How to Create a Running Workout Plan

So you want to create a running workout plan, eh?

....Why? Are you into torture?

Just kidding. Running is a great activity for exercise. You can't drive down a neighborhood street at seven in the morning without seeing swarms of runners. If you want to create a running workout plan, and want to bring exercise into your life, then I say good for you.
All you need now is a bit of knowledge on what running entails and how you can create the best plan for you.


Running: The Basics
Running, believe it or not, is more complicated than you would believe. I know I know; on the surface it looks so easy. People learn to run about two seconds after they learn how to walk, so how complicated could it be?

Actually, there are several concepts you need to know before we get into the actual running workout plan.


Most people run because they want to get 'fit'. But what is 'fit'? Most people would say it is fitting into the pair of blue jeans that they wore in seventh grade. It really depends (to an extent) on your goals.

For most people, being fit means being physiologically healthy, which usually means a person has a normal Body Mass Index (BMI), low cholesterol, normal blood pressure, and energy level suitable to his or her age, gender, and background. Running can help with all of those.
If you want to be more athletic, in that you want to run a faster 5K or have more endurance, then running can accomplish that as well. The key is to know what you're gunning for, so you can design your workout appropriately.

Drawing Up Your Running Workout Plan
Okay, so, you know what you want to do. No matter what goal you have for fitness, the basics are fortunately the same (that's why they're basics).

1. Distance
How far are you going to run? Here's a good rule of thumb. For losing weight, staying in shape, etc., running any more than 3 miles at a time is a waste of time. To become competitive at long-distance running, you will have to put in at least 3 miles at a time.

2. Frequency
How often will you run? Starting off, you should run no more than 3 times a week, with one day in between. To stay healthy, running three times a week will suffice. To lose weight, I would run at least five times a week. For athletic improvement, six days with one rest day is optimal.

3. Speed
How fast will you run? The vast majority of people who run do so at what I call an "average" pace, i.e. breaking a sweat and breathing deeply but not becoming exhausted or strained. That is fine for weight loss and fitness, but for athletic improvement, you will have to push.
Look over those three concepts and play with some numbers. The above concepts really are your building blocks for your own running program.

Enjoy your torture- er...exercise.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3801681

Fitness and Running expert, Yuri Elkaim, and his Treadmill Trainer running workouts, has helped thousands of health conscious individuals (of all fitness levels) become faster and more endurant runners with just 2 runs per week. Try his interval training running workouts for free by visiting http://www.myTreadmillTrainer.com today!

Foods for Energy — Simple, Clearly Explained, and Delicious.

By naturally-healthy-eating.com

Are you wondering about foods for energy? Wondering if there’s a nutrition guide that could show you how to start feeling peppier and perkier?

A Review of the E-book, Eating for Energy, by Yuri Elkaim

 

I know there’s a lot of interest in raw foods but also confusion and uncertainty about how to actually do a raw foods diet.

You should find this book helpful, then. It’s practical, well written, and an easy read.

I was pleasantly surprised by Eating for Energy. It’s a book that educates you, then holds your hand to guide you into a healthier, more energetic life by learning how to make healthy food choices by choosing the right foods for energy.

Author Yuri Elkaim says his mission is to inspire you to realize that settling for mediocre health and energy is not acceptable.

He begins with his own experiences as a professional soccer player. He believed he was eating a healthy diet of fruits, vegetables, pasta, fish, chicken, low-fat milk, but found he needed a nap in the afternoons.

After ending his soccer career, he went on to study holistic nutrition.

He learned that you can be “fit” but not healthy. This is a belief I have observed among some athletes: They consider themselves healthy just because they exercise a lot and are not overweight.

You’ve heard the adage, “You are what you eat.” Well, Yuri adds, “You are also what your foods eat.”
 

I love it! If you’re eating meat, consider what those cows, chickens or fish have been eating.

Likewise, when you eat vegetables and fruits, consider what they’ve been fed. Was it healthy, natural, organic materials, or was it artificial fertilizers and toxic pesticides?

 

Acid or Alkaline?

There is a helpful discussion of alkaline and acid diets. He writes that an alkaline diet helps the body deal with stress.

The Nobel Prize recipient, Dr. Linus Pauling, showed that cancer cells cannot grow in an alkaline environment.

Yuri discusses how acid is stored in the body’s fat cells, making it a real challenge to lose weight, even if you’re exercising like crazy... and as long as your system is too acid.

In case you’re wondering, meat and dairy are the major foods that contribute to an over-acid condition in the body.

Not to worry… He writes about how to create an alkaline internal environment as you eat the right foods for energy.

 

Protein

He goes on to discuss protein—how much is really necessary—not nearly as much as we’re brainwashed into thinking we need—and how animal protein contributes to disease and affects an athlete’s performance, among other things.

 

Enzymes

Yuri shows you how a deficiency of enzymes can speed up the development of cancer, heart disease, and arthritis. An enzyme-rich diet lessens the strain on digestion and adds to one's longevity.

There are no enzymes in cooked foods.

He demonstrates this very nicely by including a link to some wonderful photographs of images of the life force emanating from various foods, cooked vs. raw.

It seems like everybody would realize this, but I guess we need somebody like Yuri to make it clear to us:

Our bodies were designed to recognize foods in their natural state, not fragmented, synthetic components. Otherwise, we’d be born with supplements, microwaves and barbecues from day one.

There’s an interesting discussion of the vibrational frequencies of foods.

 

Healthy Fats and Oils

“Many people fear fats.” Are you one of those people? Well, never fear… Eating for Energy includes an excellent discussion of healthy raw plant fats.

He does recommend fish oil for omega-3s, and I’ll have to say I don’t agree with this. But if you do decide to use fish oil, he tells you what to look for in a good fish oil.

There are discussions of soaking seeds, nuts, grains and legumes; sprouting (instructions and a chart); leisure foods; super foods; supplements; and—last but not least—ta da!—making the transition to Eating for Energy.

 

Nutrition for Athletes

In this section for athletes, you’ll learn what foods for energy to eat, when to eat, facts about hydration, and recipes for sport gels and puddings and sports drinks (definitely not the sugar- and chemical-laden commercial beverages).

 

12-Week Meal Plan

This is probably my favorite section of Eating for Energy. It’s loaded with healthy raw living food recipes—breakfast cereals; soups; sandwiches and wraps; salads; dressings, dips and sauces; pastas and noodle dishes; other main dishes; desserts; smoothies; and juices. All healthy foods for energy.

These recipes are easy to make--mostly very simple recipes without a lot of complicated preparation instructions.

I especially like the 12-week meal plan. It’s all laid out for you, including delicious foods for energy that will have you feeling more energetic and healthy before you know it.

This is a wonderful book for someone just starting out who wants some motivation to eat healthy, someone looking to lose weight, someone wanting to become more energetic, or an old hand at healthy eating who would like some new recipes and wants to learn something along the way. 

I heartily recommend Eating for Energy by Yuri Elkaim.

When You Have A Blender, Who Needs A Stove?

I do not remember the last time that I used the stove. But I have a great excuse. The only thing I know how to heat up is a teabag. The downside? I eat out every day and the quality of the nutrition I put into my body is not nearly as good as I know it ought to be.

This is why Carolyn Hansen's book 100 Healthy Raw Snacks And Treats Looks so appealing to me. Now the truth is, even though I know I could benefit from eating these amazingly mouth-watering delights, I probably never will. Why? Because I am lazy, and the idea of having to go to the store to get ingredients, put them in a blender, and then simply pour them out onto a tray seems like a lot of work to me. But you might not be as lazy as I am, and you might be prepared to take a couple of steps to eat healthy snacks rather than the store-bought items that are poisioning me.

Well, posioning might be too strong a word. Still, we all know that the sugar, butter, and other chemical additives that fill traditional snacks are doing none of us any favors. They all contribute in the long run to obsesity and other chronic diseases associated with poor nutrition. This is why when someone comes up with a set of healthy food alternatives we should all take notice, rather than continue to be lazy like I am. I am going to suffer the consequences of my actions, I have no doubt. But that does not mean that you need to do the same.

At least I hope you do not. At the very least, do me a favor and go have a look at the recipe book that Carolyn is offering on her site. If you take a glance at that Strawberry Fields Forever cheesecake alternative, or the Carob Fudge, and you still don't bite (ha ha) then I will know that I did my bit to help your ward off the coronary disease or the hypertension that likely will catch up with you one of these days. Assuming you eat as poorly as I do, that is. You don't, do you?

The bottom line: you will want to go check out 100 Healthy Raw Snacks And Treats if you are less than satisfied with the quality of the snacks that typically end up inside you over the course of a day.

The Healthy Trim Diet - Reviews and Information

The Healthy Trim Diet - Reviews and Information

By lender3212000

One of the hottest new weight loss support products on the market right now is Healthy Trim. Does it really work or is it just like all of the other diet pills out there that are supposed to help with weight loss?

The real questions are:

1. What’s in it?
2. Does it Work?
3. How Does it Work?

Have you had any experiences with using Healthy Trim? If you have leave a comment below in the box. You can check out this full review here at The Healthy Trim Diet - Reviews.

Raw Food Cleanse: Restore Health and Lose Weight by Eating Delicious, All-Natural Foods - Instead of Starving Yourself

CLEANSE WITHOUT BEING STARVED OR DEPRIVED

Follow the delicious and hunger-satisfying raw-food diets offered in this book and you will lose weight, gain energy and feel vibrantly healthy while clearing your body of toxins. Raw Food Cleanse offers four customized plans that provide you with everything needed for an easy and powerful detox, including:

•toxin self-assessment
•day-by-day programs
•mouth-watering recipes
•real-life success stories

•3-Day Energy Boost Cleanse
Give your body an all-natural weekend to start your Monday feeling great.
•7-Day Rejuvenation Cleanse
Enjoy a week of delicious raw foods to thoroughly refresh your system.
•14-Day Deep Detox Cleanse
Go longer to experience better skin and hair, a clearer mind and a slimmer body.
•28-Day Total Reset Cleanse

Give the body a full recharge with an intense, nutrient-packed month of raw foods.Penni Shelton has created this wonderful book, in part, through the experience of real people in real life following her program. And I have to say, I think that alone makes it an excellent resource for raw food info ... because we're all looking for real results. Penni's writing style is also warm and encouraging ... she's just a delightful and inspiring writer. This book is organized around 3, 7, 14 and 28 day cleanses. But in this case, a "cleanse" is neither harsh nor strict with so many raw food recipes. The recipes are easy to follow and the dishes are visually stunning and delicious. I really enjoyed the real life stories of people who've already done this program. They're genuine and open in telling about the changes that have happened in their health and their lives after following this way of eating and living. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in a genuine and uncomplicated introduction to the amazing health benefits a raw food lifestyle can help create.

Purchase Raw Food Cleanse here!

How to Do a Raw Food Diet?

How to Do a Raw Food Diet —powered by eHow.com

A raw food diet contains unprocessed, fresh foods. Learn how to plan a raw food meal with the help of a licensed dietitian in this free video.

Do Raw Foods Help You Lose Weight

Do Raw Foods Help You Lose Weight?

Author, Eating for Energy

 

Eating For Energy

It seems like a pretty natural assumption to make, doesn’t it? 

If you eat healthier, you will lose weight. After all, if you cut the fat in your diet, would it not stand to reason that you will cut the fat in your body? But there is a lot more to it than that. Bodies need a lot of different nutrients to stay healthy and fit. And while it is certainly possible to eat poorly and survive, it is easier to prosper if you keep your diet clean. Eating raw foods certainly fits the bill of healthier eating.

So, what exactly is so healthy about raw foods? Besides being in the natural state that food it meant to be in, of course? Well, raw foods are filled with vitamins, minerals and enzymes. Wait, you might say – what’s so bad about cooking? I mean, a cooked carrot is still a carrot, right? Cooking it doesn’t turn it into a chocolate cake. 

No, but a lot of the great benefits of that carrot are lost when you cook it. They leach out into the water when you boil it, or die off from the heat in other methods. In the end, you are left with food that essentially has already been eaten for you. The cooking process devours a lot of the benefits, leaving you with a mushy lump of whatever is left ñ still better than nothing, but not as good as the original, whole food item.

Many of the food items that you eat are also very low in calories and fats. While you need calories and fats in order to operate, you probably don’t need as many as you intake on a daily basis - thus, the extra fat that ends up on your person. But if you eat more low calorie or even negative calorie foods like broccoli and strawberries - that being foods that use up more calories than they bring to the party ñ and you will teach your body to use what calories it consumes, instead of cramming with junk and storing for lean times. You will teach your body that a regular flow of great calories is always coming, so burn what you have, and make room for the new ones.

Many of these raw-edible foods are also fairly high in natural fibre, which means all sorts of benefits for your body. For one, wastes will move more quickly through your body, and more of what you eat will be absorbed, meaning less to eliminate. What you do eat will also fill you better, meaning fewer spikes of hunger, and more periods of fullness and contentedness. That means less unhealthy snacking to cover a meal that has fallen short of providing what your body needs between your regular feeding times.

Now, that alone won't magically melt away the pounds. Raw foods are a great starting point that will make it easier for you to lose weight, but they won’t do it all. But combined with a bit of exercise, you will find it a lot easier to shed pounds and inches if you include more raw food items in your regular diet.

Grab Your Copy today --> Eating For Energy Book!

Foods to Help You Quit Smoking

Foods to Help You Quit Smoking 

by Yuri Elkaim, BPHE, CK, RHN
Author, Eating for Energy

Smoking and the spread of our Westernized lifestyle are the two main factors pushing up cancer deaths, not only in Canada, but in developing countries globally. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the total number of annual cancer deaths globally will double within the next twenty years.

The IARC predicts that by 2010 the total number of worldwide cancer deaths will overtake cardiovascular and heart disease deaths, and that smoking and obesity will eventually become the leading causes of cancer (overtaking chronic infections) within the next twenty years.

So, if you are getting ready to quit smoking, there is no better time than right now. And, the sooner you quit, the more you extend your life. According to the American Journal of Public Health, life expectancy among smokers who quit at age 35 exceeded that of continuing smokers by 6.9 to 8.5 years for men and 6.1 to 7.7 years for women. Smokers who quit at younger ages realized greater life extensions and even those who quit much later in life gained some benefits: among smokers who quit at age 65 years, men gained 1.4 to 2.0 years of life, and women gained 2.7 to 3.7 years.

But let’s face it – quitting smoking can be tough. You have to very committed and determined to do whatever it takes to stick to your intention. Ultimately, you need to realize that your body is precious and that it’s the only one you’ve got, and that if you don’t care for it, it won’t return the favour!

So let’s look at some ways that eating a healthy diet and behavioural choices can help you stay tobacco free.

Eat More Vegetables for Energy

Eat More Vegetables and Less Meat

Wow, yet another reason to adopt a more vegetarian diet! A recent Duke University study showed that fruits and vegetables make cigarettes taste terrible. But meat, coffee, and alcoholic beverages make smoking much tastier.

These findings demonstrate that cigarette addiction is not just about nicotine but that there are also sensory effects like the taste and smell of related experiences that are important.

The other benefit to eating more fruits and vegetables is their health-protective properties against smoking. For instance, the cancer preventive properties of broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables appear to work amazingly well in smokers, according to new research.

In one study, presented at the Seventh Annual International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research, the protective effect of cruciferous vegetable intake (among smokers) ranged from a 20 to 50 percent reduction in cancer risk depending on the type of vegetable consumed and the duration and intensity of smoking. The researchers found that among current smokers, only the consumption of raw cruciferous vegetables was associated with risk reduction of lung cancer.

These studies reiterate the need to incorporate more veggies into your diet, not only for your overall well-being, but also for your ability to quit smoking and prevent smoking-related cancers.

Harvesting Ginseng Plant

Ginseng

Ginseng has been shown to prevent the nicotine-induced release of the neurotransmitter dopamine. Dopamine is what makes people feel good after smoking and is part of the addiction process.

Although intriguing, no studies to date have examined whether ginseng supplements can help people quit smoking. Nonetheless, ginseng is known to be one of many energy-boosting foods and has stress-reducing effects which may be attractive to many smokers. Ginseng should not be used indefinitely, but rather 3 or 4 times per year in 1-2 week bouts.

The research on whether herbal supplements can effectively help abstain from smoking is pretty scarce. Truly, the most effective way to quit smoking in the long run is through behaviour modification. This can take time, but it is the most rewarding. Here’s one idea to get you started.

Keep Your Hands and Mouth Busy

If you want quit smoking, try drinking glass of water or get your “oral fix” by eating carrots or celery sticks. The idea is to do something with your hands and mouth that is not smoking. And it might even be helpful to engage in some of these healthy eating behaviors before quitting, to alter and worsen the taste of cigarettes. This could make quitting a little easier.

Many people hesitate quitting smoking because their “oral fixation” will still need to be satiated. And, if not through cigarettes, then most likely through foods. As a result, they tend to gain weight. But this doesn’t have to be the case. Sometimes, it’s a matter of replacing one behavior with another. So if you feel anxious, nervous, or irritable why not go for a brisk walk or an intense workout. Chances are you won’t even feel like a smoke once you’ve finished!

So the next time you have the urge to have a smoke ask yourself what that cigarette is going to do for you. Will it relax you, make you happy, or ease your hunger pain? When you become aware of your desires, you then have the power choose healthier alternatives to satisfy them.

References:

Taylor, D. et al (2002). Benefits of Smoking Cessation for Longevity. American Journal of Public Health, 92 (6): 990-996.

World Cancer Report. International Agency for Research on Cancer, December 9, 2008. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/132500.php

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/130012.php

Types of Raw Food Diets

by Yuri Elkaim, BPHE, CK, RHN
Author, Eating for Energy

Many people would consider those who follow a raw diet to be amongst the most uncompromising about what they choose to put into their bodies. But among those who eat raw, there is a smaller subsection that chooses to apply even more rigid standards to their daily food intake: those who choose to live a raw vegan lifestyle. This means, no animal parts (meats) or by-products (eggs, milk or honey), and depending on the interpretation, either nothing heated to over 118 degrees Fahrenheit, or at least three quarters of all food qualifying as raw or uncooked. That would include vegetables and fruits, nuts, grains, seeds, sprouts, herbs and juices.

The raw vegan movement is one with many different arguments as to why their way works for them. For some, there are philosophical, ethical and moral decisions to be made regarding out place in this world, and they feel that this way of life has the most impact for them, while having the smallest impact on others. Some raw vegans are more concerned with the health aspects of consuming cooked foods and animal by-products, pointing to studies that show increasing cancer rates that are tied to the consumption of cooked foods, and the many benefits seen in a raw diet.

There are a number of subsets within the raw vegan group:

Fruitarian: This is the belief that one should only consume what is given to you by the plant as a gift. If it falls from the tree or can be taken without doing damage to the plant, then it should be considered edible. This would include fruits such as berries and fleshy fruits like apples, plums and pears. Some within the community consider nuts to be a type of fruit, while others disagree. Vegetables are not included in the Fruitarian diet, because their harvest usually involves doing grave damage to the plant. Some people point to passages in the Bible as proof that Fruitarianism was the diet of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.

Juicearian: As the name would suggest, all raw foods here would be reduced to a juice form before consuming. These juices are usually made fresh, and often combined with wheat grass. The blending and juicing process allows these foods to be consumed easily and absorbed quickly, giving the body a fast release of vitamins and other nutrients. Many studies have shown that higher intakes of vegetable juice can result in lower occurrences of some types of cancers.

Sproutarian: Again, the name tells you what you need to know. This diet consists of mostly sprouts, although very few within this movement subsist purely on sprouts. These tiny sprouts have all the nutrients a full-grown plant would require, and as such, you are not only consuming the plant, but all the energy it would use to grow, in the form of protein, carbs and oils. Popular sprouted foods include broccoli, alfalfa, fennel and fenugreek.

 Sign Up For Your FREE 6-Part "Energy Secrets" e-Course!

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Secondly... You will also receive a FREE subscription to our bi-weekly Liv Well email newsletter where you'll discover tools and strategies to living your healthiest, fittest, and most energetic life ever!!!

Simply enter click here I will immediately send you your 2 FREE gifts. All these gifts are yours FREE as a Thank You for visiting our website.

Just Another Reason to Eat Raw Foods

by Yuri Elkaim, BPHE, CK, RHN
Author, Eating for Energy

Although I'm not a 100% hardcore raw foodist, I'm a big proponent of eating raw foods. The health and energy benefits I've experience since adopting more of a raw food diet are literally too numerous to mention in this article. But for me, one of the biggies is having so much more energy - it's actually pretty frightening!

Having more energy means that I (and you) can live life to the max. Instead of needing to take afternoon naps like I used to several years ago, I now have enough energy to easily function on just 4-6 hours of sleep per night.

However, I need to be honest and tell you that from time to time I do have the occasional slip and fall back into eating "dead" cooked foods. Perhaps I've gone out for dinner or somebody's had a party where fresh foods are just not an option. In those cases, I don't go crazy and make my own raw food to bring. Instead, I suck it up and simply enjoy the foods for what they are.

After all, stressing out over what you're eating may in fact be more detrimental than the food itself.

A Recent Dinner Party

Just the other week, we hosted a dinner party with a bunch of friends. It was actually a double whammy in that we wanted everyone to meet our new puppy Laila, while, at the same time, getting everyone together for a fun night. Our only stipulation was that it was to be a pot luck dinner because preparing food for 12-14 people is just not a lot of fun for me. Plus, it takes way too long.

So anyways, everyone brought their dishes and as you can imagine, none of it was raw. Oh well, we'll just enjoy and see how it goes.

There was pasta salad, barley salad, pita and hummus, sushi, and some treats for dessert.

Now bear in mind that these are foods that I would have readily eaten back in the day when I never even knew what vegetables or raw foods were all about. As a child, I literally grew up on wheat, dairy, and meat. No fruits and no veggies. And certainly no raw foods!

So the night went well and everyone had a great time but unfortunately (for me) there were far too many leftovers. In fact, there was still a huge amount of pasta salad.

What Happened Next Was Just Ridiculous

The next day, I had a fairly active day with lots of walking and then a circuit training workout. Needless to say, I needed some energy. For whatever reason I thought that I would dive back into the pasta salad for its high source of carbs and see what would happen.

Big mistake!

After eating a bowl of the pasta and I went to do some reading on my bed and then, moments later, passed out. It was only 9pm! I normally go to bed around midnight.

Now, you'd think that I'd get up before sunrise considering how early I went to bed, right? But that didn't happen. I woke up at 8am. That's a full 11 hours of sleep!

Talk about a waste of time.

Why Did This Happen?

Wheat, from which pasta is made, is the most allergenic food on the planet. In fact, most people (myself included) have a sensitivity to wheat without even knowing it. In my case, eating wheat manifests with rapid heart, extreme fatigue, and worsening of my asthma.

So why would I even bother eating it? Good question.

Furthermore, pasta and wheat-based products are dead! They are not live foods. They have no enzymes and are basically cooked starches, which in most cases carry a high glycemic load.

The combination of wheat sensitivity with a dead food (pasta) void of essential food enzymes and carrying a high glycemic load was the cause of my 11 hour comatose!

How to Avoid This Mistake

Ending up in an 11-hour coma does not happen when you eat raw foods! It's as simple as that.

Why?

Well, first, raw foods don't encompass cooked grains like wheat. In fact, there is debate as to whether humans can even properly digest grains. The argument is that our bodies have not evolved to digest grains that came about only a few hundred years ago during the agricultural revolution.

Instead, raw foods provide you more energy than any grain ever could. Fresh fruits and vegetables are the ultimate source of the sun's energy, water, enzymes, alkalinity, and tons of nutrients that you simply can't get through a cooked food diet.

So if you won't to avoid the mistake that I made, and if you've made similar ones in the past, then you may want to consider adding more raw foods to your diet.

Foods That Give Us Energy

It's really unfortunate that the vast majority of the population turns to stimulants instead of looking to whole foods for a boost of invigorating energy. I guess part of the problem is that humans are generally lazy and would rather take the "magic pill" to fix all their problems.

But when it comes to having more energy the irony is that the stimulating foods such coffee, sugar, and energy drinks actually fatigue your body in the long run. Sure they give you a quick jolt of energy but then their real effects are felt as they wear down your adrenal glands, disrupt your blood sugar, and create a huge crash after the initial high. Essentially they are drugs. They are not foods that give us energy.

Ok, then, what are some natural foods that will give you long-lasting energy?

Well, you may want to consider that no single food will give you more energy than your overall diet. Sure you could add in some of the energy foods I describe below, but if your diet is horrific to begin with, then you will not see the sustained level of energy that you want.

Instead of searching for "miracle" energy foods your goal should be to eat a diet that consists of foods that are vibrating at higher energies. This means eating more raw living foods. When a food has not been cooked, it maintains its natural energy properties (not to mention all of its other nutrients). Thus, when you eat raw foods, you're giving your body direct energy from the ultimate source - the sun - as most of these foods will be plant-based, and the sun is where they get their energy.

The closer you eat to the bottom of the food chain, the more nutrition and energy will you acquire. Think about it - it takes more of your energy to digest animal meat than it does to digest a green vegetable, right? Plus, this green veggie will have the maximum amount of living energy versus a dead animal carcass.

Thus, to have more energy, you need to follow a high energy diet. After that, you can start to knit pick and see which specific foods give you more energy, if at all.

To help you get started, here is a list of some my favorite energizing foods:

- wheat grass - if you haven't tried wheat grass then you're missing out on some big time energy and nutrition. Growing it and juicing yourself can be a bit of a pain but you can easily get a "shot" at most health food stores or juice bars. 1 oz of wheat grass juice packs more nutrition than 2.5 lbs of green leafy veggies!

- raw cacao (nibs or powder) - incredible source of magnesium, antioxidants, and life force. These give me a natural high that can last for hours without the subsequent like you would get from coffee and caffeinated beverages.

- goji berries - another incredible source of antioxidants and polysaccharides that improve cell-to-cell communication. I actually combine these with my raw cacao nibs and complementary tastes work really well together.

Remember that although these foods provide incredible nutrition they are the like the healthier version of coffee and other quick fixes. The key still remains to follow a raw foods diet, as much as possible, that will provide you with tons of life force, alkalinity, and nutrients to help your body thrive.

 

About the Author

Yuri Elkaim is one of the world’s leading holistic nutrition and health experts. If you want to lose weight and live your healthiest and most energetic life ever, then you can learn more about his  raw food diet book, Eating for Energy and get started with a FREE 6-part Energy Secrets e-course by visiting EatingforEnergy.ca today.

Why Eat a Raw Food Diet?

What Eat a Raw Food Diet?

If you're reading this article, you may be wondering about the benefits of a raw food diet, right? Well, the benefits of eating more raw foods are numerous and once you understand them you'll probably wonder why you haven't eaten more raw in the past. You'll also think twice about eating dead cooked foods ever again.

Raw Foods Give You More Energy

I don't think I know of a single person who eats at least 80% raw foods who doesn't enjoy far more energy than the average person. I know that when I transitioned away from eating a diet made up of breads, dairy, and cooked foods, and adopted more of a raw foods diet, my energy went through the roof. And I'm not talking about the quick surge you would get from an espresso but rather long-lasting energy that enables you to do more with less.

For instance, eating raw will allow you to sleep less and have far more energy than you ever thought possible. When I'm eating at least 80% raw, I can easily function on just 4-5 hours of sleep. I literally bounce out of bed and don't require any naps throughout the day. Oh yeah, did I mention that I workout every single day as well? Sometimes, even twice!

Energizing Enzymes

There are several reasons why a raw food diet will give you more energy. First, raw foods are rich in food enzymes. Enzymes are required for every single reaction in the body. Unfortunately, our bodies only have a finite number of these enzymes, so when we run out, we run out of life! To add to this, when you heat foods above 118 degrees fahrenheit, you destroy the food enzymes that are naturally present in all raw foods. Therefore, if you eat a predominantly cooked foods diet, you're not getting enough food enzymes, which means that your body will have to produce and use more of its own to digest and metabolize your foods.

The more energy your body needs to divert towards digestion, the less energy you will have for other activities. You will feel more lethargic and tired as your body is trying to breakdown "dead" foods and figure out what to do with them.

So, the food enzymes inherent in raw foods are a big reason for boosting your body's energy. They are the spark plugs and are intricately related to the next property that make raw foods so energy-boosting.

Life Force

When raw foods are left intact, they are also known as living foods. They are called "living" because they carry an incredible amount of life force.

Now, since every living being has an aura or energy field illuminating from their body, which foods do you think would enhance yours? High energy raw foods or cooked foods that dead? I think we both know the answer.

As I like to say, "eat alive and you will thrive".

Weight Loss and Beautiful Skin

The other highly sought-after quality of a raw foods diet is its ability to help you lose weight and beautify your skin. Almost all raw foodists have reported losing weight they could never lose. At the same time, they notice an instant improvement in their skin. They look younger and have a natural glow that comes about because of the "living" nature of raw foods, their abundance of enzymes, and of course the plethora of nutrients that are ingested when eating more fruits and vegetables.

You will find it easier to lose weight on a raw food diet because your getting more nutrients and, therefore, your body won't crave "dead" foods. Second, the enzymes help to breakdown the foods you are eating and excess energy and fat stores in your body. Third, raw foods are water-rich, which helps you feel more satiated, as well as hydrated.

Many of these reasons also help us explain why living foods make you look younger and beautify your skin. Enzymes, life force, water, and high quality nutrients all play a role in natural skin care.

We could talk about the benefits of a raw food diet for hours but the only to truly understand them is to experience them for yourself. So why not take action today and enjoy the health, the body, and the vitality that you deserve!

 

About the Author

Yuri Elkaim is one of the world’s leading holistic nutrition and health experts. If you want to lose weight and live your healthiest and most energetic life ever, then you can learn more about his raw food diet book, Eating for Energy and get started with a FREE 6-part Energy Secrets e-course by visiting EatingforEnergy.ca today.

 

You can pick this great book from Amazon.com

AMAZON.COM Reviews

A Good Why and How on Nutrition, March 13, 2009
By Kelly Klepfer (Iowa) posted on Amazon.com

"If you are serious about making nutritional changes and curious about why that's a good idea, you should consider looking into Eating for Energy. With loads of information on the benefits of eating raw plant foods, Yuri Elkaim, presents very compelling reasons to make the suggested changes in your lifestyle.He provides several recipes and details on specific products and supplements. If you are coming from a fast food lifestyle and are casually considering making some changes for the better this information could overwhelm you as it is a step up from simply eating healthier and/or organic. However, it is a valuable tool if you really want to change your future health and your life. I read it and found the it easy to read."