How to Heal Ulcerative Colitis With a Raw Food Diet
The raw food diet is an alternative medical treatment for ulcerative colitis. Instead of medicine and surgery, diet is used to heal the body. The raw food diet eliminates the use of toxic, irritating and non-nutritional foods from the diet. Only plant-based foods in their natural state are eaten. The raw foods provide the body with all of the nutrients that it needs and allows the intestines to heal.
Tips For You
- Eat a vegan raw food diet. Raw foods means that you do not cook anything that you eat. Vegan means that you do not eat any meat or dairy foods. On this diet, your foods should consist of fresh uncooked fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. Eat a balanced diet. Everyday, unless you are on a fast, eat fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds.
- When you first start the raw foods diet, the transition from cooked to raw foods should be gradual. Start by cutting out all meats, dairy, sugar and processed foods. Lightly cook vegetables. As you become accustomed to eating a vegan diet, gradually stop cooking foods as you progress to a 100 percent raw foods diet.
- Chew your food well. Chewing is the first step in digestion. When chewing, food is mixed with saliva. Saliva starts the digestive process of breaking down foods. Only by chewing thoroughly do you mix sufficient saliva with food for proper digestion.
- Juice fresh raw fruits and vegetables in a juicer when you are having trouble digesting whole fruits and vegetables. Juicing the fruits and vegetables, breaks down the fibers and makes them easier to digest.
- Avoid citrus fruits, vegetables, nuts and peels when you are having bouts of intestinal inflammation. During times of inflammation, stick to non-citrus fruits. Citrus fruits and vegetables are harder to digest and can irritate the intestinal lining. Remove the peels from foods like apples for easier digestion.
- Do a water fast during times of severe intestinal inflammation. A water fast cleanses the body and gives the digestive system a resting period in which to heal.
