This is an extension of my previous article on the challenges of raw foods Below is a quick summary of 2 further challenges.
1. Lower body temperature - Some people experience a drop in body temperature on the raw food diet. The main reason suggested for this is that the digestive system doesn't need to work nearly as hard to digest food and since digestion helps to create body heat you naturally see a drop in body temperature. I would question this theory as other organs and systems have a much greater impact on body temperature than the digestive system.
a. Whilst digestion can impact body temperature an area that has a far greater influence is the thyroid gland. This gland regulates the speed of the metabolism of every cell in the body (and thus the body as a whole). A drop in thyroid function is almost always accompanied by a drop in body temperature. For me the answer more than likely lies here. But why would this happen?
b. There are two possible reasons; firstly, many of those people that turn to raw food also turn vegetarian or vegan (or are already). One of the main foods many vegetarians eat for a protein source is soy. Soy is not the health food it is made out to be and one of its many harmful effects on the body is that the isoflavines found in soy inhibit thyroid function. This inhibited function can then lead to a lower body temperature.
c. The other possible explanation relates to the digestive system. Whereby a raw food diet can result in a significant reduction in the breakdown and absorption of nutrients in the digestive tract*. A possible effect of this reduced absorption could then be a reduction in the amount of calories absorbed from the diet. The lowered calorie intake that then results will lead to a decrease in thyroid function. This happens as a natural attempt by the body to slow down the metabolism in order to preserve calories. As far as your body is concerned a reduction in calorie intake below its minimal requirements is a signal to the body that food is scarce and it needs to reduce metabolic rate in order to ensure its survival. It is this same phenomena that is behind the inherent weight problems experienced by those that regularly restrict calories, known as yo-yo dieting. It dates back to our more primitive days when food would often be scarce and the body would attempt to protect its long term survival by preserving calories. It is essentially a survival response and over time will lead to a suppressed metabolism and ill health problems further down the line.
d. This ironically is one of the main reasons many raw foodists take up the diet, in the belief that it will improve their health and help prevent ill health complaints. Raw diets can and will achieve both of these objectives but only if they are introduced correctly and are appropriate to the individuals current state of health.
e. The only way of knowing if a thyroid problem is the cause of a drop in body temperature is to either:
· Seek the aid of your doctor. Although for many this may not reveal much as in many cases such problems are not picked up using the blood assessments used in mainstream medicine methods. The medical tests are designed to identify a "diseased" thyroid or thyroid that is either in a hypo or hyper state by medical definition. However many people have a thyroid that is under functioning at a subclinical level which will not be detected by such tests.
· Seek the help of someone trained in functional medicine/nutrition (such as myself), who can pick up such issues by testing the function of organs/glands and systems rather than whether they are diseased.
2. Possible excessive weight loss - Whilst weight loss can be a positive thing, and a common reason some people start on a raw food diet, it can also be a negative thing. Particularly if it is excessive weight loss that leads to a very gaunt and unhealthy look. This can sometimes occur because of a reduction in digestive system and any subsequent reduction in nutrient and calorie uptake into the body and the impact of this on thyroid function. Read my article on "When And Why Raw Food Diets DO And DON'T Work" to understand this point better.
These are just some of the challenges, there are others. Check out my other articles for more challenges of raw food diets.
* In order to avoid confusion it is worth pointing out why I have suggested that raw food diets can both improve (outlined in one of my benefits articles) and worsen digestion. This is because of the affect raw food can have on different areas of the digestive system, where in some ways it will likely improve function and in other ways it is likely to worsen function. It is also totally individual and very much depends on the digestive health of an individual when they first begin on a raw food diet. This is explained in more detail in other resources I have created (articles, ebook, videos, etc).
Matt Farr
Check out my ebook http://www.therawtruthebook.info. Check out my FREE teleconference on "What Foods and Diets Will Work Best For You" http://whatfoodsanddietswillworkbestforyou.info.
Recommended Reading
Raw Food Diet For Weight Loss
Having More Energy, Looking Younger,
and Reclaiming Your Health
Part B. Why is the Raw Food Diet Healthy?
By
Andrew Lynn 
In short, the answer to this question is simple: the raw food diet is healthy because the foods you eat as part of the diet contain all the vitamins and minerals of food before that goodness is destroyed when high temperatures are applied during cooking. But I can understand why this answer may not be satisfactory, so I'll try to go into a bit more detail.
Firstly, I'd just like to cover the basics of the diet. If you already know what it is, you can skip this paragraph. The raw food diet advocates the consumption of unprocessed and uncooked food. There are two main types of the diet, one that allows the consumption of animal products and one that does not (often called raw veganism). If someone says that they are a raw foodist, chances are they practice raw veganism (often assumed as it is far more popular than raw foodism with animal products). Typically, if your diet is comprised of at least 75% raw food, you're considered a raw foodist.
Often people who are on the diet experience increased energy levels, improved skin appearance, better digestion, weight loss and a general increased feeling of well being and decreased anxiety and depression. Okay sounds great, but why?
Once again, I will go back to my initial statement. Logically, it makes sense that the diet is good for you because cooking foods generally destroys the structure of the food. It also destroys the vitamins and minerals contained in the food. For instance, eating a raw carrot or a juiced carrot is much better for you than eating a carrot that has been boiled for an hour, even though the latter may be tastier (particularly with butter and salt) and easier to eat. But have you ever thought about why it is easier to eat? The answer is that it has already been practically digested and broken down by the boiling water-leaving close to nothing for your body to absorb.
Of course, raw foodism doesn't just mean that you consume a lot more healthy uncooked food. Being on the diet also means that you cut out a lot of foods that are really bad for you. This is because you're restricted to only uncooked food, and so you avoid nasty foods that can only be created through cooking; such as melted cheese, fatty meats, candy and soda (yes, even soda! It may not be warm when you drink it, but the process includes processing and heating sugars and other ingredients and therefore is not part of the diet!).
Hopefully this answers the initial question, but there is a lot more that can be learned about the diet, so if you're interested, please the link below in the bio.
Dr. Andrew Lynn is a full-time physician but also a passionate advocate of the raw food diet. To find out more about the diet, visit his website here. To find out more about how to prepare food on the diet, visit his website here.
Recommended ReadingRaw Food Diet For Weight Loss
Having More Energy, Looking Younger,
and Reclaiming Your HealthBack to Home
Back to The Top
