In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the number of Americans embracing plant-based lifestyles. This trend aligns with the core principles of the Optimum Health Institute (OHI), which has long advocated for the consumption of live, raw, organic vegetables, fruits, seeds, and nuts. This dietary approach, championed by Ann Wigmore, emphasizes the importance of "living foods" for health and well-being.
The Roots of the Living Foods Movement
The concept of using raw, plant-based foods for healing is not new. In the early 1950s, Ann Wigmore, a woman diagnosed with colon cancer, turned to her Lithuanian grandmother's traditional healing methods, incorporating weeds and wheatgrass into her diet. Remarkably, she experienced complete remission. This experience inspired Wigmore to dedicate the next 35 years of her life to studying and teaching others about the healing properties of live, raw, organic plant-based foods.
The OHI's history is intertwined with the growing popularity of raw plant-based foods. In 1976, Raychel Solomon and Pam Nees, two of OHI's founders, attended a lecture by Eydie Mae Hunsberger, author of "How I Conquered Cancer Naturally." Hunsberger had switched to Wigmore's raw plant-based food plan after a breast cancer diagnosis and achieved complete remission. Raychel Solomon furthered her studies with Ann Wigmore, personally experiencing the healing power of a strict live, raw, organic plant-based lifestyle.
Bob Senor's sister-in-law, Mary Helon Nees, was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer in 1997. Refusing to accept the grim prognosis, she and Bob's brother, Rev. Russell Nees, strictly adhered to OHI's raw plant-based food plan, including ample wheatgrass juice, and experienced positive results.
Ann Wigmore: Pioneer of the Living Foods Lifestyle
Dr. Ann Wigmore was a teacher, healer, Living Foods Lifestyle® founder, center director, and author who dedicated her life to educating the world about the transformative qualities of this lifestyle. Credited as "the mother of living foods," she pioneered the use of wheatgrass juice and living foods for detoxifying and healing the body, mind, and spirit.
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Inspired by Maximilian Bircher-Benner's "back to nature" theories, Wigmore believed that plants concentrated more solar energy ("Vital Force") than animals and that wheatgrass could detoxify the body. She also deplored food additives, aligning with the Lebensreform movement's emphasis on holistic medicine and natural foods.
Wigmore co-founded the Hippocrates Health Institute in 1968 with Viktoras Kulvinskas. She wrote over fifteen books, distributing over one million copies.
The Hippocrates Diet: A Foundation for Health
Developed over two decades at the Hippocrates Health Institute, the Hippocrates Diet allows the body to correct its problems naturally and at its own pace. This diet emphasizes fresh fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, and super nutritious foods like sprouts and wheatgrass juice, all prepared without cooking. The goal is to restore the body's internal balance, enabling it to maintain a healthy weight, fight disease, and heal itself.
Key Principles of the Hippocrates Diet
- Raw, Living Foods: The cornerstone of the diet is the consumption of foods in their natural, uncooked state. This preserves vital enzymes, probiotics, and other life-enhancing compounds.
- Plant-Based: The diet is primarily plant-based, focusing on vegetables, fruits, sprouts, seeds, and nuts rather than animal proteins.
- Emphasis on Sprouts and Wheatgrass: Sprouts and wheatgrass are considered particularly nutritious due to their high concentration of bioavailable vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
- Fermented Foods: Probiotic-rich ferments like Rejuvelac and raw sauerkraut are included to aid digestion and stimulate the production of digestive enzymes.
Foods to Include
The Hippocrates Diet encourages a wide variety of foods, including:
- Fruits: Fresh, seasonal fruits are a key component, providing essential vitamins and minerals.
- Vegetables and Greens: A diverse range of vegetables and leafy greens forms the foundation of the diet.
- Fresh Juices: Juices from fruits and vegetables offer a concentrated source of nutrients.
- Sea Vegetables: Sea vegetables provide essential minerals and trace elements.
- Sprouted Seeds, Grains, and Legumes: Sprouting increases the bioavailability of nutrients in these foods.
- Nuts and Seeds: Raw nuts and seeds offer healthy fats and protein.
- Fermented and Predigested Foods: These foods aid digestion and promote gut health.
The Importance of Enzymes
A key aspect of the Hippocrates Diet is the focus on enzyme-rich foods. Enzymes are essential for digestion and various metabolic processes. Cooking destroys enzymes, so consuming foods in their raw state ensures that these vital compounds are available to the body.
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A Different Approach to Vitamins
Wigmore emphasized the importance of "living forces" in food, which she considered separate from materialistic concepts. She believed that vitamins are integral with foods rich in them, such as wheatgrass or carrots, and cannot be separated out. The "living force" is derived from the sun, with different types of rays contributing to different vitamins. Foods rich in vitamin A are rich in "warmth" from infrared rays, vitamin B from ultraviolet rays, and vitamin C from visible rays.
The Cleansing and Building Phases
The Hippocrates Diet typically involves two phases: cleansing and building/maintenance.
Cleansing Phase
The initial cleansing phase prepares the body for the building/maintenance phase. It involves consuming foods that remove blockages to good health, recharge cells, and provide the digestive system with a rest. This phase may last for two to three weeks, depending on individual needs and responses.
During the cleansing phase, it's recommended to consume:
- 2-5 pieces of fresh fruit per day.
- 2 large salads with light seed cheese or vegetable-based dressing.
- 6 or more cups of sprouts.
- 2 or more green drinks made from sprouts, greens, and vegetables.
- 8-16 ounces of Rejuvelac.
- 1-3 ounces of fresh wheatgrass juice.
- 2 tablespoons of sea vegetables.
Building/Maintenance Phase
Following the cleansing phase, the building/maintenance phase aims to remedy dietary deficiencies, tone the metabolic and digestive systems, and maintain vibrant health. This phase involves incorporating a wider variety of living foods into the diet.
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Indoor Gardening: Growing Your Own Living Foods
The Hippocrates Diet encourages growing your own sprouts, greens, and wheatgrass indoors. This ensures a fresh, readily available source of nutrient-rich foods.
Addressing Misconceptions and Challenges
While the raw food movement has gained popularity, there are misconceptions about what constitutes a truly healthy raw diet. Some individuals load up on highly processed, calorie-dense ingredients like agave, cacao, and dehydrated nut-based treats, believing they are adhering to a healthy raw food lifestyle. However, these foods can be detrimental to health.
It's important to distinguish between raw foods and living foods. Living foods retain their natural enzymes, probiotics, and other life-enhancing compounds, providing unparalleled support for digestive health.
Practical Tips for Incorporating Living Foods
Adding more living foods to your diet can be simpler than you might imagine. Start small and focus on progress, not perfection. Consider incorporating a Glowing Green Smoothie into your daily routine or adding a colorful veggie stir-fry over a bed of sprouted quinoa for dinner.
Finding high-quality living food ingredients is key. Seek out local farmers markets, health food stores, or join a community-supported agriculture (CSA) program.
The Solluna Supplements
Solluna's supplements are designed to complement a living foods-centric diet. These supplements provide gentle, plant-sourced enzymes to help the body efficiently break down and assimilate nutrients, even from foods that aren't living. Probiotic supplements can also help replenish the gut microbiome during the transition to a more living foods-based diet.
Criticisms and Controversies
Ann Wigmore's methods have faced scrutiny and controversy. She was involved in legal challenges regarding claims about her "energy enzyme soup" curing AIDS and her program reducing the need for insulin in diabetics. These cases highlight the importance of approaching alternative health practices with caution and seeking advice from qualified healthcare professionals.