Vegan Diet and Auto Immune Diseases

[Sierra]

[user=944]mommaof2princesses[/user] wrote:

 My ND says that ur bodies are not equipped to handle meat and cooked food (there are no enzymes in coked food as compared to raw). She says this is the cause of some diseases.

I spent all of last winter exploring the raw food movement–ate in raw food restaurants, tried many recipes myself, joined a Meetup group that focused on this topic, and read lots and lots of stuff on the Internet. I was quite intrigued and excited about it at first. Proponents make terrific claims about how well one feels on it.  Here's what I think now: It's a fad. While I believe we need lots of fresh, uncooked fruits and vegies in our diet each day, a diet that excludes everything cooked (or even most things that are cooked) is unhealthful in the long-term and is especially concerning when parents impose it on their growing children. A British raw foods enthusiast, Shazzie, has recently spoken out about this. She has a young child of her own and has observed many “raw children” who are “”not quite right “–stunted growth, dental problems, etc”. Dr. Andrew Weil does not approve of it, pointing out that nutrients released in certain foods only through cooking. Surprising that a ND would encourage this diet.

[Sierra]

The McDougalls have been around for a long time and they both look great! I consider Dr. McDougall to be a trustworthy resource.

Sierra

 

[Susan LymeRA]

 

Like Sierra, I really tried to focus in on raw food diet too but quickly knew I would not be able to exist on 100% raw food.  I just need some warm food in my diet.  So I agree with Sierra even though I was unaware of some of the health detriments.

I do make it a point to eat some raw food daily.  That is how we get our enzymes.  Cooking food kills enzymes plain and simple.  It is quite easy to eat an apple, or chop up a combination salad of brocolli, cauliflower, cucumbers, onion, pecans, etc.  Just whatever your favorite foods are and eat olive oil and vinegar for dressing.  Great source of Omega 3.  This can be a side dish.  Even my husband will eat it as long as I don't make it “the dinner”. 

Make all your foods, cooked or raw, foods that grew that way.  Nothing processed in a lab and please avoid foods invented in a lab like fruit roll ups.  Avoid whole foods with lots of yummy additives by way of sauces,etc.  That is just the manufacturers way of getting you to buy their products and those additives are detrimental to our health.  We all know about MSG, but that is only one of many flavor enhancing additives.  High Fructose Corn Syrup is used to sweeten just about everything and is very detrimental to our health.  Heathly sounding drinks like Arizona Green Tea is sweetened with HFCS. 

I used to eat Healthy Choice meals for lunch every day.  Washed them down with my diet sodas made with “aspartime and followed by a low fat chocolate cream filled cupcake by that cute Little Debbie girl.  Then, one day, I was eating  and reading the box out of boredom.  I was shocked at the ingredients.  Most of them chemicals produced in a lab.  I wish I had followed my mother's eating habits and avoided all things that came in a box.  I just wonder how much years of relying on such convenience foods contributed to landing me in this auto-immune disorder.

 

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