The truth about food

I was just wondering about the series that was produced by the BBC called "The truth about food". There was one episode where a study was done on people if they would become healthy after eating like Gorillas in nature. The participants ate raw fruit and veg for 10 days and the results were amazing regarding their blood sugar and cholesterol levels. I am very keen to try something like this approach.

Would you advocate something like raw food for ten days? Or is this just another gimmick?

Kind Regards,

Jolana

PS. I really enjoyed your book "Mom, pass the broccolli"


Hi Jolana - thanks for letting me know you enjoyed Mom, pass the broccoli - I always feel honoured when someone takes the time to let me know. About eating a raw food diet. I think there are two angles to look at here, one is the psychological aspect and the other is the nutritional aspect. So from a nutritional aspect, I honestly believe that the closer our food is to what nature intended the better it is for us nutritionally and from that aspect I think a raw food diet has a lot to recommend it. However, from a psychological point of view I think it has a number of potential pitfalls that one needs to watch out for. Firstly, if it feels like you're doing it 'to lose weight' and even 'to be healthier' in some ways, I think it has the danger of eventually developing into orthorexia (you can read more about this at: http://www.ditch-diets-live-light.com/orthorexia-nervosa.html ) which is when eating well turns into eating hell and life isn't much fun living. Secondly I think that much like any other plan that focusses on a way of eating, it runs the risk of starting off as something exciting and novel and if you're insistent on sticking to it ridgidly, I think it very easily turns to living a life that feels full of restriction and deprivation. Having said that though we all have different personality make up's and while i know it wouldn't work for me for any length of time, it may work for someone else. For me personally, the big secret in breaking free of all my problems with eating has been giving myself permission NOT to stick to anything ridgidly. But for 10 days? If you treat it as just a 10-day eating adventure and really take the time to notice how your body feels, well I don't think that could do any harm and what you discover could be really interesting.

Good luck
Cari