The answer: It can be vegetarian based, or other, but the essential is that nothing the raw athlete eats is ever cooked. It can be dehydrated to a temperature of 45 degrees.

Now the reason behind this is that above this temperature, all the enzymes are destroyed totally or in the largest part. This means the nutrients inside the food that you eat.

When someone eats raw, whether it be; fruit, vegetables, grains, fats, or fish or other, essentially all the nutrients in the food he or she is eating are 100% present. In turn, this means that the intake of food is beneficial to the body, with a more nutritious intake of protein (Pro), carbohydrates (Cho) and (good) fats.

A Fresh new outlook on raw organic lifestyle and sporting nutrition.

Managing your fresh organic raw lifestyle and sporting performance is as individual as you are; theres no one plan that fits everybody.

Many expert "raw gurus and experts" are well known, publish books, have websites with their ideas and advice. However, sifting through this advice and finding your ideal regimen adapted to you for peak performance is sometimes quite a challenge and one can get a little lost and bewildered with all the contrasting information.

I have been experimenting with fresh organic raw food and sporting performance to confirm my belief that no one plan can suit everybody. By following the wrong type or unbalanced mix of raw lifestyle food can and will bring you off peak performance and health. My research and experience results in a new fresh realistic outlook for real success in adapting and harmonizing peak performance, healthy lifestyle with your choice of fresh organic raw food.

I balance your individual needs, everyday lifestyle, sporting experience and levels, to help you achieve the correct balance and succeed in your quest to optimal athletic success and healthy lifestyle.

My counselling is based on you, your needs and lifestyles, and not a generalisation of what should work for everyone.

Whatever your lifestyle, sporting level and experience, if you wish to get the balance correct in your choice to follow a healthy fresh organic raw lifestyle, then come talk to me. My advice is as individual as you are.

To book a one to one personal session that includes weekly follow up and support, please feel welcome to contact me on 0448 105013 or at \n This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

I look forward to helping you achieve the ideal fresh organic raw lifestyle and peak sporting performance.

Yours in pure raw sports performance

Coach J-R

Let’s look at what enzymes actually are and do:

Life itself is animated by enzymes. No vitamins, minerals or hormones can do their job if enzymes are not around. All chemical reactions in the human body depend on enzymes.

When the food is heated above 48 degrees, the enzymes, are destroyed. Thus, the body has to supply enzymes to make the food digestible. This is a little like “Paul robbing Peter”, in essence there is a continual depletion of enzymes from the body.

There are three categories of enzymes :

The metabolic enzymes are manufactured by our body’s own cells and they activate all our metabolic processes.

The digestive enzymes produced by the digestive organs : the enzyme lipase helps digest fats (oils, fats in dairies and meats). The enzyme amylase helps digest carbohydrates, starches, and sugars in grains, fruits, and starchy vegies. And the enzyme protease helps digest proteins (meats, nuts, cheese).

The food enzymes present in all living and raw foods. They activate the digestion of those foods in which they occur. Living foods contains certain metabolic enzymes as well, such as SOD (superoxide dismutase). We call raw food the food heated below 118 degres Fahrenheit (48 degres Celsius). Cooking above 118 degres F destroys all the enzymes.

When eating mostly cooked food, canned and packaged-processed foods, the body has to produce a lot more digestive enzymes to break them down. The liver, pancreas, stomach and intestines in charge of the production of enzymes have to help and work a lot more. This burden means the body will produce less enzymes needed to run the main organs (brain, heart, kidneys, lungs, muscles) simply because it doesn’t have enough energy to do the job and in some cases the metabolic enzymes have to come to the rescue. It is like a « stealing » of enzymes from other parts of the body to help the digestive tract do his job.

Source: A. Gacquerelle, Raw food nutrition consultant

Eating raw is without a doubt more healthy. A “raw foodist”, doesn’t eat processed food. period.

A healthy raw foodist will eat only Organic (if available and if by choice) and fresh, unadulterated food.

This means 100% fresh, nutritious, wholesome, clean, non toxic, non GMO fruit, veggies and legumes.

A great example of a typical raw food recovery drink or just every day snack, is a smoothie. Yep, you read correctly, a smoothie. Blend for your recovery drink bananas, paw paw or other fruit, some young coconut water, leafy green veggies, (maybe a little avocado even) and drink within 30 minutes after a race or training session and hey presto, the body will recover so much quicker. Wholesome nutrients, all good quality filling nutrition to help the body recover, and fast!!! Its not processed, it’s pure and you know what’s in there, no GMO’s, no chemicals, no crap! Your body will thank you.

So often the question is posed “how do you get your carbs, enough carbs for a race, and protein as well?”

The answer is simple: from the food itself. Understand that contrary to popular belief, carbs don’t just come from Pasta potatoes and rice. And usually in these forms, especially pasta, they are so processed, refined and genetically modified; that the nutrition to be gained from these food is zero. Yes ZERO, nada, rien…

Heres a short list of from where you can source your required Carbs, Proteins and good fats (the list is a summary, there are a lot more out there!) ;

Carbohydrates: A athlete can get more than enough carbohydrates from the following foods: Banana and other fruits, fresh leafy green vegetables, grains (including Quinoa, buck wheat, oats…), cereals, legumes (Lentiles), starches such a potatoes, Sweet potatoes, yams…

Proteins: Fruits, vegetable, also in seeds (Amaranth in particular), nuts (almonds, brazil nuts, cashews, etc…), coconut, eggs, goats cheese, and for those that are still carnivore’s: Fish, meats.

Essential fats: Avocado, fruits, flax oil, sunflower oil, olive oil (n.b: organic cold first pressed oils), Durian, seeds and nuts, young coconut to name a few…

So you see, all these products are, normally, all around us and readily available, (except if you live in some remote areas or Northern hemisphere such as U.K etc, but can still be obtained with a little effort…)

Obviously a lot of people have images of eating a strict boring diet of the above. Not so! Go to any raw food website (http://www.giveittomeraw.com/ , http://www.rawpleasure.com/ , (to name just two amongst many) and you will find thousands of easy to make recipes. And absolutely tasty and delicious! I assure you that I haven’t eaten so healthy and tasty since becoming a raw athlete, and get continue to improve my performances!

In coming articles, we will discuss more in detail the advantages of having a large part of “raw food” in your diet, how it can balance your life and health to a better level of living and performance, and how to go about it all.

Till next time,

Enjoy your sport, enjoy healthy living!

Coach J-R