic – yet. Diabetes often has no symptoms or warning signs, but the symptoms include: feeling tired, feeling irritable, urinating more than normal, being very thirsty and/or hungry, unexplained weight loss, and/or blurred vision.

My husband like so many other diabetic patients believed a ‘miracle drug’ or ‘miracle procedure’ would be developed that would cure his condition; he paid little attention to dietary guidelines or the need for physical exercise. Then neuropathy (a condition where the blood no longer circulates to the extremities or other organs, including the stomach) set in and his pain level in his hands and feet worsened with each passing year. Before his passing, he often held his hands up away from his body to protect them from being hit, any pressure on his fingers was excruciating. He could no longer eat most foods because his stomach no longer functioned properly and the muscles to move his food lay dormant – the toxins were killing him. His kidneys didn’t work. His will to live ended when he no longer could pet his dogs, hold his wife, or hold cards in his favorite game of Sequence. His vision was blurred to the point that reading was impossible and watching TV was his only outlet.

You ask me, ”How did diabetes change MY life?” I took care of this man I love and watched his decline and suffering. I urged him to try the aggressive raw food diet as explained in the SIMPLY RAW: REVERSING DIABETES IN 30 DAYS video, a ‘proven’ method of reversing diabetes. Though he started eating more raw food his love for eating animal products, fast food, and all time favorite junk/processed food continued. He doggedly believed a ‘cure’ would come soon. It didn’t, not the cure he was looking for. It is not in a pill, it is not a surgical procedure.

The miracle my husband was looking for was right there in front of him, it was in the raw foods. The healing power of whole fresh foods in their natural state has been proven to cure or control most diseases, and Dr. Gabrielle has proven it can reverse diabetes. For those people seeking to be free of this disease, this is the ONLY proven program that works. Yes it requires discipline, yes it requires changes……………yes change is uncomfortable………….but not nearly as uncomfortable as neuropathy I assure you.

No, I didn’t suffer from diabetes, I suffered through it………….through my husband. He’s now dead and yes, my life is changed. After 32 years of sharing my life with this man, a part of me died that day too. I think of all the families of all those people in the dialysis unit and shed tears for every one of them, and those who have yet to be diagnosed.

I urge you to view the video, no other program has proven to reverse diabetes. Dr. Gabriel has proven the raw food diet program can.

If you keep doing the same thing but expect different results, you’re fooling yourself. There are no ‘miracle’ breakthroughs in the medical community. You have to take the initiative – the raw food diet works. Please don’t become a statistic.

- Beth Wilke, Raw Food Chef

RAW FOOD DIET – IS IT GOOD FOR YOU?

I get asked this question all the time, particularly by people who consume animal products in the way of meat and dairy, as well as vegetarians who consume large quantities of cooked beans and rice.  There is an unfounded belief that if you eat nothing but raw fruits and vegetables that somehow you will be missing vital nutrients………….or worse, deprive yourself of a wide array of favorite cooked dishes.  These same people are typically taking numerous prescription drugs or supplements, and are suffering from at least one of the more typical diseases (e.g. obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, fibromyalgia, heart disease, etc).

The raw food diet is not an ‘all or nothing’ diet.  Without question, the more raw fruits and vegetables you eat the healthier you’ll be as all plant based foods are extremely high in easily assimilated nutrients that feed the body at a cellular level.  “Fruits provide the highest percentage of vitamins per calories consumed with vegetables coming in second.  Vegetables provide the highest percentage of minerals per calories consumed with fruits coming in second.”* With a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds to choose from in the raw diet, nutrients such as bone-strengthening calcium, protein, iron, vitamins C, D, E, and B’s to name a few can easily be obtained.  “Almost every vegetable that can be eaten whole, fresh and raw contains all eight of the essential amino acids and therefore provides us with complete, usable, easily assimilated protein.”*  Processing nutrients from whole foods to sell as supplements is the most costly way to improve your nutritional balance.  Most nutrients are known to interact symbiotically with at least eight other nutrients, WHOLE fruits and vegetables provide a superior complete source of vitamins and minerals.

Fiber found in plant-based foods is lacking in a meat-based diet; fiber is important to keep the digestive tract clean of waste products which can lead to disease. 

Plant-based foods are alkaline in nature, as apposed to animal products and grains which are acid forming.  A highly acidic bloodstream pulls minerals from our muscles and bones to neutralize the acid content.  

Most animal products have been treated with antibiotics, steroids, coloring agents, flavor enhancers, growth hormones and other chemicals that humans ingest when eating these foods.  How healthy is it to eat THAT?  Whole fresh organic fruits and vegetables are free of any of these treatments. 

Cooking foods changes its atomic structure, creating a toxic food where up to 80% of the nutrients can lost in the cooking process.  Cooking foods at high heat (such as steaming, boiling, and grilling) creates carcinogens that can lead to cancer and auto-immune diseases.  The body’s first line of defense is the white blood cells; research has proven the white blood cell count increases almost 300% after consuming cooked foods.  The body perceives cooked food as toxic and rushes to its defense.  Cooking is a process of destruction, not of ‘construction’.  If you placed your hand on a hot burner, within seconds the skin would reflect how destructive ‘cooking’ is.  It matters little if it is ‘slightly’ cooked or blackened………..the result is the same. 

Switching to a raw food diet, high in low calorie nutrient dense fruits and vegetables increases your energy and unwanted pounds melt away as you are no longer consuming food that is made up of processed sugar, processed flours and grains, and cooked foods – all foods that put on the weight and drain you of energy.  With there being over 150 varieties of available fruits and vegetables to choose from, meals are seldom boring.  Couple this with learning HOW to prepare these fruits and vegetables into great tasting familiar recipes (e.g. pasta, desserts, ice cream etc) you’ll soon be experiencing a higher level of health and energy, beyond anything you dreamed possible.

It is interesting that people think little about the quantities and health quality of prescription drugs, supplements, or processed foods they consume and yet shy away from eating whole fresh fruits and vegetables as being ‘radical’ and ‘difficult’.  It couldn’t be any simpler.  Sometimes we’re looking so hard for the dietary cure-all, we don’t see the bright colored jewels in our produce markets beckoning us to ‘just try me!’   

Is the raw food diet a healthy diet?  It is all that and then some!  It is a diet/lifestyle that fits everyone, whether you’re consuming 20% more fruits and vegetables or 100% more, with every bite you’re improving your health.  Who can argue the benefits of THAT!

Bon A Petite’

Beth

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*Dr Douglas N Graham, On Nutrition and Physical Performace: A Handbook for Athletes and Fitness Enthusiasts

What is the best way to get calcium in a raw diet?

I received this question on my blog that I thought would be of interest to everyone so rather than just answer the question for one person, I thought I would make it a post to the blog.

Question:

What is the best way to get calcium in a raw diet? I’m at risk of osteoporosis.

My answer…

CALCIUM:

Most people believe osteoporosis is caused by a lack of calcium and by increasing the intake of calcium (including direct supplementation) osteoporosis will be avoided.  This does little to reduce the incidence of osteoporosis or to counteract the effects of a predominantly acid forming diet and lifestyle. 

The actual cause of osteoporosis is typically due to excessive calcium loss from an overly acid bloodstream.  Animal proteins, tobacco inhalation, caffeine and drugs contribute to an acid bloodstream.  The body maintains a blood pH that is slightly alkaline and when the blood is too acidic, the body brings it back to a more alkaline state by leaching calcium (an alkaline mineral) from the bones and boron from muscle. Boron helps prevent calcium loss and is found in raw fruits and vegetables, milk has little, meat and eggs have none. 

Studies have shown a direct correlation between eating animal proteins (e.g. meat, eggs and dairy) and calcium loss.  Fruits and vegetables are alkaline foods which help maintain your blood at the correct pH.  Easy to assimilate calcium (and boron) is found in abundance in most leafy greens (e.g. romaine lettuce, spinach, dandelion greens etc), in seaweeds (e.g. Nori, Arame, Dulse) and in sesame seeds (1 oz. has 276 mg).   By eating large, green leafy salads with dressings made from Tahini (ground sesame seeds), you’ll get more than enough calcium (along with all the other elements your bones and muscles need) to satisfy the body’s need. 

Most raw fooders eat mostly fruit and vegetables and have no bone weakness.

Beth

ELEVATE YOUR HEALTH THROUGH PROPER BREATHING TECHNIQUES

According to one clinical study that spanned a 30-year period the most significant factor in your health and longevity is how well you breathe. (breathing.com)

Our life begins with our first breath in, and ends with our last breath out.  Without breathing we survive only a few minutes.  Unless we have a problem, we take the act of breathing for granted and don’t realize its significant affect on the quality of our life.  Its affect on our body, mind and emotions is tremendous.

Proper breathing benefits your:

• Respiratory system, which can reduce mental and physical fatigue, as well as relieve symptoms of asthma and bronchitis
• Blood Pressure, much of hypertension is controlled by the way you breathe –  breathing exercises are an excellent tool to control blood pressure.
• Circulatory system; improving blood circulation and cell oxygenation throughout your body
• Nervous system, relaxes the body and calms the mind.
• Digestive system, by acting as a pump to massage internal organs, improving digestion and elimination; helps relieve constipation.
• Endocrine system. The action of your diaphragm helps push lymph throughout your body, which helps eliminate toxic waste and strengthen your immune system
• Urinary system, by helping to eliminate fluids and massaging your kidneys
• Skin. Toxic CO2 waste is eliminated more directly through your breath, and your skin can also be positively affected by improved blood flow and oxygenation

Breathing techniques can be practiced anywhere, at any time throughout the day.

“Practicing regular, mindful breathing can be calming and energizing and can even help with stress-related health problems ranging from panic attacks to digestive disorders.”  - Dr. Weil 

Good breathing techniques help reduce the need to overeat by balancing the metabolism and calming the mind as well.

 

DR. WEIL’S 4-7-8 BREATHING TECHNIQUE TO ENHANCE YOUR HEALTH

or  Relaxing Breath Exercise.  – Dr. Weil

The 4-7-8 Breathing Exercise

The key to this exercise is to remember the numbers 4, 7 and 8. It’s not important to focus on how much time you spend in each phase of the breathing activity, but rather that you get the ratio correct.

1. Sit up straight
2. Place the tip of your tongue up against the back of your front teeth. Keep it there through the entire breathing process
3. Breathe in silently through your nose to the count of four
4. Hold your breath to the count of seven
5. Exhale through your mouth to the count of eight, making an audible “woosh” sound
6. That completes one full breath. Repeat the cycle another three times, for a total of four breaths

Perform this exercise as frequently as you want throughout the day.  It is recommended you don’t do more than four full breaths during the first month or so of practice; eventually working your way up to eight full breath cycles at a time.

With proper breathing you are oxygenating your body, correcting your internal and energetic balance and nervous system. Your entire body, its countless cellular functions, and all your systems are positively affected.

For even more information on breathing practices, read Breathing Exercises and Self Healing,  by Roger Jahnke, O.M.D., or see Dr. Weil’s website for additional exercises.

Until next time…

Bon A Petite’

Beth Wilke, Raw Food Chef and Instructor

Take your health to a new level – Be A Champion!

I love to read stories that inspire and motivate me. 

In his era, “Babe” Ruth (George Herman), struck out 1330 times and became known as the “Strikeout King.”  Today “Babe” Ruth is considered one of the greatest players of all time holding the major league lifetime home run record for almost four decades.  He focused on his successes and learned from his failures.

Michael Jordan, a basketball champion extraordinaire, says he is not the player he is because of natural talent but because of all the hours and practice and ‘failed’ shots he made, well over 1,000!  Nobody watched that!

Behind every success are lots of practices, hard work, and numerous failures.  Behind every ‘winner’ is someone who has been a ‘loser’, many times over!  “Babe” Ruth, Michael Jordan and successful people worldwide do NOT focus on their failures (if they did, like most people they would have quit, given up).  They viewed their failures as merely learning tools to take another step forward toward their goal. They already saw themselves achieving their goal, it was just a matter of WHEN they would actually excel.  Through lots of hard work, determination, commitment, and most often ‘failures’ they reached a level of excellence and success we all see and remember today.

We too can achieve our own personal goals by emulating these athletes. I personally learned this lesson when HEALTH became my highest priority, my goal. If I was going to change my health around, I needed to do things differently. You’ve heard that definition of stupid: when you keep doing what you’ve been doing and expect different results.  I needed to get smart.  

I started changing my habits one step at a time (not easy, but doable).  I spent hours studying health, learning as much as I could through classes, lectures, books, and tapes.

I practiced success strategies (staying focused, visualization, positive talk, and meditation).  I made the time – not easy when you’ve got a ‘to do’ list that never gets ‘done’. 

I listed out as many reasons WHY achieving this goal was important to me.  Not only did this serve to motivate me, but it inspired me.  I read this list every morning.  I tried, not always successfully, to keep my thoughts, words and actions directed toward my goal.

I PRACTICED healthier:

Food selection:  choosing whole fresh plant foods (preferably organic) for their superior nutrient content and low calorie composition

Food Preparation:  preparing the popular dishes I like (very important – focus on the foods you like and eat most often) in a way that didn’t compromise its nutrient value – in its raw, natural, ‘uncooked’ state.

Learning to prepare food this way took time, LOTS of failure, but I kept plugging away while keeping focused on my goal and soon I was preparing dishes effortlessly, even enjoying myself!

Food Consumption:  I learned…..yes LEARNED…to chew my food thoroughly.  Our stomach does not have teeth. Did you know that most digestive enzymes are found in your mouth and that the more you chew, the more enzymes you initiate? There’s ‘motivation’ to chew! 

We’re a fast food nation, with a fast food mentality and we often overlook the most important part of food consumption: chewing. 

You’ve heard of the ‘big gulp’, well this also applies to our eating habits. We ‘super-size’ everything because we rush through the eating process.  Eating in big gulps we never thoroughly ‘taste’ the food or allow it to stay on our tongue long enough to ‘savor’ the flavor.  This leads to overeating and subsequent weight gain and stomach distress.

Keep your meals simple:  The simpler your meal, the more satisfying it is.  With every new ‘taste’ you introduce to your pallet when dining, you’ll be stimulated you to eat more.  If you sat down to eat bananas, as many as you wanted to feel comfortably full, it would take few to satisfy you.  If however you added granola, then raisins, then milk, then coffee to your meal…well, not only do you pack on more calories and feel inclined to eat more, but you’ve just initiated the ‘abundance’ principle.  The more you eat, the more you want to eat. 

 

I read somewhere that to achieve any goal you desire, you have one of two ways to go: there is the hard way, and then there is the harder way! Making changes require EFFORT.  The REWARDS however are worth every bit of it!  By developing better habits, making better choices, developing successful strategies, and practicing healthier activities, I exceeded my HEALTH goal in ways unimaginable. Honestly if I can do it, you most certainly can!

Set your goal(s)……..…embrace failures, as well as successes……..move forward one step at a time………..Be a Champion!

Just like “Babe” Ruth or Michael Jordan.

 

Bon A Petite

Beth Wilke, Raw Food Chef & Teacher

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