Eating raw food is praising myself every day

Erica Palmcrantz Aziz

Eating raw food is to praise myself every day, giving myself and the world the very best. Together we are strong, and every human being has the potential to live his live to the fullest – raw food gives you energy…every morning I ask myself : who am I?

Erica Palmcrantz Aziz is from Gothenburg, Sweden, where she live with her husband and her daughter. At Ängsbacka she did a food preparation class on Thursday, at the RAW LIFE festival.

She did not plan to become a raw food enthusiast, it just happened. During a period, feeling blue and unhappy, she went to see a cousin in Los Angeles. She has five children and happened to be altogether a raw food eater, prepared on entirely organic ingredients. Erica believed them to be strange folks and expected them to be without glow, pale and looking unhealthy. But she confronted the opposite. They radiated joy and happiness and welcomed her with open arms.

She stayed for ten weeks having a good and peaceful time. From day one she went into a raw food diet. Back in Sweden, more than seven years ago, she felt confused; eating like that was strange and exceptional. But now there are many who are touched by it.

It is a journey. Raw food starts a process of change – something happens to you . It has helped me to loosen up my boundaries. It takes time, it is not just to let go…It creates a space in your body. You become grateful. Why do I feel so happy after just one green smoothie? She says.

Erica in Food Preparation Class

Different raw food styles can be very confusing to you. Erica tells us to guide ourselves and find what is right for or own body. Awareness is important in the transition into raw food. You have to get in tune with the pureness in the food. Erica tells us that the diet has made her a better person, more loving, grateful and happy and that is is a gift to the earth to follow it. When she is a guest in someone’s home she listens to her body when it comes to eating, without judging herself for being impolite.

At home you can do as you like but we can not step out of social life. But when you socialize you always have your own choice. People often believe it is difficult to invite you to a meal if you are into raw food. But it is not complicated. I might ask: you have an orange, haven´t you?, Erica says.

She used to have a lot of fruit, but found that something was missing. There is a lack of nutrients in fruits because most of it is imported and harvested before it is truly ripe, like the green bananas for example. Berries are better for you. She tells us that she took raw food to another level by eating less fruit.

Alkalising your body is important, it makes it resistant towards diseases. “Ordinary” diet often causes acidity in your body. Fruits raises your blood sugar quickly, so it is good to be careful about how much of it, that you eat. Stevia is the best sweetener because it does not influence it, but keeps it stable. A small amount of fermented food daily is good because it has a lot of pro- biotics and enzymes. If you eat your food in “unbroken wholeness” – that is do not mix it, for example, oxytocin , the “happy hormone” is released while chewing it, which brings a sense of well being into your body and soul.

Author: Lena
Photographer: Caroline Edgren