At Chakra17, we accept that all human beings are meant to be vegan — which means to eat nothing that comes, directly or indirectly, from an animal. A vegan does not eat milk, honey, butter, cheese, etc. Of course, we do not encourage people to step into veganism quickly or immediately, as this may actually cause short-term problems (which we'll discuss later). We encourage and will assist in a gradual transition so that people become accustomed to, and accepting of, the vegan lifestyle over time.

Dietetically, all foods leave either an alkaline or acidic residue in the bloodstream. The human body thrives on foods which promote blood alkalinity. Alkaline foods are the health and longevity promoting, disease fighting foods. Foods that are acidic (this refers to the pH of a food, not to tomatoes, grapes, oranges and other foods traditionally referred to as acidic), are those which contribute to poor health, disease, sadness, and premature death. The optimum balance, and a realistic goal, for the human body is the consumption of foods that leave an 80% alkaline and only 20% acidic residue. The only foods on the planet that leave an alkaline residue in the body are fresh, ripe fruits and vegetables (with the exception of potatoes), and human mother’s milk (which is not really applicable if you're capable of reading this text...). These foods and only these foods are the true food of human beings.

Most Americans still get their vegetables in the form of ketchup and their fruits in the form of jelly! The level of acidity in the human body in the 21^st century is alarming and is, indeed, the cause of all illness, all the strange cancers, all the birth defects, depression, anger, and incomprehensible violence. All these things begin in the biochemistry of our exceedingly acidic blood. Even the onomatopoeic sound of the word, "acidic", communicates the idea of poison! At Chakra17, what we look to do then is, over time, raise the alkalinity of the bloodstream through the implementation of an alkaline-rich diet. Which means, again, one abundant in fruits and vegetables, yet still allows a slight amount of acid forming foods (remember, 80 / 20%). The "Big 6" healing fruits (or those with the greatest alkalinity-raising properties) are: apples, grapes, watermelon, papaya, pears, and fresh figs. These six foods are the best and easiest to eat — not because of their nutritional content or value, but because of their alkalinity, ease of digestion, and the low level of gas pressure on the body. Green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, lettuce, celery, etc., are the most alkaline of the vegetables.

So, how do we, at Chakra17, differ from others endorsing a raw food lifestyle? Unlike most, we understand that a transitional approach is imperative. Why? Consider that, from the day we're born, most of us are raised on poison and junk; substances with little or no nutritional value which putrefy and stick to the walls of our colons - accumulating in hard, thick layers - and stay with us for years. If we simply wake up one day and radically change our average American diet to one of raw fruits, vegetable and juices, we suddenly introduce Nature's most powerful, natural cleansers (like intestinal Drano!) to our body. These cleansers will wake up and rattle loose the "sleeping giants" of years and years of accumulated poison. If these newly loosened poisons do not exit the body once they've been awakened, they will actually begin to create great illness. We like to use the following analogy: imagine that there's a sleeping Bengal tiger in your apartment. The idea, of course, is to wake him up and escort him out! However, what if you were to rouse him but not succeed in getting him out the door? Well, you’re now stuck in a room with a newly awakened and significantly cranky tiger! This is exactly what can happen when people switch too quickly to a fruit and vegetable diet without a complete understanding of the necessary detox program: they have suddenly awakened a killer.

This is why you may see people get weak, sick and thin on newly established, misunderstood, unsupervised vegan diets — NOT because they aren’t getting adequate calories and enough protein, but because they are being consumed (from the inside out) by their own poisons which the newly integrated, powerfully cleansing foods have shaken loose. There must be a means to wash the poisons from the large intestine once they have been roused from the body’s inner walls, lest they remain and cause even more trouble than when they were just impacted, putrefied matter. For us, the logical and necessary compliment to a completely vegetarian diet is colonic irrigation. To couple the poison-loosening effects of a raw fruit and vegetable diet with regular colonic irrigation, is to effectively walk the angry tiger right out of your apartment. With the elimination of these poisons you will discover your given health, your happiness, and your longevity.

At Chakra17, we will work with you, at your pace, taking a transitional approach to slowly raise the alkalinity level of your body, while at the same time cleaning out those poisons that your new diet (and outlook!) shakes free.

This page last updated: 04.14.03
© 2003 Chakra17 Comprehensive Healing Arts Centers

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