Raw Life Newsletter
March 2003
Overeating after a Fast & As a Continuous Lifestyle
by Dr. Fred Bisci
It has been my observation over the years that overeating in the raw food community and the risk of this as a continuing lifestyle is not fully understood as far as how detrimental it can be in the long run. Our chemistry is a system of action and reaction. Our bodies react to what we eat. Through the process of homeostatis our bodies make adjustments in our chemistry to maintain or try to maintain an optimum equilibrium. If a person is eating a toxic diet on a consistent basis, the body will try to maintain health through this process. The more toxic the diet and lifestyle the more desire to persist and to increase the wrong foods. If a person were to gradually introduce more and more detrimental types of food to their diet over a period of time, it is amazing how it would seem that they were doing ok. If they tried doing the same thing in a much shorter period of time they would seem to suffer some type of disaster. An analogy of this would be, if a person were to ingest a tablespoon of arsenic they would drop dead. If they took an eyedropper and started with one drop with their food, and each week increased it one drop there is a very good chance, over a long period of time they could take twice the amount that would have killed them. Of course, this is just an analogy to explain what is happening. This should never be tried. If that same person, after a long period of time, with gradual increase would stop, in a very short period of time they could suffer ill effects. If they gradually decreased in the same time period reducing the substance in the same amounts, they would be able to detoxify without suffering. The reason that I use this as an analogy is because this is happening every day in some cases with people that are striving for a healthier lifestyle.
Another analogy would be, if a person were to go on a fast of a reasonable length (10 days or more) there would be a noticeable decrease in their toxic load. If that person went back to the same diet that they were on before they fasted, and overate if they were on a good diet, the impact could be more of a problem than before they fasted. The reason for this is because when a person goes on a fast they stop putting a burden on their chemistry and the body goes into a rapid cleansing process and readjustment. I have seen people overeat or eat foods in moments of weakness that they did not normally eat. This caused them to suffer at a later time because their body did not have enough time to accommodate. When you eat a raw diet consistently and have control over the amounts of food that you eat, this is when we begin to achieve the long-term benefits that the raw food lifestyle can give us.
I have personally come to the conclusion that as your body gets closer and closer to its optimal state of health and well being the impact of overeating can become more of a problem. My own experience and my nutritional practice over the years has convinced me that overeating, whether you are eating cooked food or raw food, is one of the most detrimental aspects of our dietary lifestyle. In a raw food lifestyle this is not really seen for what it is in the early years but starts to take effect later on.
I am firmly convinced that this is one of the reasons that raw fooders are not reaching their full potential as far as longevity and high quality of their life in advanced years. I remember years ago when I thought to myself that we were on the verge of a new era. I firmly believe that new era is here. I am happy to say that there are many younger people who are open minded and who are ready to make this a reality to {other} open minded people. In our next letter I plan to elaborate on this issue and explore other areas.
Q and A by Dr. Fred Bisci
Question 1: Can a person on a raw diet overeat on fruit?
Answer: Yes, a person on a raw diet can eat too much fruit. Many people on a raw diet are under the impression that they can eat all the fruit that they desire. Overeating in general and overeating on any one food is something I would not recommend. Overeating when we first change to a raw diet is not unusual and overeating on fruit can lead to bingeing and cause your insulin to spike.
It plainly states in the glycemic index that some fruits require more insulin than others. Any food or fruit above fifty on the glycemic index will require more insulin or another food which is low on the glycemic index to change the index. It would be wise to eat lettuce and celery when eating a lot of fruit. You can also eat non-sweet fruit with sweet fruit. Non-sweet fruit is digested more like a vegetable than a fruit.
Overeating on fruit can also lead to demineralization of your teeth and decay. The man that introduced me to the raw diet over forty years ago lost his teeth for this reason. His diet consisted mostly of fruit. Over the years I have seen more problems from overeating on fruit or not eating enough of the vegetables, nuts, and seed than any other reason except detox and healing crises.
Enjoy your fruit; it is one of the finest foods we can eat in most cases. Make sure you eat your vegetables along with plenty of variety.
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Question 2: What about water on a raw diet?
Answer: Water is more important than food. You can live a long time without food, but not without water. It is true that raw fruits and vegetables are water plump foods and if you were perfect in a perfect environment, the water in that food would serve its purpose. Water is both a solvent and a transport medium. It helps dissolve and transport endogenous waste.
Distilled water is inert and has the ability to absorb more endogenous waste. Extra water can help us when we overeat, with pollution, in warm climates, before, during, and after exercise, under stress, and improper elimination. Extra water is better than not having enough. I drink two to three glasses of water when I first get up in the morning and always feel better for it.
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Question 3: I have heard some people say deep breathing without exercise is not recommended, is this true?
Answer: If you lived in the pristine state of nature where there was no air pollution and you ate a perfect diet, got all the rest you needed then you would most likely be in perfect health. Not only would you not need to do any extra form of breathing but also you probably would not have to exercise either. There would be a correlation between the increase of exertion and the increase in breathing.
In our society people do forms of exercise, which do not require increase in breathing in themselves but include breathing exercise to increase their vitality and energy. Yoga is one of these exercises. It is common knowledge that in controlled stretching, breathing is very important. It goes without saying; don’t do any type of deep breathing near an area of heavy pollution. The best places are near the ocean, near plenty of trees and vegetation, or any other place where the air is relatively clean.
I myself stretch and do some yoga breathing first thing in the morning, sometimes even before I get out of bed. It’s a great way to start the day even before other forms of exercise.
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Question 4: Why do people become thin on a raw diet?
Answer: People become thin on a raw food diet because it is rich in enzymes and hydrogen ions. This makes more vitamins and minerals available with fewer calories. Another factor is that you are omitting all the foods in your diet that are preventing your body’s God-given remedial capabilities to do what it was meant to do. The body will generate more vital power to make your body more efficient and improve the quality of tissue cells. This takes place in three stages.
The first stage is the catabolic stage where the body will discard inferior cells faster than they will be reproduced. The second stage is stabilization, when the body will replace inferior quality cells as fast as they are discarded. At the second stage the body will become stable for a period of time. The third stage is the anabolic stage, where the body will start to gain weight because the body has become more efficient and the weight will come up to optimal weight. Being lean on a raw diet, which is naturally low in calories, is the key to live a long life. Overeating of any food group even on a raw diet is not the best way to do it. The quality of this type of life, if done correctly and fully understood, is beyond reach any other way. If you are a very active person you can incorporate more food to maintain body weight. An exaggerated amount is not called for.
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Question 5: Will I get enough fat on a raw diet?
Answer: Yes, if you are eating fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and avocados you will get all 20 of the fatty acids that the body needs. The human body can manufacture 18 of these fatty acids but the two essential fatty acids; Linoleic and Linolenic acids must be in your diet.
The effects of not getting enough of the essential fatty acids over a long period of time could be a real problem. Some people try to go without nuts, seeds, and avocados, which is not always a good idea. The body can seem to be doing well and run on its reserves for many years before it develops a problem. This can also be a factor with other nutrients.
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By permission of author