Super Fitness Health BlogLiving foods and food form supplementation
It is believed that human beings have evolved over an approximate 4 million year period. For the greater part of that period, we have been living on raw and living foods. It is only relatively recently that humans have begun to cook their food.
Studies of other mammals in their natural living space has not revealed any notable occurrences of the many illnesses that now dominate the human race. For example, conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer and stroke are relatively rare.
Arguably one important issue is diet. Together, living and raw foods are said to make up a cornerstone of many therapeutic and naturopathic regimes, but what exactly are “living foods”?
WHAT ARE LIVING FOODS?
Living foods are basically whole foods, in the sense that they still have their life-force intact. As a result, they are said to be enzyme-rich and nutrient dense. Logically, the best living foods are those that are organically grown, because the full range of nutrients in the soil are conserved and there are no toxic chemicals to negate their benefits.
Supporters of living foods, particularly those with medical conditions, regularly maintain that one of their main reasons for choosing these foods is the ability of the body to incorporate them into a failing or struggling system, with minimal reliance on digestive energies. In other words, it is claimed that living foods place a lesser burden on the digestive system than other food types, without constantly depleting our own bodily stores of digestive enzymes.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
Digestive enzymes
Enzymes are the catalysts for each chemical reaction that takes place inside the human body. Without them, there could be no operation of the immune system or the brain, nor any cellular division of energy production. In the same way, hormones and vitamins are unable to perform their functions without enzymes. Each enzyme, metabolic or digestive, has a specific task.
The nutritional significance of living foods rests in accessing simple, natural foods replete with living enzymes and amino acids. Cooked foods cannot, generally speaking, achieve this. This is because once heat is applied to food, it is “denatured”, making it significantly harder for our bodies to digest. Cooking food destroys about half of the protein content and approximately 60% of vitamins and renders around 60% of the minerals non-absorbable.
Sadly, cooking food reduces its natural enzymes, which in turn means that the body has to rely on its own (restricted) resources. The enzymes supplied by the body can’t always match those initially found in the foods, which means that their digestion is quite often incomplete. This can lead to clogging of, for example, the digestive tract and arteries.
It is also worth mentioning, the physiological process of relying on the body’s own enzymes can engage the body in massive expenditure of energy, which is likely to cause a high level of corresponding waste products that could have supplementary toxic effects on the body. It is also worth noting that the cooking process causes any pesticides used on the food to break down into even more toxic metabolites, which are more readily absorbed into our cells.
Therefore, preserving our restricted supply of digestive enzymes should arguably be a primary concern. This target becomes easier through a diet of food dense in their own enzymes, along with the application of food form supplements.
Structured water
A further important element of raw and living foods is their water content. The water in these types of foods is structured, which means that it is readily absorbed into our tissues and can support our biological processes. In their raw state, fruit and vegetables contain high amounts of such water. Our bodies are approximately 70% water, which needs to be replaced on a daily basis in order for our bodies to work efficiently.
Potential benefits of living foods
It is considered by many health practitioners that, in order to operate efficiently, the body craves correct enzyme capacity, acid-base balance and a healthy digestive tract.
Living foods are considered by many people to be at the peak of their nutritional value and thereby supply to your body optimal nutrients for healthy living, naturally. During sprouting, seeds release their stored nutrients in a surge of vitality as they attempt to become comature plants. It is these nutrients that supporters of the living food protocol try to tap into.
To prolong any beneficial effects experienced through a living food eating plan, it is widely recommended by nutritionists, dieticians, naturopaths and other health practitioners to avoid harmful foodstuffs, particularly processed, refined and denatured foods high in saturated fats and sugar. It is also recommended to keep away from as many environmental toxins as possible (for example, through choosing natural, organic foods and drinking pure water).
Together, all of these actions could assist in detoxifying the body and supporting general health, well-being and energy levels.
The time factor
In an ideal world, you would be able to get all of the nutrients you need on a daily basis from living foods grown yourself under organic conditions, eaten in either a raw or juiced form. However, for one reason or another (e.g. access to living foods, time etc) this is just not a realistic option for the vast majority of people.
Specialist Supplements Ltd has the answer! Our tasty, easy-to-make, easy-to-take meal replacements, protein powders and food supplement powders are packed full of superfruit and superfood ingredients, which will help you to sustain the health benefits experienced through detoxing and following a living foods protocol for the long term, without the time and expense of visiting health farms and buying huge quantities of fruits and vegetables. In other words, our organic vegetable, fruit and berry blend powders are the next best thing to eating fresh fruits and vegetables in the quantities required on a daily basis. Why not try them now?!
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