Rude Health: Raw food the way to go
Sunday, February 25, 2007- By Ruth O’Connor
Dr Douglas Graham has been existing solely on uncooked food for 27 years. At his recent seminar in Dublin I expected to encounter a strange food obsessive but instead found a man who looked at least ten years younger than his 55 years – sinewy, lithe and bursting with energy. I was intrigued.
It seems incredible in the western world with all its convenience, processed and fast foods that somebody could deny themselves access to all of the above and live entirely on raw food, but that is what Graham has done.
And he’s not alone; a growing number of people, fed up with chronic ill health and general malaise, have decided that raw food is not only better for us, but is fundamental to our make-up as living organisms.
Raw-fooders are usually also vegan, denying themselves all meat and animal products.
Their diet consists mainly of raw, preferably organic, fruit and vegetables, (sprouted) nuts and seeds, grains, pulses and seaweeds.
The theory is that humans are biologically conditioned to thrive on uncooked food because cooking food damages, destroys and denatures the vitamins, minerals, enzymes and other body building blocks needed to maintain a healthy body and mind. The diet is low in fats and trans-fats and extremely high in vitamins, fibre and antioxidants. Those living on raw food report increased vitality, better health, improved skin, memory and concentration, and a slimmer silhouette.
Graham believes that the majority of us are food junkies, addicted to processed foods and refined sugars that are detrimental to our health. While most of us might have a problem with the idea of going totally raw, we are by now quite aware of the benefits of upping our intake of fruit and vegetables.
“All food surveys prove the same thing,” says Graham.
“Anything other than fruits and vegetables are less nutritious than fruits and vegetables.
“Any time you eat anything other than fruits and vegetables you’re eating food for some other reason than nutrition – you’re eating it for entertainment, for social value, to numb yourself or because you’re addicted to it.”
Demi Moore, Woody Harrelson and Alicia Silverstone are just some of the celebrities who have adopted a raw food diet. Raw food restaurants have begun popping up in Britain and the US and there’s even an International Festival of Raw Food Enthusiasts, called Raw World. One look at any raw food website presents albums of smiling, slim, healthy-looking characters. But is the raw food diet risk-free?
Opponents believe that the diet can lead to vitamin deficiency and lowered bone mass and may not be suitable for children or pregnant women.
To ensure they are getting their recommend vitamins, fats, minerals and carbohydrates a raw food practitioner must be extremely disciplined. Quite a lot of forward planning is also required, as many ingredients need to be soaked or sprouted in advance.
Lia de Lancey is a nutritional therapist and raw fooder.
In her practice, Health Creation, which she runs with Goisa Rzeszutek, de Lancey offers practical support and workshops on issues of health, nutrition and lifestyle. “Before I started this diet,” says de Lancey, “I was exhausted working part-time, four days a week.
“Every evening I would collapse on the sofa, suffering from chronic fatigue. Now I can work 13 or 14-hour days.”
De Lancey eats fruit for breakfast and lunch, and a salad for her evening meal, usually eating one type of food at a time until she is full. Her diet is called 811 – 80 per cent carbohydrates, 10 per cent fat, 10 per cent protein, but many other raw fooders eat a high fat diet consisting of a great deal of nuts and pulses, which de Lancey does not recommend.
De Lancey is keen to stress, however, that jumping into a raw food diet is not advisable without support and careful planning. “The message I give to most of my clients is that they need to increase their levels of raw fruit and vegetables.
“It’s easy to go through the day on processed foods, but it’s easy too to up your fruit and vegetable intake. If you’re looking to increase health and lose weight, this is a very good start.”
For more information on raw food diets see www.healthcreation.eu;
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