Lately, I’ve been called a “Militant Raw Vegan”, among other specific titles that categorize a specific way of eating within the world of health. Lets explore some of these titles, and then I will explain why I do not (although I may fit into some of those specific categories at times), like to describe myself as anything but an individual who strives to live in accordance with natural principals and eat as “Mucusless” as possible. Of course, when you learn the fundamental principles of a “Mucusless” diet, the foods that you eat automatically fall under certain categories such as “Vegan”, “Raw Vegan”, “Cooked Vegan”, etc. Yet it is not wise to adopt any specific title because if one understands nature of a Mucusless diet, then they understand that nature herself is ever changing, never stagnant and adapts to every given situation. A Mucusless diet is about change & utilizing what is available given ones current situation, no matter where they live, or what the budget is. It’s also about slowly improving routines & food choices as time goes, and the body becomes stronger and healthier in order to incorporate improved changes. Healing is an art which is why categories and titles do not apply because an individual may work through many categories or titles in order to eventually land in the world of health and simplicity.
Once one understands which foods do not build disease issues, or mucus within the body, the skies the limit! If you want to eat your apples raw, that is mucusless, and if you would prefer to eat those apples cooked (apple sauce) because it’s cold outside, that works as well. As Professor Arnold Ehret stated (not verbatim), “It’s not about food value, it’s about how well that food eliminates”, meaning, if the food is relatively “Mucusless” and eliminates without residue or complication (doesn’t cause constipation issues), it’s suitable! We want to eat foods that eliminate in a timely manner, we want to eat foods that do not disrupt energy flow. True health is about flow, not stagnation. True health is about elimination.
This is where raw foodists for example, may run into roadblocks on their path. I find that many raw vegans are set on keeping all their foods raw which causes them to overlook certain aspects pertaining to health, that I feel are of vital importance. Let me explain, but for this explanation I need to bring us back to the fact that we humans are frugivorse by nature. Now this may come as a shock to you because we have been led to believe from birth, that we are designed to eat anything under the sun. We humans are designed for simple foods, water rich hydrating foods which were originally predominately fruits. Now I do not claim to know all aspects of why we strayed so far from our natural diets of fruits, or why we left the tropical climates to reside in the cold, but what I do know is that we are not designed to chase down animals and rip them apart with our teeth, nor are we designed to domesticate animals to drink their babies “mucus forming” milks. Animal milk is by far one of the worst mucus forming foods that we humans eat these days. That being said, if we are eating all sorts of foods that we are not originally designed for, these foods cause a clogging up of the human piping system (lymphatic system) overtime, and leads to health/disease issues. In order to minimize the damage certain foods can do to our bodies, we became quite inventive such as the introduction of cooking.
A raw vegan diet would undoubtedly lead to a long, and healthy life, if they were doing it correctly!! I speak, and have worked with a number of raw vegans who’s health begins declining- and to them it is such a mystery because all the foods that they eat are raw, therefore, all the nutrients are still in tact and should keep them in optimal health, right? It is not that simple, which is why I refuse to take on any specific titles. Since we are designed to eat mainly fruits (originally), some foods, such as raw broccoli for example is extremely difficult to break down and digest. Raw broccoli is high in cellulose and difficult to digest in large amounts, and when we lightly steam broccoli, this bypasses the first stage of digestion, rendering it much easier for the body to digest and assimilate. Keep in mind, as Arnold Ehret mentioned, obtaining health is not entirely about food value (nutrients) as it is about elimination. We want that food to eliminate in a timely manner, not slowing down the flow of energy. So, after careful examination of the diet that many raw vegans eat in today’s world, we discover that there are several foods that they include within their diets that are very difficult to digest, and we are not truly designed to eat them which leads to complications down the road. Some of those foods include raw nuts & seeds (small amounts ok, yet it is easy to overdo them), raw (difficult to digest) vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, etc. Avocado’s or fats, coconut, raw grains such as oats, soaked quinoa, sprouted beans raw, etc. If we want to obtain true health, it’s best to focus on the eliminative qualities of the foods, rather than focusing on whether they fall under the raw category only.
In my humble opinion, a raw food diet is very difficult to maintain in today’s world due to the unnatural conditions that we are living under. We do not see fruit trees growing everywhere, our soils are no longer in top conditions – thriving with life, our water is less than ideal, often contaminated, and our air quality is no where near what it could be in a world designed with health in mind. I say a raw food diet is difficult to maintain because a Mucusless raw food diet would mainly consist of fruits combined with leafy greens & herbs. We no longer have the abundance, and access, to ripe, abundant, mineral/vitamin rich / healthy fruits. What many raw foodists eat are unripe, sprayed, transported, old, less than ideal fruits. Believe me, I know, I spent an entire year eating only raw foods, but because of what I learned pertaining to a Mucusless diet, my diet was mainly fruits (80-90%) and I had countless “bad fruit days” which were days where my fruits were just not up to par, and therefore, not satisfying at all. When you do not enjoy your food, it can ruin your day. I understand the principles of why someone would choose a raw food diet, and that specific title, yet I do not see it as a diet that is easily maintainable without the knowledge of a Mucusless diet, combined with having access to ripe, fresh, organic, ideal fruits and greens. If you want to thrive as a raw foodist, I believe that you must live in a climate where you can grown food all year round, and you must grow your own food or have access to food grown in your immediate area.
With a Mucusless diet, raw foods are a big part of the diet, yet there is flexibility which leaves less room for error and failure. Less room for error means that you are not going to feel as if you failed yourself and your title or dietary ways. If a raw vegan eats cooked food, the guilt and the feeling of failure can lead to unnecessary stress and disruption in overall health. we are strong beings, yet we are fragile at the same time and stress weakens the body, leading to acidosis and health issues over time. We must find creative ways in today’s world to minimize stress for elevated health.
If you are an individual who desires health, and is willing to do what it takes to achieve it, I would suggest to not box yourself in with any titles. I am not a fan of the “Vegan” title either. A Vegan diet is not truly a diet at all for starters, it is an ethical stance and I find that once that Vegan title comes into the picture, anyone listening has already boxed you in, and is comparing you to their vegan cousin who was frail, pale, skinny and unhealthy looking. The word Vegan can mean many different things to different people depending on their knowledge & encounters with Vegans or their own experiences. Just because a food is labelled “Vegan”, that does not automatically mean that it is healthy, in fact, a lot of vegan foods these days are worse for ones health than the actual animal product foods that they are trying to avoid or mimic. There are healthy Vegans, unhealthy vegans and everything in between vegans, you simply cannot lump all Vegans into one category and compare the health of one vegan to the next because they may all eat completely different foods and the only thing that they have in common, is the avoidance of toxic animal products and meats.
I’ve explained why I do not take on the title of Raw, or the title of Vegan, so how do I describe the way I eat to others? I’ve even tried using the title of a Whole Food Plant Based diet – yet this title is misleading as well. Different beliefs and interpretations fall under the title of WFPBD, In fact, all titles are misleading, which is why I do not like to adopt any of them, yet I must explain the way I eat with words, otherwise, how will people know how to figure out what you eat or try it out for themselves? I’ve studied many authors and health gurus over the years, and still to this day, over 10 years later, I would have to say that Arnold Ehret nailed it when it comes to how we should eat for optimal health, and how to go about achieving that goal. It’s one thing to know how to eat, yet if you cannot successfully manage cravings, pitfalls, up’s and downs and learn how to stay on track with ease, it doesn’t matter what diet you choose, you will eventually fail. I tend to refer to my way of life, and eating, as a Mucusless diet, so, I suppose I do take on some type of title, even though I do not like to do so. I find that this title intrigues people, there isn’t a lot of negativity, or stigma, that surrounds these words, which can lead an individual to explore it further. I always tell people that I do not eat a specific diet, its a lifestyle that includes a wide range of foods that react favorably within, meaning they do not create mucus (or very little), and they eliminate well which is so important in matters of health. I eat the foods that grow in nature, raw or cooked, depending on where i am at, what time of year it is and what I have access to.
The truth is, no matter what lifestyle, or way of eating one chooses, if they do not learn the truth surrounding the foods that we are designed to eat, eventually, health issues manifest because the body lets us know when we are not supplying it with the correct fuel, or “foodstuff”. A mucusless diet is a lifestyle, it’s a return to nature, and it knows no titles or bounds, it is unique. An individual may choose to include honey into a mucusless diet which is technically not “Vegan”, yet it is mucusless or even “raw” (if it’s unpasteurized), and even if all other foods that individual eats falls under the “vegan” category, the honey becomes the error. You see what I mean? If an individual eats all vegan foods, yet eats some honey, technically, they are no longer vegan, or they are a vegan who messed up royally. I will discuss my thoughts on honey in another blog post because I have my own thoughts on the subject.
The main takeaway here, is to learn for yourself, which foods create mucus and obstructions, and which do not. If you want to eat a raw vegan diet, or a raw diet, or a cooked vegan diet, or a whole food plant based diet with fish on Thursdays, that is up to you. There is no judgement with a mucusless diet, only the motivation to do better each day and to work alongside your current state of health. If health is your goal, I would strongly suggest learning about each specific food source and how it reacts within the body. No title, or diet, encompasses, and takes into account these important aspects when it comes to health. Learning the mucusless diet principles can help you to navigate through any situation no matter where you live and what foods are available to you because it’s not about eating specific foods, it’s about incorporating the mucusless foods that you have available, learning how to minimize harm certain foods can cause through proper food combinations ( even if that food comes from a can because that is all that you have access to) – obviosly canned food is not ideal, yet canned mucusless food items are far less encumbering than mucus forming foods such as fish and eggs for example.
Technically, we do not have to take on a Vegan title when incorporating a Mucusless Diet because it’s a given. By default, we strive to not eat animal products, or animals, because of the health issues they cause overtime. When I say this, many Vegans become defensive, and upset with me, they state that it’s about the animals first, and their health comes second. To this I say, we must become the best versions of ourselves in order to be of benefit to the earth and the creatures that reside upon it. By caring for my own health the way nature intended, i automatically care for everything that surrounds me. A symbiotic relationship blossoms. If each individual focused on health, true health, this wold would improve, just by improving ourselves and it would become a health promoting place because people would be so hyper -aware of the fact that our health is entirely dependent on not only healthy foods, but healthy surroundings.
We do the best we can within our individual, current situations and hopefully, if you take the time to learn this vital information for yourself, your diet and lifestyle will improve over the years as you slowly begin to clean up your inner terrain. It’s not a race and it’s not about being perfect. It’s about change, adaptability and learning that we simply cannot get a list of foods to eat because the menu for you will change,overtime, depending on your current situation, and what stage of health you are at. The foods that you eat in the beginning change from the foods you eat years into your journey. We must work with the situation and the individuals current health status – and when we are eating in accordance with nature, working with what we have & taking into consideration what stage of health we are at, the menu on a mucusless diet addresses all of these factors.
With knowledge & application comes health, it’s unfortunate that most of the information available today falls under the category of “misinformation” when it comes to matters of health. Be careful with who you listen to, or what information you decide to incorporate into your daily routine because our overall health is dependent on you being correct with that information. Health builds slowly, and so does Disease issues. Yet it is never to late to turn things around for the better, that is the good news!
Happy Healing Everyone
Mariah Heal ThySelf
