Raw foods/Body Ecology diet?

[evergreen]

Hi there.

Does anyone have any raw food recipes that meet the guidelines set by the Body Ecology diet?

I've been raw for a couple of years now, and while I've amazing results (no colds ever!), I've come to realize that my hearty fruit consumption had contributed to a candida problem.

I've been on a raw-foods version of the Body Ecology diet for a few days now, and already I've seen a great improvement. But the first phase of the diet is very restrictive. No fruits (including avocados and tomatoes); these are introduced later when your internal ecosystem has been strengthened. It also strictly observes the laws of food combining, which most of us are probably already familiar with.

Does anyone have any no avocado/no fruit recipes to share?

A thousand thanks,
Evergreen

[tracyinfo]

How about a spinach dip?

2 zucchini
1/4 cup water
1.5 cups cashews
1/3 cup light miso
1 tsp celtic sea salt
2 tbsp lemon juice ( I suppose you could use apple cider vinegar)
1 small sliver onion
3 cloves garlic
pinch of white pepper
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of cayenne
2 to 3 heads of spinach

Place zucchini and water in blender. Blend till smooth. Add rest of ingredients except spinach. Blend until creamy. Pulse spinach in a food processor until chopped. Mix all ingredients in a bowl.

[evergreen]

Thanks, Tracy. That sounds pretty yummy.

In this stage of the diet, only almonds are allowed and no fermented soy (forrgot to mention that -- now you know why coming up with recipes has been so difficult!). But I think I should be able to make a couple of substitutions to your recipe (almonds instead of cashews, Celtic sea salt instead of miso) and still come out with something quite tasty.

Thanks for sharing your recipe, Tracy. Can't wait to try it!

-Evergreen

[solarliving]

Hi evergreen,

I found some info and recipes under bodyecologydiet.com

I did a search after reading your post, because I have never heard of this diet. I am curious how eating raw, I am assuming a lot of fruit, has caused candidas? I have to say this surprises me. I suffered from what I thought was candidas, but I can't say for sure. I did have 7 yeast infections in a row that started during each menstrual cycle. It was very uncomfortable to say the least. What I did at that time is completely stopped eating all bread, anything with yeast, and anything with refined sugar. I also stopped washing with soap and switched to baby wipes. Now I mostly use water, which actually has been the best for me. I started using the natural tampons at this time as well. I had a weird feeling that there was some emotional factors also because I had gone on the pill shortly after they started when I really didn't want to. I know some people have said that eating a lot of fats can cause problems. I'm not sure about that, but I do know when you eat fat with fruit it will slow down the digestion process of that fruit, causing it to be in your system longer.

[evergreen]

Thanks for your post, Solarliving.

Going raw definitely didn't cause my candida. I took antibiotics for a long time as a teenager to treat acne, and I suspect that played a part in making me susceptible. It's interesting that you said you got yeast infections after going on the pill; in the research I've done, that's listed as being a major causal factor. In some women, going on the pill can cause imbalances that allow the "bad" yeast to overtake the "good" yeast, with the end result being candida.

If you've got a healthy inner ecosystem, fruits are very health-giving. But if you're starting from a compromised place (as I am), some experts think it's necessary to give your system a few months to heal itself before including them in your diet.

The theory goes like this: we've all got bacteria (yeast) in our bodies -- a mixture of "good" bacteria and "bad" bacteria. In a perfectly healthy body, the good bacteria outnumbers the bad, and keeps it at bay. In an out-of-balance body the bad bacteria outnumbers the good.

Some experts say those with candida should aim to alter their body's inner ecosystem so that the good bacteria outnumbers the bad. We can do this by not eating foods that encourage the growth of bad bacteria, and including foods that support the growth of good bacteria in your diet.

Abstaining for certain foods should help kill off most of the bad bacteria; yeast feeds on sugar, and that's why fruits aren't recommended for someone with candida. As you'd mentioned, grains like breads and crackers are also on the "don't have" list, but those aren't an issue for me, since I've been raw for a couple of years now. You're right about consuming fruits with fats; that can cause the fruit to stay in your body longer than it should -- a situation that isn't ideal.

Fermented foods (like kim chi) contain probiotics that encourage the growth of healthy bacteria. So I've added kim chi and unpasteurized sauerkraut to my diet.

If you're curious about the topic, Google "Candida." Or check out the Body Ecology web site; the folks there can do a better job of explaining it than I can. I also recommend the Body Ecology book; I've learned a lot from it. I've talked to a couple of long-time raw fooders here in L.A. who've said that integrating the Body Ecology concepts into their diet has been helpful. The book is not a raw-foods book, but it acknowledges the lifestyle and offers suggestions on how to tailor its concepts to meet raw-food needs.

The BEST thing I've done for myself is going raw. I've been on the wagon for a couple of years now, and it's ELIMINATED things like colds and headaches from my life. I've enjoyed excellent health in many respects, but so far, it's clear that the recent tweaks I've made to my diet have made a good situation even better, and I'm very grateful.

Sorry for the long post! And thanks again for your response, Solarliving.

All the best,
-Evergreen

[solarliving]

Hi evergreen,

Thanks for the information. That is good to know about the fruit, because I have been practically living off of it lately. Actually I want to be clear and say that I got the yeast infection prior to going on the pill. That is why I felt it could have a psychological base. I have never had so many in my life and during my menses. That was weird. I am a trained Hypnotherapist and body mind therapist. I was taught that at least 85% of physical disorders begin as psychosomatic. Not to say lifestyle doesn't play a part in how one feels, but the mind is very powerful. I had Eczema for 3 years and thought it was candida. I was taking Candistroy and barely eating anything, used topical creams, nothing would heal it, until I found the source. Fear of Commitment. Physical manifestations are the body trying to tell us something, whether it's change what you're eating, or change what you're thinking. The cells have ears.

[evergreen]

Hi Solarliving,

You're so right -- I agree with you 100%.

One of my best friends has been battling eczema for years. I'll have to share your story with him.

Thanks,
Evergreen