Simple Raw Vegan Recipes For Radiant Health

Preparing simple raw vegan recipes can be surprisingly pleasurable. There are hundreds of simple recipes and the list of raw vegan ingredients to choose from is amazing. A full wholesome meal of entrees, soups, salads, desserts, smoothies and drinks can be created using simple raw vegan recipes. It will taste fantastic and give your health a massive boost.

Why simple raw vegan recipes can give radiant health

All the goodness and nutrients naturally present in food are found in Raw Vegan recipes.

Cooking above 130 degrees damages or destroys the vitamins and nutrients, which are required by the body. It's like eating empty foods, or empty calories, that just fill you up temporarily.

Your skin will feel and looks cleaner and the need for moisturiser becomes a lot less. The natural health from the raw food transfers to your body and skin. Your hair will also benefit and look a lot more naturally shiny & healthy.

Imagine watering a plant. Give it fresh water with nutrients each day and the leaves will shine and the flowers will blossom. You give it soapy dishwater to drink instead and it will soon appear unhealthy.

There are many other health benefits of eating Raw

The Raw food diet has helped many people find health when nothing else did. It can give healthy levels of blood cholesterol and blood sugar levels, pain-free joints, a permanent boost to your immune system, amazingly restful sleep and unbelievable energy.

Alter your lifestyle, not the diet

Replacing fatty and dairy products from recipes is perhaps the first step towards healthier eating. Your body requires perhaps 4 times less energy to digest raw food over processed food, and the supplementary energy is freed up to make you feel a lot more alive. Cellulite disappears, weight is lost, headaches disappear.

Diets cause distress to your body. Most diets have short term benefits, at best, but don't address the problem long term. Diets make you less healthy since the weight loss that occurs on these diets is caused by bodily distress, not healthy living.

High-protein diets don't have to include meat

The protein derived from animal sources is very acidic to the human body and it causes acids to rise in the blood stream. It's been shown over and over again that excess proteins and acids stress kidneys, too. High protein and fat consumption can contribute to cancer, heart disease, arthritis, kidney and liver problems, and osteoporosis.

Protein isn't just in meat. It can be found in all natural foods -- vegetables and fruits have protein as have nuts, seeds (especially hemp seeds), which can satisfy even the higher protein demands of pregnant women, athletes, and people trying to gain lean muscle mass.

Raw Food Vegan Recipes

Transitioning to a raw food diet can be difficult, especially when you find yourself with cravings of former comfort foods, like cheese and milk and ice-cream. Fortunately, there are hundreds of raw food vegan recipes to satiate your dairy-desires that are simple and delicious. They encourage amazing nutrition, taste fantastic, and are super easy to make.

Dairy-Free Raw Cheese
Raw "cheese" can add delicious flavor and texture to your raw food vegan recipes. Most recipes require very few ingredients and utilize nuts and seeds as their base. Nuts such as almonds, cashews, and macadamia nuts have fantastic nutritional value! Almonds for example can help lower your LDL-cholesterol and reduce your risk of heart disease. They are rich in Manganese and Potassium, which is an important electrolyte involved in nerve transmission.

Raw cheese recipes can vary in complexity depending on what type of cheese you want to emulate. You will need some form of food processor or blender capable of mixing various nut bases while certain recipes may use a dehydrator to create "cheese" slices that can top sandwiches or raw burgers.

Dairy-Free Raw "Milk"

Raw "milks" are incredibly simple to make and can be used in numerous raw food vegan recipes. Milks can be used on raw cereals, in raw breakfast smoothies, or raw salad dressings. Various spices or sweeteners such as cinnamon or honey can also be added to raw milk depending on your personal preference.

Only two tools are needed to make raw "milk:" A blender and strainer. You can use a nut-milk bag or simply double layer cheesecloth to attain the same result. Raw "milks" commonly use a nut base such as almonds, Brazil nuts, or Hazelnuts, but may also be made of a variety of seeds including pumpkin seeds or hemp seed. Hemp is a great choice as it is high in protein and contains all nine of the essential amino acids. Each nut and seed will contribute its own unique flavor to your milk, so experiment and find which you prefer!

How to Make Raw Nut "Milk"

All raw food vegan recipes for nut milk will begin with soaking. Soak the nuts or seeds of choice for 6-8 hours or overnight. The next morning, drain the soaking water and combine soaked nuts in a blender (or Vitamix) with just enough water to cover them. Blend the mixture until it is a very smooth, uniform mixture and there are no longer chunks of the nuts or seeds visible. Arrange your nut milk bag or cheesecloth over a bowl and carefully pour the mixture through the strainer. Carefully strain your milk until nut pulp is all that remains in your strainer. The "milk" will keep for two to three days in your refrigerator while the pulp can be discarded or dehydrated into flour.

Ataxia and Multiple Sclerosis

Ataxia is the term given to any number of abnormal movements that take place while doing some voluntary movement. It sounds simple enough.

I guess that whenever medical terms or definitions are involved things can get a little (if not a lot) complicated for most of us so, I'll try to put it in layman's terms.

Folks suffering from ataxia have problems coordinating muscle movements. Often, these problems manifest themselves in the legs but also in the arms, eyes and in muscles used in speech. Some of these involuntary movements result in you experiencing incoordination or interruption in your movements. Lots of MSers have experience this type of Ataxia when we under - or over - shoot something we intended or target with our hand, arm, leg or eye.

This missing of target is a type of Ataxia known as Dysmetria. Since my diagnosis, I started to experience Dysmetria of the hand. This can make your writing and picking things up difficult or even impossible.

Your cerebellum is the part of your brain in charge of synchronizing all voluntary muscle movement throughout your body, cerebellar ataxia is the result of lesions on the cerebellum or in the nerves that connect into it. Cerebellar ataxia can result in:

Uncoordinated walking - gait ataxia.

Inability to maintain a steady posture - hypotonia.

Shaking when attempting fine movements - intention tremor.

An inability to coordinate the muscles involved in speech - dysarthia

Jittery eye movements - nystagmus

If the damage is located in the spinal cord - in its posterior columns to be more exact - the type of Ataxia that occurs is known as sensory ataxia.

Whenever you experience not knowing exactly where your limbs (hands and feet) are, you are experiencing Sensory ataxia. Another manifestation of this type of Ataxia happens when you experience an unstable stance. Common problems seen by this type of Ataxia are:

Loss of position sense

Inability to detect vibrations

Unstable stance also known as Romberg's sign

In multiple sclerosis, the last type of Ataxia is known as vestibular ataxia which is caused by lesions to the brainstem and the vestibular nuclei. Common problems seen by this type of Ataxia are:

Loss of Balance

Dizziness

Nausea and

Vomiting (vertigo)

Jittery eye movements - Nystagmus

I know now that I experienced this type of Ataxia when I had my first MS relapse. It came with a loss of balance, dizziness, vertigo and a little jittery of the eyes (nystagmus) besides the optic neuritis that never really went away.

Contrary to what most people think, Ataxia is not a direct result of muscle weakness (atrophy) but a dysfunction in the sensory nerve inputs or motor nerve outputs.

HOW COMMON IS ATAXIA AMONG MSers?

It is estimated that between 80 and 85% of MSers will experience ataxia or tremors at some point during their disease. Ataxia is quite a common symptom in Multiple Sclerosis but is also seen in other conditions such as:

1. Spinal cord compression

2. Diabetic polyneuropathy

3. Acute transverse myelitis

4. Vacuolar myelopathy

5. Tumor or cord compression and

6. Hereditary forms of ataxia

HOW IS ATAXIA TREATED IN MSers?

In order to help you manage these symptoms, several different treatments currently exist. They can be categorized by:

Physiotherapy

Neurosurgery

Oral medications - Some of them containing marijuana or cannabis extract, isoniazid or baclofen.

The Cochrane Collaboration, currently published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2010 Issue 11, Published by John Wiley and Sons, Ltd. concludes that there is not enough evidence to suggest that any treatment (drugs, physiotherapy or neurosurgery) provides sustained improvement in ataxia or tremors.

The one thing everybody seems to agree on is that more research is required.

Last but not least, along with the multiple problems caused by ataxia, you may experience tremors.

Tremors are rhythmic shaking movements of different amplitudes.

Whenever I stand in the same place for too long, I experience tremors in my right knee. These tremors are nothing serious and once I start moving they just vanish. While researching the subject I found out that tremors in MSers are mostly affecting the head, neck, vocal cords, trunk or limbs.

TIPS & EXERCISES FOR ATAXIA

In ataxia the person presents.

• Incoordination
• Tremor
• Disturbances of posture
• Balance and
• Gait

Physiotherapy is directed at promoting postural stability, accuracy of limb movements, and functional balance and gait.

Postural stability can be improved by focusing on static control (holding) in a number of different weight bearing, antigravity postures (e.g. prone on elbow, sitting, quadruped, kneeling, plantigrade and standing). Progression through a series of postures is used to gradually increase postural demand by varying the base of support and raising the centre of mass and increasing the number of body segments (degree of freedom) that must be controlled. Specific exercise techniques designed to promote stability include:

• Joint approximation applied through proximal joints (through shoulders or hips) or head or spine
• Alternating isometrics (PNF)
• Rhythmic stabilization (PNF)

Patient with significant ataxia may not be able to hold steady and may benefit from the technique of slow reversal- hold (PNF), progressing through decrements of range. The desired end point is steady mid range holding. Dynamic postural responses can be challenged by incorporating controlled mobility activities such as:

1. Weight shifting
2. Rocking
3. Moving in and out of postures or movement transitions

The patient should practice important functional movement transitions, such supine to sit, sit to stand and scooting.

Distal extremity movements can be superimposed on proximal stability to further challenge dynamic postural control. For example, resisted PNF Chop or lift patterns combined upper extremity movements with trunk movements (flexion rotation or extension with rotation).

An important goal of therapy is to promote safe and functional balance. Static balance control can be improved by using force platform training. The person with ataxia learns to reduce the postural sway (frequency and amplitude) and control centre of alignment position. The added biofeedback from visual and or auditory feedback display can improve control in some patients. Somatosensory, visual, and vestibular inputs can be varied, as appropriate, to assist in sensory compensation in sensory system less involved, for example:

• Standing with eyes open to eyes closed
• Standing on flat surface top a foam surface

Prolonged latencies (onset of responses) should be expected. Dynamic balance control can be initiated using self initiated movements (e.g. reaching, turning, bending). A movable surface can also be used. For example, sitting activities on Swiss ball are an excellent way to promote balance control.

Control of dysmetric limb movements can be promoted by PNF extremity patterns using light resistance to moderate force output and reciprocal actions of muscles for example: slow reversals, slow reversal- hold. Frenkel's Exercises can be used to remediate the problems of dysmetria. The exercises are performed in supine, sitting and standing. Each activity should be performed slowly with the person using vision to guide correct the movement. The exercises require a high degree of mental concentration and effort.

For those patients with prerequisite abilities they may find helpful in regaining some control of ataxic movements through cognitive processes.

Ataxic movements have sometimes been helped by the application of light weights to provide additional proprioceptive loading and stabilize movements. The use of Velcro weight cuffs (wrist or ankle) or a weight belt or weight jacket can reduce dysmetric movements and tremors of the limbs and trunk.

The extra weights will also increase the energy expenditure, and must, therefore, be used cautiously in order not to bring about increased fatigue. Weighted canes or walkers can be used to reduce ataxic upper limb movements during ambulation.

For patient with significant tremor, this may mean the difference between assisted and independent ambulation. Elastic resistance bands can be used to provide resistance and reduce ataxic movements.

The pool is an important therapeutic medium to practice static and dynamic postural control in sitting and standing. Water provides graded resistance that slow down the person's ataxic movement, while the buoyancy aids in upright balance.

Swimming and shallow water calisthenics have shown to be effective in improving strength, decreasing muscular fatigability and increasing endurance. Furthermore, the use of moderate or cool water temperature may help moderate spasticity. In general folks with ataxia do better in low stimulus environment that allows them to concentrate more fully on their movements. They benefit from augmented feedback (verbal cuing of knowledge of results, knowledge of performance, biofeedback) and repetition to improve motor learning.

How To Make Perfect Pasta Salad With Grilled Vegetables

There are thousands of different pasta salad recipes and a lot of them can be made quickly and easily, using canned or fresh ingredients, as well as perhaps some meat, poultry or seafood.

Popular ingredients for such salads include olives, shrimp, tuna, mayonnaise, corn kernels, tomatoes, capers and more, although the sky is the limit and you can add pretty much anything. Pasta does not have a lot of flavor so it makes a great base for a salad. Alternatively you could use potatoes or rice as your base.

Have you ever used grilled vegetables to make a salad? These transform your pasta into a stunning appetizer, lunch or supper. Serve a homemade pasta salad at your next cookout, buffet, party, or picnic. You can serve it with a tossed green salad and the following recipe makes enough to serve four people.

Feel free to alter the vegetables. You might like to leave out the eggplant but double the amount of bell peppers or use mushrooms or another grill-friendly vegetable. Use your imagination and taste as you go, to ensure everything is going to taste perfect.

What You Need:

• 1 lb corkscrew pasta
• 1 yellow bell pepper
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 eggplant
• 2 minced cloves garlic
• 2 zucchini
• 10 shredded basil leaves
• 1 pinch ground oregano
• 8 cherry tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and hot red pepper flakes

How To Make It:

Wash and dry all the vegetables. Cut the eggplant into half inch slices and sprinkle salt over them. This will draw out the bitter juices so leave the slices in a colander over the sink for half an hour. Take the seeds, stems and ribs out of the bell peppers and cut them into flat strips. Grill them skin side down or broil them to blister the skins, and then take the skins off. Running them under cold water while you scrub the skins off makes this process quicker.

Rinse and pat dry the slices of eggplant. Slice the zucchini into half inch lengthwise slices. Grill the zucchini and eggplant slices over a hot grill, turning them once. Slice the cherry tomatoes in half and cook them for a minute or two. Cut the sliced veggies into strips and mix them with the grilled tomatoes in a bowl. Add the oregano, basil, garlic, salt, red pepper flakes, and olive oil and refrigerate the mixture.

Cook the pasta until it is al dente (tender but still with a bit of bite to it), then rinse it under cold water. Stir the cold pasta with the vegetable mixture and serve immediately. If you want to serve it later, you might need to stir another tablespoon of oil into it to break it apart.

This recipe is fantastic served with any kind of meat or poultry and it has plenty of flavor so it will go with even a plain chicken breast or steak, adding color to the plate as well as an amazing taste and aroma.

Raw Food Diet - Eat Well to Live Well

One of the largest grounds behind many families around the globe today moving their diet over towards eating raw food is the evidence available today indicating that simply by cooking the food we eat we are taking out so much of what we want from the meal itself and the reasons we eat it. Once you get to the 75% uncooked meals you're at a point that is classed as living from raw food intact, by this time fruits and vegetables will make up a great part of your daily food intake.

Individuals who have turned to this way of life can still enjoy a great and tasty diet. Using a cooker known as a dehydrator you can still sit down to hot meals at the table without killing the cells in the meal that the body wants most. The soaking of nuts and drying of many fruits are used as well as juicing down of vegetables and fruits to prepare a health raw juice meal, a nice raw carrot in your lunch box is a great place to start this diet its much easier today to get your hands on really fresh food from your local store that are in the bag and read to eat.

With many saying it's just too hard and time consuming to prepare it. organic foods have started to take over the reading in many papers when health and diet are involved but it's not essential to eating the raw food manner meals. If you can get some or all your food from a trusted organic store then all the better but if not don't worry. Raw foods in the diet will always be so much better for your health whether they are organic or not.