invest in your health . by eating raw foods

Raw whole fruits and vegetables, or living foods as they are often called, are critical for a healthy diet. Rich in enzymes and proteins, living foods provide the nutrients necessary to sustain life. Living foods include: raw nuts, seaweed, raw carob powder, cold-pressed olive oil and a variety of spices and seasonings.

Cooking foods at temperatures over 115 degrees depletes them of valuable enzymes necessary for digestion. Undigested foods are stored in the body as toxins and produce residual ailments.

If you’re unsure of how to incorporate raw foods into your daily diet or want to try a raw food fast, get a partner and get busy.

Solstices and equinoxes, better known as the change of seasons, are wonderful times to engage in fasting, says chef Skai Davis who owns Baltimore’s vegan restaurant, The Yabba Pot. Chef Skai refers to raw food fasting as a cleansing process, and hosts the inspirational 21-day Raw Food Challenge (theyabbapotcafe. com) every new season.

“It takes 21 days to make or break a habit,” says chef Skai. What kinds of habits will you establish for your health this season?

If increased energy, pain relief, better sleep, weight loss and mental clarity don’t appeal to you, maybe the vain and superficial benefits associated with eating living foods will. Raw food adherents’ skin has been known to glow. Avocados and cold-pressed olive oil can help to achieve this end. Seasoned raw foodie Zezeh Pereira says she saves money on hair supplies because – with the way her hair shines after solely eating living foods, she doesn’t need shine supplements. Get your raw food diet on today and find out why some people liken this experience to the sensation of making good love.

Recommended books: The Joy of Living Live: A Raw Food Journey by Zakkyah; Raw Food/Real World: 100 Recipes to Get the Glow by Kinney and Melnglailis; and RAW: The Uncook Book: New Vegetarian Food For Life by Brotman and Lenkert. Eat well and enjoy! –ciara a. calbert

Other Web sites that serve as great resources are living-foods.com, welikeitraw.com, and goneraw.com.