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The Art of Eating

Eating is the first action we perform after being born (well, after letting out a loud cry). To a human being, the act of eating is one of the most primal. We develop our most intimate relationship with food.

Interaction over food is the single most important feature of socializing. We eat together at times of celebration or mourning; we solve our problems over dinn, entertain guests over tea and cake, and conduct business over a lunch table. Whole cultures define themselves through food (when people move around the world their cultural cuisine is the last thing to stay even when other cultural traditions are abandoned).

However, in a culture of over achievement and high stress, we turn too much to food for solace and we do it to the detriment of our health. We now eat on the go, while driving, working on a computer or talking on the phone. The tradition of formal mealtimes is becoming a thing of the past: we eat whatever we want whenever we want. Many have completely lost touch with what eating is about and how to eat properly.

Staying Raw in Winter

Unless you are lucky to live in warm climates, cold and damp winter may be a challenge if you are new to the raw food diet. As we get cold on the outside, we tend to seek the warmth from within, usually through food.

Staying 100% during cold winter is definitely a challenge and I usually don’t recommend it to raw food beginners, unless you have a really strong will power. My rule of thumb would be eating 85% raw and get the rest through warm vegetable soups and whole grains and beans. But with time, the longer are you raw and the cleaner your body becomes, the easier it would be to get through cold months. The raw food diet is a long-term commitment so take one step at a time and don’t rush yourself.

However, if you are up for a challenge and want to stay 100% raw no matter what, here are some suggestions to help you deal with cold weather:

Winter Skin Survival Guide

Cold weather, winds, and dry indoor air will leave any skin dry and cracked during winter months, when the oil glands are the weakest. Cheeks, arms, and legs have the least amount of oil glands and therefore suffer most in cold weather.  To keep your skin hydrated and well cared for, follow these simple steps:

1. Avoid taking long hot baths or showers. How water can rob the skin of its moisture. Instead, use moderate temperatures for shorter periods of time.

2. Moisture skin with pure cocoa butter after showering. Apply it to the skin when it's slightly damp, so the moisture becomes trapped in the skin.

3. Avoid skin products that contain alcohol, which can dry out the skin.

4. Use a humidifier to keep moisture in your home. If your budget it tight, just put a bowl on a radiator to add moisture to the air in your room.

5. Stress can contribute to more skin conditions, so during winter do relaxation practices, yoga, meditation on a regular basis.

6. Add moisture from within - drink plenty of water throughout the day and eat lots of water-rich fruits and vegetables. Avoid dry and salty snacks, because they suck the moisture out of your cells.

7. Make sure you get enough essential fatty acids, like omega-3 and omega-6. A diet low in EFAs results in dry, dull looking skin and may cause chronic skin conditions, such as eczema. EFAs rich foods are flaxseed oil, walnuts, sesame, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, chia seeds, and blue green algae.

© 2009 Radiant on Raw

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