12 steps to raw foods : a how to end your addiction to cooked food

The book is interesting and introduces many beneficial concepts. However, it has only one point of view of good health. For Victoria, it's the raw way or the highway, which I can understand b/c it worked so well for her family. Victoria doesn't address risks and the many factors that need to be taken into consideration if/when you go raw. I developed problems with body temperature and parasites after eating so much raw. There are MANY people who would not benefit from much raw food at certain times in their life because of a condition/illness (e.g., hypothyroid) or body temperature or composition, or b/c of the season we are in. To illustrate: I had my baby on raw for a long time and caused him a LOT of damage with Vit D and calcium deficiency and anemia, etc. MY SON was 12 months old, and was at 7 months for height and weight, and his bones were so feeble that he took a long time to recover and didn't walk until he was 16 months old. I want to cry every time I remember his tiny little legs. The doctors were very kind, supportive and respectful towards me, but I could see how astonished they were at how lethargic and feeble he was. At 2.5 years he is doing much better (I thank the Good Lord!), since I varied his diet much more and with the medications. However, he still needs a few more months to recover from the ordeal. I still can't believe the harm that I could've caused him; I still almost can't talk about it. I didn't see how fanatical I was being. I mean, just comparing eating cooked to being an alcoholic, I think, says it all. Going raw is not a universal truth and it will not solve all your life and health problems, but eating a good amount of raw foods CAN be excellent and very beneficial. However, I do love the green smoothies and still give my kids a good amount of raw foods. Also, I'm glad that there is a more of tendency to eat raw, and that we're moving away from the typical rich Western diets of this past century. But, whatever the diet, it need never be all or nothing. Balance and perspective are always important. Why do we overeat time and time again? Why do we make poor diet choices while we want to be healthy? What makes losing weight so difficult? These and many other vital questions are addressed in 12 Steps to Raw Foods in an open and sincere dialogue. Based on the latest scientific research, Victoria Boutenko explains the numerous benefits of choosing a diet of fresh rather than cooked foods. This book contains self-tests and questionnaires that help the reader to determine if they have hidden eating patterns that undermine their health. Using examples from life, the author explores the most common reasons for people to make unhealthy eating choices.Rather than simply praising the benefits of raw foods, this book offers helpful tips and coping techniques to form and maintain new, healthy patterns. Learn how to make a raw food restaurant card that makes dining with co-workers easy and enjoyable. Discover three magic sentences that enable you to refuse your mother-in-law's apple pie without offending her. Find out how to sustain your chosen diet while traveling. These are only a few of the many scenarios that Boutenko outlines.Written in a convenient 12-step format, this book guides the reader through the most significant physical, psychological, and spiritual phases of the transition from cooked to raw foods. Embracing the raw food lifestyle is more than simply turning off the stove. Such a radical change in the way we eat affects all aspects of life. Boutenko touches on the human relationship with nature, the value of supporting others, and the importance of living in harmony with people who don't share the same point of view on eating. Already a classic, this enhanced second edition is aimed at anyone interested in improving their health through diet. Why Is Water So Important?......Page 1 Why Should I Use Salt, and What Kind?......Page 4 Breakfast......Page 6 Document Changes In Your Journal......Page 7 Hot-Pink Breakfast Smoothie (3)......Page 9 High-Protein Grain/Legume Breakfast Cereal Mix (1)......Page 10 German Pancakes (1)......Page 11 Flax Waffles (2)......Page 12 Pumpkin Oatmeal Waffles or Pancakes (2)......Page 13 2 bananas......Page 14 Fruit Sauce for Waffles (1)......Page 15 Breakfast Oatmeal-Apricot Cookies (3)......Page 16 The book tells why raw food diet is superior and how to maintain successfully a 100% raw food lifestyle. The text is illustrated with stories from author's personal experience which makes reading easy and plesurable. This book outlines a 12 step program to support people successfully in their transition to live foods When people talk about raw food, they usually talk about enzymes.