Raw Food Detox Diet For Seniors

A raw food diet is a nutrient rich diet of mostly fresh fruits and vegetables. Nutrient rich equals stronger bones, healthier skin and a greater resistance to disease. Older people tend to have brittle bones that break easily, liver spots and blotchy skin, and they get sick easily. A diet of processed and cooked foods is responsible. The raw food diet is a low-toxin diet.

During a detox diet you eliminate the toxins from cooked and processed foods. Live foods are also rich in the antioxidants that help to prevent cancer and reduce the aging process. Some of the foods richest in antioxidants are blueberries, blackberries, spinach, tomatoes, red grapes, pomegranates, cranberries, prunes, raspberries, strawberries, apples, pecans, cherries and plums. Eat plenty of these foods during your raw food detox to cleanse your body of toxins.

The older population is susceptible to chronic disease and decreased organ function mainly due to nutrition. Decreased organ function may affect the digestive system, absorption, metabolism or the excretion of nutrients. A large percentage, approximately 80 percent of people over 65 may suffer from one or more chronic diseases.

Nutrition, known to interact with the aging process in various ways, is an important factor in their prevention and/or recuperation. There is no better method of obtaining proper nutrition than a detox diet. Don't worry about going hungry while eating these foods because you will eat as much as you want to. Your hunger will always be satiated.

Don't let anyone tell you that your activities should be completely restricted due to your age. OK, maybe you have slowed down a little bit as you aged, but that doesn't mean you should just sit around and age more. On the other hand, if you're 70 you don't suddenly decide you can run a marathon. However, you can take walks, ride a bike or workout. There are workout videos for seniors... and... you can eat right.

A lot of people have a hard time with change, but just to incorporate 25 percent more natural fruits and vegetables and nuts into your diet is a good beginning. It'll get your detox started and you will probably feel good enough about it to forge ahead until your diet is at least 75 percent raw. Raw foods are rich in the nutrients you will not get in processed and cooked foods. You should also drink 8 glasses of water every day.

Fruits, vegetables, grains, seeds, nuts and legumes are all great raw foods and there are many recipes available to help you make attractive and tasty dishes. Eating raw foods will naturally reduce your caloric intake and increase the nutrients your body requires. The average person gains 1.5 pounds per year. By age 40 what we have always teasingly called "old age chub" sometimes begins to become apparent. That's because at 40 you're not as active as you once were.

You're sitting in an office all day instead of playing football. You're getting the kids fed and settled down instead of going out dancing. Stuff happens. Eating a diet of 75 percent raw foods is a natural weight control. No, you won't waste away. Once your body reaches its natural weight, it'll stabilize itself.

Everybody, regardless of age needs to drink water. You sweat, you use the bathroom; you are constantly eliminating fluids from your body. Drinking 6 to 8 glasses of water (preferably 8) every day will replace the eliminated fluids and keep your body hydrated. When you are dehydrated your blood pressure can drop causing you to become light-headed or dizzy; you may even pass out. You can experience organ failure if your condition goes untreated. Your urine should be clear or very light yellow when you are drinking enough water.

Usually seniors living on their own are still functioning pretty well. One very good thing about raw food is there's very little or no cooking, so, if getting around in the kitchen is becoming hazardous the danger of getting burned is out, you don't have to spend a lot of prep time to make your carrots look attractive... and you don't have to wake up one morning and declare yourself a raw foodist. You can incorporate raw foods into your diet at a rate that is comfortable for you.

Raw food detox can be a problem if you're not moving around too well. You may want to make sure you're near the bathroom. Another very good thing about eating raw foods is that you don't have to read labels. You know what you're buying. If there's some processed foods you have to eat because of something in your medication, by all means, do so. You may eventually find that you don't need as much medicating once the nutrients of natural foods kick in.

And most importantly, always listen to the advice of your health care provider. Don't be surprised if your physician suggested you increase the amounts of fruits and vegetables in your diet. A raw food detox diet will improve the way you look and feel.

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