RAW OR COOKED?

Raw food or cooked?   Both are good and both have their place. Yes, a raw vegan diet will cleanse the body and reset many things (like a health reboot).  But sustaining a totally raw diet for a long time is difficult and, I would venture to say, not necessarily healthy for everyone.

Chinese medicine explains that the stomach is like the burner of a stove that gives fuel to the cooking. If the stomach does not digest well, or rather the digestive fire in the stomach is compromised, digestive issues arise (such as excessive gas, watery stools, stomach pain etc.). Many people cannot digest raw foods very well.  It is preferable to steam or lightly cook many vegetables to make it easier to break down the fiber and digest them.

Some raw foods are good and necessary and provide good nutrients.  But in the cold weather, too much raw food is hard on the body and does not provide enough fuel to function well or keep the body warm.

We need a balance: some raw and some cooked.

Raw salads should include things like thinly sliced green and/or red cabbage, shredded carrots, chopped scallions, purple onion, red radishes, chopped arugula, tomatoes for those who like it, some raw herbs like parsley or basil and even avocado. The dressing should be olive oil, sea salt, possibly some lemon juice or vinegar (or a bit of both) and some people may like a bit of maple syrup tossed in to balance the sourness. 

But certain vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, green beans, etc. are best eaten lightly cooked or even baked.

Juicing can be done as well: carrot, celery, a bit of beets if you like, possibly some greens

Bon appetit!