Kickas.org Forums Treatments, Drugs and Alternatives NSD and diet-related; Raw Food Diet

I've been reading about raw food diets for a couple of years (have a few books now) and have read so many testimonials of people enjoying optimal health, illnesses disappearing when eating mostly or all raw foods. The key factor being the live enzymes being consumed with every meal.

I had been following the NSD diet and this was definitely helping with A.S. symptoms but I also have ulcerative colitis (in remission with medication but would like to be free from meds) and consistent chronic heartburn/acid reflux ( only in the last year). I noticed that raw fruits and vegetables are the foods that I digest the best so for the moment I have switched to a raw foods diet and I am really enjoying it, feeling like I have more energy, my mind is clearer and more focused etc. The raw food diet is also an NSD diet for the most part (I still stick to a NSD)

Yesterday I made sushi type rolls with no rice or seafood, just specially prepared vegetables wrapped in nori, and they were delicious (to my surprise!)

Just wondering if anyone else has tried a raw food diet or has read about it and has any thoughts?

My heartburn/acid reflux is much better but still there a little bit, I'm hoping that it will just gradually disappear if I keep eating this way.

All the best,
Ruby7

Hi Ruby,

I have been drinking a raw veg juice everyday. The base is a stick of celery and 1/2 a cucumber. Then I add a handful of frozen red grapes, some fresh parsley and a dandelion leaf, a few splashes of cold filterd water and some grey sea salt. You can vary it by using a different fruit to sweeten, and different green leafs and herbs. This drink is surprisingly delicious!

Here are some links on veg juicing:

http://www.healingdaily.com/juicing-for-health.htm

http://www.mercola.com/nutritionplan/juicing.htm

Hey, Ruby7:

Wayne Green is a raw foodist and he described eating liver. He makes colloidal silver and soaks the liver in that first. I don't even eat THAT STUFF cooked! He has replied to me several times that my AS can go into remission eating raw foods, but it is already in remission and raw foods cannot repair my damage, otherwise I would be eating only raw! He recommends, amongst many other books, those about eating this way.

I try and add enzymes by eating beansprouts, and especially adding raw alfalfa sprouts to stuff really helps. This is the type of enzyme we need more than the ripest fruit-spoiling variety, but both are very important; one reason we find pills like Papaya Enzymes in stores.

Juicing is a better option, especially for those with active lesions, but if your tract can handle raw stuff, this is wonderful.

Best to You,
John

Thanks for the info Jeanne. I've been drinking a celery and cucumber juice almost everyday, sometimes with carrot as well. I've had a juicer for a long time and am a little bored with my combinations so will check out the links.

Hi John,

Well I don't think I will be going for the raw liver anytime soon, I wouldn't eat that cooked either!

From what I've read, sprouts are the best for enzymes, and minerals. I recently started growing my own sprouts (alfalfa, broccoli, beansprouts) and have been eating a lot of them.

I don't have any active lesions (last flare-up was bad but completely healed with prednisone last April) and I am taking a low dose anti-inflammatory (Asacol)regularly as well as VSL-3 (highest strengh imaginable pro-biotic) when I can afford it http://www.vsl3.com/VSL3/default.asp

Asacol is not digested in the stomach, just goes directly to the gut and I have used it for many years, I went into the last bad flare-up when I stopped taking it.

I do chew my food extremely well (especially nuts and raw vegetables), takes me a very long time to eat, but I feel it helps the digestion and is more gentle on the gut. Definitely if I was in flare-up I would stick to juice and be following what my doc calls a "low residue" diet. I do eat nuts almost every day but only a small amount and I soak them first.

Do you think I might benefit from papaya enzymes since my stomach is still not functioning optimally?

All the best,
Ruby7

hi Ruby.. Have you tried making Laco-Fermented foods/beverages to help with enzymes & probiotics? Here's a good link: http://www.wildfermentation.com/

We also do Kefir & Kombucha to help detox chemicals from meds & environment as well as to help heal our guts & stabalize pH and such... My hubby has IBS & notices a big difference when he misses his lacto-drinks! The kombcha helps reduce my brain fog & fatigue. I also let my red meats (right now it's venison) marinate in the Kombucha to let the active cultures tenderize the meats to make it better to digest. I do that with my beans as well. Keeps the gas away too.

But we do as much raw as possible (milk, fruits & veggies). I have tried a bite of raw venison recently & was surprised at the flavor & texture!

Hi Trudi,

Thanks for the info, I'll check out the link. I drink sauerkraut juice (store bought) and I have a book by Ann Wigmore that has a recipe for her drink called "Rejuvelac" which is made from fermented wheat berries. I finally got some wheat berries so will be trying that out.

I can't see myself eating raw meat or drinking raw milk, but I did buy some raw cheese that was good.

What is kombucha?

All the best,
Ruby7

Sauerkraut juice is more healthier if you use 'live' sauerkraut.. not sure what kind you are purchasing, but my hubby cannot eat the store kind because of some additive in it. We think it's MSG because he gets severe IBS cramping & migraines when eating anything with MSG ... He does fine with our home lacto-fermented recipe!


Kombucha is a lacto-fermented beverage on the lines of raw applecider vinegar. But tastes much better. My kids call it 'Boocha Pop' since it's a lot like fermented apple cider.

you use sugar & black/green tea which it converts to enzymes & probiotics. Definately helps with indigestion.. Here's a pretty good site that explains things well. You can usually get a culture scoby for only shipping costs from someone near you ... http://www.kombu.de/suche2.htm


another site with good info http://www.kombuchaamerica.com/

Hi Ruby,

Have not tried raw foods, but when I lived in Phoenix I saw a holistic individual for lack of better term regarding diet. She believed heavily in enzymes and raw foods. She had to buy her beef special and was rather expensive. She had had some health issues that cleared up with raw food diet.

I loved juicing as well... may have to try Jeanne's recipe at some point. I loved fresh carrot juice (2-3 carrots) with 1 apple. Had others... but another favorite was pineapple/strawberry juice.

Was expensive though. Ironically the raw food specialist I saw did not like juicing as it was a sugar spike and also the fiber from the foods went to waste.

Tim

Hi Tim,
Yes, juicing can get expensive. I can see how fruit juices would be a sugar spike and better to eat the whole piece, but I wouldn't think that vegetable juices would be a problem.

I have recipes to make crackers using the leftover vegetable pulp (mixed with ground flaxseed and dehydrated). A little bit of cabbage or beet juice is great in carrot juice with apple. Pineapple/strawberry juice sounds yummy!!

A lot of raw foodists are vegan and then there are those like Carol Alt who drink raw milk and eat raw cheese, raw meat and raw fish. I'm not into raw meat, raw milk or raw fish and am having a once weekly meal that includes some cooked meat. I'm enjoying eating this way and feeling better than I have in a long time.

All the best,
Ruby7