Raw Vegan Diet & Weight Loss in 2016

Day 53

"Tonight we feast, tomorrow we diet."

This is it. My last day of feasting and drinking. Dionysus will wonder what has become of me. My body will mourn the passing of my appetite for sugary foods. No bread shall pass my lips. The cravings will be unbearable at first but will eventually recede as does the morning tide each day. Healthy eating will become a way of life. For at least the first few days of January. Already I have stocked last minute delights I plan to eat before I begin (once again) my quest for a smaller waistline. Naturally there will be some leftover on January 1, 2016. I live on a tight budget and have a very hard time throwing food away. This year I will dispose of anything detrimental to my weight loss program on the first day of January.

A friend has suggested following a Raw Vegan diet for better physical and spiritual health. Janet Allen PhD, RN has recently written a book about her spiritual journey that led to raw vegan foods and the benefits of following a raw vegan diet.

Spiritual Effects of Live Food: Diet for a New Age tells of the benefits of eating raw organically grown vegetables and fruits for a healthier, more satisfying life. She tells of her own experiences as well as the experiences of others, while purging the build up of toxins from years of eating cooked foods. Heating foods above 118 degrees F causes the food to lose the full nourishment it is capable of providing. She also explains proper harvesting of plants for maximum benefits while respecting the synergy between earth and humans.

At a recent retreat, I had the pleasure of tasting several of the sweet treats she makes from healthy, organic ingredients. They were delicious and quickly disappeared. Janet has already been asked to bring more to next years retreat.

The first book covers mostly the health and spiritual benefits of living and eating in harmony with nature. Janet's soon to be released second book will be filled with recipes as well as tips for growing, harvesting and canning for later use. She grows most of her own foods in her garden and has an abundance in the autumn that she stores for use during the earths winter sleep. If the recipes in her second book are as delicious as the treats at the retreat, I have no doubt her second book will be a great success.

I enjoy chicken and steak and probably always will. I won't debate the issue of animals for food supplies. I will admit that Janet Allen's book has made me reconsider some of my diet choices. Though I don't believe I will ever be a vegan, I do try to live in harmony with this earth. We are made of this earth, it is our mother, and to her our bodies will return. We should respect her.

If you are interested in learning more about Janet Allen PhD, RN or her insightful book Spiritual Effects of Live Food: Diet for a New Age click here. Watch for her new cookbook coming soon in 2016. For more up to date info click the link above.

Until next year,

Ken