I love dates. I love the taste of them. I love the sweetness they provide me when I’m going raw, because if you were/are a big consumer of sugary products (and most of us were as kids, and perhaps as adults… candies, most morning cereals, specialty drinks from starbucks, “fruit” juices, breads, milk… well, pretty much everything has sugar in it… I could go on for a while), you’ll find yourself craving something sweet every once and a while. And dates, much like apples, pears, watermelon, bananas or any other sweet fruit (even carrots sometimes taste sweet after you’ve gone raw for a good amount of time) can fulfill your desire for something sweet.

Now, here’s the kicker.

I’m allergic to dates… and all other dried fruits…

Well, I WAS, until I went raw for the first time.

Now, I’m not asking you to try this… nor am I promoting this in any way, but I got over my food allergy to dried fruit by going raw the first time around, and now, I can eat dried fruit without a problem. In the past, my allergic reaction to dried fruit was really bad… potentially fatal. My throat would close up, my chest would get tight, I would get nauseous and pretty much just throw up anything in my stomach. When I did a raw food fast the first time around, I wanted to move beyond simply snacking on raw foods and eating salads. I wanted to prepare foods and make meals like raw burgers and breads, breakfast bars, pretty much raw versions of anything I made with cooked recipes. But, I found a lot of the recipes I researched used dates or other dried fruit. The first recipe I tried with dates was a raw ketchup recipe (it was a decent recipe, but I didn’t really care… I really missed processed ketchup… notice I didn’t say REAL ketchup… you know, the red stuff made with sugar, salt and high fructose corn syrup). I was about 2 weeks into my raw food diet when I really felt the need to try some different recipes. I blended up the other ingredients and added the dates, just like the recipe suggested, gave it a taste and waited for my allergic reaction to kick in.

Nothing. Not a sniffle. Not a twitch. Not a dry heave. Nothing. And it didn’t taste that bad either.

So, I picked up a date and gave it a sniff. My allergies in the past were sensitive enough to be triggered even by the smell of dried fruit. No reaction at all. I decided to really tempt fate and nibble off a bit of a date. And to my surprise, I tasted the sweetness of a date for the first time in my life without having an adverse reaction. After finishing off the date, I tried my luck at eating a raisin and later a dried cranberry. I didn’t like the taste of either of them but I didn’t throw up or have any difficulty breathing. I had to ask myself, “what happened? How is it possible that I was suddenly no longer allergic to dried fruit?” That’s when I realize what eating a raw food diet was doing for me. I think my body was no longer busy fighting the chemicals from processed and cooked foods I was putting in my body and it was able to focus on other things like fighting food allergies. Like I said, I’m not telling you to try this, but I’m just letting you know this actually happened to me.

Some raw food enthusiast believe when you’re eating cooked and processed food, it isn’t really food in the truest sense of the word because it’s devoid of nutrients that your body needs, and you are, in a sense, poisoning your body. The human body really only has the capacity to break down actual food, and everything else is simple waste that either gets deposited by your body or retained by your body in the form of fats and other items which are bad for internal and intestinal health… and since you’re potentially poisoning yourself, your body isn’t receiving enough raw nutrients to be able to fight off basic things like allergies or basic sickness (since I was eating fairly healthy before I went raw, I never related my dietary habits to my resistance to disease, but I hadn’t been sick for close to 3 years… I went through flu season last year without a sniffle at all or any medication) And, from what some raw food nutritionists believe, if you eat poorly long enough, your body will stop managing your sugar levels effectively and potentially leave you more susceptible to other diseases like diabetes and cancer (some have reported a raw food diet even helps with autism). This is actually the basis for chronic illness treatment at places like the Gerson Institute.

So, what am I saying? Personally, I do not know if a raw food diet can cure cancer or any other chronic disease. Diabetes, sure, a raw food diet can definitely help, or if you have any other intestinal health issues, consuming food with a high nutritional value can really help. All I know is what was working for me. And that I’m no longer allergic to foods that used to affect me. And my body can endure some pretty highly contagious environments (kids both had strep throat last year during my raw food diet and I didn’t get sick at all…). But, if you’re feeling tired all the time or you’re feeling generally unhealthy or stressed, think about what you’re putting into your body and ask yourself if it really is good for you. And if you know it isn’t, you should figure out a way to stop eating it, because there are most likely long term effects on your body you may have never even considered.

By the way, did I mention I love dates?

P.S. Still raw. Down another 1/2 pound. 160 down to 158 so far.

Just a quick note. Next week big changes. Raw food challenge and a new co-host…

Eat for life, everyone!

º Erykah Badu º Hype Williams
º Tyson Beckford º Chuck D
º Meylissa Ford º Jim Jones
º Rodney Jerkins
and many more…

Visit http://theremedybook.ning.com/

Good article. It said…

Dried Fruit
175 calories
45 g sugars

Eat this instead!
Fresh fruit, like an apple or a peach
70 calories
15 g sugars

OK, so dried fruit won’t totally derail a day of good eating (unless you down the whole bag of banana chips), but it’s far from being a harmless snack. First, because the dehydrating process sucks most of the volume from the fruit, you can eat cups of the stuff, and 600 calories later, still not feel any fuller. More troubling, though, is the fact that Sun-Maid and Ocean Spray add sugar to the fruit, making Craisins closer to candy than Mother Nature’s original intention. The choice is clear: Stick to the original, straight from the tree.

LOL…straight from the tree. Sounds like a fruit gangster rap group. Any hooo….I’ll slow down on the dried fruit. Sneaky sugar…darn you. (it’s not like I didn’t know…lol)

I hope this article from Pear Magazine inspires you too, especially if you’re an African American (like me :).

“Black Raw Food History”
by Julie Pitcher
2/2/07 – Pear Magazine Online

The History Makers who started it all…..

Dick Gregory

“I am willing to go to jail for you”

Interview/Article: http://www.satyamag.com/apr96/gregory.html
Dick Gregory’s Home Page: http://www.DickGregory.com
One of the founders of the raw vegan movement Gregory achieved fame with his popular Bahamian Diet in the 1960’s. Also a comedian, political activist, and marathon runner!

Aris Latham

http://www.sunfiredfood.com/Bio.htm
The 2004 Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America acclaims: ‘…the raw food movement owes much to Aris LaTham, a native of Panama, he is considered to be the father of gourmet ethical vegetarian raw foods cuisine in America. He debut his raw food creations in 1979, when he started Sunfired Foods, a live-foods company in New York City. In the years since he has trained thousands of raw food chefs and added innumerable recipes to his repertoire…’ Dr. Aris LaTham has a Master’s degree in Linguistics and a Ph.D. in Food Science. He has been featured on major television stations in the United States (ABC & NBC), and major publications (Essence magazine, Time magazine, Vegetarian Times). He has done seminars for the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) and has done consultations for Strawberry Hill, Swept Away and the Golden Door, a spa in the United States and Mexico. Dr. LaTham currently lives and works in St. Mary and teaches food preparation courses, has chef/cook training, offers assistance in detoxifying the individual and kitchen (ridding the kitchen of toxic substances and restocking it with healthful food), and runs a spa.

Karyn Calabrese

http://www.karynraw.com/
A featured guest on Oprah’s Age Defying Women, Chicago raw restauranteur Karyn Calabrese was recently also showcased in Fearless Women over 50, an inspiring coffee table book with stories and wonderful photography.

Storm Talifero

http://www.TheGardenDiet
The muscular and forever young raw vegan, author of several eBooks on Raw Food, producer of the documentary “Breakthrough” about his raw vegan family, and developer of The Circular Workout for muscle-toning without stress for long-term fitness.

Annette Larkins

http://www.annettelarkins.com/
The Black Grandma who hands out her free raw food booklet to everyone who asks her why she looks so young, pretty much everywhere she goes!

And The New Breed…

Lillian Butler

Raw Soul Catering, Restaurant and Classes: http://www.rawsoul.com
Before and Afters and Story: http://www.rawfoodinfo.com/pictures/befafter_lillianbutler.html
Lillian Butler is the Raw Soul of NYC! After experiencing tremendous health and transformation on raw foods Lillian has planted and grown several raw food businesses to help bring this lifestyle to others!

Zakhah

http://www.rawfoodinfo.com/catalog/books_thejoyoflivinglive.html
Zakhah is the young author of The Joy of Living Live, A Raw Food Journey – a wonderful uncook book which also features a comprehensive photographic listing of Black raw foodists around the world.

Khepere Anu

http://www.supernaturallife.com/bios.html
Part of the wonderful crew at Veg Soul, a raw food retreat center in Jamaica! He is also a mathematician and professional investor who has devoted his life to following a path of greater enlightenment, prosperity, and expansion of consciousness. This path includes the practice of an exclusive live foods diet, daily yoga and meditation, and Capoeira Angola. Khepere is committed to sharing the live food lifestyle and a prosperous mentality in his quest to continue to heal and nourish himself and others.
.

Penny Powell

http://www.PearMagazine.com
The Editor in Chief of Pear Magazine, the Online Magazine of Fresh Organic Lifestyles covering Living Cuisine and Beyond. With her warm writing, communication, networking and leadership talents, Penny is a strong new voice in the raw food movement.

I know a lot of people say that supplements just make your urine more expensive. LOL. It’s something that I’ve always taken. Sue me. Maybe I’ll stop by the new year but I’ll likely always take a multi-vitamin or a b-complex.

Raw Nuts: Love em. I’ll likely be recording eating a lot of raw walnuts and sunflower seeds. From what I understand, “raw” almonds are now pasturized per the FDA.

Almonds labeled as “Raw Almonds” will still have been pasteurized!

A big lie and fraud!! You are about to be denied your food freedom choices!

Did you know that starting in the fall of 2007, truly raw almonds will not be available in the USA or Canada? See link below for the pasteurization plan.

http://www.almondboard.com/Programs/content.cfm?ItemNumber=890&snItemNumber=450

The FDA, USDA and the California Almond Board has developed a marketing order which mandates that all almonds must be pasteurized. This came about because ” two outbreaks of salmonella, associated with conventional farms several years ago”. Industry has now overreacted in grand fashion and they do not even know it yet.

No outbreaks have been associated with raw organic almonds to date that we are aware of. – source

I’d be interested to know what, if any, supplements any other raw folks out there take and why…if you’d like to share. 

“Being a vegan for over 25 years and a proponent of Living Foods, I’ve learned that good nutrition is good eating, good digesting, and absorbing the nutrients your body needs. However, most people eat food that has been cooked and then warmed up. This process depletes the enzyme activity in food and prevents the optimum digestion and absorption of nutrients.I’ve often said, I could have never eaten this way for so many years just eating steamed rice, boiled vegetables, plain lettuce, and tomatoes. I need flavors, textures, and color which all aid in digestion of food. What I hope to bring you is my love of the exotic blend of fruits, grains, vegetables, and sprouts that our natural world has to offer. Remember that the most magnificent gift of any of us will ever be given is our own body.” – From karynraw.com

Karyn Calabrese, one of the most popular and innovative leaders in the holistic health industry, Karyn’s Center provides a sacred space for the balancing of the body, mind and spirit. Serving people of all backgrounds, the center aims at assisting people in their healing process. The Center is designed to address all aspects of well-being, focusing on maintaining health while encouraging disease prevention.

Also an acclaimed chef, Karyn Calabrese has a gift for creating uniquely flavorful raw vegan dishes, making her restaurant, Karyn’s, the longest standing raw-food restaurant in the Midwest. Chicago Tribune’s William Rice calls Karyn, “the high priestess of raw food” and after stepping foot in her signature restaurant, you’ll know why. Raw food dining is taken to new heights as Karyn’s offers carefully prepared all-organic gourmet dishes influenced by her many years of innovative food preparation.

I celebrate Karyn!!!!  I’m so glad to see African Americans who have embraced raw food!