Well the way i see it is abit like food, i continually have to take in food, so i may aswell take in the best fuel i can for my body. We know from abit of history and years of science which foods are healthy including various spices and herbs.

We know that exercise is also healthy. Why not include all these healthy influences in your life rather than restricting them based on some unsound theories.

Only my 2 cents.

[www.vegankingdom.co.uk]

Good points, I will try some spices and herbs

madinah Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Coco, Powerlifer, you are making good points, the
> spices help, stimulate digestion and nutrients
> secretion, have higer concentration of iron and
> other things. The question that remain to be
> anwered is when will the depency on the spices or
> herb stop or is it a forever help they provide.
> My point is that the food that is appealing
> already may have these things and the extra effort
> of picking herbs may not be necessary.


We might not ever know the real answer to this but I believe that it is a way of life/lifestyle. A long time ago I used to read about the Ayurvedic Science wich is thought to be as old as five thousand years. We have all herd the quote use food as your medicine, well the same goes for spices/herbs imo. There will always be toxins, pathogens etc. in this world and the body can use these tools to prevent or rid the body of such things. So it makes sense to me that if you use herbs/spices on a regular basis then you should be much better off. I tend to believe the people that lived thousands of years ago had the right idea. I would love to know where they learned alot of this stuff, Aliens maybe? lol.

Paul,

I wish I could just change your user name, as I would have done that with my own account after I took on my new spiritual name. So for now, you just have to create a new account.

With regards to the "medicine vs. food" discussion - in my view, a medicine is someting you take specifically with the purpose of treating an illness, so any food or drink can become a medicine if used for medicinal purposes.

I wouldn't say spices are food, but rather food additives with nutritional properties. Meaning that we don't use them for sustenance, but only to improve our food.

I personally love spices and black pepper in particular. I add it to any kind of food, with the exception of sweets, of course. It is supposed to improve digestion and intstinal health, but if you only use a pinch, i doubt that it is going to make much of a difference.

Keeping it raw at [rawfoodhealthwatch.com]



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/28/2012 02:03AM by vegmichelle.

Prana Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Paul,
>
> I wish I could just change your user name, as I
> would have done that with my own account after I
> took on my new spiritual name. So for now, you
> just have to create a new account.

Thanks Prana,

After I make the change. I will retire this account as you had done with yours

Paul

rzman10001 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> We might not ever know the real answer to this but
> I believe that it is a way of life/lifestyle. A
> long time ago I used to read about the Ayurvedic
> Science wich is thought to be as old as five
> thousand years. We have all herd the quote use
> food as your medicine, well the same goes for
> spices/herbs imo. There will always be toxins,
> pathogens etc. in this world and the body can use
> these tools to prevent or rid the body of such
> things. So it makes sense to me that if you use
> herbs/spices on a regular basis then you should be
> much better off. I tend to believe the people
> that lived thousands of years ago had the right
> idea. I would love to know where they learned
> alot of this stuff, Aliens maybe? lol.


Undestood, so what happens the day you do not have the herbs and spices help your digestion? You will then be worse off that day? The digestive system does not have the needed, usual assistance.

Depends what is the problem with your digestive system, there is no one fix all. If you suffer from low stomach acid then chances are the nutrients needed for stomach acid formation are low because they are acid dependant for absorption.

So these spices and herbs aid digestion, correcting deficiencies if good food is provided. Another scenario is that gallbladder/bile stagnation is a big problem for many, you take some bile herbs for a month or so and in many cases you never have to use them again.

Taking care of the root causes is the case. No harm for most in increasing digestion and when it comes to black pepper, piperine goes much further than just a digestive aid. It actually increases the bioavailability of beneficial compounds and nutrients.

[www.vegankingdom.co.uk]

I'm not really afraid of developing a dependency on food. We're all kinda there already .
You eat what's available, aiming for optimum and making do otherwise. While things are available, affordable, desirable, I'll take advantage. when things change, I'll adapt.

It all depends what are eating in the first place, if it is a high water content food, there is no need for extra help with digestion, the food has its own digestive enzymes, there is no need for black pepper to help out in digesting some juicy grapes, or pineapple. but if you are eating pizza, bread, or raw kale in salad you may need the extra help.

Actually the enzymes in food have been proven to have no effect on digestion, so eating all the live enzyme food wouldn't sadly help.

Water can actually have a diluting effect on HCL so someone with low HCL levels drinking water with their meals etc will have more problems. Which is why many with low stomach acid will find water fasting problematic. People feel acidic so they drink more water thinking that they are in some way neutralizing the acid when it is actually the lack of acid causing poor digestion and the acidy/heart burn symptoms.

Fruits and vegetables are more easily digested so they are less problematic but many with low HCL also have opportunistic overgrowths such as bacterial dysbiosis, candidiasis and dysbiosis/carbohydrate intolerance which causes them to react to sugar and carbs. Overall causes poor digestion. If a natural and in most cases used properly spice or herb can help push a part of the body back into balance then why not ?. Eat all the high water fruit you wish but if the body isn't breaking down acid dependant proteins and minerals your scupperered im afraid.

Poor digestion is a problem for many, my blood tests were fine so i was ok i guess. Except i wasn't private blood tests showed poor gallbladder function and in turn fat malabsorption, all fat soluble vitamin deficiencies and fatty acids. IBS as a result etc.

Anyway no one was saying we needed it just that black pepper has shown to increase the bioavailability of many beneficial nutrients and compounds, the healthiest person in the world could still benefit from many of these spices and herbs. Like i say its abit like eating a great diet but not including exercise, include as much healthy activities and influences as possible, put the ratio in your favour but still live life.

[www.vegankingdom.co.uk]



Edited 6 time(s). Last edit at 02/28/2012 07:11PM by powerlifer.

RawPracticalist Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It all depends what are eating in the first place,
> if it is a high water content food, there is no
> need for extra help with digestion, the food has
> its own digestive enzymes, there is no need for
> black pepper to help out in digesting some juicy
> grapes, or pineapple. but if you are eating pizza,
> bread, or raw kale in salad you may need the
> extra help.


This might be true for YOU but you don't know anything about what other people may be experiencing. There was a time in my life, and I'm not alone in this, when Everything I ate gave me digestive trouble. That's no longer the case but I do still have iron absorption issues and will take what vegetarian food based help I can get from nature. Turmeric too, black pepper in combination with that is very beneficial. I'll be adding that soon.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/28/2012 07:01PM by coco.

I was about to say "getting popcorn" as in a metaphor for sitting back and watch this thread come back to life ... but then I realized popcorn isn't raw so.... getting trailmix instead.

I use black pepper regularly and intend to continue to do so... and vinegar... and garlic and numerous other foods that I "shouldn't" (even a little canola oil, Coco... but just a little! ) In many ways the original question was silly. Of course, you could say the same thing about my "What is a vegan anyway?" thread. Sigh...

Paul

Apple cider vinegar is alive . Sometimes I think things that are alive are just as good as those that are raw, even if they have been heated at some point (miso, etc).

I'm replacing lemon with ACV, it's local and can be homemade as well. Better than having to fly all the way from Florida or the tropics to get to me I think. Plus, being Canadian how can I not love all things apple?

Powerlifer good points you made as always but when the food is simpler there is no need for extra help.
For lunch I had one pint of celery and dandelion juice, and had some cantaloupe and one apple. Why would I need extra help in digestive these?

madinah Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Powerlifer good points you made as always but when
> the food is simpler there is no need for extra
> help.
> For lunch I had one pint of celery and dandelion
> juice, and had some cantaloupe and one apple. Why
> would I need extra help in digestive these?

If you are in good health and digestion is good then i guess there is no reason unless you want to include a broader range of foods that not only are a good dense source of nutrients per weight but have multiple documented benefits, whether that is anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory and in turn lowering cardiovascular disease to aiding digestion, anti-microbial etc.

If not in the best of health then various herbs and spices can be of immense help to many. Either way i see them as beneficial, cancer is not straight forward and sadly neither is health.

Diet only goes so far, i feel strongly that mental well being, stress minimization and adrenal gland health remain some of the top factors in health. Although a good healthy varied diet will support you of course.

[www.vegankingdom.co.uk]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/28/2012 08:36PM by powerlifer.

coco Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Apple cider vinegar is alive . Sometimes I think
> things that are alive are just as good as those
> that are raw, even if they have been heated at
> some point (miso, etc).
>
> I'm replacing lemon with ACV, it's local and can
> be homemade as well. Better than having to fly all
> the way from Florida or the tropics to get to me I
> think. Plus, being Canadian how can I not love all
> things apple?

Just wanted to pass along some info. to you that I feel and am positve with myself and others I have observed. Also Brian Clement has told me this on more than one occasion: Apple Cider Vinegar makes Yeast flourish!

I have read in just about every health book around that it is acidic and helps to eliminate yeast but I assure you it does the opposite. It has somthing to do with how the body changes it in the first part of the GI tract. Probably why so many old people are rittled with yeast.

You thrilled to . . . "The Thread That Wouldn't Die!"

Now, prepare to be amazed by . . .

"Son Of The Thread That Wouldn't Die!"

dum-dum-duuuuum!

Good to know if you have issues with yeast. Thankfully I never have. It's not like I'm drinking jugs of it anyhow, lol, it's just a sprinkle here and there.

rzman10001 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> coco Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Apple cider vinegar is alive . Sometimes I
> think
> > things that are alive are just as good as those
> > that are raw, even if they have been heated at
> > some point (miso, etc).
> >
> > I'm replacing lemon with ACV, it's local and
> can
> > be homemade as well. Better than having to fly
> all
> > the way from Florida or the tropics to get to me
> I
> > think. Plus, being Canadian how can I not love
> all
> > things apple?
>
> Just wanted to pass along some info. to you that I
> feel and am positve with myself and others I have
> observed. Also Brian Clement has told me this on
> more than one occasion: Apple Cider Vinegar makes
> Yeast flourish!
>
> I have read in just about every health book around
> that it is acidic and helps to eliminate yeast but
> I assure you it does the opposite. It has
> somthing to do with how the body changes it in the
> first part of the GI tract. Probably why so many
> old people are rittled with yeast.

thanks Tamara, point taken... but if there is such a thing as a healthy metastasis... maybe this is it. lol. [admittedly getting slow on updating screen name]

Paul

powerlifer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Actually the enzymes in food have been proven to
> have no effect on digestion, so eating all the
> live enzyme food wouldn't sadly help.
>
>

Although this statement might not tell the whole story I am glad somebody finally pointed this out. Food does'nt digest itself, yes even raw food. And a Vitamix does not digest it either! lol. Gees I must be bored lol

Rzman, this is such old news but many people still believe it to be true. I think the info on the internet doesn't discriminate between old and new so online searching often turns up what has become invalid based on new research. Too bad but not really all that terrible in the grand scheme of things, it was one of the least convincing bits of the raw argument for me from the get go. Enzymes in food are trumped by vitamins and minerals and non-deranged chemical composition .

Its funny how there are new youtubes and even news broadcasts that spout off about how enzymes are a powerful part of the raw food benefit. That recent youtube in the UK about the silly raw foodists who share Too Much Information had to put in their 2 cents (or is it 2 pence) about the benefits of raw food enzymes.

Well hello, I'm away for a couple of days, and how this thread has grown haha. Or is it the 'Son of the thread that wouldn't die'. Anyway, I've gotten quite abit from all this. Like, that 'turmeric' is a great natural anti-inflammatory, and that 'black pepper' strengthens the benefits of 'turmeric'.

I'm going to try it for my bad hip and see if it helps. And about the heightened absorbability of iron. I'm a natural border-line anaemic too Coco. Whenever I have any blood work done, I'm always abit in the black or a bit in the red, and nothing ever seems to change it. Neither iron tablets in the early days pre-veg, or spinach every day pro-veg.

But I'll try black pepper each day with spinach for a month, get a blood test, and see if there's any diff.

Oh, and Prana, I'd definately choose the pawpaw too, but my point was, that if there were only black pepper plants, could a person survive for short term until help arrived???

Cheers,
geo x

Try consuming iron rich sources at the same time as vitamin C rich foods. Vitamin C increases the absorption of non-heme iron.

Low stomach acid may be of issue if other digestive symptoms are there such as belching during/after meals, gas, undigested food, heart burn style symptoms.

I might try find time to right an article on iron and natural ways to increase it via wholefoods as it does seem to be a common problem for many, but there are several different reasons why iron can be low so you have to be careful.

[www.vegankingdom.co.uk]

Yes, Geo, my suggestion also is to have iron rich foods with vit c. So a spinach salad with red peppers and a black pepper dressing, lol. Make it fun .

Now I understand why some may need black pepper, I would never eat a spinach salad, hard to digest, I would have juiced the spinach and eat some fruits, bingo.