Timeless Spirit LogoTHEME Raw Food Coaching


A Spiritually Enlightening Online Magazine. July's Theme: "Attitude"
Volume 7 Issue 5 ISSN# 1708-3265

Index Meet Our Staff Free Subscription Donations Come Shopping Advertise in TSM Archived Issues


ARTICLES
COLUMNS
REVIEWS











Life in the Raw
with Nicola Watt

A Raw food diet is a diet based on unprocessed and uncooked plant foods: fresh fruit and vegetables, sprouts, seeds, nuts, grains, beans, dried fruit and sea weed. Heating food above 118 degrees fahrenheit is believed to destroy enzymes in food that assist in the digestion and absorption of food. Cooking diminishes the nutritional value and life-force of food. Raw food is pure medicine to the body; I stay raw because of how it makes me feel. I like to graze all day on beautiful fruits and vegetables and have plenty of energy to make it through the day.

I believe my attitude in life is because of my clean diet. I am no longer a victim to mood and energy swings due to poor food choices. The foods I eat are designed to feed and repair my body and soul.

My attitude, (which is my secret to staying raw) is the power of choice. I choose to eat this way, and I am no longer a hostage to junk food and junk drinks. After about a week of denying the false hunger created by these foods and drinks I became free of the junk trap. I eat this way out of choice, not to lose weight or make a point.

I am a raw vegan, raw vegetarian and a fruitarian, yes I am all of those at this moment in time, but I am also a person who eats wonderful natural healthy food which feeds my body with pure sunshine when I feel hungry. In the beginning I was more vocal about being raw, I seemed to draw lots of negative people towards me, until I realised that some people do not like to see others positively happy with life. People unable to diet or make healthy changes in their own life are quick to sabotage your diet to make themselves feel better and seem happy when you are struggling with a lifestyle change. The reason is simple, your strength weakens them.

We are the only creatures on the planet who consider it odd or freakish if one of our own is not poisoning themselves on a regular basis, and we're the most intelligent? Many people say it's too expensive or time consuming to live this way. I hear many raw foodists state that there should be no price tag on your health, once you are fighting with poor health all the money in the world can't save you yet you can prevent most health problems and disease through good food choices now.

If it was just as healthy to live on boiled sweets and cappuccinos I'd be the most dedicated! I have an amazing sweet tooth and I love coffee. But… it is not.

So instead, I consume loads of fresh extracted juices and smoothies, other days I eat salads and on real lazy days which are my favourite days I graze all day on fruit and orange juice. I have no routine, I don't work well with lists, timings and schedules as I find them too restrictive. I drink lots of water but also get a lot from the unlimited fresh fruit and vegetables I consume daily. I am also a realist and respect that my level of raw cannot work for everyone.

I know for fact that this way of living is too expensive for some families, so do your best. Fill up your plate with lots of grated raw root vegetables, mix dried fruits and nuts into your salads. I like to grate and use the vegetable peeler when making salad dishes, the meal is more bulky and easy to chew and a simple carrot becomes so much more when grated or peeled opposed to chopping.

Drink lots of water. Remove the fizzy beverages and cordial juices. I drink tap water and use a water filter probably not seen as the best by many raw foodists but it's the best I can do in my financial situation and certainly better than drinking fizzy bottles of disease-making liquids.

Check out the market for your fruit and vegetables. The stall traders sell off bowls of fruits and vegetables for £1, I've known days were all we have done is eat bananas all day! Why? Simple! We had loads in and if we don't eat them they would have been wasted as I don't own a freezer to keep them to add into smoothies, juices, deserts etc. I've had deals on apple and grapes and literally lived on them for days, I was feeding my body with pure sunshine all day, feeling fantastic and spent no time in the kitchen at all as I always wash all my groceries when I bring them home.

There is no hard and fast rule on eating raw food. In the beginning raw food seemed complicated. I was looking too deep, getting lost in all the super food marketing out there. Raw food is, as I stated at the beginning… natural food. I keep it simple, some people like to dehydrate, some juice, some fast, others do them all. It really does not matter. Simply focus on getting as much raw food into your body as possible instead of processed, chemical artificial foods, designed purposely to cause addiction, hence leading you to believe you personally have no willpower.

Working on a small financial budget you can still achieve great benefits. The more raw you eat the greater you will feel. Eventually you will ditch that biscuit and grab a handful of dried fruit or nut's instead. Although a raw diet is excellent in the repair of the body I believe the real secret is keeping the body light. If all raw is too much, then keep your meals small and simple, using natural foods in their true form and only blanching the vegetables holding in as much goodness as possible.

In WWII disease, common illness and depression reduced. At what we would probably consider to be very hard times, food was rationed and animal and dairy products were scarce. People made lots of vegetable based meals and reduced their meat, dairy and fish consumption considerably. When the war ended and rations were no longer in place, illness, depression and disease began to rise. Prevention of illness and disease is not solely due to eating raw food. It's due to not overloading your body of artificial non-foods. The next time you visit the supermarket checkout, see how many aisles have actually got food in them. My guess is you'll find maybe four; fruit and vegetables, meats (natural form, no bread crumbs and sauces) fish, and a whole food section which will hold dried fruits nuts, seeds, beans and seaweed. So besides cleaning products, that's a lot of aisles holding disease making substances that we have been educated to see as food.

The next time you get a spare minute, research the ingredients which make up your packet of crisps or your favourite chocolate bar. I bet when you see what it's really made out of you will question whether you should eat it. Then find out if there are any links to disease - for example aspartame is linked to brain tumours in young children. Aspartame is used in children's soft drinks, cordials, their favourite puddings like chocolate mousse and some jellies… it's everywhere.

My attitude to life is I want to live it fully. I take responsibility for my own health. I am my own educator.

My attitude to raw food is it definitely works for me. It will heal and prevent disease providing your diet is simple and clean. I don't push my views on others and respect those that grace me in the same way. But I will continue to be vocal about junk foods and drinks and won't stop until all these foods come with a health warning just like the one found on cigarettes and alcohol. People must be told the truth about what really is okay for our bodies so they can make an educated choice.

A healthy attitude is contagious but don't wait to catch it from others. Be a carrier.


Nicola Watt is a Raw Food Coach and a Natural Juice Therapist. Born in England in the United Kingdom in 1974 she is also a Certified Personal Training Instructor, Reiki Master, Indian Head Massage Therapist and Tarot Card Reader.

As well as writing for Timeless Spirit as a columnist she writes raw e-books on weight-loss for health and allergy prevention and she facilitates Raw Spiritual workshops and re-treats.

She is currently studying to become a Master Juicer which is officially recognized by the CMA (Complementary Medical Association).

Mummy to her four young children and supporting wife of a British Soldier, Nicola enjoys the great outdoors, hiking, cycling running and walking her three active dogs along with caring for her children's small pets.

A practicing Christian with some Buddhism beliefs she likes the simple things in life and has a dream to live in a warm climate off the grid.

If you would like to learn more about Nicola and her raw family you can visit her blog.



Copyright (c) 2010 by Timeless Spirit Magazine. All articles are the copyright of the particular writers and cannot be reprinted without their expressed permission. All rights reserved. International copyright laws prohibit reproduction of or distribution of this page by any means whatsoever, electronic or otherwise, without first obtaining the written permission of the copyright holder. We retain legal counsel to protect our copyrights.

Any advice given is for informational purposes only.