Gabriel's Rainbow Cuisine

[salsababy]

Has anybody done Gabriel Cousens Rainbow Cuisine? I've been reading through the book and have decided to do Phase 1 for a week and then phase 2 for a while to help with the symptoms I have based upon my vast sugar addiction.

This healing process seems hard to me as I am soooo addicted to sugar. It'll probably be good for me to do, but still scary. Has anyone done this challenge before? I would love, love, love to hear from you!! :o

[rawnora]

Salsababy,
The style of eating you're talking about will be "good" only to the extent that it may represent an improvement over what you used to eat. You are not 'addicted' to sugar, you have a natural affinity for it, as all humans do. Our foods are supposed to be sweet. Sugar has developed a bad reputation because it has been used in a fractionated, adulterated, processed form to disguise foods that otherwise would not taste good to us, and would not be eaten as a result. Sugars in their natural forms, the ones that are found in fruit, are our #1 nutrient need. The human body runs on sugar. No matter what you eat, your body has to break it down into sugar before it can be utilized as fuel. Why make your body work so hard? Why not eat foods in which the fuel is readily available to your body without working for it? Fruit is the only food which offers this advantage.

Gabriel Cousens understands more about nature than most doctors but he still advocates choosing foods based on recent intellectual ideas rather than returning to nature and obeying our senses. Until about 12,000 years ago, humans were wild. On the geologic clock, 12,000 years represents about 2 seconds. During the very long period that preceded it, humans chose their foods based on sensory appeal alone. We can, and should, still be doing that. If we do, health is practically guaranteed. Where food selection is concerned, to ignore the senses for ANY reason (even the popular but unsupported claims that modern food is deficient) is to reject nature.

Having never read his books, I'm not intimately familiar with the Cousens approach but I do know he advocates a low-sugar, high-fat, high processed foods (oils are mainly what I'm thinking of) regimen that almost everyone finds unsustainable in the long term. All transition diets are unsustainable by their nature but some of the foods that he recommends are best not eaten at all, even in transition. And, if I'm not mistaken, he actually maintains that these foods should be eaten not only in transition, but for the rest of a person's life. This is the real problem.

For people who like the idea that getting healthy is not mysterious or complicated, there is a better, more natural, simpler approach that does not necessitate ignoring our natural desire for sweet foods.

All the best,
Nora
www.RawSchool.com

[Sharon in Colorado]

It gets to be more of a challenge to answer questions like these because it has been announced that the purpose of this site is for discussing Alissa's book & program.

You may want to try seeking out a discussion board that is open to other plans or maybe he has his own message board.

[Mysticalwoman]

Hi salsababy I love Dr. Cousens. I am on Phase 1, and have lost over 20 pounds in 2 1/2 weeks. I don't see anything wrong with his vegan lifestyle. He does not advocate alot of oils, everything in moderation. As a Doctor that has over 30 years of raw food lifestyle experience I think it safe to say he knows what he is talking about. A lot of people called Ann Wigmore a quack but she is the mother of the raw food lifestyle. If only people would keep an open mind and read all type of material on rawfood lifestyle they can find the one that suits them. I recommend his book Rainbow green live-food cuisine. Or his video if people does not have the time to read Gabriel Cousens, M.D. Rainbow Green Live-Food Cuisine. There is nothing wrong with his Phase 1 program, he says if you need to have fruit go ahead, in his video.
Phase 1
Nuts and Seeds
Most Raw Vegetables
(those Not on the high-glycemic list,
or Phase 1.5 or Phase 2 List)
Vegetable Fruits
such as Avocados,Tomatoes, Cucumbers,
Summer Squashes, Red Bell Pepper.
Lemon And Lime
Sea Vegetables such as Nori,
Wakame,Kelp,Hijiki, Dulse
Oils:
Flax,Hemp,Olive,Sesame,Coconut,
Almond,Sunflower.
Coconut Pulp
Chlorella and Spirulina
Klamath Lake Alage
Legumes
Stevia

This is the basic of Phase 1 on Phase 1.5 he says add some Fruit, Fermented Foods.
Low-Glycemic Fruits:
Grapefruit,Raspberies,Blueberries, Strawberries,Goji Berries,Cherries, Cranberries,(fresh unsweetened with sugar)
Fermeneted Foods:
Miso,Apple Cider Vinegar, Sauerkraust,Kim Chee, and Kefir.
Also Non-Stored Grains:
Wild Rice, Quinoa,Buckwheat, Millet,Spelt, Amaranth.
I think the best thing we can do for each other is to support each other vegan lifestyle choice. With out pressuring them to turn to our own personal lifestyle choice.
P.S. My Arthritis is a lot better doing Phase 1.
http://www.treeoflife.nu (http://www.treeoflife.nu/)

[honeybee joy]

I personally feel better when I do phase one. When I stay on it I don't really miss fruit. Fruit sometimes gives me brain fog and makes me lethargic. I wish my body would allow me to eat more fruit....but at this time minimal fruit works for me. One thing about nature...is alot of the fruits are heavily hybridized and bred to be sweet. Fruit today is not the same as it once was. There is sugar in vegetables. I also think alot of people have messed up bodies from eating the wrong things all of their life, like diabetes or insulin resistance...so I think it is best that everyone pay attention to what their body says. I would say that alot has changed in the past 12,000 years, like the quality of foods and the health of everyone...and we all need to be sensitive to everyones individual needs. Lots of fruit does not work for everyone. Why should someone feel bad, or guilty, or that they shouldn't post here because they don't fit in with "the program" so to speak. Alissa's book has recipes that work for everyone. That is why she is so awesome!

[swingbolder]

It gets to be more of a challenge to answer questions like these because it has been announced that the purpose of this site is for discussing Alissa's book & program.

You may want to try seeking out a discussion board that is open to other plans or maybe he has his own message board.

From what I understood from Rawkinlocs message, it's perfectly fine to discuss other ways of eating raw besides Alissa's, but what's not okay is to act like your way (whether it be natural hygiene, 8-1-1 or what have you) is the best and only way because that is disrespectful to the mission of the site. Everyone's body is different. Cousens has been eating raw for a very long time and I respect his views, even though I don't follow all his principles.

I did find out from experience that I am what he calls a "fast oxidizer" which means I do better on more fat than some other people might. However, his low-glycemic approach does not work for me. I thrive on lots of sweet fruit. But if that works for you, that's great. We'd love to hear more about your results as you go deeper into his program. :)

[LightLover]

It gets to be more of a challenge to answer questions like these because it has been announced that the purpose of this site is for discussing Alissa's book & program.

You may want to try seeking out a discussion board that is open to other plans or maybe he has his own message board.

----
* Agree with you Sharon, only where? It is a unique circumstance of this board to allow all kind of discussions, even about other leading raw food "guru's", without envy,
and this shows the large open heart of the initiators. :)

LL

[LightLover]

Quote:
Also Non-Stored Grains:
Wild Rice, Quinoa,Buckwheat, Millet,Spelt, Amaranth.
----
Mysticalwoman: Do cyou perhaps know how one can see/know if a grain
has been stored. For example: is Quinoa always non-stored?

LL

[Sharon in Colorado]

Well, I think swingbolder is correct. As long as we are not contrary to Alissa's plan, we are free to discuss alternate raw diets.

Now I can finally talk about why licking the sides of your aquarium is a wonderful, natural and much more affordable alternative to puchasing encapsulated algea! :p

[LightLover]

Nora, I am still curious if you believe in the results of dead- or living bloodtests?

LL

[Mysticalwoman]

Hi Lightlover your question "Mysticalwoman: Do you perhaps know how one can see/know if a grain
has been stored. For example: is Quinoa always non-stored?" okay hopefully I can answer it. If not hopefully somebody with more knowledge can. I believe the difference between grains is that alot of them can go rancid in six months to a year. Like Oats, whole wheat. I am still reading Dr. Cousens book, but tonight I will see the video again, and I know he says it on the video some where. If anyone know please step in.




LOL my ++s off. Sharon of Colorado. Now I can finally talk about why licking the sides of your aquarium is a wonderful, natural and much more affordable alternative to puchasing encapsulated algea! :p

[LightLover]

Mysticalwoman: Do you suggest that quinoa doesn't get rancid in 6 months to a year, but other grains do get rancid, and do you have any idea why there is difference?

This is an interesting subject! Because one of the headlines of rawfoods is:
fresh (the other ones: raw, ripe, organic/wild).

LL

[Mysticalwoman]

Hi Lightlover I am not an expert on grains. I know I have to do alot more on reading up on which grains go rancid and which one don't. So if you know of any articles on the subject of grains and how to keep and store them I would appreciate it if you will share.:-) I think knowledge always helps are growing process.:-)

[LightLover]

I think knowledge always helps are growing process.:-)
---
Huuh.. There is not much that is more true..
Sometimes we just don't have time to grow slowly like century old trees. Sharing helps the most.
Also: being interested and open minded.

---
LL

[salsababy]

Hmm...I'm suprised that the asking of my question prompted such a debate over whether or not it could be asked in the first place. :confused:

From what I have read from past posts, people have been asking questions of all sorts of things including other raw guru's. And there is even a topic section for off topic stuff where you can talk about anything- so why not this? I understand, though, for the respect of Alissa's passion, time, and effort that we maintain the message board to present raw food and Alissa in a good image. I have read Alissa site for over a year now and she was one of 2 people who made me want to turn to raw foods. The biggest thing that I loved about Alissa is that she was a body-builder and mainted muscle on raw. That is huge!

I liked Gabriel Cousens take on healing the body by diet if you are sick. I believe some of his points of view (I honestly don't believe that one raw guru has ALL the answers). To help get my body healthy again after treating it badly, his plan sounds like a good idea. Although because I run marathons and climb mountains, Alissa's raw food plan works best for the long haul because I need those calories and extra food. Plus it looks delish!

Sorry if I came across mean sounding, because I truely never intend to. :)

[Mysticalwoman]

Salsababy you never came across mean. I alwas believe it good to ask questions. :)

[Vandy]

I agree 100% with Raw Nora. I did phase 1, phase 2, etc, and it got me into trouble to the point of exhaustion and madness b/c I was not getting in the sufficient amount of calories. If you are an active person, I would not recommend doing this. Stick to the foods that will give you more energy in that case (fruits). In taking out most fruits, you are left with veggies and fats, hence, you are left with eating a higher percentage of fat. This can hurt you more in the long run than not eating fruits. Either way, make sure you get in enough greens. That is just my advice. I do love that Gabriel is so grounded spiritually. His books are truly inspirational and informative.

[Gosia]

I've got Cousen's book too, but the idea of minimizing the consumption of sweet fruit has never appealed to me, thankfully. Some critique and personal stories have been given recently at http://www.rawfoodsupport.com/read.php?2,21552,page=1. Personally, I prefer Alissa's open approach. And, I tend to trust my senses more than someone else's mind. Of course, that's just me. :)

Gosia

[salsababy]

I agree 100% with Raw Nora. I did phase 1, phase 2, etc, and it got me into trouble to the point of exhaustion and madness b/c I was not getting in the sufficient amount of calories. If you are an active person, I would not recommend doing this. Stick to the foods that will give you more energy in that case (fruits). In taking out most fruits, you are left with veggies and fats, hence, you are left with eating a higher percentage of fat. This can hurt you more in the long run than not eating fruits. Either way, make sure you get in enough greens. That is just my advice. I do love that Gabriel is so grounded spiritually. His books are truly inspirational and informative.

Vandy- I've been taking a break from all that exercise. All I've been doing is a little salsa dancing. I only want to stay on Phase 1 for a week then move up to Phase 1.5. And to include mainly greens. For some odd reason lately I have been sick when eating fruit. Upset stomach. So, it makes me wonder if I have some sort of bacterial infection. I want to reintroduce fruit back in- but maybe I need to heal first.

[salsababy]

Does anybody know if drinking green juice is okay on Phase 1? I don't remember reading it in the book.

[Sunshine9]

Hi Salsababy,

Yes it is definitely ok to drink green juice on phase one. Just make sure it's all veggie... It's delicious, I can't believe I ever wanted apple in my green juice. Use lots of cucumbers, celery, lemon, parsley, kale, chard, ect.

I will throw my two cents in... I haven't strictly followed the rainbow green, but for a while I was eating mostly phase 1.5. I like it, and I find it to be really balancing. Gabriel does not do percentages by calculating calories, but he does recommend a low fat diet of about 10%. His program is focused on mineralizing the body, and alkalizing. In my experience, this provides the most ecstatic gentle continual stream of energy that is a very different experience from the energy I get from sweet fruit. There was definitely a detox period for me, where I had low energy and felt foggy, but once that clears it feels amazing.

I don't really understand the argument that sweet fruit is our natural food. I don't think there is anything wrong with sweet fruit, we do need sugar in some form and quantity. However there was little sweet fruit prior to the industrialization of agriculture, and it certainly didn't exist as sweet as it is today. How could something that doesn't exist wildly in nature be what we're "supposed" to eat?

The mother of one of my close friends is in her 70s and has been following phase I for almost six months. She went to tree of life because it looked like she might have cancer, so she has been following a whole regimin. She is currently so vibrant, beautiful, energetic, and healthy it is really inspiring to see. She does not eat a high fat diet at all, and her weight is completely normal. She is thin now and was thin before she started and can run circles around me with her energy.

I think it's a great idea to try out different ways of eating and see how you feel your best.

Sunshine :)

[rawnora]

Vandy- I've been taking a break from all that exercise. All I've been doing is a little salsa dancing. I only want to stay on Phase 1 for a week then move up to Phase 1.5. And to include mainly greens. For some odd reason lately I have been sick when eating fruit. Upset stomach. So, it makes me wonder if I have some sort of bacterial infection. I want to reintroduce fruit back in- but maybe I need to heal first.

If eating makes you feel sick, what could be a clearer indication that you need to stop eating? Do you feel worse when you stop eating? This is the dilemma that all new raw fooders face -- symptoms when they eat, symptoms when they stop eating. Honestly, it's just a matter of choosing which symptoms make you feel worse. For me, I felt so bad when I didn't eat that the only time I was able to stop eating was when my symptoms were really bad, like when I was bedridden with full-blown cleansing episodes. When I did manage to stop eating or eat very lightly, my symptoms always got better faster than when I continued to eat.

Stomach upset is most often caused by bad combining, and it normally starts happening weeks or months after a person goes raw. It is a sign of returning health, even while it also signals that mistakes are being made. The answer is to learn more about cooperating with your body, not trying some new approach that will effectively stop the healing because the foods you'll be eating (oils, nuts, dense greens) will cause your body to redirect its energy to the task of digesting food that require more work to break down.

There are lots of things you can do that don't involve a major shift in what you're doing, and that don't require you to stop eating fruit. Eating fruit allows the body to heal quicker. People who are eating mostly fruit who encounter symptoms should first stop eating (if they can) or at least eat lightly, and, secondly, take a look at what they've been eating to see where they can make improvements.

Best wishes,
Nora
www.RawSchool.com