Frederic Patenaude's Blog, page 38

What to Think of Bottled Coconut Water: Vita-Coco, and others?

I’ve always been a big fan of coconut products, especially coconut water. Drinking fresh green coconuts is something I do daily when I’m in the tropics.

Coconut water is Nature’s perfect refreshment in hot weather, but also during exercise. It’s low in calories but contains just enough natural sugar to give you a little boost. It’s also very rich in electrolytes (sodium, potassium), but in jus the right quantities.

In some countries, coconut water was used to replace IV fluid in intravenous rehydration. In fact the medical literature documents quite a few cases where coconut water was used for that purpose, usually in remote places with little medical technology.

What are the benefits of coconut water?

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Announcement: Spring Cleanse on Monday

Before we get into that, I just want to remind you that next week I’m organizing a free Spring Cleanse.

Anyone can join! Tell your friends. To sign up, just go to:

http://goo.gl/3UPNd

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First, it’s loaded with potassium. It’s got just enough sodium to maintain electrolyte balance. So it’s the perfect drink to use as a refreshment in tropical countries, and for light physical activity. For really heavy physical activity, such as running under the hot sun for long period of time, more sodium would be needed than what is found in coconut water. This is where a sports drink such as Gatorade would have an edge, in terms of rehydrating the person and preventing heat strokes.

However, in most cases, coconut water is the bomb.

First of all, most people need to take in more potassium because their diet is pretty high in sodium. Potassium balances out sodium intake.

Then, coconut water is low in calories compared to other refreshments. A can of coke contains about 140 calories, while the same can filled with coconut water contains about 60 calories. A huge difference.

So when should you drink coconut water?

- During exercise: it’s the perfect rehydrating fluid, containing just enough sugar to keep you going. However, like I said, if the exercise is very intensive and you sweat a lot, slightly more sodium would be needed.

- As a great “Pick me up” drink. The dose of potassium and the little natural sugar is great for energy.

- To avoid dehydration, in hot weather, and when doing light activity.

Now, how does coconut water compare to Sports drink such as Gatorade?

Let’s use a “can” of 330 ml as a reference. In this case, let’s compare:

Coconut Water

- 60 calories

- 40 mg. sodium

- 680 mg. potassium

- A significant quantity of magnesium (10% of your daily needs)

- Source of vitamin C

Gatorade

- 70 calories

- 42 mg. potassium

- 153 mg. sodium

- Not a source of any other nutrients

So as we can easily tell, coconut water is nature’s Sports Drink, but is heavier in potassium than sodium. In fact, we could consider it a very rich source of potassium. It contains slightly less calories per ounce than Gatorade, which has been formulated to contain more sodium.

Although completely artificial, a product like gatorade would only be more effective, as mentioned previously, in cases where more sodium is needed. But most people already get far too much sodium in their diet already. Unless you exercise like crazy, more is generally not needed.

What About Bottled Coconut Water?

In the past, coconut water wasn’t trendy. In fact, it only started being marketed recently by companies such as:

- Vita-Coco

- ZiCo

- O.N.E.

- Amy and Brian’s Coconut water

- Etc.

In the past, the only way to drink coconut water outside of the tropics would be to buy young coconuts from Asian markets. But as we’ve learned, these coconuts are treated in a very toxic solution before shipping, so there’s a risk of contamination from that.

The main difference with bottled products is that they’ve been pasteurized, and sometimes vitamin C has been added. Is that a big deal?

I don’t think so. It’s much better to get coconut water that’s been pasteurized than “raw” coconut water of dubious origins where the coconut has been dipped in a toxic solution for shipping.

The little pasteurizations doesn’t affect the nutritional qualities (such as electrolytes) of the coconut water.

I’ve tried many brands. At the moment I enjoy the Vita-Coco water because its taste is very close to fresh coconut water, and it’s easy to get. Even Costco now sells it by the case.

If you decide to buy bottled coconut water, make sure it only contains coconut water (and perhaps vitamin C), but no added sugar. Most Asian brands of coconut water will contain added sugar.

In summary, coconut water, whether fresh or bottled, is a great drink to enjoy for rehydration or as an alternative to other sports drink. Only someone doing very heavy exercise, especially in the sun, might need more sodium than what is found in coconut water. Then, adding a pinch of salt to the coconut water will do the job!

Enjoy your next coconut!

Frederic

PS: Don’t forget to sign up for next week’s Spring Cleanse. Anyone can join. It’s a great way to get back on track with a healthy lifestyle… and yes, coconut water is allowed during the cleanse Go to:

http://goo.gl/3UPNd

Focus on Diet First

The biggest bang for your health may not be on the treadmill.

By, Bill Kranker

www.wildsexyhealth.com

The other day I was watching an old episode of a TV show called “Magnum PI” which stared Tom Selleck.  In many of the episodes Tom’s character was shown doing some type of athletic thing like jogging or swimming or running a marathon which is all really great but often he would also be shown reaching for a beer just after a run or as he was drying off after a swim.  Back in the 1980′s, when the show was popular on TV, I would have thought nothing of this as I was not much better myself. I would go for a run or workout and then have a steak and potato dinner with ice scream for dessert.   The theory back then was that it did not matter much what you eat because you could just work it off later.  But is this really the case?  Can you just work off any type of food that you put into your mouth?  Let’s look at a few facts:

First, what about working off those excess Calories?  According to runnersworld.com, running uses up about 105 net calories per mile (this is net calories over what you would use just lying on the couch. For women it would be about 74 calories net).  I have seen people (Including myself!) easily consume over 800 excess calories per day on a regular unhealthy diet. So using the above formula we would need to run about 8 miles in order to burn up those 800 extra calories.  In reality how many of us are really going to do that much running every day?  Or maybe, you think that just walking will burn off that extra indulgence.  Walking only uses up about 52 net calories (43 for the ladies) so you would need to walk the equivalent of a half-marathon in order to remove the caloric excess!  That is a good amount of exercise for the average person.  And as for Mr. Magnum he would need to run about an extra 2 miles just to work off that 200 Calorie beer.  (Calories of beer courtesy of beer100.com)

Second: Not all calories are created equal.  When people take in too much it is usually the fat calories that they add in excess.  800 Calories of fat such as animal foods or even healthy fats like avocado are much harder for humans to use up because we are not very well equipped for digesting fat (we lack the required digestive enzyme) so any extra calories from fat will get set aside (around our waist and hips) for later disposition while the body concentrates on the useful carb calories it needs for energy.  So a run on the treadmill is likely not very effective against these fatty calories.

Third: a lot of the calories we take in are pure chemical junk and will have to go through a much more complicated process than simple digestion and conversion to energy.  Often these bad calories are stored in our fat layer or diluted with water for later disposal when more energy is available.  Often this extra energy does not become available and these bad chemicals just hang around in our padding.  In essence, we become a storage unit of toxic waste! So what are these junk calories?  How about “artificial flavors” or anything on those ingredient labels that you can’t easily pronounce. Again, this type of calorie is not easy to “Work Off!”

So if you are really interested in becoming healthy I would start with making the necessary dietary changes first as you will get much more accomplished by changing your diet than you will with all of those hours spent on the treadmill!

So what are some of those dietary changes you ask?  The following are my basic rules for food:

1)      Stay away from packaged and processed foods as much as possible.  If it comes in a can, box, bag or bottle you should probably try and avoid it.  Also if it has a nutrition label on it, don’t bother reading all of that fine print, just pass it by!

2)      Make the majority of your food intake from fruit.  Fruit has the highest calorie to weight ratio of all of the fresh unprocessed foods.  Fruit is also composed of healthy carb calories that provide us the cellular energy we need.  In this case these calories are the good calories!

3)      Make sure to also get some greens and healthy fats into your diet.  Greens, such as spinach, collards or kale, have the minerals you need and the fats such as avocado and nuts provide fuel for your brain.  Just keep the fats to a minimum though (about ½ avocado or a small palm full of nuts per day average at most)

Don’t just take my word for it.  Keep studying and researching.  A good place to start is with some of Frederic’s great books that have a wealth of healthy info and recipes in them.  It is better to learn from the success and failures of others than by trial and error yourself!

So change your diet first and then let the workout begin!

Until next time make at least one change for the better each and every day!

Bill

Raw Freedom Winners

I’m now ready to announce the three winners of my book “Raw Freedom”… you will all get a free copy as soon as the book is ready!

The three winners are:

Melinda says:



March 12, 2013 at 11:55 am

My reason is simple. The struggle. When I first found the raw foods lifestyle, I lost weight easily, didn’t crave bad food, and did great. I ate too much fat to begin with, but still lost weight easily. Juice fasted for a month and never had more energy in my life! Since then it’s been a seesaw back and forth between cooked and raw never finding the balance I need. The weight came back, unless I’m 100% raw my body does not want to release the weight. I also feel unwell when I eat any cooked food and am interested to see how you solved that issue for yourself. I’d love to have a chance to see how your book balances the two and would be honoured and grateful to receive it.

melissa  says:

March 12, 2013 at 11:58 am

Hi!! Congratulations on the new book! I have been vegan for over a year and veg most of my life. I was super strict and thought I must adhere to all these “rules” in order to call myself a true vegan. I have recently discovered this is a journey and I will discover what works for me! There are no rules or regulations; I just have to listen to my body. I do cheat sometimes when it comes to sweets and am learning to forgive myself and move on– tomorrow is a new day. What I like about your info is that there is a combo of raw, cooked and lots of different suggestions for whichever way you choose to eat!

Keep up the good work and keep the blogs coming!!

Scott says:



March 12, 2013 at 12:13 pm

I’m a big fan Frederic! Glad to see you are still pumping out great material and that you are consistently open to sharing the facts, even if it makes waves in the raw community.

I have been striving for balance within my diet for years. I would love to check out your new book to see if it provides the answers I have been looking for.

There will be another chance to win a copy, if you sign up for my announcement list at:

http://MyOptInPage2.com/?pid=6685512

How to Win a Copy of “Raw Freedom”

Now, let me explain why I’ve been hiding in a cave for the past two months.

The cover for my new book Raw Freedom is now done! The writing process has taken a toll on me, but now the book is 98% finished and should be released later this month. And guess what? You can win a copy!

I will give away THREE copies of the books to my reader, to thank you for being part of this online community.

How can you participate?

Just write in the comments below why you think I should select you to receive a free copy my book, and what you’re hoping to get out of this book. Three lucky people will win a copy! (shipped to your free anywhere in the world of course!). You’ll also get the book before everyone else, should you be lucky enough to win…

Winners will be announced in a few days. Post soon!

How My Battle With Cooked Foods Ended

So there you go, I finally have settled on a name for my next book. It will be called

Raw Freedom: Combining Raw Foods With the Healthiest Cooked Foods to Create the Ultimate Diet

Still working on the sub-title though…

As for the other names I had come up with before (Such as “Raw Fusion Diet”) they were protected by trademarks. Raw Freedom is the name that after numerous tests I found to be the best. My readers have spoken!

Bottom line is: the new book is coming out next month!

Here’s a quick article that’s not really a chapter in the book, but should give you an idea what this book is about…

How My Battle With Cooked Food Ended

For many years, I lived in an inner state of struggle surrounding my diet. On some level, I accepted the raw food diet as the ideal diet. I followed a 100% raw diet for about 3 years, when I was younger, and since then, I had many periods of going back on 100% raw for some periods of time. But every time, I fell off the wagon, and went back to eating some cooked foods.

Sometimes, I beat myself up for it. Sometimes I didn’t. But the truth is that a part of me still believed that I could be doing better by getting closer to 100% raw. And whenever I met people that had been eating 100% raw for many years, I always envied them and thought they were more disciplined than me.

But the truth is, I’m not a sloppy person. In some areas of my life, discipline is my second name. I learned discipline when I was in music school and had to practice 4 hours of guitar a day, 1 hour of piano, plus 4-5 hours of other classes, and some studying on top of it. So I know about 12-15 hour days.

I learned languages. I studied enough Spanish to speak it well in only a few months, and I also learned German, Portuguese, and a few others.

In terms of work, I’ve been known to go through phases of extreme productivity. I also know how to be lazy, and sometimes I crash and can’t do anything. But still, I don’t think that a “lack of discipline” was my problem when it came to not eating 100% raw.

What I honestly thought is that there was a part of me that didn’t want to eat that way. Some raw foodists would even say that I had some “issues that I still needed to deal with around food.” Some would even add, “emotional issues.”

So I was torn. I accepted the raw food diet as an ideal diet on some level, but on other levels I saw all of these people failing on the diet. There were success stories, but horrible failure stories too. And personally, although I felt eating a raw food diet gave me great results and made me feel great in some ways, I always felt significantly dissatisfied with this diet in other ways.

Social issues are an example. In my days of 100% raw, I got around the problem by surrounding my existence with everything raw food related. All of my friends were raw foodists. My entire life was a bout the raw food diet. So of course, in this case, eating a raw food diet didn’t create many social conflicts. But also, I was in my early 20s when I did it. My life, since then, has changed significantly. Now, if I ate 100% raw again, I know it would seriously hinder my social life.

Still, raw food experts kept claiming that all of these problems could be dealt with. “Whenever you go to a restaurant, eat something before then, so you’re not hungry.” Or “just tell people you’ve just had dinner, so you’ll just order something small to eat.”

These tricks can work. But they didn’t make me happy. And the diet, although in some ways worked, didn’t make me happy either.

For one, I was bored with it. Eventually, the thought of drinking yet another giant banana smoothie for lunch was almost nauseating. I craved change. I craved other foods, if at all just mentally.

There were a few problems that for sure, were related to the raw food diet as far as I was concerned. Issues with dental decay, but more importantly tooth sensitivity have only bothered me when I got closer to 100% raw. And the reason is pretty simple: I had no choice but to consume larger quantities of fruit, many of them containing acids, to get the calories I needed. And acid can wear out the enamel. It’s a reality, proven by the fact that so many raw foodists suffer from similar issues.

Sure, an impeccable dental hygiene program can make a difference. But on the whole, the 100% raw food diet (or close to it) had significant disadvantages when it came to my dental health.

So I kept being torn. On the one hand, this diet is great for health. Blood pressure is lower. Risks of heart disease and cancer are almost obliterated. Resting heart rate is great. Body fat is low. The body is working optimally in many areas.

But in other ways, I didn’t want to follow it. I missed cooked foods. I didn’t like eating many raw food meals. I got bored with them. I felt cold on the diet. It impaired my social life. And I had doubts about how it was affecting certain aspects of my health, notably my dental health.

But more importantly: I wasn’t happy with it.

So for years, I tried and tried. It was a battle. I tried different approaches.

But the main kicker was that whenever I went back to cooked foods, after a period of eating 100% raw, I felt ill. (This by the way, is one of the most important issues that I will discuss in my new book Raw Freedom, to solve it once and for all).

So I felt trapped. I felt like I wanted the best of both worlds, but I didn’t feel it was possible.

How My Battle With Cooked Food Ended

So how did my battle with cooked foods end? Pretty simply. When I stopped trying to be a raw foodist. When I literally abandoned the raw food “ideal.”

I ate cooked foods. I eat cooked foods now. No shame about it.

I eat raw foods too. But I also eat cooked foods. I’m not trying to be a raw foodist anymore. I’m not trying to “get back into raw foods” or always go on some new form of raw food cleanse. I’m not trying to slowly increase the percentage of raw food in my diet.

What I do, now, and the reason why I feel better in every way, is to follow a consistent program. Instead of yo-yoing back and forth between raw and cooked, I keep my routine pretty stable.

I eat a certain percentage of raw foods, and I eat a certain percentage of cooked foods. I try to do more or less the same thing every day. I’m not trying to be a raw foodist anymore. I don’t think of myself as a raw foodist. But I’m someone who knows all about the power of raw foods and I make sure to “power up” my diet with a lot of raw foods.

This is, in essence, my Raw Freedom program. It’s about finding a balance, and stop the struggle.

The book goes into the details of the method. Each person is different, so if you ask me what percentage of raw foods I eat, it won’t really help you find the right balance for yourself. In general, people needing to lose weight need more raw foods, and people needing a lot of calories or working on muscle gain, should eat less raw food.

There’s a specific formula to follow. But there’s also common sense. There are traps along the way, particularly the problem of “feeling like crap” when you eat cooked foods on a mainly raw diet. This is a problem that can be easily solved once you understand what creates it. This is in fact, the biggest and most important chapter in my new book.

So this was just a taste of what the new book will be about. I will post probably some excerpts soon for your enjoyment.

Let me know what you think by posting comments on this article!

7 Healthy Cooked Foods You Should Be Eating

Normally you hear me talk about raw foods. And indeed, a diet high in raw foods can be tremendous for health. A 100% raw food diet (or close to it) is also quite appropriate for healing purposes, for cutting down body fat, and many people also do very well with it as a long term program.

But for the vast majority of people (myself included), eating 100% raw for life is not realistic or even advisable.

We already know which raw foods are best for health. Let’s talk about some cooked foods that are true nutritional superstars.

By the way, if you eat 100% raw and are happy with it, there’s no point in complaining that I’m telling you that you “should” be eating cooked foods. Obviously, this article is meant for people who want to incorporate both raw and cooked foods to create the ultimate diet… which by the way, is the topic of my next book!

In no particular order…

1) Sweet potatoes

I’ve had a thing for sweet potatoes lately. During WW2, the Japanese living on the islands of Okinawa lived on a diet composed almost exclusively of sweet potatoes. The Asian variety of sweet potatoes is actually blue inside, not orange. But the vegetable is very simple. Is it a coincidence that these people ended up being the longest-lived people in the world?

No doubt, a diet composed mostly of sweet potatoes, with a few other things, can be spartan. But it can also give the body everything it needs. Compared to other complex carbs, sweet potatoes contain more vitamins, especially beta-carotene.

Most people who are sensitive to carbs handle sweet potatoes very well. Baking them is common, but I prefer to peel them, slice them about an inch thick, and steam them in a pot with just enough water to last through the cooking process. I don’t cook them until they are mushy. I leave a little crunch to them.

Cooked that way, they’ll keep a few days in the fridge. That way, you can enjoy sweet potatoes often without having to worry about baking them for an hour.

2) Winter Squash

This is a type of food most people didn’t grow up eating in North America, but they’re true superfoods. Again, they’re alkaline forming and super-rich in minerals, and they fill you up like potatoes or bread, but they’re much easier to digest.

Butternut squash is a classic, but my favorite is the “red kuri squash” called “potimarron” in French. The texture of this one is truly creamy and delicious, and you can cook it with the skin on.

3) Beans

According to the book “The Blue Zones,” one thing that all long-lived people in the world have in common is that they eat beans.

Black beans, soya beans, chickpeas, lentils…. beans are a slow-digesting carb that will give you sustained energy. It’s generally the food that “Junk vegans” don’t eat enough of.

My favorite bean is the black bean, popular in latin America. I cook them for about 2 hours without soaking (but with a quick rinse), with bay leaves, garlic, and one small peeled potato (which you will throw away after).

4) Steamed Greens

Greens are healthy in all their forms, but the advantage of slightly steaming them is that they become much easier to chew, digest and assimilate. Blending or juicing them also achieves similar purposes.

Certain greens are just not that enjoyable to eat raw, like chard and kale. I know, I know, there are little tricks to make them more “chewable” but it’s often not worth it because cooking them for a few minutes does not really alter their nutritional value.

I like to steam kale and add them to salads that are otherwise raw, along with a creamy dressing.

5) Mushrooms

Only Americans add raw mushrooms to salad. This practice is deemed very strange by Europeans, who always cook mushrooms.

There’s a reason to cook mushrooms. The composition of their cell walls are extremely difficult to digest. So if you eat raw mushrooms, you just don’t benefit from them. Cooking them releases significantly more nutritional value. It also destroys some compounds that could make them irritating or toxic in the raw state.

But why eat mushrooms then?

New research shows that they contain powerful compounds that can prevent and fight cancer. That’s why Dr. Fuhrman, author of Eat to Live, so enthusiastically recommend them.

They also fill you up without containing many calories. Plus, they can be delicious too!

6) Rice

The fear campaign against carbs and especially rice is largely undeserved. Rice is a staple for billions of people who for hundreds of years have remained lean, active and healthy eating it.

Rice is generally well-tolerated by most people who are sensitive to other grains, or can’t handle gluten.

Brown rice is considered the healthiest, but its phytate contain may make the minerals in them less accessible. Nonetheless, it’s rich in fiber and easy to digest, and won’t make anybody fat anytime soon. It’s almost impossible to gain weight on a brown rice-based diet because it”s just so filling with so few calories.

White rice, although often put in the rank of “junk food,” is actually a very neutral food that is very easy to digest that it can often be used by people who need extra energy and are otherwise sensitive to other types of complex carbs.

But don’t rule out other types of rice. There’s about 9 types of rice that I personally use and rotate.

Red rice, Black Rice — I love these unusual rice rich in antioxidants. Available in Asian markets or health food stores.

Jasmine rice, basmati — Best to serve with curry and very aromatic!

Parboiled rice. This rice has been partially boiled with the husk and bran to incorporate some of the bran’s nutrients into the interior of the rice. So it’s white rice that has a nutritional profile similar to brown rice. It’s often used in Caribbean rice and beans and is quick to cook.

Sweet rice (or “sticky” rice) – Often used in making Asian dessert recipes, such as sticky rice with mangoes and coconut milk!

Let’s not even get into the other varieties of rice used to making sushi rice, risotto, etc.!

7) Cooked Tomato Products

Both raw and cooked tomatoes are healthy. I don’t subscribe to always trying to isolate specific nutrients in food, such as lycopene in tomatoes. But the fact is that certain nutrients are easier to assimilate in cooked foods, while others are too fragile and heat sensitive that they should be obtained from raw foods.

Raw tomatoes are excellent, but cooked tomatoes can make life worth living sometimes. I’m talking about the incredible aromas of home-made tomato sauce. And it’s true that cooking tomatoes boosts their antioxidant content.

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I’ve not covered other important topics of balancing raw and cooked foods, such as quantities, the proper percentage of each, how to avoid “falling off the wagon,” animal foods, wine, and many other exciting topics.

But I will in future articles and of course in my upcoming book… tentatively titled:

Raw Freedom — Combining the Best of Raw With the Healthiest Cooked Foods to Create the Ultimate Diet.

What about you? What cooked foods have you found beneficial to add to a high-raw diet?

The Raw Food Police

It turns out that I’m writing a book again, and this time it’s probably the most difficult book I’ve ever tried to write.

It’s a book that I started to write in 2004, and tried to write multiple times, but the project never materialized itself until now.

The time is right.

The topic of the book is “Combining the best from raw with the healthiest cooked foods to create the ultimate diet.”

Why this book?

The raw food diet can be extremely powerful, but it’s not for everybody. Eating 100% raw or even 90% raw is just not feasible or even appropriate for most people as a long-term diet, in spite of what the gurus keep saying.

It’s about time that faces this issue head on with a book and program that shows how you can get all the benefits from a raw food diet without any of the problems.

How you can find a diet that gives you health, energy, but also freedom to enjoy your life.

Now… how will this be different from other books that already recommend diets high in raw foods, like Dr. Fuhrman’s “Eat to Live Program”?

It will be VERY different.

Why?

Because this new book is written by someone who has done both approaches — 100% raw and a high-raw diet, with everything in between.

It will also focus about specific issues that nobody really talks about, such as why people who go on raw diets eventually become so sensitive to other foods that a small little “cheat meal” makes them literally sick.

This is a common problem that I call the “Raw Curse” and this book will show you how to avoid it, and what really causes it.

I’m also going to talk about getting the benefits of raw without having to eat 100% raw, yet do it without the guilt that most people unnecessarily experience.

Many common problems will be addressed, such as social issues, living in cold weather climates, living with a husband, wife or partner who eats differently, and much more.

Of course, there will be clear menu plans and recipe ideas, as well as my unique take on many controversial issues, such as:

- How much fat to consume

- Animal foods

- What beverages to avoid, and which ones are okay

*The Title of the Book*

The title of the book will be revealed soon. The reason I haven’t yet found a title is because two of the titles I initially selected were already in use, and in fact protected by trademarks.

So I was back to square one with the title, and in fact if you’re one of my customers you may have received an email for a survey I’m running in order to find the best title for this book.

*The Raw Food Police*

So back to the title of this ezine… There are a few people that won’t like this book. I call them “The Raw Food Police.”

Luckily, this group is dwindling and there aren’t many of them left.

Let me absolutely be clear: if you eat a 100% raw food diet and are happy with it and the results you are getting, I have no problems with you and your approach.

This new book is not really meant for those people, but for everybody else who’s tired of hearing the same message: “if you’re not succeeding, it’s because you haven’t tried hard enough.”

People tend to do a lot of projection. We imagine that our experience of the world is the same as everyone else. So we project.

That’s why people who naturally need 4-5 hours of sleep a night think that everyone else who needs 8 or 9 is probably just lazy.

But yet, it’s a fact that sleep requirements vary extraordinarily between people. There is no rule that will fit everybody, and if someone can’t function unless they get 10 hours a night, it doesn’t automatically mean that there’s something otherwise wrong with them.

The same is true for diet. People who thrive on 100% raw, find it easy to follow, and are absolutely happy with their social life tend to think that everyone else who has a different experience is probably just not committed enough, or didn’t try hard enough, or is otherwise not doing it right.

Yet, again, not everybody is the same.

You’ve wanted to make 100% raw work.

But you can’t stick with it. Or you’re not getting the results.

Who’s saying that you’re a failure? Stop blaming yourself and instead focus on something positive, like following a health sustaining diet, that includes a lot of raw food yes, but that’s also easy to follow, fun, and works for you.

And who cares what the raw food police will say.

I can already hear their criticism about this book, but I don’t care. It’s time to get a positive message out! If a raw food diet means eating only raw foods, then everybody eating a lower percentage of it is doing it less than perfectly.

But what if the perfect diet for you is much less difficult to follow, and you could do it 100% and get all the results that you’re after?

Stay tuned as I’ll be posting more info on this new book as it progresses.

How to Upgrade Your Body in 2013

Christmas is over, and the new year is upon us. Next December we’ll get to here the “12 Days of Christmas” song again, but have you heard the First 12 Days of the Year song?

You can sing it to the same tune, but it makes different gift recommendations!

Or better yet, use the recommendations for every month of the year, and you’ll transform your health in 2013.

1- On the first day of the new year my true love gave to me: 9 minutes of meditation. Brain scans have proven how much meditation can do wonders to remove stress and create a peaceful state that can last. I will start this year incorporating 9 minutes of meditation a day. How about you?

2- On the second day of the new year my true love gave to me: a green juice — I used to drink a daily green juice, but like most people life got in the way and I stopped the habit. In 2013 I vowed to get back on track with a green juice 4-5 days a week. The main benefit of green juices is to get those powerful vegetables and greens in your diet in a super absorbable way. It’s a great way to keep your body alkaline. And the two keys to green juices are: 1) No need to go overboard. 8-12 ounces is plenty. 2) Clean the juicer right after you’re done juicing!

3- On the third day of the new year my true love gave to me: 1-2 ounces of almonds — Almonds are the best nuts to stay thin, according to a new study! Apparently it’s because they keep you full, but are not fully digested and therefore help you stay thin. Eating 1-2 ounces of almonds a day can do wonders.

4- On the fourth day of the new year my true love gave to me: 8 or 9 hours of sleep — Sleep is my new priority, after having battled with insomnia in the past. Getting a good 8 hours of sleep a night is essential to well-being and probably as important for your health than a good diet. Some people need less than 8 hours, some need more.

5- On the fifth day of the new year my true love gave to me: a standing or dreadmill desk — If you work from home and sit a lot, incorporating 2-3 hours a day on a standing desk can do wonders for your health. A new study showed that sitting more than 4 hours a day can be as dangerous for your health than smoking, and than exercising separately does not “undo” the damages from sitting. Consider a standing desk, or a treadmill desk (which Is what I now use). Or at the very list an exercise ball instead of a chair and frequent standing breaks!

6- On the sixth day of the new year my true love gave to me: a dry brush. Dry brushing every day, before you take a shower or bath, will do wonders for your skin. It activates circulations, removes dead skin, and will give you younger looking skin.

7 On the seventh day of the new year my true love gave to me: A blender to make a daily green smoothie. Last year I discover the OmniPowerBlender (http://www.omnipowerblender.com), a heavy-duty blender as good as many competitors, but half the price. Use it or any other blender to make yourself a green smoothie for breakfast every morning.

8 On the eighth day of the new year my true love gave to me: 15 minutes of yoga. Most people who hang out at yoga classes don’t really need to be there. They’re already so flexible that doing hours and hours of more yoga won’t really make a big difference. But everyone that’s NOT going to yoga classes probably need to do some to stay flexible. I can’t commit to a full yoga class, but I’ll start doing 15 minutes of yoga every day in 2013. What about you?

9- On the ninth day of the new year my true love gave to me: A roller. I started using a firm foam roller to massage my sore muscles last year, but I wasn’t very disciplined. Soft tissue work is very important, and a simple 5 minute roller routine before going to bed can your muscles and soft tissues stay healthy. I’ll commit to 5 minutes of “rolling” every day in 2013!

10- On the tenth day of the new year my true love gave to me: A piece of fruit before every meal. Studies have shown that eating an entire piece of fruit (not juice) before each meal makes people eat less of the meal. This is a simple way to make a positive change in your diet almost effortlessly. Eat a big apple or orange before every meal (unless of course, your meal is just fruit…)

11- On the eleventh day of the new year my true love gave to me: a travel goal. Last year is the year that I discovered how to travel the world on pennies. I created a course on the topic (http://www.fredericpatenaude.com/travel), on sale this month. A travel goal can keep you motivated, as a reward for all the good things you’ll be working on this year.

12- On the twelfth day of the new year my true love gave to me: 12 weeks of strength training — This is by far the best physical activity most people can do as they get older, and to prevent many of the problems that come with aging. Lower back pain, lack of strength, slow metabolism and belly fat can be a thing of the past if you start doing some weight training. I got back on track a few months ago and gained 10 pounds of muscle! Pictures will follow as soon as I muster the guts to take my shirt off… And women, don’t worry you won’t start looking like Hulk anytime soon. So no excuse not to do it.

You can make this year your healthiest year ever.

Upgrade your body to a new level in 2013…

Looking forward to helping you along the way.

Frederic

PS: This article was inspired by one written by Shelli Stein, from http://www.activemenopauselifestyle.com/

Is Distilled Water Actually Dangerous?

Today I’m going to cover the important topic of water. This is an excerpt from my full Raw Vegan Mastery course available at http://www.fredericpatenaude.com/rawveganmastery

The Difference Between “Organic” and Non- Organic Minerals

I heard many times from raw-food circles that only minerals in plants can be assimilated by the human body. Rock minerals or minerals in water are not assimilable.

In some Natural Hygiene books, minerals from plants are called “organic” minerals and those from rocks are called “non-organic”.

Some people have even claimed that the cooking process turns organic minerals into toxic, non-organic ones.

If you want the quick answer: minerals in plants are best but we can still assimilate a tiny amount of minerals found in water and other sources.

Here’s the longer answer:

How well a mineral ion is absorbed in the body depends on the environment it is in.

The stomach acids break everything down while the intestines reduce the acidity so that it can better absorb what was eaten.

So in doing so, additional anions, (negatively charged ions that the body produces) may bind with the mineral ions that you ate. So while you need iron in your diet, sucking on an iron bar is likely not going to help you.

In your body, iron is surrounded by the heme molecule. Many of the trace minerals in your body have some sort of protein molecule attached to it.

This prevents the mineral ions from reacting with the alkaline chemicals your body produces. In many cases these protein molecules effectively surrounds these metal ions.

It helps with better absorption because some of these molecules can easily attach itself to the intestine. This doesn’t mean that non-organic is mineral useless. It just means that once ingested, it has to “compete” with the chemicals that the body produces for proper absorption, with other mineral ions, and bind with protein molecules to attach to the intestine to be absorbed.

Plant sources already have the minerals attached to these biomolecules and hence are better absorbed.

Distilled Water and Health
“I heard that drinking distilled water can leech minerals from
your body. Is this true? “

A lot of people believe distilled water to be dangerous based on information read on the Internet or other Natural Health Book. In fact, here’s what Dr. Mercola has to say about this:

“Many health fanatics, however, are often surprised to hear me
say that drinking distilled water on a regular, daily basis is
potentially dangerous.
Paavo Airola wrote about the dangers of distilled water in the
1970's when it first became a fad with the health food crowd.
Distillation is the process in which water is boiled, evaporated
and the vapor condensed.
Distilled water is free of dissolved minerals and, because of
this, has the special property of being able to actively absorb
toxic substances from the body and eliminate them.
Studies validate the benefits of drinking distilled water when
one is seeking to cleanse or detoxify the system for short
periods of time (a few weeks at a time).

Fasting using distilled water can be dangerous because of the rapid loss of electrolytes (sodium, potassium, chloride) and trace minerals like magnesium, deficiencies of which can cause heart beat irregularities and high blood pressure. Cooking foods in distilled water pulls the minerals out of them and lowers their nutrient value.”

At this point, I will agree with the conclusion that distilled water is not the best kind of water to drink, but will also point out that a lot of what Dr. Mercola said in his article (which you can find at: http://www.mercola.com/article/water/distilled_water.htm) is completely wrong.

Water, whether it is found in a spring or the tap, contains trace elements and minerals.

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If the water is distilled, in that it is devoid of all minerals, it will draw from its stores, what it needs for biological processes (for example: the calcium in your bones).

So calcium in your bones, the biggest mineral store will be used.

Distilled water is used to remove toxins from the body. It is what is used in kidney dialysis machines to cleanse the blood of toxins. It can also reduce potassium which is needed for proper heart function. Same with magnesium.

Distilled water can and does remove minerals from the body.

But fortunately, I don’t think there’s any evidence that this would be very dramatic — as long as you get enough minerals from your food in order to offset this.

In one article on Dr. Mercola’s website, it was claimed that:

“There is a correlation between the consumption of soft water
(distilled water is extremely soft) and the incidence of
cardiovascular disease. Cells, tissues and organs do not like to
be dipped in acid and will do anything to buffer this acidity
including the removal of minerals from the skeleton and the
manufacture of bicarbonate in the blood.”

Here, Mercola is dead wrong on the issue!

Distilled water is neither acidic nor alkaline! What happens is that the body removes it from various parts of the body to use the minerals it needs for biological functions.

It’s not like acid is streaming through the body and dissolving your bones!

Overall, I think that drinking water that has some mineral ions in it is best, but I don’t think that drinking distilled water can be bad for health if you get minerals from other sources, such as a diet abundant in fruits and vegetables.

Dr. Mercola Continues:

“Those who supplement their distilled water intake with trace minerals are not as deficient but still not as adequately nourished in minerals as their non-distilled water drinking counterparts even after several years of mineral supplementation. The ideal water for the human body should be slightly alkaline and this requires the presence of minerals like calcium and magnesium”

There is no study, as far as I know, that shows that people drinking distilled water aren’t as adequately nourished as their non-distilled counterparts.

There will be too many factors to take into account.

I guess he is correct that the presence of the minerals will make the water slightly alkaline but drawing the conclusion of alkaline “good” and acidic “bad” is hardly scientific!

–

This was an excerpt from my full Raw Vegan Mastery course.

In the full version, you’ll also find out all about the best water to drink, if alkaline water is really good for health, if you should be really worried about the quality of tap water, what to think about water ionizers, and what are the best purification systems.

To get the full progr am, go to http://www.fredericpatenaude.com/rawveganmastery

12 Reasons Why I Don’t Eat 100% Raw (Part 2)

In my last article I gave you my first six reasons why I don’t eat a 100% raw food diet, even after 15 years of being involved in the raw food movement.

If you missed part 1, you can read it here.

Here are the six other reasons:

#7 — I enjoy cooked foods (also known as: “I’m a cooked food addict”)

One simple reason I don’t eat everything 100% raw is that there are far too many foods that I enjoy eating, that I think are very healthy, and that are not raw. I know plenty of folks who really enjoy eating 100% raw. In fact, the more you do it, the easier it gets.

Everything comes with practice. The longer you eat a certain diet, the more normal it becomes to you, and the less you start missing your old diet.

But let’s face it: eliminating all cooked foods 100% from your diet for the rest of your life is a big change. Many prominent raw foods who write books on the subjects and are the most well-known people in the field told me recently that they still have dreams sometimes about eating cooked foods, even after years of eating 100% raw.

I enjoy raw foods, but I also enjoy some cooked foods. It’s not whether food is raw or cooked that is the main factor in determining whether it is healthy or not. Many raw foods are healthy, but some are not in excess. Same for cooked foods (and of course, a lot depends on how they are cooked).

Call me an addict who never managed to break the addiction, if you will. I just consider myself human.

#8- My energy is different

In terms of health, it’s a little more difficult to qualify things because I ate a raw food diet for a big part of my 20s, a time in life where health problems are usually not a concern.

I have made some important observations based on how I feel on my current diet versus the times I was eating 100% raw or close to it.

One thing that became apparent concerns my energy levels. On 100% raw, I often felt I had “more energy” but the energy was more a sort of excitement coming from a feeling of lightness. It felt great at times, but I also noticed that my energy was not as stable as it is now. For example, if I missed a few hours of sleep one night, I would be completely thrown off balance the next day, and wouldn’t have the energy to exercise.

Now that I don’t eat 100% raw and eat a balance of raw and cooked foods, my normal energy feels less “hyper” but at the same time, it also feels more stable. If I sleep poorly one night, I can still go through a tough workout at the gym and muster all the necessary energy. So on 100% raw I felt a more nervous, euphoric kind of energy — while with cooked foods I feel a more grounded type of energy, and also bigger reserves of energy.

#9- I like not having to think about food all the time

Let’s face it, when you eat 100% raw, food becomes a major preoccupation in your life. First, you have to worry about securing enough food, usually by buying giant cases of fruit at a time (which I still do, by the way).

Then, you have to worry about ripening. For example, if you live on a fruit-based diet and require a lot of calories, there’s a good chance that bananas will become a staple in your diet. When buying bananas, managing ripening time can be an issue, so you don’t end up with only ripe bananas at your disposal all at once, not knowing what to do with them. On the other end, your bananas could be green for a while and you find yourself without enough food.

There are of course issues with social situations and traveling, which require extra worry and planning around food.

I’m not saying that all of those things can’t be managed. Many people who eat 100% raw eventually learn the tricks and manage to do quite well with all of this planning.

All I’m saying is that I personally enjoy not having to think about food all the time. For example, if I’m invited somewhere, I won’t request a 100% raw meal (which in my experience, was very hard to get anyway!) I’ll be a little flexible with my food choices at times, and more strict with myself at other times. If I’m on a vacation, I’ll be very flexible with what I’m eating, because I know a few “cheat meals” won’t make much of a difference in my overall health, but being able to relax on vacation and not have to worry about securing enough fruit will have a bigger impact on my well-being during that time!

Each person has to decide whether the sacrifices they are making are worth the results the are getting. To me, being a 100% raw foodist for life was not worth all the sacrifices I was making, and that is one of the biggest reasons I don’t eat 100% raw.

#10 I “overdosed” on raw foods

To be perfectly honest, when you do too much of one thing, it can often turn you off for a long time after. For me, my early enthusiasm with the raw food diet led me to fully explore the 100% path, to the point where I got sick of it!

There are few smells in the world that I find as displeasing as the smell of dehydrating goods that come out of a raw food restaurant. This particular smell of dehydrating flax, mixed with raw onion and garlic, beets, carrots, juicing greens… this particular combination of smells is now something that will instantly spoil my appetite. Maybe it’s because it’s bringing back old memories of my time eating 100% raw where in a way, I wasn’t at my best.

Another food I have a hard time stomaching now is a giant 12-banana smoothie. After eating this daily for lunch for many years, I woke up one day and couldn’t stand the thought of it.

So now I rarely make giant fruit smoothies. Instead, I eat all of my fruit whole, except for my morning green smoothies. Because I’m getting extra calories from certain cooked foods I eat (like sweet potatoes or beans), I don’t need to eat giant banana smoothies for lunch every day to get the energy I need. So I find this works better because I can enjoy eating WHOLE fruits again, instead of downing them in huge smoothies all day.

#11 —I like to have the best of both worlds

With everything I’ve said, I would not want to give the impression that I’m anti raw foods or even an high-raw diet. I also have nothing against the concept of 100% raw, as long as it works for you and you’re happy with it.

I just think that raw foodists have taken their philosophy to an extreme by demonizing all cooked foods, even those that clearly have great health benefits.

You can criticize certain foods, like bread, dairy products, and refined sugar. You can also criticize certain cooking methods, like frying in oil. But to put all cooked foods in the same basket and label all of them as unhealthy or “toxic,” regardless of what they are, is downright silly.

Many cooked foods are not only innocuous but are also perfectly healthy. Things like slightly cooked greens such as kale, may even have more health benefits than their raw counterparts, simply because they are more digestible.

Cooked root vegetables are particularly healthy (sweet potatoes, yams, etc.), alkaline-forming, and have been part of the human diet for possibly hundreds of thousands of years.

And can we silence the fact that every single long-lived culture in the world, as identified by the Blue Zones research (see the book by the same name) uses some kind of bean or legume as part of their diet?

It only makes sense from a purely nutritional standpoint to combine the best of both world — lots of raw foods with the healthiest cooked foods. The overall quality of the diet can only be increased when there is more variety rather than a pure diet only limited to raw foods.

#12 — The guilt is gone

In many raw food groups, there is a lot of elitism. As if 100% raw foodists are somehow superior and more enlightened than those who can’t stick to all raw foods. I’ve even heard some prominent raw foodists talk about their belief that people who can’t stick to 100% raw have “emotional issues and blockages” that prevent them from going all the way.

Ultimately, we’re doing this for health. I’ve never understood people claim that the main reason they eat a raw food diet is because they feel more spiritually enlightened that way.

Health is the motivator. So ultimately, if you feel that you must eat 100% raw to be perfectly healthy, then that’s what you should do.

However, it’s also important to understand the reasons why people “feel like shit” when they eat cooked foods after a period of eating 100% raw or close to it. It’s often not what they think. That will be a topic for a future article.

Ultimately, you should be happy with your diet, and you should get the results that you desire. Guilt should not be a part of the equation.

I see too many raw foodists overwhelmed with guilt. They count the days they’ve been 100% raw and see every “cooked food episode” as a huge failure or a sign of a lack of character.

You can be healthy, enjoy your food, and avoid the guilt! It requires a little more patience though, and a more elaborate and mature health philosophy than a simple black and white statement such as “raw is law and cooked food is poison.”

But what do you think?

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