10 Health Myths Debunked

There’s so much confusion in the health sphere. Here’s our take on some of the biggest misconceptions out there.

1.    Myth: Just wash & moisturize, and your skin will look great

There is a direct connection between the health of your skin and what you put in your mouth. The more strain is put on the large processing units of the liver & kidneys through an unhealthy lifestyle, the more it shows up on your skin, since it’s also an organ used to eliminate unnecessary waste.

Sugar, alcohol, fat, junk food, and dairy all contribute to poor live health and poor skin. Eating a healthy diet to relieve the burden off the liver would help.

• Eat a whole foods diet high in greens, vegetables and low-sweet fruit
• Cut out sugar – even agave, honey, maple syrup, and high sweet fruit
• Drink plenty of clean water and eliminate caffeine
• Take a probiotic daily for 1 month
• Eat liver-supporting foods: dandelion, rosemary, nettle & milk thistle

Your skin might get worse before it gets better, but that’s just your body using all elimination channels to kick the toxins out of your body. It may sometimes take up to a year, but once your diet is clean, your skin will follow.

2. Myth: If I just restrict my calories, I’ll lose weight

Although it’s important to manage calories, it’s much more essential to watch your sugar intake. An excess of glucose (sugar, which comes from bread, rice, pasta, honey, maple syrup, and high-sweet fruit) is one major cause of fat storage, so minimizing glucose will significantly help your weight-loss battle.

It’s also extremely important to engage in weight training and engage in long periods of moderate cardio, as they are the most effective exercises to burn fat.

There is a growing tribe of people who believe that old emotions are stored in cells, and dealing with those unresolved memories can help to shed weight. There are numerous examples (Brendan Bays, Philip McCluskey), but Deepak Chopra is the authority on this topic.

3. Myth: Alcohol is good for you

“Binge drinking alcohol is like sending a halt-all-processes memo to your liver,” advises Mogelonsky.

Your body recognizes excess alcohol as a result of binge drinking as a poison, so the brain signals the liver to stop processing any food and only focus on dealing with the alcohol, since it’s such a threat. As a result, the liver prioritizes processing alcohol first, which would lead to a higher likelihood that more food recently eaten will be stored as fat.

Alcohol is also high in sugar, and consumption leads to accelerated aging, sugar cravings, and weight gain.

Finally, alcohol is highly acidic; the body leeches minerals in order to neutralize it the acid and maintain a slightly alkaline state.

Although many studies have praised alcohol for its anti-oxidant and cholesterol-reducing benefits, eating fruits and vegetables can provide the same or superior result.

4. Myth: Wrinkles and gray hair are permanent.

There are always strong genetic factors associated with aging, however, it is possible to prevent and mitigate some signs of age.

In the raw foodist community, it’s common to meet folks who have “before” photos that look older than their “after” shots. View these articles on wrinkles and gray hair to learn more.

5. Myth: All fruit is good for you

Yes, fruit has amazing nutrients that are highly beneficial. Just don’t binge on high-sweet non-organic fruit, such as bananas, dates, and mangoes.

An overabundance of sugary fruits without a balance of low-sweet fruit and greens can lead to a weaker immune system, since the body uses its mineral stores to neutralize high-sugar, low-nutrient (i.e., non organic) foods.

Lower-sweet fruits include:

•    tomatoes
•    avocadoes
•    cucumbers
•    green peppers
•    lemons & limes
•    apples
•    berries

The high sugar content also fuels sugar addictions and lends to a weaker immune system, according to Dr Brian Clement PhD ND.

6. Myth: There is no cure for diabetes

If you still believe that diabetes, cancer, and other life-threatening diseases are a permanent death wish, I urge you to watch this trailer on a documentary that shows proof that the opposite is true.

7. Myth: There is no cure for depression except for meds

We conducted a poll in April 2009 of 100 raw vegans, and found that 35% of those people had reported “elimination of depression” as a benefit of “going raw.”

Further, 70% of respondents reported an “improved outlook on life” as a result of switching their diets.

For years, Gina Silvestri was chronically depressed, suicidal, and taking 6 medications. When she ‘went raw’, she lost 110 lbs, and her depression lifted – she is now happily self employed and helps others overcome their depression.

8. Myth: You should take a multivitamin every day

A few studies have come out recently to suggest that multivitamins have little to no effect over the long run. In fact, one long-term study found that they can actually be harmful when too many supplements are taken. It’s much healthier to just get the vitamins from your food – so eat an orange instead of popping a vitamin C.

9. Myth: Milk does a body good

Dr T Colin Campbell PhD grew up on a dairy farm, believing that milk was essential. He spent his career studying the link between nutrition and cancer. At the peak of his career, he wrote The China Study, which the New York Times called the “grand prix of epidemiology research.” He found that casein, the main protein found in milk, “turns cancer on like a switch.” Abstaining from drinking milk, and consuming any form of animal protein, halted the growth of tumours in their tracks.

10. Myth: We need animal protein because we’re omnivores

Our bodies break down protein into amino acids, and then re-assemble those amino acids into the proteins that our bodies need. There are thousands of different proteins that our body uses, not 1 universal ‘protein’ that aids all bodily functions.

It’s actually more energy efficient to consume the straight amino acids and have our body assemble them into the proteins we need.

Amino acids are highly abundant in raw fruits, vegetables, greens, and seeds. Once they are heated above 110F, they are denatured, and harder for the body to utilize. The irony is that those who consume much animal protein and not enough raw produce become deficient in amino acids.

Get Rid of Your Greys, Without the Dye

I’ve always thought that once we go gray, it would be constant trips to the salon in order to cover up. However, I’ve recently met a number of people who have been successful in restoring their natural hair colour. Here we’ll discuss how they were able to do so, and how you can mimic their success.

What Causes Gray?

1.    Genetics – we all know this one.

2.    Depleted Nutrition – When our bodies are depleted of minerals, it takes them from anywhere it can, thus robbing your hair strands of their pigment. Studies show that the majority of us are deficient in essential minerals.

3.    Engaging in Accelerated Aging Activities – This includes a diet with refined white flour, refined sugar and soft drinks, processed and fried foods, and hydrogenated oils. It also includes poor lifestyle habits such as smoking, alcohol consumption, and drugs.

Reversing Gray Completely Through a Raw Food Diet

If some of your grey hair is a result of a nutrition deficiency, and not just genetics, then it is possible to restore your natural pigment. Below are testimonials from people who have done so by eating a diet of raw foods (fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, sprouts, sea vegetables, algae, sprouted or soaked grains and beans) for at least 6 months.

“After 6 months of drinking green smoothies [blended leafy greens, fruit, and water] religiously, Igor’s [my husband’s] beard started to grow in black!” –Victoria Boutenko, Ashland, Oregon

“No more gray hair! When my roots grow out, they’re usually pretty gray…no more!” –Angela, Ottawa, Canada

“My younger brother (not into raw foods) went grey about 8 years ago and as yet I have only had the odd few grey hairs that have appeared when I let my diet slip a bit or when stress gets the better of me. When I turn up the raw heat (so to speak) I have seen my grey hairs completely go away.” –Pete Vincent, United Kingdom

“A couple years ago, I started getting massive grey hair right around my face. Shortly after that, I started making green smoothies [blended leafy greens, fruits, and water] and it just about all went away. I now have two little spots over each temple and that’s it.” Christine Pointeau, Longmont, Colorado

We recently spoke to 86 raw vegans about their lifestyles, and 7% of those people found that when they converted from a North American diet to a raw vegan diet, they unexpectedly saw their gray hair grow back in with their natural colour. Although this number seems small, it’s a remarkable breakthrough that they were able to do so at all.

If you’re not interested in completely going raw, there is still a way to either find partial success, or slow down the process.

Slowing the Graying Process without Going Raw

Some people have had success without going completely raw. Here’s a list of foods that do well to slow down the process, and with time, can reverse a few grays:
•    Organic dark leafy greens (romaine, celery, Swiss chard, kale, lettuce, collard…)
•    Juiced greens and fruits of any kind
•    Sprouts – they contain 10x to 30x the nutrients of organically grown produce
•    Organic berries of any kind
•    Organic radishes, especially daikon
•    Foods high in copper – a copper deficiency can lead to accelerated de-pigmentation of the hair (sesame seeds, cashews, crimini mushrooms, barley, sunflower seeds, chickpeas, and navy beans)
•    Any organic, mineral-rich fruit or vegetable

The more of these you’ll eat, the more success you’ll see.

“My mother, who juices religiously (veggies, greens and fruits), about 1-2 cups per day, has had her hairdresser stop in the middle of his cut, and look all over her head through her hair with his comb for a good several minutes to where she got concerned and asked what was the matter… he stopped and asked what she was doing because her hair was turning back. He said he had never seen this in his years of cutting hair.” –Christine Pointeau, Longmont, Colorado

Admittedly, it’s still easier to buy a box of dye, but a healthier diet will save you money on hair treatments, improve your overall health, and give your hair the most beautiful colour: the one that is naturally yours.

Sources:
•    Dr Brian Clement, ND
•    Elizabeth Somer, RD
•    Victoria Boutenko
•    Christine Pointeau
•    Dr Ann Wigmore
•    David Wolfe, Nutritionist
•    NaturalNews.com