The Fresh Network Blog

The raw world's top 5 most dangerous myths

Avoid some common pitfalls and you can really ramp up the results you get on your raw regime. Full of information on just that is Get Fresh! magazine editor Sarah Best's article "The raw world's top 5 most dangerous myths", posted on her new website a few days ago.

Here's an excerpt:

"Heat damages the delicate macronutrients, micronutrients and enzymes in food, as well as its subtle yet all-important energy field.

It begins its demolition job on all of these – and in many cases finishes it – at a fraction of the temperature at which most food is cooked.

In addition, heat causes the formation of substances which can damage our cells when they come into contact with them – and as these substances are not naturally occurring they add to our toxic load.

These are just some of the reasons it makes sense to eat as much of our food raw as possible.

But unfortunately there are a number of dangerous myths circulating in the raw food world. Get taken in by any of these and they can really diminish the results you get on your raw or high-raw regime.

At Get Fresh! magazine and its parent company, The Fresh Network, we've been well aware of these myths for many years and we resolutely keep them out of the magazine. We're the folks people call when it all goes wrong, so we witness first-hand the consequences of bad dietary advice. We're committed to ensuring that our readers get only the very best and most effective health information, and we're grateful there are so many ethical, knowledgeable raw food experts out there to join us in delivering it.

But back to those myths that are doing the rounds... Today I want to share with you the five I consider most dangerous, and why."

Go here to continue reading "The raw world's top 5 most dangerous myths"

Natural health - protecting YOUR right to choose

This week the US House of Representatives passed a 'food safety' bill that looks likely to force many small organic farmers out of business and thereby massively restrict the availability of local, organic produce. This is just one of an ongoing series of legislative measures worldwide that has been presented as being in the public interest but that, in reality, protects only the interests of the world's largest food, biotech and/or pharma companies.

The Winter issue of Get Fresh! magazine (which mailed out to subscribers this Wednesday, incidentally) carries an in-depth round-up of the most pressing issues affecting our health freedom, and what we can do about them. To ensure the most accurate and up-to-date information on this topic we went straight to one of the world's most vocal and respected health freedom campaigners - Dr Robert Verkerk, founder and executive director of Alliance for Natural Health International. Here is an excerpt from editor Sarah Best's interview with him.

Sarah Best: Let’s start with the big-picture view. What are the biggest threats to our health freedom right now? If 'the powers that be' are successful in all they are currently trying to achieve, what health freedoms that we take for granted now will we no longer have, say, five years down the line?

Dr Robert Verkerk: Unfortunately, it’s not scaremongering to say that our ability to care for our own health as we see fit is under the greatest threat in our history. The screws are being tightened in every direction.

We hear all the time from regulators – whether trading blocs like the EU or supranational organisations like Codex Alimentarius – that “the public must be protected” through comprehensive new legislation. However, when you actually look at the proposed or existing laws, it’s frighteningly obvious that the only people being protected are those in the big corporations. Their power and ability to reap enormous profits from our healthcare will be very safe indeed if they achieve their aims!

In short, the main problems in the EU come from EU-based legislation that will, amongst other things, (a) ban many thousands of herbal medicinal products from May 2011, (b) set unscientifically low limits on doses of vitamins and minerals in food supplements, and (c) ban any claim about the benefits of foods or food ingredients, unless pre-approved by EU authorities according to very narrow criteria that are often impossible to achieve.

These laws are already in place, but their provisions are in a ‘sleeping’ or transitional phase to give manufacturers and suppliers time to adjust to the radical changes. They will come fully into force after preset time periods – for example, the three legislative catastrophes I've just outlined are expected to become fully operational EU-wide in the narrow window between May 2011 and December 2012. We refer to this as “boiling the frog slowly” – the changes are made gradually and incrementally, so that people don’t notice what’s going on until it’s too late. We’re pretty much at that point now.

London has a new raw hot spot

By Sarah Best.

The UK capital lags obdurately behind major American cities when it comes to raw dining options - and vegan dining options in general, for that matter. But fans of healthy plant-based cuisine will be delighted to hear that Phong and Mui - founders of the highly popular Vita Organic on Wardour Street - have just opened a new, and much larger, restaurant - Vantra. (Vita Organic continues at the same location under new management, and a new name - Vitao).

So what is different about the new place? Well, it is a lot bigger - it seats 90 to Vita Organic's 20. You can find the same innovative selection of fresh raw juices, smoothies and salads, and Phong and Mui's trademark smorgasbord of vegan food from Asia, India, Africa and the Mediterranean (no frying or microwaving, no harmful fats, all pulses sprouted prior to cooking, and everything heated to the lowest temperatures possible).

What Vantra will offer in addition is:

• a vastly expanded menu of raw gourmet foods, including a sushi counter
• a selection of packaged raw foods
• a dessert bar which will be 100% vegan, and which will offer many raw choices
• a selection of wines and other alcoholic drinks and a "Vespresso" bar - a vegan coffee bar offering a wide selection of coffees and healthier substitutes (choices include Rooibos Chai Cappucino and Maca Ice Latte).

We tip this to be London's top raw dining spot by the end of the year. Why? Because the food is as good as it gets, yet also healthy and energising. Phong and Mui's approach to raw food is firmly rooted in offering gourmet delights without sacrificing on health principles, so here is a place you can enjoy raw restaurant food that is not loaded with nuts, oils, salt and agave. It is ideally located in the heart of W1, and it's a fantastic space for a long lunch or an evening with friends.

Vantra quietly opened its doors just a week ago and when we visited, the following day, the food on offer was its sumptuous vegan buffet, with choices including several delicious raw salads. For just £7 per (very large) plate there is no cheaper, nor healthier, feast to be found in the capital.

As they are still getting up and running they are not yet offering the raw menu - that is planned for next month. They are also not set up to do juices and smoothies, but we enjoyed something even better - fantastic fresh young coconut water. The dessert bar is not open yet, either, but they had two fantastic raw desserts on offer - chocolate cake and apple cake.

Vantra is currently open from 12 to 8pm but once they're in full swing it will also be open for breakfast and for dinner.

Vantra, 12-13 Soho Street, London W1D 3DJ (two minutes walk from Tottenham Court Road tube)
Telephone: 07834 535999

The tests that can take the guesswork out of your health regime

Did you know that there are safe – yet extremely under-utilised – tests that can give you valuable feedback about what is going on in your cells, and help you establish which diet and lifestyle will be optimal for you? Nutritional therapist Niki Gratrix reports.

I am excited to be sharing information in this article which is literally at the cutting edge of nutrition and really gives the reader a glimpse into the future direction of this field. This information is very timely and appropriate for those interested in optimum health and raw food. While disagreement continues to rage within the field about what is the “best” diet, in this article I’ll run through the tests which can help you to discover whether or not a particular diet and lifestyle is right for you. 

I’ll be covering two categories of tests in this article. First, some basic “functional” tests which you can use to get information about your level of health before a diagnosable disease state occurs. They can also help you establish if your diet and lifestyle are leading to any deficiencies or imbalances.

At the moment, functional testing is greatly under-utilised by those interested in optimum health and well-being. This is partly because some of the tests that can be really useful have to be paid for, and – in the UK anyway – we’re all used to getting healthcare for free on the NHS. In addition, increased regulation means that these tests can only be ordered by qualified practitioners. There is no direct advertising about them to the public, so they are little known about. 

Yet there are some fantastic tests out there which can give you valuable objective feedback as to how well balanced you are biochemically, and take the guesswork out of your diet and lifestyle choices. Sometimes, having a result in black and white can really motivate you to complete the regime or make the changes you need to. Other times it can confirm you really have cleared that parasite or candida now, or the other goal you were trying to achieve, so there’s no need for the strict diet or supplements any longer.

Vitamin D supplementation - a reader's experience

In February we wrote about the high risk of vitamin D deficiency for vegans living in locations which don't get year-round sunshine. If that description applies to you, this article contains essential information.

Reader Angie Bedson shared her experiences here back in April and she recently sent us a helpful update, which we share below with her permission.

First, a brief explanatory note. Angie mentions the half life of vitamin D. The half life is the length of time it takes for half of the amount ingested to be eliminated from the body. Vitamin D has a half life of approximately four weeks. The advantage of this is that as long as the body has adequate stores of it, you can go without it for this period and not run into a deficiency. The disadvantage is that if, on the other hand, you're supplementing it, you can build up too much of it and run into problems of excess. When we're getting our vitamin D from sunshine this never occurs. It is also hard to get too much from food sources. But when we're taking supplemental vitamin D, overdosing is a risk, as Angie discovered.

"Dear Sarah,

Sorry if this e-mail is a bit long but I promised to keep you updated on my vitamin D progress.... To recap, I had a result of just 12 on my first hydroxy vitamin D test [The Fresh Network notes: according to The Vitamin D Council a healthy level is at least 50] and I have been using 2,000 IU of ‘Sunshine Mist’ [a vitamin D supplement] for a total of 3-4 months now.
 
Firstly, I believe that the raw food community will only progress positively if we all remain as honest and open about our experiences as possible. In some ways we are pioneers and, some might even say, guinea-pigs – but I happily accept this if it will benefit others in their quest for optimum health.
 
Secondly, I want to point out that I fully agree with your stance that vitamin D is vital to good health and that raw fooders, especially those of us in Northern latitudes, are at great risk of being deficient in this nutrient.

Appetite, by Marissa-Catherine Carrarini

How is it that if a baby is happily gulping his mother’s milk he has a healthy appetite we all admire, but if an adult was to eat an extra large bowl of food (or two) that same healthy appetite becomes something to question, something to frown upon, and even something to fear?

Appetite is the body’s way of ensuring that it has all the nutrition and energy it needs to prosper and thrive. It is an instinctive emotional and mental desire for food. Taken further it can be seen as a desire for wellness and a desire for life.

Listening to our natural appetite is fundamental to health. Our desire for food is vital to ensure that we get all the important nutrients and energy we need. An untainted appetite helps us understand what foods we should be eating and when. If we have been skimping on a vital component of our diet, a healthy appetite should ensure we won't be missing it for long.

However, in today’s society appetite is a concept so distorted that we have lost our innate understanding of it. We have forgotten that a healthy appetite is a positive sign and should be valued. Instead, in our culture that craves thinness more than it craves nourishment, we see a diminished appetite as a sign of strength and health. At the same time, we have forgotten how to listen and respond to our own appetites. No longer are we the baby suckling at our mother’s breast who knows exactly when we are full and when we are hungry again.

More on "five a day"

By Sarah Best.

A couple of weeks ago we gave you our take on the recent news reports questioning the health benefits of fruit and vegetables. We just wanted to chip in again, after Holly Paige's bang-on observation in the "Comments" section, that everything we consume that is not a fruit or a vegetable is supplementary.

Five servings of fruit and veg - the amount that's allegedly the maximum we need to make sure to consume - amounts to around 500g. Yet the reality is that the official recommendation has this completely back to front! Here's the real deal:

500g is about the maximum we should be looking to consume per day of foods that are not micronutrient-rich fruits or vegetables!

We've said it before and we'll say it again: eating "five a day" won't get anyone to optimum health.

But a diet based around fruits and vegetables, with no more than half a kilo of other food a day?

Now you're talking!

Go from the standard 500g of fruit and vegetables a day, to around 500g of other foods a day - and the rest fruit and veg - and enjoy a massive improvement in your health. 

Kris Carr's casting call

In our recent interview with Kris Carr we broke the news that the Crazy Sexy Cancer creator has "a development deal with a major TV network". We can now reveal that the network in question is the new Oprah Winfrey Network. Go Kris!

They are shooting a pilot soon and looking for people Kris can transform. Here is the casting call: "Are you at a personal crossroads? Do you need a major life rejuvenation? Are you a Type A, stressed-out workaholic who puts yourself last? Or are you stuck in a personal rut due to an illness, divorce, care-giving situation or other life lemon? Do you (or someone you know) want to change but don’t know where to begin? If you need that kick-start to live a more empowered, healthy and whole life, we’d like to help!"

Interested? Go here to find out how you can send in your application.

Kris is on a mission to make the world a healthier place and we congratulate her on her biggest achievement yet!

Are YOU getting enough vitamin D?

By Sarah Best.

In response to our two recent articles regarding vegan diets, several of you wrote to ask us whether you need to be concerned about vitamin D. The short answer on this is very simple if you live in the UK or anywhere with a similar climate: you need to have a plan in place for getting enough vitamin D, and that plan will need to involve supplementation.

Why? Because you won’t be getting enough from sun exposure year round, and if you are vegan and don’t consume foods fortified with D (read: processed foods) your dietary intake will be either zero or close to zero, meaning you are at even higher risk of deficiency than your non-vegan friends and family members.

The top 10 substances that destroy health

By Sarah Best.

Some people go from the standard diet to a very virtuous raw vegan one overnight. But most of us need a little longer to make this transition, and many decide not to take it to that level but to stay happily “high raw”. Although cooked food is never an optimal choice, all cooked foods are not created equal – some are much worse than others.

This list is a roll call of the common substances and lifestyle habits that are the most detrimental to health. Even if you’re all raw, and you consume nothing whatsoever that’s unnatural or “impure”, watch out for number four – it may well apply to you.

It is impossible to put this list into a hierarchy of “least unhealthy” to “most unhealthy” so it is presented in alphabetical order. Give up all of the items in one go or let go of them one at a time – the choice is yours. But whatever you do, make it your goal to cut these substances out completely, if you haven’t already.

If you’re still eating things that come in packets you’ll need to become a label sleuth to ensure that nothing on this list is sneaking into your diet uninvited. The best strategy, of course, is to prepare your meals yourself from fresh ingredients. It’s the only way you can be totally sure what you’re eating.

This is an excerpt from an article which appeared in the Spring 2009 issue of Get Fresh! magazine.