Special ingredient benefits

As with any change to the foods you eat, if you have any allergies, or special medical conditions, always check in with your medical practitioner before you start. Whilst I truly believe nothing mentioned on this site will have adverse reactions (other than the obvious allergies for some folk), it is best to be safe. Ultimately, all the choices you make, are your choices alone and you will own that responsibility (how great though that you own possibly healing your disease!!).

A lot of medical professionals are only new to raw food and are only learning about the amazing benefits themselves, so be prepared for a bit of scepticism and how you will respond to that with respect to your Doctor. Providing they don't directly discourage any particular food/s, give it a go and dare to amaze them with your healing stories so that they too can share these secrets of nature with more patients. Word of mouth by experience is the best form of marketing!

Hemp seeds

Hemp belongs to the genus Cannibis sativa and has been cultivated for thousands of years as a source of fiber, edible seeds, edible oil, lubricant, and as a fuel.

Raw hemp provides a broad spectrum of health benefits, including: weight loss, increased and sustained energy, rapid recovery from disease or injury, lowered cholesterol and blood pressure, reduced inflammation, improvement in circulation and immune system as well as natural blood sugar control.

Hemp Seeds are a perfect and natural blend of easily digested proteins, essential fats (Omega 3 & 6), Gamma Linolenic Acid (GLA), antioxidants, amino acids, fibre, iron, zinc, carotene, phospholipids, phytosterols, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin D, vitamin E, chlorophyll, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, copper, potassium, phosphorus, and enzymes. All amino acids essential to optimum health are found in Hemp Seeds, including the rarely found Gamma Linolenic Acid (GLA). The 17+ grams of omega fats supplied by Hemp Seeds provides sufficient, continuous energy throughout your day.

Hulled hemp seeds are such a great addition to breads, salads, shakes, you name it! They are very versatile and add a great, subtle flavour. They are available at most health food shops, but also from several on line stores mentioned on my Links page.

Pure Healing Foods provide a good article for further reading Hemp Seeds.



Hulled hemp seeds

Maca Powder

Maca is a heart shaped root vegetable of the Brassicaceae (cruciferous) family that looks like a radish but grows like a sweet potato.

A uniquely revitalizing and energy containing superfood celebrated in South America (known as 'Peruvian Ginseng') for its concentrated nutrition and a remedy to increase stamina, energy and sexual function; rich in amino acids, essential fatty acids, vitamins, minerals and trace elements.

Maca contains unique alkaloids, which help stimulate the master glands that in turn may help optimise and balance the entire endocrine system.

Whilst there haven't been too many indepth scientific studies into Maca (let's face it, if ancestors use things for hundreds of years with positive impacts, then that's our test!), people commonly use Maca for:

• Fatigue
• Infertility
• Menopause
• Sexual dysfunction in men and women; and
• To aid in the treatment of cancer

I have read one article that notes that too much Maca (taken as oral capsules) can enhance symptoms of premenstrual tension because it stimulates hormones and also may not be ideal if taken at the end of the day when you are trying to wind down. The writer of this article still supports taking Maca entirely and raves about its onther benefits, but just gives that small warning to people who do suffer bad PMT not to overdo it initially and probably just have a small amount every few days (to be honest that's all I need to use anyway).

Bio Distributors provide an interesting article on this superfood Maca.

Maca powder

Flaxseeds

Flaxseeds are a great source of Omega 3 fatty acids so they're great for vegans and raw food eaters (let alone everyone else!). In fact the seeds have more benefit than the oil! Here are 10 benefits that I've read about:

1. Great source of fibre and work well as a natural, gentle laxative.
2. They contain concentrated amounts of alpha-linolenic (ALA), an omega 3 fat.
3. Ground flaxseeds are shown to improve cholesterol levels and work just as well as statins.
4. A great source of magnesium.
5. Contain high levels of lignans. These may protect against estrogen-dependent cancers such as breast cancer.
6. An ounce of ground flaxseed per day was shown to regulate estrogen levels in post-menopausal women.
7. Flaxseeds have been shown to protect post-menopausal women from heart disease.
8. They decrease insulin resistance and may protect about diabetes.
9. Preliminary research in mice show that flaxseeds may prevent or slow the spread of  prostate cancer.
10. Preliminary research in mice show that flaxseeds may prevent or slow the spread of melanoma.

So with just those ten points in mind, why wouldn't you try to incorporate delicious flax crackers into your lunches and snacks? If you're not ready to move to raw or vegan eating, there are many ways that both flaxseeds and ground flaxseed (flaxseed meal) can be introduced to your normal diet too! Just google and recipes will appear as if by magic!

Golden and regular flaxseeds (also called Linseeds)