Summer is the season of sun and fun,
of family gatherings, picnics, graduations,
weddings, and most of all- eating!
Allowing for America's appetite for a good
time and good food, for the sake of better health
let the fare be healthy!
What is healthy eating?
Healthy eating is centered on the goodness of the
garden: whole, living foods that naturally spring
from the earth. Given as gifts from YHVH for the
wellbeing of man, living foods are custom- made
to nourish the body. Fruits, vegetables, seeds,
nuts, and whole grains in their natural, raw
state are the building blocks for vibrant health
and longevity. Allowing for their superior
nutritional content, living foods have the
inherent ability to fortify as well as aid the
body in the healing process. Thus living foods
prove to be the ultimate choice for the care and
keeping of the body.
Healthy eating: where did it
begin?
Eating right and eating well began in the Garden
of Eden many years ago, when man enjoyed the
blessings of living foods in a paradisical
setting. The seed-bearing fruit of the tree and
field was pristine, abundant, and easy to access.
Eating was a simple, direct process: a
hand-to-mouth experience, if you will. This was
living at its best from the hand of YHVH. And
YHVH said, Behold, I have given you
every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face
of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is
the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it
shall be for meat. Genesis 1:29
Summer: why it is special
The simplicity of eating as it was in the Garden
years ago should give pause for thought. That we
were directed by our Almighty Creator to eat a
plant-based diet should inspire us to follow His
advice, causing us to return to the goodness of
the garden that He made for our wellbeing. What
better time of year for returning to the garden
than the summertime, when the earth offers the
gifts of life that sustain our bodies!
Summer eating: where to
start
Finding the way back to the garden for summer
eating begins by finding healthy food sources.
Ideal choices include:
1. Home gardens- a
source of convenient, healthy (safe) foods. Home
gardens are healing for the spirit as well as the
body and fun for the whole family
2. Local Farmers' Markets-
excellent shopping for varieties of fresh,
organic produce. Prices are traditionally
reasonable. Farmer's markets are now common in
most communities, including larger towns/cities.
3. Local Farmers- buy direct
from local farmers. Most growers welcome direct
sales and will take orders in advance. Bulk
prices are usually offered.
4. Health Food Stores- most
carry produce sections that offer fresh, organic
produce, some of which is from local-growers.
5. Supermarkets- many larger
supermarket chains now carry organic produce,
though varieties are usually limited. The
management is often able to special order.
6. CSA's- Community Supported
Agriculture and other government-sponsored
programs are available for those with low and/or
fixed incomes, affording credit for produce
purchases.
7. Subscription farming- many
farmers will custom grow produce for a fee.
Contractual arrangements vary.
8. U-pick- many growers offer
pick-your-own options for harvesting berries,
apples, and assorted vegetables. Direct sales
make prices more reasonable.
9. Roadside stands- many
home-gardeners and farmers have roadside stands
that offer better buying options. Find locations
and frequent them.
10. Wild foraging- hundreds of
nutritious plants, flowers, and seeds grow
naturally in fields, forests, and backyards.
Learn to identify and use/eat them. They are
free!
Armed with the necessary 'raw
materials' for summer eating, it is now time to
turn the fresh harvest into healthy eating.
Carefully wash all produce and then let's go!
1. Juicing- an ideal way to
celebrate the taste of summer while optimizing
nutritional intake. Summer affords access to
nutrient- dense, local produce, so take advantage
of availability by extracting fresh vegetable or
fruit juices on a daily basis. One eight ounce
glass of fresh vegetable juice is healthier than
any Standard American Diet meal. Juicing
nourishes the body on the cellular level, thus
jump-starting the body's immune sytem, energy
level, and ability to heal itself.
2. Smoothies- blending fruit
with greens is an excellent way to boost daily
nutrition. Smoothies are a perfect solution for
breakfast, meal replacements or snacks and make
eating greens (the denser sources of nutrients)
more palatable. Adding super foods like coconut,
hemp oil/seeds/protein powder, almond milk, etc.
increase nutritional value, making a rich,
satisfying drink with exceptional 'staying
power.'
3. Salads are an obvious option
for summer or 'anytime' eating. Salads are the
building block for most meals. Combinations of
fresh greens, vegetables, fruit, and herbs are
quick and easy to make. Dress them up or down
with presoaked nuts, seeds, sprouts or whole
grains. Use a healthy salad dressing or toss with
a healthy oil such as hemp, flax, coconut,
safflower or sunflower.
4. Raw Soups are an
often overlooked option for summer eating. Much
like smoothies, raw soups are predominately
blended vegetable combinations that are served at
room temperature or slightly warmed. The base of
raw soups can be a vegetable broth/juice, tomato
puree, nut milk, or filtered water. Seasoning
with herbs, spices, garlic, and/or onion make raw
soups a tasty, nutritious experience.
5. Sandwiches and wraps are fun
ways to enjoy living foods. Use whole grain
(preferably gluten-free) for bread or make a raw
sandwich by wrapping assorted vegetables in a
large kale, collard, or chard leaf. Pita pockets
also make handy sandwich solutions.
6. Entrees such as
nut pates/loaves, casserole dishes are a tasty
ways to top off a meal. Raw or cooked, a
nutritious entree can be the final accent for a
nutritious lunch or dinner.
6. Desserts made from living
foods are the ultimate 'sweet experience.' Most
fruits can be turned into delicious desserts.
Cookies, cakes, pies, etc. can be made raw, so
there is no need to say good-bye to them on a
plant-based diet! Many raw desserts can be frozen
for future use. Fruit can become 'ice cream' by
freezing and then running it through a Champion
or Green Star Juicer (utilizing the blank
screen.) A living 'soft serve,' topped with
chopped nuts, shredded coconut, etc. is a special
treat on any hot, summer day!
7. Snacks of fresh fruit or vegetables
are easy, healthy solutions for summer eating as
are home-made treats such as crackers, granolas,
and dehydrated vegetable chips. If preparation
time is limited, take the direct route: snack on
a carrot or pop a piece of fruit into your mouth.
Savor the flavor! For the sake of convenience,
cut up bite-sized pieces of fruit or vegetables
into 'finger-foods.' This is a good solution for
travel or at times of being 'on-the-run.'
A diet consisting of mostly raw, living foods has
proven to successfully satisfy the body's
nutritional needs. Hallelujah Acres recommends an
85% raw and 15% cooked ratio. This balance is
shown to optimize the body's nutritional intake
so that it can enjoy optimum health.
Since the body's demands vary
according to season, eating patterns will adjust
accordingly. Heavier intake of
carbohydrates/starches are needed in the winter
to keep the body warm, thus proteins such as
seeds, nuts, beans, whole grains, and healthy
omega-rich oils are needed in greater quantity in
the winter than the summer. Summer eating is
based upon the principle of keeping the body cool
by consuming lighter weight foods such as melons,
summer squashes, cucumbers, and assorted
nutrient-dense greens.
Summer Eating: What it is not
Traditional summer eating that is centered around
the Bar-b-que with grilled animal-based foods,
topped off with processed snacks, sugary
desserts, and soda pop represents the average
American lifestyle that is proven to be harmful
at best, if not deadly. While breaking away from
ingrained eating patterns, however popular and
acceptable, can be difficult, doing so can spare
one the consequences associated with an unhealthy
diet. It has been said that 'health is
wealth.' The increased incidence of sickness
and disease in America should inspire us to amend
our ways by reforming our lifestyles. This begins
by improving dietary choices. It is a proven fact
that what is put into the mouth daily affects the
body's performance. No amount of drugs or surgery
can correct the body's true need for proper
nutrition.
YHVH Almighty designed the human
body to be nourished in a specific way with
living foods. That man has compromised YHVH's
original diet is sad but true. Eating has evolved
into an exercise of sheer insanity with cooked,
processed, animal-based, genetically modified,
and cloned, fake foods. Straying from YHVH's diet
plan has reaped a great toll upon humanity in the
form of sickness, pain, suffering, and unnessary
death.
If we expect to enjoy a quality of
life that is worth living, one that is free from
physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual
distress, we must do our part. The Almighty can
not and will not do it for us. He gifted us with
a living body, and it is up to us to properly
care for it. Doing so requires that we educate
ourselves on the rudiments of proper nutrition
and apply them. This process is a discipline, one
that should be a joy and not a job. After all, we
have nothing but ill health to lose by leaving
traditionally-harmful foods behind in order to
gain excellent health by eating YHVH's way!
In conclusion
Summer eating is like opening the
windows of heaven and experiencing life at its
best. Healthy foods combined with healthy company
and inspiring settings constitute a lifestyle
that keeps on giving. Enjoy summer eating by
indulging in the goodness of the land with
thanksgiving and glory unto YHVH. Taste the
season in the fullest by eating well. Picnic and
hike with family and friends or dine in your own
backyard. No matter where or how you eat your
living food, enjoy your summer by eating healthy!
