There is something very powerful about raw foods. Those who are aware of it and make a conscious effort to eat raw vegan to heal diseases like cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, weight problems and so many others, see a significant positive change in their overall health. Many have cured their disease, even cancer.
Most people don’t connect how they eat to the condition of their bodies. Many think they are sick because of bad genes, or it’s just bad luck. Seeing the effects of our diet is a slow process and so we don’t notice it or become aware of it until it’s too late.
Most Americans will eat whatever they want. We’re terrible about eating processed foods because they are easy, cheap and taste good, like pizza, chips, donuts, etc.
In the beginning our bodies are so miraculous on trying to compensate for the damage that these foods do to us. It fights and fights, until we become too heavy, our lymphatic system gets congested, our livers are full of toxins, and our bodies just can’t handle it anymore. That’s when we start getting sick and disease takes over.
See my post on LYMPH NODE LOCATIONS AND IMPORTANCE OF LYMPHATIC DRAINAGE.
If you’re sick, about 90% of the time, you did it to yourself by your lifestyle. Yes, there are a small percentage of people where genetics can change their body chemistry and make them sick, but for most part, we did it to ourselves.
The good news is, knowing you did it to yourself, gives you power to change things and change your health for the better.
If you can go 100% raw vegan, especially if you’re sick, that would be the best for you. However, preparing raw meals takes a lot of planning and time.
There are simple ways to add raw vegan foods to your diet and even if you become a part time raw vegan, and stay away from processed foods, you’ll still reap much of its benefits.
Here are some ways to do that:
1) Snacks – You can make kale chips, crackers, nuts mixes, zucchini chips and so many others.
2) Fresh salads – This one is easy. Just make your favorite salad using spring mix, your favorite vegetables, add sprouted nuts, and raw vegan cheese.
3) Juicing – Juicing is one of the best things you can do for good health. See my posts on juicing to get you started.
4) Desserts – You’ve heard that chocolate is very good for you, however, the stuff you buy at the store is just loaded with preservatives, sugar, etc. The best way to get the benefits that scientists are talking about is through making your chocolate yourself. I’ll include some recipes here in this post.
5) Munch on whole organic fruits and vegetables – You probably already do this. This is one of the simplest ways.
P.S. I will include some basic recipes to get you started on your raw vegan quest, just stick with me.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please see full disclosure for details.
RAW VEGAN BENEFITS
When people talk about energy, the first thing we think about is our caloric needs. How much carbohydrates, fat and protein we need to consume in order to get the energy we need to live day to day. The one very important element that is never talked about, but is most important, is Electrical energy.
Electrical energy brings life to every cell of our body and it is crucial to us being alive.
Here are some major elements where your electrical energy comes from:
- Enzymes – Enzymes are electrically charged proteins. It is in this charge that helps them catalyze all metabolic activities. Without this electrical charge, life cannot exist.
- Minerals – Minerals conduct electricity. This is what we call electrolytes. Minerals carry electrical charge in the fluids throughout our body. These are iron, magnesium, potassium and other metals.
- Vitamins – Vitamins from our food also carry electrical charge.
It is these essential life force electrical charges that metabolize caloric energy from carbohydrates, protein and fat that we consume. If we don’t have the electrical charges to metabolize them then these calories cannot be used and therefore they will hang around, and our body will store them as fat.
So how can we be assured to have enough electrical energy? The answer is, through a raw vegan diet.
I can’t even express enough how valuable this way of eating is. Many alternative cancer treatment sites use a raw vegan diet as one of their main cancer treatments, and they have much success!
There’s An Oasis Of healing, The Gerson Therapy, Hallelujah Acres, and Chrisbeatcancer.com. I’m sure there are many more, but these are the ones I’m familiar with.
Chris Wark of Chris Beat Cancer, was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer. He chose raw vegan as his diet and has been cancer free for years. He is now coaching many people with cancer . Here is his new bestseller book:
MY INTRODUCTION TO THE RAW VEGAN DIET
I was introduced to eating a raw vegan diet when my late husband, Brad, was battling stage 4 esophageal cancer. His doctors had nothing more for him but chemo and radiation, just to prolong his life. He chose not to do that because he got very ill the first go round of chemo and radiation. We chose quality of life and had hoped to even cure his cancer by going all natural.
First we followed the Hallelujah diet and other modalities like GCMaf. We tried a lot of all natural ways but got coerced into doing radiation again, after which, he got very ill. I truly believe his time was becoming very short.
In a last ditch effort, we went to An Oasis Of Healing in Mesa, Arizona. This place had us following a 100% raw vegan diet with lots of juicing. When we first got there Brad weighed 114 pounds. He was very weak and in much pain, despite all the narcotic meds he was on. In a matter of 3 days they managed to stop his pain, and little by little he started gaining back some weight and strength.
After four weeks of treatment at the Oasis Of Healing, Brads tumor markers went from 8,000+ to 600. He started working out at the gym to gain back muscle and started cycling, which he loved. Unfortunately, we started his treatment there too late, the cancer had already metastasized to his brain. In four days after we found out, he was gone.
Honestly I don’t know what happened there, if it was the radiation that did it, or that his cancer was just very aggressive. What I do know for certain is that going the all natural way gave him great quality of life. He said he never felt so good, ever!
My former pastor had stage 4 throat cancer. The treatment the doctors had for him was surgery and radiation just to prolong his life. But they told him all his teeth will fall out and he won’t be able to preach anymore. That was not even an option for him and his wife. They decided to follow the Hallelujah Diet which is juicing and raw vegan. Nine years later he’s alive and well, cancer free!
Here is a great book to read for more information on what this diet can do for you.
I’ve often asked myself, ‘What if I get cancer, what would I do?’
The answer is very simple for me. I will go the all natural way. I’ll go raw vegan for sure and no chemo or radiation for me.
I am in no way trying to convince you to do the same. This is a decision you must make yourself. Either way, adding raw vegan foods to your diet will help you tremendously!
It has been shown that one way to recover from chemo and radiation therapy is raw vegan. Click here to find out more.
Besides, this blog is not about cancer treatment, I’ll leave that to the experts. The whole theme for this blog is cancer prevention and healthy living.
Here is what this diet can do for your body:
1) Raw food is living food and is loaded with enzymes. Enzymes are electrically charged proteins and helps with digestion, metabolism, healing, detoxing, and immune functions. Most enzymes and nutrients are destroyed when heated above 118°F.
2) Raw foods normalize body pH. People who have cancer or are sick have an acidic pH. Eating living foods will help normalize the imbalance and promote better health.
3) Gluten free – most raw foods are gluten free.
4) Vitamins are preserved. Vitamins help with energy production, digestion and tissue repair. Cooking destroys most vitamins. That’s why when you get something that is pasteurized, meaning it is heated to kill bacteria, the vitamins are destroyed and sometimes the manufacturer attempts to add them back in, which is unnatural. Vitamins are essential as our bodies don’t produce them, they must come from our food.
5) Antioxidant are preserved. Antioxidants protect our tissues from free radicals. Heating destroys these.
6) Minerals – just like vitamins, eating raw helps preserve electrically charged minerals. Minerals like iron, zinc, magnesium, potassium are so important in keeping our bodies functioning optimally.
7) Raw foods have less calories then foods that have been processed. The nutrient content helps our bodies metabolize calories more efficiently, and reducing the chance of gaining weight. However, if you are trying to gain weight, raw nuts, seeds and avocados are calorie dense foods you can have.
8) Hormone free. With a raw vegan diet, you will not be eating meat, or dairy products which may contain hormones. Even farmers with great environments for their livestock cannot eliminate stress hormones produced from slaughter, or milk from a cow that is stressed due to it being separated from it’s calf.
9) High in Fiber. Fiber helps regulate bowel movements and flush out toxins.
The body is an amazing thing God has created, it is always trying to compensate for what it needs. So if it is lacking in enzymes, it will try to get from our organs, glands, neural tissues, and blood. In turn, if we don’t do our duty and replenish it, this can lead to organ failure, aging, disease and death.
All in all, raw food is living food. If we want to live a long healthy, energized, disease free life, we must incorporate this into our daily lives.
If you don’t eat enough raw foods, adding enzyme supplements will help tremendously. Here is one that I highly recommend. Anything you get from Hallelujah Acres is a very good, all natural product.
RAW VEGAN MEAL PLANNING
Raw food meal planning takes a lot of time. Spouting nuts can take up to 12 hours and wild rice can take up to three days. Then, most meals must be dehydrated in the dehydrator to soften or remove moisture from nuts, seeds and crackers.
Nuts must be sprouted first. Sprouting means, to soak nuts for at least 4 hours in filtered water to remove enzyme growth inhibitors for easier digestion.
Nuts that have been sprouted will be softer than their original state. They can be used in recipes immediately or they will last for a few days in the fridge.
For longer storage, you can place them in the dehydrator at 105°F, to dry. This may take up to a whole day. Then place dry nuts in a big mason jar and store in a cool dark place but not the refrigerator. I would have about 3 half gallon mason jars full of dried almonds and walnuts, so they will be ready to use anytime.
Sprouted walnuts processed in the food processor with Mexican spices is great as taco meat. You will be amazed how delicious these tacos are!
I would make Chile Relleno filled with sprouted brazil nuts and spices.
Here’s a pizza with a flax and sunflower seed pizza crust, vegan cheese and mushrooms and basil for toppings.
Brad’s favorite was Vegan Alfredo made with macadamia nut sauce and with kelp noodles.
All of this took a lot of time and planning.
I believe that life is to be enjoyed and there is a happy medium to everything. Because it takes so much time, I cannot sustain a 100% raw vegan lifestyle.
If you are looking to prevent cancer, which I am, I feel it’s important to add raw foods to our diet in ways that we can, in ways like I mentioned above.
There are some foods that are better nutritiously when cooked, releasing some nutrients and antioxidants in foods like lycopene and beta-carotene. Some of these are tomatoes, carrots and mushrooms. Mushrooms, when cooked, have double the amount of potassium, magnesium, zync and niacin. You’ll get different nutrients on these foods either raw or cooked. It just depends on what you are preparing. Obviously, you won’t cook carrots prior to juicing them.
So do what you can to incorporate raw foods when you can. Keep on reading, I’ll show you how, and give you some recipes.
RAW VEGAN RECIPES
Before we begin, here are some kitchen tools you’ll need:
A coffee grinder to pulverize flax seeds: Do not grind flax seeds ahead of time and store them. They will become rancid. Grind them as you need them. It’s quick and easy.
BTW – Flax seeds are very nutritious. Take a look at this article Click here.
You’ll need a VitaMix. I know it’s expensive but it’s so worth the money. I love mine and have had it for years. It never fails me. This is to make your sauces and nut milks.
A food processor. This is to make your crackers, hummus and nut meats.
Most important of all is a dehydrator.
The dehydrator has so many uses:
- Slowly soften or melt chocolate liquor or coconut oil. Avoids using a double boiler.
- Drying of seasoned nut mixes and granola
- Marinating vegetables and softens them like they are cooked.
- Creating crisp crackers and chips
- Reduce sauces to a thicker consistency
- To warm food.
I love my Excalibur. I use it all the time. It has so much room that I can do a lot at once.
You’ll need these non-stick dehydrator sheets to line the shelves with.
Cheesecloth Nut Milk Bags to strain your nut milks.
The cheapest and best place to get organic raw nuts and food is Thrive Market.
RAW ALMOND MILK
Almond milk has many uses and making it yourself eliminates the bad stuff you get with store purchased variety. You can store this milk in airtight containers and it will keep in the refrigerator for a few days. If it separates, just give it a shake.
1 c. almonds, soaked for 12 hours in filtered water, then drained.
4 c. filtered water
1 tsp. vanilla extract (optional)
1 Tbsp extra virgin coconut oil
Sweetener like, 3 seeded dates, or 1 T. coconut nectar, or 1 T. Lakanto (optional)
Place all ingredients into the Vitamix and blend on high for about a minute. Then pour, strain and squeeze through a nut milk bag into your container.
RAW CHOCOLATE CHIA PUDDING
4 c. raw almond milk (see recipe above)
4 Tbsp organic cacao powder
4 Tbsp Lakanto (no net carbs), or coconut nectar
3/4 c white chia seeds
Put almond milk, cacao powder and sweetener in a bowl, stir. Place the whole bowl into the dehydrator at 115°F for about an hour. Check it to see if cacao and Lakanto have melted and can now blend well with nut milk.
Divide the cacao and milk mixture into 4 containers and stir in 3 Tbsp of chia seeds in each. It’ll be runny but will thicken overnight in the fridge.
RAW VEGAN PARMESAN CHEESE
1 quart macadamia, not soaked, or pine nuts, soaked for 1 to 2 hours
1 c. filtered water
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 c lemon juice
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. sea salt
1/2 shallot, chopped
Instructions:
Place all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Spread mixture on a dehydrator non-stick sheet and dehydrate at 105°F overnight. You can then crumble into pieces over your dish.
BERRY NUT MIX
2 c. raw sprouted and dried almonds
2 c. raw sprouted and dried walnuts
2 c. raw macadamia nuts
2 c. mixed berries like, blackberries, strawberries, blueberries and raspberries.
2 Tbsp. coconut nectar
Put nuts in a big bowl. Place berries and coconut nectar in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Pour berry mixture over nuts and and make sure they are well covered. Spread on dehydrator non-stick sheet and dehydrate at 105°F until dry. Then once they are dry, you can cut it into chunks.
RAW YUMMY GRANOLA
Wet Mixture
1 c. almond nut pulp (pulp from making milk) or raw almonds, soaked and drained.
1 c. coconut nectar
2 Tbsp. melted coconut oil
1 apple, chopped
1 pear, chopped
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cardamom
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp. sea salt
Place all ingredients in a food processor until well blended. If it’s too dry then add some almond milk to mixture. set to the side.
Dry ingredients
1 c. raw pumpkin seeds, soaked and dried
1 c. raw sunflower seeds, soaked and dried
1 c. raw sprouted and dried almonds
1 c. raw macadamia nuts
1 c. raw sprouted and dried walnuts
1/2 c. raw flaked coconut
Place all dry in a large bowl. Then pour wet mixture with dry ingredients and mix up until well coated. Place mixture onto non-stick teflex sheet and dehydrate at 105°F until dry.
Brake up into chunks and it’s done!
RAW KALE CHIPS WITH VEGAN CHEESE SAUCE
You can use the cheese sauce for dipping or to coat other vegetables.
2 bunches of kale, washed, stalks removed, and cut up by pulling apart with hands. Place in large bowl
1/2 c raw brazil nuts, soaked and drained
1/2 c raw sunflower seeds, soaked and drained
2 Tbsp Nama shoyu sauce
2 garlic cloves
1 Tbsp white miso
5 colored sweet peppers
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1/4 c lemon juice
Place all ingredients in a Vitamix and blend until smooth. pour this mixture over the kale and let marinade for about an hour.
Place coated kale chips on dehydrator sheet and dehydrate at 105°F until dry.
SUN DRIED TOMATO CRACKERS
5 c. walnuts, soaked and drained
5 sun-dried tomatoes
2 tsp. fresh oregano, chopped
4 tsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
2 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped
1/3 c nutritional yeast
3/4 c. ground sunflower seeds, use the coffee grinder to ground
3/4 c. ground flax seed
1/4 c. organic avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil
1/4 c. Nama shoyu
Place walnuts, sun dried tomatoes and the fresh herbs in the food processor and pulse until it’s crumbly not a paste. Put in a big bowl.
Add the rest of the ingredients in to the mixture and mix with hands until it’s all combined. You can add a bit of water if it’s too dry. You want it to be a sticky dough.
Spread on a few non-stick teflex sheets and dehydrate at 105°F for about 6 to 8 hours. Then flip unto a another meshed dehydrator shelf and peel off the teflex sheet. This is so the whole cracker can dry out. Dehydrate for another 2 to 3 hours.
Cut into small squares, then dehydrate again until crisp. about 1 to 2 hours.
MACADAMIA NUT PATE
This is great to spread on crackers or use as a pizza topping.
2 c. macadamia nuts, soaked for 2 hours, drained
1/2 cup water
1/2 c. chopped red bell pepper
1/2 c celery, minced
3 Tbsp. nutritional yeast
2 Tbsp. red onion, minced
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp sea salt
Place macadamia nuts with water in a food processor and process to a paste. Pour into a bowl and add the rest of the ingredients and stir. You can top crackers or flat breads with this pate.
You can also use the same ingredients by placing everything into the food processor and blending well. Place scoops of it onto non-stick teflex sheets and indent slightly. Place in dehydrator at 105°F for one day. Then transfer to a the meshed dehydrator shelf and dehydrate for another full day. You can slice this or crumble on pizza.
RAW CHOCOLATE CHIP MINT ICE CREAM
2 c. macadamia nuts, soaked for 3 hours
1 c. young coconut meat, you can buy these at Wholefoods or some Asian markets, peeled and ready to be busted open. Scrape out meat.
2 c. coconut water
3/4 c. coconut oil
6 dates, seeded for sweetness, or 3/4 c. coconut nectar or, add 3/4 c. Lakanto for no net carbs
1 vanilla bean, scraped
1 1/2 Tbsp peppermint extract
1/2 c. cacao nibs
Blend all ingredients, except the cacao nibs in the Vitamix until very smooth. Then pour into electric ice cream maker until it thickens, then add cacao nibs. Continue to run ice cream maker until you see it’s done.
You can make just about any flavor you want by exchanging the mint and cacao nibs to adding blueberries, strawberries, cherry, or whatever you like.
RAW NUTS AND CHILI PEPPER CHOCOLATE BARS
Before making this recipe, be sure all utensils are completely dry.
2 1/2 c. cacao liquor (Paste), finely chopped
2 c. cacao butter, finely chopped
2 vanilla beans, scraped
1/2 c. coconut nectar or liquid Lakanto
1 c. chopped raw dried sprouted almonds , or dry macadamia nuts, chopped (can you tell, I love macadamia nuts?)
2 Tbsp Aleppo pepper
Pinch of sea salt
Start dehydrator at 115°F. Place cacao liquor and cacao butter in a metal bowl. Place bowl in dehydrator for about an hour until cacao is two-thirds melted, stirring occasionally to speed up melting.
Once it is two-thirds melted, take the bowl out of dehydrator and keep stirring until it is completely melted.
Once completely melted, add the sweetener, salt, chopped nuts and Aleppo pepper. Stir in to chocolate.
Put back in dehydrator for about 5 to 10 minutes. Don’t keep in too long as the chocolate may break down. Take out of dehydrator and your chocolate is ready to pour in your molds.
I just pour mine into a shallow broiler pan that came with my oven and line it with parchment paper. I’ll pour the whole batch in and place in the fridge for about 2 hours. Then I’ll use a pizza cutter to cut into rough bars.
Here are some raw recipe books you can get from Amazon:
I love this Asian recipe book, I’ve made numerous dishes that are delicious!
I’ve truly enjoyed sharing raw vegan with you, and I hope you will find ways to incorporate it into your lifestyle.
I wish you good health.
DISCLAIMER
The content of this website is research done by me, Linda Edwards, author of blossomingwidow.com.Everything you find here is for informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, cure, prevent or treat any medical condition. The information you find here is not to replace your relationship with your physician or other medical professionals. The information is not intended for medical advice but rather, sharing with you knowledge I have gained through research and experience. If you apply any information you find here, it is based solely on your own discretion, and at your own risk. Linda Edwards / blossomingwidow.com shall not be held liable for any reason.