LIVING FOODS
By Lina Lotto & Pascal Jalabert
If the measure of health is abundant energy, a youthful appearance and resistance to disease then how many of us could say we are healthy?
Don’t we sometimes feel tired and fatigued, strained and stressed? We look in the mirror and wonder what happened to our youthful countenance as the course of living takes its toll. What if there was a way to enjoy more energy and slow down the ageing process? Well, there is… and it’s so very simple to do.
The way we eat and the foods we choose make a vast difference to our health. But we’re not talking about another newfangled diet. It is an age-old way of eating. And the good news is that it is completely natural, delicious and easily integrated into any lifestyle.
We know the Essenes, the Hounzas, the Brahmanes and other long-lived races, used these principles thousands of years ago. The Essene’s extensive knowledge of agriculture enabled them to cultivate many types of food in often difficult conditions. Their diet consisted of ‘living foods’. Today, these living foods are also referred to as ‘biogenic’ which derives from the Greek word meaning ‘generating life’, first coined by the late Dr Edmond Bordeaux Szekely. He used living foods on thousands of patients suffering from serious illness with remarkable success. His “health ranch” is still active and receives thousands of people each year.
Biogenic classifications
The biogenic way of eating classifies foods into four groups which describe their effect on our body and psyche.
Biogenic – life generating
Bioactive – life sustaining
Biostatic – life slowing
Biocidic – life destroying
Biogenic food is composed of all raw, germinated and sprouted seeds and lacto-fermented vegetables and nuts. They are energetically potent and can synthesize entirely new compounds and substances, required by the body to perform functions such as cell renewal and the elimination of harmful toxic substances such as heavy metals, free radicals and bacteria. The result is improved digestion, more resistance to disease and a lot more energy and awareness. Sometimes our food is irradiated, which renders it dead. You can check that your seeds haven’t been irradiated by allowing them to sprout. Ideally our food intake should comprise at least 25% of biogenic food to increase health.
Bioactive foods include fresh, raw, preferably organic, fruits and vegetables, raw seaweed, spirulina and bee products. These whole, unadulterated foods have all their nutrients, amino acids and enzymes intact, which support life. Natural raw foods are easy to digest and do not create toxicity in the body. They also help maintain the correct acid/alkaline balance, making it impossible for bacteria to proliferate in decomposing food. Our bioactive food intake should be at least 50% for the same result as above.
Biostatic foods include food cooked over 45 celsius, long preserved food, raw and cooked pulses, cereals, nuts and brown sugar. These denatured foods slow down the life process, require more energy to digest and create toxic by-products which the body then has to find more energy to eliminate. If you choose to eat biostatic foods make sure you eat them after living food for a healthier life-style.
Biocidic foods literally kill life. Included are all types of meat and dairy products, peanuts, cooked and raw oil yielding seeds and cereals, canned food, white sugar, salt, alcohol, tobacco, coffee, tea, chocolate, refined oils, all types of flour, food processing additives such as chemicals, colourings and preservatives, irradiated food, genetically modified food. These are the ones to avoid.
Fortunately, by eating predominantly biogenic and bioactive foods and before occasionally indulging in biostatic and bioacidic foods, our system will be in good enough shape to cope. No more than 25% of these foods should be eaten.
If biostatic or biocidic foods are eaten first on an empty stomach our body identifies them as enemies. In defence, white immune cells are deployed to the area, stimulating the immune system which over time affects resistance to disease. Living foods are recognized as friendly and this response does not occur if they are eaten first.
Preparing germinated seeds
Soak in water:
- shelled sunflower for 4 - 24 hours
- unhulled sesame for 6 - 24 hours
- shelled pumpkin for 12 - 24 hours.
Rinse in a colander under running water, drain and eat as you wish, adding these wonderful ingredients if possible to a raw vegetable salad and/or with any kind of dish. Store the rest in the fridge and rinse once a day.
Of course, other seeds may be germinated, however they are a little less straightforward than these three choices.
Preparing fermented nuts
Place 50% raw cashew nuts and 50% any other raw nut (except peanuts) in a blender, cover with water and soak overnight. In the morning blend all ingredients until thick and creamy. Empty into a bowl, cover with a tea towel, put in a warm place and leave to ferment for 24 to 36 hours. The mix will expand once fermented.
Once fermented, transfer to the fridge and eat as you wish, adding such condiments as garlic, ginger, seaweed, green herbs and water for a salad dressing, or adding cinnamon and/or cardamom or vanilla for a treat. The body’s intelligence
One of the remarkable things about eating living foods is that in a short period of time the body becomes more sensitive to its own needs. Its innate intelligence is restored and active. Foods which are detrimental to health are immediately detected. Another benefit is that the hypothalamus which controls appetite does its job properly by letting you know that you have had enough to eat. This makes weight control effortless without the need to count calories or restrict food intake.
Other benefits include a reversal of ageing, immunity from disease and infection is far greater and an abundant amount of energy is available to you. Many health problems may be avoided or eliminated by eating in this way.
For example skin complaints such as pimples can be quickly eliminated with living food based hygiene. Pimples indicate an impaired digestive function with toxic waste not being efficiently eliminated because the large intestine is full of stored putrefied meat and dairy products.
Of course, when you first start with living foods, the elimination process kicks in which means that some symptoms may be aggravated by the detoxifying action. However this is a good sign, showing that the body is strong enough and has sufficient energy to clean up the problem.
Additional tips for conscious eating
Every time we eat our mood is amplified and energetically transmitted so that food prepared or eaten in anger, distress or unhappiness is a potential poison for the body. It is best not to eat until you are emotionally balanced. Eat heartily and chew your food well. Digestion begins in the mouth and it is one of the keys to good health. It is good to give thanks and gratitude for the food you eat. Your body believes what you tell it or ask of it so before eating, request that each cell in your body be completely nourished. In doing this you make the process of eating conscious.
Our body and psyche both have layers of behaviours which are firmly embedded. Making gradual changes ensures that reprogramming is more successful. Anything too drastic for the personal strength of the individual will guarantee discouragement and a quick return to old habits.
So, get your camera, take a snapshot of yourself, start your living foods way to good health and take another snapshot in two months. Note the difference. Bon appetit!
Pascal Jalabert is a psychotherapist and naturopath. He lives and works in Viet-Nam. He regularly holds living food workshops on a group or one to one basis. He may be contacted at pascaljalabert999@hotmail.com
© Lina Lotto & Pascal Jalabert
1291 words
No comments:
Post a Comment