food and nutrition 71
makes the work of the pancreas easier.
Eating only cooked food is unhealthy.
Therefore it is suggested that a 70 to 80
percent raw-food diet is a good program to
follow in the summer, or in hotter climates,
while a 30 to 40 percent raw-food program
is appropriate in the winter. Our bodies do
not like feeling damp, cold, and chilled, and
hot food can balance those sensations.
Cooked food kills white blood cell
activity, particularly in the stomach. Yet
excessive raw foods will weaken some
people by depleting spleen and pancreas
function. Steaming is less aggressive than
baking, and using a slow cooker, in which
the temperature does not rise above 130°F,
will ensure hot and wholesome food that is
still very much alive. Sprouted barley seed
and cooked barley create very different feelings inside us, and it is worth
experimenting with each to see how you feel — grounded, tranquil, “high,”
stodgy, elated, or grounded. Climate, geography, and season will also
infl uence your choice of food preparation.
Many foods become sweeter and more nurturing when cooked at low
temperatures, including onion and turnip. I use a cooking pot that keeps
an even low temperature for four to six hours, but you can also use low-
temperature baking or steaming methods. You simply need to plan ahead
a little. Food prepared using low temperatures has the comfort value of
cooked food while retaining its nutritional value.
Kitchen Basics
This healing and deliciously tasty garlic and ginger cooking base can be
added to a wide range of savory, cooked, or raw dishes. The potassium
broth can be strained and drank as it is, or used in recipes that call for
vegatable stock.
cooking base
Use 4 cups virgin olive oil,^1 ⁄ 2 cup apple cider vinegar, 12 cloves chopped
fresh garlic, and 2 tablespoons fi nely grated fresh ginger and blend. Use
in all savory recipes. This will warm and revitalize circulation, additionally
assisting immune capacity.
71 The Complete Home Guide to Herbs, Natural Healing, and Nutrition
A plug-in slow cooker