Raw food to the rescue
LIFE has presented Bernadette Bohan with some challenges. This Dublin-based wife and mother of three, who will turn 60 this year, has twice been diagnosed with cancer — lymphoma followed by breast cancer. But instead of wallowing in self pity, she decided to take charge of her health.
She has told her story in bestsellers such as The Choice and The Survivor’s Mindset. Now her latest book Eat Yourself Well: Simple Changes for Better Health chronicles how she dealt with her second cancer diagnosis by making radical changes to her diet and lifestyle and went on to make a full recovery.
“I learned the value of health the hard way,” she says. “But in the 14 years since I started this diet, my energy levels are higher. My arthritis has gone. I no longer wear reading glasses. I’ve lost weight and I’ve stayed free of cancer. I believe in this diet 110%.”
Bohan’s research led her to Dr Brian Clement and the Hippocrates Institute in Florida. “His teaching clicked with me,” she says. “I believed he was describing the way man was supposed to eat... They’ve done the research and seen the results.”
The diet is a nutrient-rich, plant-based one that has been shown to boost the immune system and lower the risk of chronic disease. “Real health is not rocket science as we’ve been led to believe,” says Bohan. “It’s just giving the body what it needs.”
Her top tip is for everyone to start juicing, particularly juicing vegetables. She gives recipes for her favourite juices and smoothies in the book.
“Two juices a day will get ten vegetables into your diet, raw and ready to cleanse and hydrate your body,” she says. “Within 30 minutes, those nutrients will be in your cells.”
She also recommends adding nutrient-rich foods such as pollen, seaweed, sprouts and wheatgrass to your diet. “I’m not just talking about unusual foods either,” she says. “There’s a recipe for split pea soup in the book. It’s cheap, easy and only uses split peas, onions and vegetable stock.”
Once you’ve started adding raw foods to your diet, the next step is to cut back on foods are known to do damage. “Processed foods, sugar, dairy, coffee and meat are big no-nos,” says Bohan.
“Read labels when you shop and don’t buy anything with a long list of unnatural ingredients. Take a chlorella supplement to reduce your sugar cravings. It’s an algae that balances blood sugar levels.”
She also advises emptying cupboards of guilty pleasures, and only allowing treats at the weekends. “It’s all about stepping stones,” she says. “The less you eat these things and the more you add nutritious food to your diet, the fewer cravings you will have.
“There are some recipes for treats in my book – such as sweets made from almonds, sultanas, orange rind and coconut – but I don’t have those every day.”
For bone strength, she recommends substituting milk with unsweetened rice, oat or almond milk; eating leafy dark green vegetables; getting adequate sun exposure or taking a supplement to increase vitamin D levels; and doing weight-bearing or muscle-strengthening exercises.
Meat is off the menu, too. “Breaking down meat requires tremendous energy and puts pressure on the immune system,” says Bohan. “But I know it’s hard to give up so I suggest one night a week when you don’t eat meat or fish. If it works, add another night and another.
“The body only requires a small amount of protein and you can get it from seeds, leafy green vegetables, nuts, beans and whole grains.”
Bohan’s health forced her to persevere and this is what she shares with us in her book.
“It’s not a trendy diet,” she says. “It’s a series of simple lifestyle changes but if I had known how much these changes would improve my life, I wouldn’t have made so many excuses and started much sooner.”
¦ For details see: www.changesimply.com
Start your new regime today:
1. Begin the day with two glasses of water with lemon juice. This will kick-start the detoxification process.
2. Breakfast could involve a juice or a smoothie. Bohan’s favourites include one made with cucumber, celery, kale and ginger.
3. For a cereal-based breakfast, try oatmeal with blueberries and hazelnuts.
4. For lunch, try homemade soup of split peas, onions and vegetable stock.
It takes less than 30 minutes to cook.
5. For dinner, treat yourself to a roast vegetable bake. The vegetables are baked in water and sprinkled with olive oil after cooking.
6. Ensure you remain hydrated throughout the day by drinking plenty of water.
Bohan recommends filtering the water that comes into your home, and making sure any bottled water you buy is from a natural spring.
7. Deal with hunger pangs by drinking water or having a vegetable-based juice. The naturally occurring sugars in the juice may help with sugar cravings.
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