Did you know that cancer rates are higher for DEVELOPED countries than 3rd world countries? More below…

Worldwide Cancer Rates Double

According to a study by Cancer Research UK, which examined the worldwide incidence of 27 different cancers over the last 30 years, virtually all rates of cancer have increased. Two of the most common, breast and lung cancer, have doubled.

The most striking aspect of the study's findings has to do with the geographic distribution of the disease. John Toy, Medical Director of Cancer Research UK, said, "Statistics show that cancer is still essentially a major disease of the developed world."

And a map that accompanies a BBC News article about the study shows that "third world" countries do indeed have the lowest rates of cancer, while highly developed countries, including the United States and Canada, have the highest rates.

It's been well established that dietary choices play an important role in preventing cancer, and a number of studies indicate that the typical "Western" diet is one that promotes the disease. The results of this study tend to support that conclusion.

A "Western" diet is characterized by a higher consumption of processed meats, refined grains, sweets and desserts, high-fat dairy products, French fries, baked goods, and vegetable oils.

[My comments: This excerpt is from Early to Rise, a great daily publication by Michael Masterson.]

A southwest Florida raw food group was recently profiled in The Herald Tribune. It seems raw food is making more headlines daily. The text of the article is re-printed below…

Eat Your Vegetables

When your mother told you to eat your vegetables, she probably didn't realize just how good they really could be for you.

So believes a new group forming in the South County [Florida] area called The Raw Food Group.

The raw food enthusiasts offered the public a look-see recently at how far raw food preparation has come when it presented a Mexican raw food dinner at the Venice United Church of Christ. Approximately 40 people attended the event to not only learn how raw food can benefit them, but also how to prepare a full course dinner made entirely of raw food.

It was both an amazement and a delight. Chefs for the evening were raw food specialists Johanna Farias of Sarasota and Alice Gilmartin of Venice. Gilmartin is hoping to create enough interest in raw foods in the Venice area to offer monthly meetings and potlucks. The pair prepared the entire meal, which included a salad, soup, entree and dessert without baking, broiling, boiling, frying, steaming or microwaving. "I try to make the foods that people are familiar with such as tacos," said Farias, adding, "only I make them using only raw foods."

Why only raw foods? "It's all in the enzymes," said Gilmartin. "Enzymes are essential to all activity in living organisms. By eating foods raw, you are keeping the enzymes intact for your body to digest and use to regain health and vitality." Gilmartin believes that there are many more people open to eating a raw food diet now than just a decade ago."A hundred years ago, Americans were living much more naturally and eating foods that were, on the whole, acquired locally," said Gilmartin. "As Americans are looking for more ways to achieve better health there is a growing interest in a raw food lifestyle."

Farias, who is raising her three children on a totally raw food diet, is writing a book titled, Raw Babies to help other mothers make the decision to go natural with their children. "I'm not fanatical," said Farias, who is in charge of a raw food group that meets in Sarasota. "It is important for people not to be extreme when changing their lifestyle. Sometimes you have to take things slowly and adjust to the change."

Gilmartin agrees. She has used an 80 percent raw food diet on her mother who was suffering from diabetes, arthritis pain and more. "In just three weeks, I saw her balance her sugar levels, relieve constipation, and even her wrists were symptom free," said Gilmartin, who made raw food soups, salads and smoothies for her mother. "An American diet is a very addictive type of diet, as everyone can attest to," stated Gilmartin, as heads around the room nodded in agreement. "If you start by just eliminating the most toxic foods from your diet and then eat more of the foods that are closest to nature, you can help your body to heal from all kinds of diseases."

Gilmartin continued by telling the audience stories of witnessing people in a macrobiotic class healing themselves from tumors, cancer, diabetes, arthritis and obesity. "I am so impressed with what food can do to help the body heal," she said. "I have seen it do such wonders. I have been in natural foods forever." Gilmartin said she began taking macrobiotic cooking classes when she was 12. "I want to offer workshops and give lectures to help other people make raw food choices for their diet," she added.

Sari Middaugh, owner of Veggie Patch Produce in Englewood, attended the gathering to learn more about raw food preparation. "It is nice to know more ways to prepare raw foods so that when people ask me, I can tell them," said Middaugh. Jean Ost came to the event at the encouragement of her friend Lavon Burtnett. "I came tonight because I like to experience the unusual," Ost said.

Judy Pokras, editor and founder of Raw Foods News Magazine, attended the event to meet other people with similar interests.

"The magazine is growing as more and more people become health conscious and are taking a new interest in raw foods," said Pokras.

This article is from The Rocky Mountain News, and it's focused on Doug Walsh's raw food hike (which I've already written about in an earlier entry).

Raw Food Power Behind This Hike
Advocate tackling Great Divide to spotlight eating style

Between the sleeping bag, tent and extra socks in Doug Walsh's backpack, there will be a tiny, 4-ounce food grinder and half-pound seed sprouter. Not your average backpacker's load. But this is not your average backpacking trip, either. Eating only raw foods, with a mission to raise awareness for his alternative diet and money for some of its biggest advocates, Walsh set out last week on Earth Day to hike the entire Continental Divide Trail over the next five months, starting in New Mexico and ending in Canada.

Walsh has been a raw-foodist, someone who does not eat cooked or heated foods, for the past 10 years. He is determined to prove that even the most stringent of regimens can be supplemented with a raw-food lifestyle. "There's no comparison. I feel better at 41 than I did at 24," he said about his health. In addition to raising funds and drawing attention to the benefits of raw foods, the outdoorsman also will be fueling his love of the wilderness and passion for exploring it. "I'm in love with the Earth," he said. "So I like to eat food that's full of the Earth's energy."

Walsh will use his miniature grinder and sprouter to preserve and produce raw foods that have what he describes as the "life principle." He used a sunflower seed as an example to explain the concept. In raw form, the seed can sprout into a plant. After it is cooked, he argued, the seed won't sprout. "There's some kind of information present in raw foods that is no longer there when we heat it," he said. "It's something that's essential to our life."

Walsh, a graduate of the Living Lite Culinary Arts Institute in Fort Bragg, Calif., a gourmet chef's school for raw foods preparation, is walking to raise money for the school's new building. He has raised more than $5,000 and wants to give his alma mater as much money and attention as he can. During the 3,000-mile trek along the trail, Walsh will stop at 30 previously planned resupply points. His food will be shipped to him at post offices at those locations. "I'll just hitchhike into town and pick up my box of new food," he said. Staples for the trip include nuts, dried fruits and sprouts.

Walsh made himself crackers – by mashing nuts and other ingredients into a paste, spreading them thin and drying them out in a dehydrator – as well as raw bread and even pizzas. Walsh will be carrying a digital camera, cell phone and portable e-mail device to send updates to sponsors and fans. Walsh expects to encounter snow and cold, dehydration and heat, unmarked trails, numerous stream crossings and other unexpected wilderness adventures during his time on the divide. While he's taking his raw-food diet to the extreme, Walsh said anyone can enjoy the same without being an adventurer.

Steve Phillips, a raw-foodist and owner of the Longmont Co-op Market, has been eating raw foods exclusively for about a year and a half. He said they are as appetizing as cooked foods, and better for you. The secret is developing proper preparation skills, Phillips said, noting he and his family made a wonderful pizza recently with dried tomatoes on top. "Yes, it takes a little time, but once you figure out how to make a few things, you just go from there," he said.

I just recently found out about CSA's, otherwise known as Community Supported Agriculture projects. As a member of a CSA, you will receive fresh produce harvested from a local farm each week.

Benefits of Joining a CSA

• CSA's are a great source of fresh weekly produce from local farmers (make sure you find an organic farm, if possible).
• By joining a CSA, you will be supporting sustainable agriculture and family farming.
• Buying produce from a CSA is usually cheaper than buying produce from the health food store.

Here's where to find fresh raw food and organic produce in your local area.

Several people have told me that they believe it's more important to eat organic foods than it is to eat raw. I believe that the best health comes from organic produce eaten in a raw state. However, if you're struggling with the "raw" element, AT LEAST make sure you're eating organic fruits and vegetables. The following article briefly highlights the dangers of pesticides.

Pesticides

The E.P.A, the Environmental Protection Agency, reports that approximately 70 pesticides now in use are 'probable' or 'possible' cancer-causing agents. In addition to being sprayed on fruits and vegetables, they're also used on grains that are fed to cattle, chickens, and other livestock. These chemicals may lodge in the animals' tissues and milk, which are ingested by humans. Some studies have suggested that exposure to low levels of pesticides for long periods of time can cause breast cancer. Women who avoid eating animal products altogether have been shown to have much smaller concentrations of pesticides in their breast milk.

Another way to avoid pesticides or limit your exposure to them is to purchase organic produce. Once available only at 'health food' stores and markets, many big supermarket chains now carry organic produce, grains, and processed foods, such as breads, which are made with organic products. Laws vary from state to state as to what can be labeled 'organic,' so check to find out what your local laws are. To avoid pesticide contamination, peel and wash all fruits and vegetables, although some chemicals can't be washed away. Use a vegetable scrub brush on foods whose outer peel you're going to eat. Even though the U.S. doesn't ban the use of pesticides in agriculture, it does have the highest standards concerning their use, so you may want to limit or avoid consuming produce brought in from other countries.

Since this blog is dedicated to everything related to raw foods, I'll start posting about upcoming raw food events…

Rawstock is an annual raw food festival that will be taking place from August 26th-29th, 2005, in Sebastopol, CA. I've never been to this festival, but supposedly, it's pretty good.

I'll sure you'll learn a lot about raw foods by attending. The entry price is $130-150, but they do offer a work/trade deal.

If you live in CA, you should look into this. At the very least, you'll be able meet other raw foodists, network, and learn new information.

According to a recent news article, organic food is becoming easier to find. This news article (text re-printed below) describes how grocery stores and restaurants in Wichita, Kansas are offering a wider selection of organic foods.

Organic Matters
From the Wichita Eagle

Organic food is becoming easier to find in Wichita — and finding its way to more cooks and diners. Devotees of organic food know what's in store for them in Wichita: Their options for dining out are severely limited. They pay more for the food they prepare at home. Some people think they're, well, a little flaky. But for a growing number of people, the cost and inconvenience of going organic is outweighed by the belief that they're helping both their bodies and the environment.

"I feel great when I eat them," said Debbie Margerum, who was buying organically raised eggs at the GreenAcres natural foods store last weekend. "You become healthier, and you're not spending your money on doctors and prescriptions." Such beliefs, while unprovable, are nonetheless what help drive the organic food business. Food industry sources estimate that sales of organic food have been growing nationwide at a rate of about 20 percent a year, though those sales still represent only about 3 percent of all sales.

Interest in organic foods is highest on the coasts, but Wichita seems to be partaking of the trend, too. Green Acres, in Bradley Fair, recently more than doubled the space devoted to organic produce and other foods, giving it the largest such selection in the city, and added seating for its deli. A local chain, Whole Foods, added a third location at Maize and 21st several years ago. Supermarkets such as Dillons and Food 4 Less have begun carrying a limited amount of organic food products. And other longtime purveyors of organic foods, such as Food For Thought and the Taste of Health restaurant, show no signs of slowing down.

Organic food fans aren't a homogeneous lot. Some are also vegetarians, vegans and even raw food enthusiasts, but others cheerfully eat meat. Many who have had health problems view organic food as part of an alternative, holistic approach to healing, while others are more concerned about the effects that modern agricultural practices have on the environment as a whole. Wichita artist Chris Brunner became a vegan — one who eats no meat or dairy products –"cold turkey" while reading an article about the cattle and poultry industries 20 years ago. That made finding a place to dine out in Wichita difficult enough, but when he also embraced organically raised foods about 1 ½ years ago, the situation became nearly hopeless. Fortunately, Brunner is a talented cook who enjoys entertaining at home.

"Most of the time if somebody wants to get together for dinner, I'd just as soon make dinner," he said. Like many vegetarians and vegans, Brunner says he originally found himself trying to "replace" meat in recipes. But these days, he prefers to let the flavors of fresh vegetables and fruit stand on their own. He grows some of his own produce during the summer and buys certified organic products whenever possible. He acknowledges that the latter cost more but says, "You're getting at least 40 percent more nutrients out of food, and it's much better for the environment, and that's worth considering. It's kind of like the old adage: 'Pay me now or pay me later.' "

Sherill Miles, a Nebraskan who comes to Wichita for alternative medical treatment at the Center for the Study of Improvement in Human Functioning, says she is convinced that pesticides caused many of the serious medical problems she has experienced through the years. She stays away from foods with labels full of "things you can't even read." She has nothing against meat, buying a whole cow — organically raised — for her family each year. Beyond that, she hasn't converted any family members to the organic food cause. Miles said her husband "thinks this is quackery." To be sure, there's also a political and economic aspect to the organic food movement that dates back to its founding in the 1960s counter culture.

"Our bodies are overwhelmed by toxins," said Kim Bannon, who blames pesticides and genetically modified seeds produced by huge multinational food companies. About three years ago, Bannon started eating only organically raised vegetables in their raw state after hearing a talk in California by David Wolfe. She has helped bring the colorful Wolfe (he describes himself as a "nudist, Buddhist and raw foodist") to Wichita for two appearances since then. During his most recent visit, at First Unitarian Universalist Church, tables were set up offering everything from mesquite meal ("made of seed pods from the mesquite tree") to fresh coconut juice to something called maca –"ancient Peruvian superfood."

"Our only vote really is with our dollar," Bannon said. Peter Horsley takes a less extreme approach, buying organic versions of foods that are otherwise heavily sprayed with pesticides, lack taste (free-range chicken "is more moist") and aren't too costly. "I get what tastes good and seems reasonable," he said.

The Raw Spirit Festival will be held during the weekend of May 20-22nd in Sedona, Arizona at Avalon Gardens (a 17-acre, organic garden farm).

The price seems reasonable ($75), and if you live close to Arizona, you should consider going. Looks like there will be some great speakers.

I would love to hear Hira Ratan Manek speak. He is a solar breatharian from India. Manek has lived on solar energy and water for 411 days while scientifically observed by medical teams.

David Wolfe and Gabriel Cousens will also be speaking. I've never been to Sedona, AZ, but it looks beautiful.

Just finished reading Thick Face, Black Heart by Chin-Ning Chu. It was a national bestseller (in 1992), and I can see why. The book discusses the Asian mindset with regards to achievement, focus, sacrifice and discipline. The author has too many anecdotes/little stories (in my opinion), but the lessons taught by the anecdotes are important.

I came across this passage in the book, and thought I would share…

"A tough mental state follows a well-conditioned physical body. Hindu teachings tell that the highest Dharma of an individual is the care for his body. This even takes precedence over the spiritual quest. Without the body, nothing can be achieved in the physical world. Put simply, the foundation to a successful life is being physically fit. Through exercise and a good diet, a sharp mental state will follow."

According to farmers in India, Coca-Cola functions as a pesticide, killing unwanted insects. If Coca-Cola kills insects (just like a pesticide), imagine what Cola-Cola does to your body. If something kills living organisms (insects), do you think that you–as a living organism–will be exempt from the disastrous effect? I'm not saying that Coca-Cola will kill you. That's too extreme…but over a prolonged period of time, it certainly will have a harmful effect.

This is yet another reason to eliminate sodas/colas from your diet. Not only are they filled with artificial colors, and sugar, but they destroy cells and are a rough equivalent to pesticides.

From a discussion forum on the topic….

Little-Known, Shocking Facts About Coca-Cola

"1. The active ingredient in Coke is phosphoric acid. Its pH is 2.8 (highly acidic). It will dissolve a nail in about 4 days. Phosphoric acid also leaches calcium from bones and is a major contributor to the rising increase in osteoporosis.

2. To carry Coca-Cola syrup (the concentrate) the commercial truck must use the Hazardous material place cards reserved for highly corrosive materials.

3. The distributors of Coke have been using it to clean the engines of their trucks for about 20 years!

And now for the properties of Coke…

1. In many states (in the USA) the highway patrol carries two gallons of Coke in the truck to remove blood from the highway after a car accident.

2. You can put a T-bone steak in a bowl of Coke and it will be gone in two days.

3. To clean a toilet: Pour a can of Coca-Cola into the toilet bowl and let the "real thing" sit for one hour, then flush clean. The citric acid in Coke removes stains from vitreous China.

4. To remove rust spots from chrome car bumpers: Rub the bumper with a rumpled-up piece of Reynolds Wrap aluminum foil dipped in Coca-Cola.

5. To clean corrosion from car battery terminals: Pour a can of Coca-Cola over the terminals to bubble away the corrosion.

6. To loosen a rusted bolt: Apply a cloth soaked in Coca-Cola to the rusted bolt for several minutes.

7. To remove grease from clothes: Empty a can of coke into a load of greasy clothes, add detergent, and run through a regular cycle. The Coca-Cola will help loosen grease stains.

8. It will also clean road haze from your windshield.

Now the question is, would you like a Coke or a glass of water?"

More info. on Indian farmers using Coke as a pesticide.

Coca-Cola kills insects & living organisms.