Avoiding The Dangers Of A Raw Foods Diet:Dr.Davenport, Jacksonville Beach Chiropractor.
| April 30, 2011 | Posted by Dr.John under PonteVedra Beach FL Chiropractor |
A raw foods diet is probably one of the healthiest diets that a person can follow, but like all restrictive diets, it has its dangers. In this article we will consider some of those dangers and how to avoid them.
Salmonella And Other Bacterial Diseases:
It is unfortunately true that raw food is more likely to carry bacteria such as salmonella, which can cause serious food poisoning. Salmonella is most often found in raw meats, eggs and dairy products. Cooking destroys it, as does pasteurization – a process which involves heating to high temperatures, which is done on most commercially sold dairy products and fruit juices, among other foods.
As a chiropractor who treats patients from the Ponte Vedra Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, and Atlantic Beach FL communities, I don’t advise pregnant women to follow a raw food diet. Some of these bacteria are more dangerous for unborn infants in the womb than for adults. Therefore, you might want to reconsider following a raw foods diet if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy.
You can avoid most risk of food poisoning on a raw foods diet by following the raw vegan version, which avoids all of these foods. However, that has its own challenges – see the section on vitamin B12 below.
There have been cases of salmonella traced to other raw foods such as lettuce. Thorough washing can help, but in any case, this is a risk that applies to virtually everybody, so don’t let the cooked food fans scare you with this one. There are very few people who eat no raw food at all.
Nutritional Deficiencies and Vitamin B12:
It is important to make sure that you are getting the full range of vitamins and minerals on a raw foods diet. You need to consider whether you are getting enough calcium, iron (especially for women of childbearing age), zinc, and omega-3 fatty acids.
There are raw foods that can supply these nutrients and you will need to ensure that they are included in your diet. Having a wide variety of nuts and seeds will help to ensure that you get enough minerals, for example. Ground flax seeds can provide essential fatty acids.
The need for vitamin B12 is something that anybody following a raw vegan diet needs to be aware of. It is not an issue for those on a diet that includes raw meat or dairy products.
B12 is an important nutrient: without it, we will eventually suffer brain damage as well as other serious health problems. The human body does produce B12 but not in a way that allows us to use our own. For example, it is found in breast milk and other human secretions. But unless we happen to be consuming quantities of these, we need to get B12 from another source, and there is no vegetable source.
This means either consuming animal products or taking a supplement. Animal products are not vegan, and supplements are not raw. So B12 can be an issue for people who want to follow a 100% raw vegan diet.
However, the body does store B12. So some people, who have eaten plenty of animal products up to now and are not considering being vegan for more than a year or two, hope that they may have enough B12 to see them through. If you decide to take this risk, you should at least be tested for B12 levels before you start a vegan raw foods diet, and then annually.
If you would like to learn more about how you can get and stay healthy, Click Here to sign up for my free Health Matters Newsletter.
As natural health care provider and chiropractic physician serving the Jacksonville Beach, Neptune Beach, Ponte Vedra Beach, and Atlantic Beach FL communities, I see my job as educating, coaching, and nurturing my patients to better health and wellness.
Yours In Health,
Dr. John Davenport
www.davenportnaturalhealth.com
http://www.davenportchiropractic.com
You have really interesting blog, keep up posting such informative posts!
Thanks again!
Yours In Health,
Dr. John Davenport
http://www.davenportnaturalhealth.com
Pretty nice post. I just stumbled upon your weblog and wanted to say that I have truly enjoyed browsing your weblog posts. After all I?ll be subscribing in your rss feed and I am hoping you write once more very soon!
I’ve been travelin to lecture around the country and will finally have more time to post. Let me know if there is somthing special you would like to khow about.
Thanks
Yours In Health,
Dr. John Davenport
http://www.davenportnaturalhealth.com
I do not even understand how I ended up here, however I thought this post was once great. I do not realize who you’re however definitely you are going to a famous blogger when you aren’t already
Cheers!
Great. Thanks,
Yours In Health,
Dr. John Davenport
http://www.davenportnaturalhealth.com
This is very interesting, You’re an overly professional blogger. I have joined your feed and stay up for looking for extra of your excellent post. Also, I have shared your site in my social networks
Thanks:-)Yours In Health,
Dr. John Davenport
http://www.davenportnaturalhealth.com
I just couldn’t leave your website before suggesting that I really loved the usual information an individual provide in your visitors? Is going to be back regularly in order to investigate cross-check new posts
Thanks
Lovely just what I was looking for.Thanks to the author for taking his clock time on this one. web hosting | cheap web hosting |
Hi there very cool blog!! Man .. Excellent .. Superb .. I will bookmark your blog and take the feeds also?I’m glad to seek out so many useful information here within the submit, we want develop extra strategies on this regard, thanks for sharing. . . . . .
This is very attention-grabbing, You are an overly skilled blogger. I have joined your rss feed and look forward to in the hunt for extra of your great post. Also, I have shared your website in my social networks
Great Blog…
Nice weblog right here! Also your site loads up fast! What host are you the usage of? Can I am getting your associate link to your host? I want my website loaded up as quickly as yours lol…
Great post!
Thanks