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.
A raw food diet, unlike other forms of cleansing, can be performed for a single day or for an entire lifetime. Raw foods are full of living enzymes that help your body in digestion, elimination and absorption, ensuring a thorough cleansing of your entire body as well as a supply of all of the vitamins and minerals your body needs. A few tips can get you started.
Tips For You
- Dive right in. Unlike other cleansing diets which require that you take a few days beforehand to eliminate meats, fats, sugars and other foods, a raw food diet can be started today with no problems. A raw food diet may be mentally difficult, as you will miss cooked foods; however, detox is gentle and does not require preparation.
- Choose fresh, organic produce to aid in cleansing. The fruits and vegetables that you eat are only as good as the soil they are grown in, and pesticides and fertilizers destroy the vitamin and mineral nutrients in the soil. Additionally, waxes and other chemicals defeat the purpose of your raw food diet by introducing harmful chemicals into your body.
- Make sure that you get plenty of fat and protein in your diet. Healthy fats can be found in avocados, nuts, seeds and vegetables oils. The best raw food sources of protein include nutritional yeast, sprouted beans, grains and seeds and raw nuts and nut butters.
- Get creative with your raw food recipes, creating a variety of salads, dressings and desserts. There are many great resources online which offer simple recipes and gourmet entrees.
- Select a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and raw grains to ensure that you get a balance of all of the vitamins and minerals your body needs. This is a great time to try items you have never dared to try before, such as jicama or agave.
- Leave the peel on whenever possible, as the majority of nutrients in fruits and veggies are found near the surface. Most items, such as cucumber, carrot and jicama can simply be scrubbed and eaten.
- Warm things up if you begin to crave hot foods. You can make raw soups, heating in a double boiler; however, do not heat foods higher than 103 degrees Fahrenheit or they will no longer be raw. Additionally, you might try a food dehydrator to make breads, crackers and even pizza to liven up your cleansing diet.
