Raw, raw, raw!! That’s us at the Optimum Health Institute (OHI), cheering you on and helping you make healthy changes to your food plan!
Cooking, or “Putting fire to food,” as Christ said in the Essene Gospels, can kill up to 40% of the minerals, seriously compromising the nutritional value of the vegetables or fruits. Recent studies show how cooking can chemically change foods from sources of essential nutrition to acid-forming toxins, free-radicals and poisons that can derail our immune system.
Raw foods are packed with essential nutrients for optimal health, and the first three weeks of our holistic program focus on feeding you cleansing, life-extending meals of live, raw organic vegan recipes.
In Phase 1, all the foods our kitchen cheerfully prepares for you are specially selected to create a natural detox and cleansing for the body. Besides raw whole organic fruits and vegetables, we pile your plates high with “live” foods – sprouted seeds, nuts and grains that continue to grow until the minute you start to chew them. The fermented foods we serve are already partially digested through the fermentation process, and all Phase 1 foods are a valuable source of alkalinity for your body.
In fact – think of your body as a battery. With insufficient acid, a battery can no longer produce energy. In the case of your body, eating acidic foods, like sugar and processed items, actually drains your body’s energy reserves. Only by eating alkaline foods that help your body release toxins can that balance be restored and good health achieved.
Most chronic challenges to health can’t even exist in a highly alkaline environment. For major health opportunities, it may be necessary to stick with the Phase 1 detoxifying food plan beyond the initial three weeks, and up to several months.
Phase 1 foods, to be eaten in correct combination, are: fresh wheat grass juice, rejuvelac, all fresh fruits and vegetables, buckwheat and sunflower greens, sauerkraut, seed sauces, sprouted grains, sprouted seeds, Essene crackers, vegetable crackers, fresh vegetable juices, gazpacho, fruit soup, raw vegetable soups, dehydrated vegetable or seed loaves (one a week), either broccoli delight or coleslaw (once a week) and avocado in moderation.
When you’ve created a healthy alkaline balance in your body, you’re in a state of optimal health and feel your energy is surging, you can shift to Phase 2, the Maintenance plan, and add some additional foods to your meals. These Transitional foods should only be eaten in moderation because they may slow down the detoxification process you started in Phase 1. In fact, stick to eating 85-90% of Phase 1 foods daily.
Phase 2 foods, to be eaten in moderation, are: almond milk, seed milk, quinoa, millet, oatmeal, brown rice, cooked beans (sprout them first), baked sweet potato, baked yam, vegetable soup, lightly steamed vegetables, organic corn tortilla, soaked or ground nuts, dried fruit (soaked), nut cheese spread, Farmer’s chop suey, nut butters, mock salmon loaf.
It’s best to just add in one food at a time, and observe over several days to see how your body reacts. Any sign that your body can’t process the food – like indigestion, gas or bloating, — means you should permanently eliminate it from your diet.
And finally, here are the foods to avoid: red meat, poultry, fish or seafood, milk, cheese, eggs, coffee, tea, soft drinks, tobacco, alcohol, oils, fried foods, breads, cakes, cookies, sugars, honey, molasses, artificial sweeteners, salt, processed soy foods (tofu, tempeh, soy milk).
For your ongoing success in food combining pick up an easy-to-follow Optimal Food Combining chart, presented as a colorful placemat or postcard in the Optimum Health Store, or call to order at (800) 993-4325.
When your body, mind, and spirit are aligned, you can achieve good health. If you are looking for a holistic healing program, in San Diego or Austin, visit Optimum Health Institute . We can help you achieve your mental, physical, emotional and spiritual goals for optimal health. Call us at (800) 993-4325 to learn more.