About: Cascade Yoga Studio -- Articles

LIVE WELL WITH LAURA

Cleansing foods vs building foods

by Laura Burkett-Holstine, HHC

Considering a raw foods diet? Or do cooked foods seem more attractive to you?

Rather than jumping into the raw vs cooked debate, it might be more useful to address the benefits of cleansing and building foods and how BOTH can be used for optimal health!

Cleansing Foods
Cleansing foods are typically raw foods like fruits, vegetables, and raw smoothies and juices. Those who would benefit from incorporating raw foods into their diet typically have strong digestion, perhaps have an aversion to heat, and consume rich diets consisting of animal protein, dairy, and heavy glutenous grains.

Even though raw foods may serve these people the most, many people can benefit from the healing and life-giving qualities a raw foods diet has to offer.

Foods that are not heated above 115 degrees are said to retain their "prana," or life force, making digestion and assimilation more efficient. Raw foodists tend to have ample energy, and a light, creative disposition.

Bear in mind though, maintaining a raw foods diet may be too cooling for many individuals during the winter months (although sprouted grains, nuts, beans, and seeds may be helpful).

Raw cleanses and juice fasts are most attractive during the transition from winter to the warmer spring and summer months.

Building Foods
Think about what you gravitate toward when you're feeling under the weather. Warm broths, soups, and vegetables. These are a few examples of building foods.

Building foods are generally (but not always, as some foods can be both raw and building) warm or cooked, and include heavier whole foods like nuts and seeds, beans, and grains.

One-pot meals are particularly healing, as if the ingredients can "battle it out" in the pot rather than in your belly.

Building foods may be useful for those looking for a gradual way to detoxify the body (more like a whole foods detox), for those who have a tendency to be cold, or those with weaker digestion.

(There is still controversy whether cooked foods or raw foods are easier for the body to digest).

Both cleansing and building foods benefit the body by relieving some of the energy required to digest all sorts of interesting combinations of food the standard American diet maintains.

Experiment
Include raw, cooling foods in the warmer months, and re-introduce more warming, building foods as fall brings in cooler weather.

Monitor changes in energy, sleep, digestion, and mood. Your body will tell you what works and what doesn't.