Summer Eating
by Mary Louise;Town Jaqua, Health Minister
7-10-12Summer 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 1:29Summer: 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, especially
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/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, herbs, and vegetables/fruit
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 hemp/flax/olive/
coconut/safflower or sunflower oil.4. Raw Soups are an often overlooked option
for summer eating. Much like smoothies, raw
soups are predominately blended vegetable
combinations that are served cold, at room
temperature or slightly warmed. The base
of raw soups can be a vegetable broth/juice,
tomato puree, nut milk, filtered water. The
addition of flavoring such as herbs, spices,
garlic, 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 sandwiches.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 the Hallelujah 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 healthy solutions for summer as are
home-made crackers, granolas, and dehydrated
vegetable chips. If preparation time is limited,
take the direct route: pop a carrot or 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.
Heavy carbohydrates/starches are needed in
the winter to keep the body warm, thus heavier
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 diet. 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
foods. Straying from YHVH's diet plan has reaped
a great toll upon humanity in the form of sickness,
pain, suffering, and death.If we expect to enjoy a quality of life that is worth
living, i.e. 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 how you eat
your living food or where you go, enjoy your
summer by eating healthy!
Live Food Picnic 2011
