The Raw Food Detox Diet: The Five-Step Plan for Vibrant Health and Maximum Weight Loss

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If you are intrigued by the current trend of eating real food, want to take this concept to the next level but are skeptical as to how to implement the raw food lifestyle on a practical everyday basis, pick up a copy of Natalia Rose's "The Raw Food Detox Diet, for a fast and fun introduction that does not require a cold turkey approach to eliminating cooked foods.

Rose is in agreement with French dieting guru Michel Montignac on her definition of what constitutes a "legal" food on this plan. Montignac, a long-time proponent of eating real food as opposed to processed junk, urges us to forego the old dieting adage of counting calories and all the newer macro nutritional phobias with regard to too much or too little fat, protein or carbohydrates and instead analyze each food choice with an eye on the food's metabolic reaction with regard to fast and easy bloat-free digestion and elimination.

Rose agrees, emphasizing that whereas natural foods are easily recognizable by the body and therefore easily broken down, utilized and eliminated, the processed foods that make up so much of the typical American diet are deemed by the body as the worst kind of illegal aliens that sadly deteriorate into waste that the body can neither utilize nor expel. Waste in this case, has no other recourse than to morph into a variety of problems like weight gain, a degeneration of the organs, a slowing of the metabolism and premature aging.

By utilizing a method of food combining where mixing foods in different categories is verboten, similar to that of the Montignac method (minus the glycemic index factor), Rose further expands this theory by grouping nuts - an iffy category on most food combining plans (Somersizing immediately springs to mind) - as a separate category (starches, fleshes and fruits being the other three categories) , to be combined only with dried fruits and vegetables.

She provides an extremely helpful hierarchy of eleven types of quick exit foods, where level number 1, the best, contains fruits and vegetables and level number 11, the worst, contains chemicals and artificial colorings and sweeteners. She adds that as eating from quick exit levels 1-8 is doable by everyone; the higher levels of health will be reached when eating only from levels 1-5. In addition an indispensable transitional food grocery list is included to provide brand name items that act as substitutes for mainstream comfort foods that must be eliminated to insure success on this program. She is not a big fan of dairy and as expected pans the consumption of power shakes and bars. Surprisingly she eschews the current 'soy is nirvana' bandwagon, labelling soy products as mucus-forming poisons. Neutral foods, those which may be eaten with any category except fruit include such treats as nut milks, 70% chocolate, olivess and olive oil. how refreshing! Way to go, Ms Rose!

On the practical side, the book abounds with menu plans, recipes, and suggestions on what to eat in a restaurant or at social occasions. For the aspiring raw foodist, separate chapters are dedicated to detoxifying all aspects of your lifestyle including your bathroom, your living space, your kitchen, your family, fasting, traveling, holidays and your colon.


I emailed Ms Rose with questions that pertained to the diet as juxtaposed with my lifestyle and was extremely pleased that the author very pleasantly answered all my questions promptly and professionally and made suggestions that I was able to implement quite easily.

Bottom line: Ms Rose achieves the impossible, a raw food diet that doesn't force you to eat only raw foods, but urges you to discover your own lifestyle at your own pace for achieving optimal health. With a combination of guidelines, recipes and a fresh common sense five part transitional approach, Ms Rose sends you out into unknown territory, with the option of staying on one particular phase of the diet for as long as you wish.

I've been raw for over a year. I WISH I HAD READ THIS BOOK FIRST! The first book I read was Carol Alt's "Eating in the Raw" - after I read it, I decided to switch overnight... and I made myself really sick. But I stuck with it and eventually felt better. But even after a year of eating what I though was all the right stuff, I still didn't feel as good as I wanted. Now I understand - it was the wrong combinations, like a piece of fruit for dessert after dinner or the almond butter & banana sandwich on sprout bread. I was mixing food groups incorrectly, but I didn't realize it.

The author says in this book that you might feel results as soon as the first evening - IT'S TRUE! The first day I started out with a batch of Green Lemonade, and followed the meal plan all day; I even had dark chocolate for dessert (something I considered off-limits since I switched to raw). That evening was the first time in as long as I can remember that I didn't feel exhausted. It was actually the best I've ever felt!

Be warned, though, that some stuff in this book is a little out there - I definitely don't plan on giving myself any enemas! yuck! - but just following the menu plans really can make a big difference in how good you feel, even by the end of the first day!

I definitely recommend reading this book FIRST if you want to get into the raw food lifestyle, then read some of the others. START HERE. I don't think you'll regret it. There's no need to go through the horrible detox I went through - and all because I didn't understand the importance of transitioning. Some of the reviewers were upset because this book is not 100% raw... well, it doesn't have to be! If you're just starting on something like this, you shouldn't jump in too fast. Go slowly through the transition levels that Natalia Rose describes. Enjoy this book and good luck reaching your goals.

UPDATE:
Natalia Rose has written a new book, "Raw Food Life Force Energy," which I just read. You might consider buying the new book, because it has much of the same information as the original book (this one) along with enhanced explanations, a description of food vibrations, a 21-day step-by-step plan, and a Q&A section. Some of my questions from the first book are actually answered in the second.

This book is easy to follow and the diet is even easier. Her recipes are delicious. Even her "Green Lemonade" is so good I look forward to it every morning. My husband and friends have said I have never looked better and I know I have never felt better. It is definitely from all the great food I am now eating.

This is a helpful book to improve your diet. The author stresses vegetables and low starch and refined foods. The science is "iffy"--I'd charitably call it empirical at best. For example, nuts and dried fruits are classed together as fats and I wasn't aware dried fruit had anything but a concentration of fructose and fiber...fat? No. But then, alcohol is said to be metabolized like fat, so perhaps, again, empirically, there is something to be said for this idea.

The author essentially follows the old food combining rules, which Science says is bunk but effectively limits anyone from consuming a huge meal from soup to nuts. Instead, here you eat (drink) vegetable juice, salads, dressings of raw oil and seeds or nuts, and for those not totally into raw-only, steamed vegetables, some fish.

This book is valuable for the recipes, especially "green lemonade" which is a great juice to start the day (a head of romaine, some kale, apple, lemon and ginger. ) There is some fairly good advice on what to base your diet on. The author claims she eats almost exclusively greens and fruits with some nuts. Without a doubt, this diet lacks in vitamin B-12 and even chimpanzees, our close cousins, eat bugs and small critters. So is this really natural? I am not sure that is natural to exclude an important source of an essential nutrient such as eggs and occasional fish and meat, or even wise.

There are a lot of recipes for young coconuts. While I agree this is one food that is delicious and good for you, it's pretty hard to find young, green coconuts in most of middle America, even in places with many Asian ethnic residents. And if you are not handy with a cleaver, they are tough to open. The author does give good advice; keep one hand behind your back no matter what.

One more thing; the author recommends stevia, a sweet-tasting herb which is fine, but substitutes Splenda, which is pretty much dissed in the health community. If you're going all natural, artificial sweetener would probably fall on the first list of "must-avoids." Since stevia is widely available now and is a good natural-based sweetener, why include Splenda? Even a dash of honey, maple or agave syrup would be preferable, in my opinion.

I like this book, but with reservations.

The author takes a basically good idea - eat lots of raw food and you will lose weight - and adds a bunch of rules about food combining to it and urges you to have healthy intestines. She basically says to try to eat only fruit in the morning, veggies and raw bread for lunch, a bag of carrots or a watermelon as a snack, then a sensible dinner such as pasta or fish or a salad. She wants everyone to stop eating dairy, peanuts and soy. She says diet drinks are unhealthy but uses Splenda in the recipes. This is one of many irritating hypocracies in the book.

She offers many intriguing sounding recipes for which I'm not inclined to invest the time in hunting down the ingredients. Many of the "noodle" dishes are based on young coconut meat. The food combining rules (like never combine fruit with anything) are contradicted numerous times in her recipes. The best example is the Green Lemonade that you are to drink each morning. It is juiced kale, apples, lemon, romaine and, optionally, ginger.

In conclusion, the book is amusing enough but devoid of science (and, often enough, of logic). I regret spending the $16 on it.

Having previously maintained a raw food diet, I wanted to get back to that way of eating but I haven't been able to go "cold turkey" so I was looking for a gradual approach recommended by a dietician. I thought I found it with this book when I read the description on Amazon and was impressed with the high ratings it seemed to have earned. However, I greatly regret my decision and the money I spent on this book. This is more towards extreme dieting than eating healthier, which is what I'm interested. Before I read this book I was eating vegitarian, high-fiber, and no sugar or refined flour. After starting her program, I find I have gone back on some of those beneficial changes and instead find myself doing crazy things she insists on like eating all the same food group at once (you're not allowed to mix most food groups in a 3 hour period - that is unless you drink the "green lemonade" she recommends which mixes two food groups she insists shouldn't be mixed!) and limiting my fiber. I finally realized that she's crazy and I'm putting this book away. I'm feeling less healthy now than before I started this. Sometimes I go to make a decision about what I'll eat and I feel practically paralyzed by all the contradictory nutrition advice now running around my head. It's almost impossible to eat now! I don't even know why she's calling this a "raw" diet. She includes even meat, dairy and eggs. She also claims soy is worse for you than milk. And as someone with a sensitivity to dairy and problems with ulcers, I'm realizing most of what she says about reasons for not mixing the food groups is going to be counter-productive for me. And her advising people to give themselves enemas seems very dangerous. Oh, and there's no way i'm going for a colonic once a month if ever! I also have a problem with the flagrant advertising she has in her book for her own online store which leads me to doubt her motives for half of what she says. Basically this wasn't the book it claimed to be for me and, further, I find it's advice to have been a personal set-back. If you're looking for a book on raw foodism, try Juliano's Raw.

I bought this book because the idea of eating a primarily raw food diet appeals to me. Seems natural and healthy. I bought a couple of recipe books, but none of them explain how to eat. That is, what a typical meal menus or a typical day's menus look like. Also those books lacked sufficient information on nutrition, i.e. how do you get adequate protean. This book is written by a "nutritionist," so I thought I'd get some sound, sane, logical, scientifically backed information here.

Boy was I wrong. What a load of hocus pocus. The whole food combination this is a bunch of crap. Digestive enzymes are not located in food, we make them. And we make them to digest everything from meat and potatoes to wheat grass. The food does not digest itself. So regardless of whether your food is cooked or not, you are still making digestive enzymes. And the enzymes we make are specific for the types of foods we eat, and they do not interfere with each other. Also, your stomach does not change acidity to accommodate the digestion of different foods. It responds to the ph of the food you've eaten and adjusts acidity to remain at a ph of about 3. Also, food moves out of the stomach based on the fat content, not the type. That's why greasy foods repeat on you for hours. Also your blood is maintained at a certain ph of about 7 all the time by mechanisms that have nothing to do with digestion. If it varied at all, you would die.

The book does not address the role of hormones like insulin that really do respond to food types and really do play a role in health.

There are no studies to back up any claims in this book. I am sure there are people who feel and look better just because they are eating healthier, less meat, more raw vegetables, but the details of food combining are meaningless.

Do you really want to know how to lose weight and be healthy here's how: eat less (or no) meat and heavy dairy, eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, and get off your ass and get exercise.

There, now you know.

You're welcome.

I read this book a week ago and have mostly forgotten all the aggravations, but I what I remember most is my desire to tear it up and throw it against the wall. Rose made up a diet for herself that works, and now she is telling the whole world to do the same thing.

There are a couple of positives (that don't make the book worth buying): It is true that starting the day with a green lemonade such as the one in her book is extremely healthy (or to get greens and green juices into the body daily, at any time, something she does NOT mention). Also, her attempt to list recipes that don't require purchasing whole new sets of tools and dehydrators is admirable, although I personally find most of the recipes uninspired and uninteresting, as well as unappealing to lots of children, despite her claims.

The things that stand out the most are these: Her intricate food-combining rules exclude wine and coffee, which are considered "neutral." She claims the body processes alcohol as fat, but somehow it's okay to have it with any meal with no regard to her strict combination rules. (Hmm, you think it's because she likes to have wine herself, something she mentions more than once?) I believe salad dressings were neutral, too, but that also doesn't make sense when compared with her food-combining rules. Here's a good explanation, though: SHE'S NOT A SCIENTIST! She has no degree in any kind of nutrition- or science-related anything. She's a "nutritionist," which in most states means taking some correspondence classes or simply calling oneself a nutritionist. If you want to know what to eat, ask someone with a nutrition or food science degree, or RD. (But don't ask an MD, either; they get about 6-12 hours of nutrition training in all of med school.)

The single-most-alarming issue is her advocacy for Splenda (aka sucralose), which is included in many of her recipes. Any real nutritionist would know that sugar is better for you. This should discredit her entirely, and her publisher should have responsibly rejected this book.

--MS/RD student, SF

P.S. If you are looking for a DIET, check out The False Fat Diet. If you are looking for a good raw food recipe book, go for Living Cuisine, for complex and wonderful, or Raw Food for Busy People, for less inspired and less tasty but very simple.

The beauty of this book is that the recipes (which are so delicious and flavorful) do not require soaking, sprouting, or dehydrating, as many other raw-food recipes do. This simplifies the food-preparation process and makes the raw-food lifestyle more appealing to time-starved people.

Rose explains food combining and digestion concisely and in a way that makes sense. It has changed the way I think of food. I used to think that if I never had to worry about my weight, I'd eat everything I wanted. Now I think of food in terms of what it'll do to my body on the inside. The weight loss is just an added bonus (I've lost 20 pounds effortlessly). And once you've been eating "clean," you'll feel the difference when you eat something processed--and you won't crave those processed foods, because you know how they'll make you feel (heavy, bloated, and too full). Furthermore, there is no "falling off the wagon" with this way of eating, because, if you do have something you "shouldn't" have, it's so easy to just eat clean at the next meal.

I was so excited by this book that I sent a copy to my mom, and she has experienced the same changes in her body and her attitudes that I have (and on top of that, her hairstylist noticed that her hair has gotten thicker). She then bought a copy for her friend. I also sent a copy to a friend who has Crohn's disease (an intestinal disorder), and after only two weeks, her digestion changed significantly. At the risk of being graphic (but to prove a point to doubters): After following Rose's guidelines, my friend began having solid bowel movements for the first time in more than four years.

As a final note, for those who are concerned about increased grocery bills, consider this: You will no longer buy canned, boxed, or processed foods; you will very likely buy less (or no) meat; and you'll be less likely to order take-out for lunch because you'll have lots of healthy, delicious leftovers. You will also spend less money on supplements, because you'll be getting all the necessary nutrients from your food, and you may never need another antacid. I now shop at a farmer's market, and the prices there are fully one-third less than those at the grocery store. Furthermore, everything I buy gets used--there is no waste (no more half-eaten bags of salad that go bad because I forget they're in the fridge). To maximize the food you buy, I would suggest making a menu each week and sticking to it--it not only ensures that you'll use what you buy, it also eliminates that 30-minute period we all waste figuring out what to have for dinner after a full work day.

If you've been interested in a raw-food lifestyle but don't believe you have the time for it, try "The Raw Food Detox Diet." It will change your life.

This diet is easy to follow and the results are immediate. I lost at least 10 pounds when I first started and then did not bother to keep track. I am 125 pounds now.

Once my clothes fit nicer and I no longer had that uncomfortable bloating from bad food combinations, I just did not pay attention. Just having a flatter tummy made me happy.

I felt great and looked better. I also recieved alot of compliments.

I enjoy using the juicer and blender recipes. They are fun and tasty for the whole family. I recommend this diet to anyone because it works and you are never hungry. You can eat as much as you want as long as you do not miscombine.

Mrs. Sonja Tremont Adams Morgan

I'm really happy with the results I've achieved after following natalia's advice for the last 10 months. I eat a lot - but only the prescribed foods and juices - and now, I'm 6 months pregnant. My Baby has "a beautiful spine" according to the sonographer, and although I have felt very tired thru most of my pregnancy, I've never had "morning sickness". My weight gain up to this point is 19 pounds.

The options for cooked foods, meat and fish work well for my husband. He is very active, and a bodybuilder. He is very lean - the last thing he wants is to lose weight. So he gets lots of veggies, the "green lemonade" every morning, and kamut pasta, sweet potatoes, salads, fish, some chicken etc., for dinner. (all organic of course!) I tend to stick with the raw, vegetarian options on the plan.

When I eat "normally" (tradtional american fare) I tend to be about 15 -20 pounds over weight, and don't have a lot of energy. On this plan - granted I was only on it for about four months before I got pregnant - I dropped 10 pounds in the first month, and my weight loss continued until I got pregnat. My weight stayed low no matter what I ate in the first trimester - I contiuned with lots of veggies, the Green Lemonade, and the "easy exit" foods. I tend to not eat a lot of nuts and seeds - almond butter here and there, but really LOTS of vegetables - and RAW milk an RAW cheese occasionally. She's not big on dairy at all - but seems to be okay with raw upasturized dairy. That's something I have picked up from other raw food books i've read (David Wolf, Steve Arlin, etc...) so don't quote me on Natalia's "approval" of the raw dairy.

The best of it is that my skin is very clear, and I really see a difference in my skin if I miss more than 2 days of the Green Lemonade. It's a great program, easy to follow, not too dogmatic, and I've had great results.

I was very disappointed in this book. I thought it would be about food and recipes. Turns out that two of the important steps to this particular diet are colonic hydration and food combining. It would have been very helpful if that information had been presented when the book was described. Since I wasn't interested in either of those things, the entire diet lost its luster.

"I highly recommend The Raw Food Detox Diet book by Natalia Rose if you want to lose weight and obtain very useful information on optimum health, vitality and overall wellness. The book contains a ton of absolutely delicious, surprisingly easy yet guilt free recipes. It educates you with a no-nonsence approach about detoxing and cleansing your body effectively for noticeable results. Since I have incorporated this knowledge into my own life, I lost weight, feel and look much better and have renewed vigor and fitness."

The first red flag of this book is the recommendations for expensive items such as a $400 blender and a $200 trampoline. The fact that the book directs you to the same website for all these items, rather than different websites for each, shows that the author is trying to profit off these items. If you don't stick with the diet, to bad for you. The author made a huge profit and you are stuck with expensive items you won't use.

The second red flag is the restriction from combining foods. The author says to never combine vegetables and fruit for the same meal yet highly recommends a green lemonade drink made of fruits and vegetables.

The main reason diets don't work is because people don't want to live with all the food restrictions. Not only do you have that with this diet, it goes one step further by not allowing you to combine items which are allowed by themselves. Fruits and vegetables are allowed but not at the same time. The author says to wait 3 to 4 hours between different food types. That's like telling someone they can have a hamburger but must eat the meat at one time, the bun three or four hours later, and the pickles three or four hours after that.

Think fruit is healthy and want some? You can't do it on this diet unless you eat it on an empty stomach. I would much rather have my kids eat a piece of fruit after dinner than a candy bar but you can't do that on this diet. Also, get used to not drinking anything with your meals as the author claims this will dilute your digestive juices so should not be done.

I found this book to very informative. In a nutshell, it tells you how food is processed throughout your system and it's reaction. Like, fresh vegatables can be eaten with anything but starches don't digest well with meat. There are stages to going *Raw* that Ms. Rose has honestly and clearly put out there. Our bodies just can't go Raw over night. Yhere is a change in the digestive system. I know from my experience how my body feels when I eat raw for several days and then introduce the wrong combonation of foods. I feel like I'm suffering at the toilet.Sorry. Natalie gets you through the stages of developing this life style. It's a Detox program not a cookbook. It has recipes for all the stages to going *Raw. Ms. Rose hershelf claims it took several years for her to go completely Raw. The recipes are for those various stages. I don't find anything wrong with this book. As far as enzymes. All foods have them, and yes our body has them too. When cooking foods you are breaking down the enzymes that are packed with nutrients. That simple. We want to incorporate more enzymes or natural living food into our bodies.

And if you read your Bible...you will know what it means to eat pure food. Eat what the Lord has provided for you. You best optimal health can continue and grow from eating more living foods.

I was on this plan for a month. Without exercise I did the stage 3 and followed through the evening. I lost 16lbs in a month! I didn't even do an enema yet. My body was doing well everyday several times a day getting rid of the waste I've manage to occumalate. I didn'want to wear my food anymore. My insulin was way off from process snacks. This really help me feel the difference and pay respect to the best thing I could have done for myself. This book is a great beginning. I hope you see it the way I do.

I bought this book because I was interested in increasing the raw food in my diet. I am not a vegetarian, nor do I eat all raw... I am a total beginner who was looking for a place to start and some good recipes. I felt that if I enjoyed eating raw food then I would be more inclined to stick with the program. I enjoyed reading the book and thought the information was valuable. I have started to combine my food correctly when possible and have been more aware of what goes into my body. I got this book from the library first and then realized that I needed to buy it since I kept going back to it. I have tried the Green Lemonade, the Gold Elixir, Oh so Easy Romaine Wraps, Not peanut sauce and several others and they have all been delicious and easy. At the very least this book has me eating healthier and if I continue to incorporate the principles and suggestions I would hope to feel and be healthier as well. Enjoy

This book is practical for the average Joe. It doesn't preach 100% raw, just 50-75% and raw until dinner. I lost 30lbs in 3 months, and have maintained my weight for 2 months. My gout has disappeared with no meds. This book changed my life.

Natalia Rose so gets it right with her waste equals weight concept. I wish everyone would read her book! I've been following her basic principles for 6 months and have watched my skin clear up, my weight drop, my mood lifted and my general energy level doubled. The way to this cleansing from the inside out is simply but thoroughly laid out in her book with recipes to keep you creative as you're cleansing. I don't believe in "diets". I never have. This book, however, is a way of and road map to filling our bodies with real, raw, unprocessed food and finding our purest and leanest selves. The writing is thoughtful, the principles are astute and easy to grasp, and there is something for everyone to find and follow in this book that will lead us to healthier living period. Brava, Natalia Rose!

The title suggests that this is a raw foods book. Not only are many of the recipes not raw, some contain meat and dairy products. If you are looking for a book on changing to a healthy plant based diet, try The Great American Detox Diet by Jamieson or anything by Jennifer Raymond, especially the Peaceful Palate.

I have been dabbling in Raw Foods for about 2 years now. I own and have read every raw book out there. It wasn't until I read her chapter on colon management that a light just came on. She does a fabulous job and explaining about RAW Food and challenges that come with it. Plus, she is great about not only easing you into the raw food lifestyle but letting you know that you don't have to be "All Raw or nothing" to be a success.

It's a pleasant, easy, and motivating read.

This book does not try and convince you to go 100% raw - basically if you read this with an open mind and try what it suggests you will feel and look better. Stop counting calories and fat grams and enjoy some fruit!

First, let me say that my opinion of this book is largely positive. There is a great deal of useful information presented in a simple manner. And, if you consider anecdotal evidence reliable, many people have achieved success by adhering to this program. Frankly, it's hard to imagine how a person wouldn't lose weight and feel better eating like this.

That said, there are a few issues I wish to address...

I can't help but question the author's credentials. Although Natalia Rose is evidently regarded as an authority within the field of nutrition, there is no real explanation of her background or education in the book or online. The book simply states that, "Natalia received her BA at New York University and her certification in clinical nutrition at The National Healing Institute of Naturopathy." There is no mention of what discipline her baccalaureate degree is in, but I can assure you that it most likely is unrelated to healthcare/nutrition; most dietics or nutrition programs award a BS degree, not a BA. Graduates of such programs are eligible to qualify as Registered Dieticians (RD), who are regulated, professional nutrition experts. "Nutritionist" is an unregulated term for which there are no minimum requirements. There are tons of unaccredited schools that offer nutrition certificates. The Clinical Nutritionist offering at the National Healing Institute of Naturopathy is a $2,000 certificate program consisting of twelve courses. The duration of the program is not specified, but I can't imagine it lasting more than a few months for such a low price. How thorough could twelve courses be in so little time?

My primary concern regarding the author's credentials is that some of the advice presented in the book is contrary to that of many more qualified individuals. For instance, she insists that we avoid soy products at all costs. Now, I'm not necessarily saying that she's wrong; all I know is that virtually every other book I've consulted advocates the inclusion of soy products. Also, unless I misunderstood the section on proper combination of foods, the author appears to contradict herself at times. For example, she claims that fruit should not be combined or consumed with any other category of food; yet, there are salads in the recipe section in which vegetables and fruits are combined.

Ultimately, if the program works for you, embrace it, but I would hesitate to take all of Ms. Rose's suggestions as gospel. As far as I can tell, she is relatively unqualified to offer nutrition advice (at least in any formal sense).

She did a very good job writing this book. 1/3 of about the diet including a quiz on what level of the diet you should follow. 1/3 are recipes you can use, both raw and easier to digest cooked foods. 1/3 are how to live in the real world with this diet.

At first the fact that there was some cooked food and flesh recipes, but then after reading the book saw that she created the book so that people can transition into a more raw diet. I think this makes it easier for people to accept this diet. I was already on the raw path and am a vegetarian for 10 years so i was able to start the diet eating 90% raw.

She also says herself that she isn't 100% raw but more like 95 to 99%. She says that she doesn't like labels and she eats what she wants. I like that and don't feel so pressured to eat 100% raw. And i want o make some baked potato wedges then i can eat them. But she does also mention better cooked choices.

I learned a lot from this book and feel comfortable that anyone can eventually follow at least level 3 (raw till dinner). She also shares stories from her clients. My favorite is when she told a client that was putting eggs, chicken and cheese on her salad that the definition of a salad is a plate full of vegetables.

I was disapointed with this book because I'm a vegetarian as it is and am going raw. This is not a book for those already filling there life with even 30% raw food everyday. Many of her receipies use "other sources". Is this not just the same as "processed foods"? Her suggestions for eating out made my mouth draw. "steamed vegetables" and "whole wheat pasta"!!! I eat out many time and yes I may have to ask for a salad, but you can ask for some of your things to NOT BE COOKED. Like your vegetables. I did her test and her sample diet is something I would not eat becuase it included meat or dairy. I did like her info on "quick exit foods" and about food combining, and her info on colonics enlighted my own personal experiance. If you are currently a fast food junkie, eating as you wish "diet foods", or just plain don't eat healty,and even eating those processed soy products, then this book will be good for you. I gave this three stars becuase for those that I know that eat bad, I would hand this book to them becuase it is a good "start eating healthy" book.

I have read a lot of raw foods books since becoming interested in the diet and this one is probably the worst. It includes instructions on how to give yourself an enema, and several recipes that are not raw foods. If you wanted just an ordinary cook book it could have just said that. I recommend David Wolfe's Eating for Beauty. That was the most informative about the diet and it has some delicious recipes in it. I also don't think you should eat raw meat, which she suggested in this book. It can in fact make you very sick and it doesn't sound that appealing to me.

Natalia Rose's book is so life affirming, abundantly positive and refreshingly easy to follow that no matter who you are, or what your weight is, Natalia's book will forever change your thoughts on food consumption, and will make you realize that the fountain of youth and feeling good is directly related to what you put into your body.


Once I finished her book, I went food shopping, and cleaned out my closet. I instantly discovered a new way of eating that truly energized me, and I was able to substitute my bad cravings for junk food with good healthy ones.

The results were stunningly apparent and it is remarkable how quickly your body responds to these changes in your diet. I found that in just two days of eating healthier and incorporating her "Green Lemonade" juice, I was feeling significantly better - younger, more hydrated, more energized, brighter, more positive, lighter, and clearer in my thinking, it was amazing.

Natalia has found an incredible tone with which to share her diet, she truly inspires and motivates, and she has created a user -friendly system that is rewarding and easy to follow.

I was so impressed with her book that so far I have bought it for nine of my friends and family members. I have found it makes an amazing gift item because everyone can make a positive change in their thinking and eating habits. I guess once you discover a good thing, you cannot help but want to share it with the people that you love, and every person to whom I have sent the book has been immensely grateful.

I realized through this book that learning to control your food intake on a daily basis helps you to gain control over other aspects of your life. It seems Natalia Rose's good diet carried over into all aspects of her being (she is beautiful, as you can see on the back of the book) and she was kind enough to share her discoveries in the most accessible, insightful and encouraging way imaginable.

I was very disappointed in this book. The title is deceiving. I am a vegan and thought this book was for health. Meat, eggs, cheese and lots of oil are not healthy for you. These products are full of cholesterol and artery clogging fats. She discourages the eating of legumes and soy products. May I suggest that this author and others that are interested in health read the China Study by T. Colin Campbell,PhD and Diet for a New America by John Robbins

This book is much too complicated for what it needs to be. The one point she makes in this book that I agree with is "you need to bring in less garbage into your body today that you did yesterday".
This book is close to 300 pages but it needn't be. Raw foodism is a lifestyle choice, it's supposed to be simple. As a vegan I looked into this book for recipes but what I found was a lot of convoluted nonsense this author touts. If you want to eat raw, then do it. You don't need a rule book to tell you how to do it. As for the "maximum weight loss" claim, well, if you're filling your face with garbage right now, you will lose weight but only because you're eating healthy food. It's not rocket science.

I learned some great new things about nutrition, food combining, digestion & more. After 8 weeks on the program(eating raw at Breakfast & Lunch & a healthy dinner including cooked fish or meat) I feel so much better, my digestion/intestinal sluggishness is GONE and I lost 2 sizes.
Wow.

I have been a vegan for over a year and for the past couple of months I have been interested in the raw-foods lifestyle. It seems like a natural progression, for me, to explore this because though I love being a vegan, I knew in the back of my mind that eating a lot of processed and packaged (albeit vegan) product was still not the way to go. I knew I needed to get back to basics even if a raw lifestyle seems intimidating.

This is the main reason I like this book. The unforced transition and the personal choice of progression are reasonable and seem the only way to sustain a healthier lifestyle. To be honest, when I bought the book, I didn't realize there would be such an emphasis on weight loss. I was not as interested in that as simply maximizing my health. And personally, I believe major concentration on weight loss vs. maximum health keeps people in the cycle of gaining and losing. I don't think there is enough of this to weigh down my review negatively, however. My only other complaint is that she makes some comment about how no one in this country suffers from hunger, and I thought that was elitist and untrue. It was only one sentence, but it did jar my view of Ms. Rose.

STILL, the basic philosophies & her basic information in the book were enough to spark a lot of intrigue and it caused me to research more about questions she had raised. For example, she is a bit vague about why soy is bad, but this did cause me to look into it more.

I decided to try the "raw till dinner" suggestion, Level 3, because I have had a pretty healthy regime. However, I was fairly nervous to do this, especially eating only fruit until noon and giving up most of the soy. I told myself I would see how I felt in a few days and if I was starving or felt depleted of energy, I would stop. I am a big breakfast person and I am sincerely surprised, nearly shocked, that Raw Till Dinner has not been that hard. I've been on this for 10 days; through the holidays even! I went off the exact plan maybe a couple times without guilt and the day after Christmas I had lost a pound, which as I said earlier I was not trying to do. I plan on staying on the Raw Till Dinner plan permanently or until I feel inclined enough to go to Level 2. Btw, this book also made me feel less intimidated by the juicing experience. I received a jr. juicer for Christmas and I was so glad to discover that juicing is really quite simple -- and delicious!

I do feel great and I appreciate the guidance in the book.

I was really looking forward to some substantial scientifically based information on "raw foodism", like why raw food is better for us than cooked, but alas no such information. Lots of ridiculous statement about "cell debris" and enzymes in juices that help human digestion. Plant enzymes help plants, not humans. We eat fruits and vegetables for minerals, vitamins, and fiber, the human body makes its own enzymes. Also, Rose advocates the outdated food-combining theories that have been debunked over and over. She also warns of the mythical "auto-intoxication" that can result from having too much raw food too soon that unclogs waste matter from the body. This is a ridiculous idea, but I did begin to think people who believe this nonsense must be the same ones who thought WMD's were in Iraq when every credible source said they were not.

I thought this book has some decent and simple recipes and is pretty good for people working on a transition to raw. Most raw food books I've read are about going raw all the way, which is a great thing, but some people aren't ready to do it cold turkey. And Natalia Rose takes you in the direction of raw gradually.

I thought the test at the beginning of the book was helpful to determine where you are with your lifestyle, although most people will probably already know what they are ready for.

The author's explanation of how to make the transition is pretty well done and I feel can make it easier for some to work toward a mostly raw lifestyle, especially if you've already started going in that direction.

The reason I gave it 3 stars though is because in her recipes she suggests using Splenda. Splenda is an artificial sweetner and is not believed to be a healthy alternative. As quoted from Dr. Mercola's website, "essentially, Splenda is produced by chlorinating sugar." If you're going to use a sweetner in the recipe, use the suggested choice of Stevia instead, which is an herb and not artificial. Or before using Splenda, do your homework. Research. Then decide.

As a predominately raw-foodist, and as Certified Personal Trainer, I've read many books on the subject of raw foods. The problem with some raw food books is that they are written by people who often don't understand the biology of the human body, and many are concerned more with "being raw," than being truly healthy.
THE RAW FOOD DETOX DIET is an EXCELLENT book for anyone aspiring to become a raw-foodist, or for someone just looking to be "a little healthier." I am recommending this book to all of my clients. Thank you for the great book Natalia!
Chris O'Loughlin
Natural Fitness Trainer
www.SuperNaturalFitness.com

I have tried all sorts of ways of eating - you name it, I did it. I did Atkins before it was popular, low-fat, low this and low that. In my quest for better health and just feeling better in general, I read this book for the first time at the end of 2006. What Natalia Rose writes about how food interacts with the body makes absolute sense. I began incorporating her principles immediately. I ended up buying a good compact juicer (a refurbished Jack Lanlanne Power Juicer Express for $49.95 - I love it), which I even take on the road with me. I also buy organic fruits and veggies whenever I can; when I can't, then I just make sure I wash the produce well. Before I embarked on completely changing the way I ate, I engaged in a "Master Cleanse" program for 18 days - what a liberating experience! Since that time I have followed Stage 3 of Natalia Rose's book, and I follow her recommendations on the order in which to eat the recommended foods. I have never felt better. I feel light and never bloated, I am never stopped up, and my head is not in a constant fog. I have boundless energy and sleep better than ever. I have quit taking vitamins in pill form because I now am able to get all my nutriton via the foods I eat. True raw foodists would disagree, but I love the fact that the book doesn't advocate that one has to begin eating raw all at once, or ever get to the level of eating all raw. The book is for the mainstream, because it allows one to slowly get used to the raw food; if one never makes it to Stage 5, so be it - it's an individual choice. Personally, I think I'll stick to Stages 3 and 4 as I am loathe to give up eating meat, fish, and eggs. I also like that none of the recipes in the book call for sprouting or drying anything - most everything used is fresh and readily available in stores or on the Net. Because I feel so good on this plan (not a diet really, but a different way of eating), I bought a bunch of the books and gave them to all of my friends - I want them to have the choice of feeling as good as I do.

The best healthy lifestyle and diet book since Fit for Life came out ages ago. A pleasure to read, Natalia Rose writes with wit, candor and a natural sympathy for all the rights and wrongs of our daily eating habits. Clear and easy to understand, "The Raw Food Detox Diet" provides ample large and small suggestions that are easy to remember and follow.

What also makes this book unique is that each chapter and every page is written so well that they can practically stand on their own; therefore, constant page flippers, like I, are able to readily extract useful advice whenever we flip open the book. For those who don't alway read 'how to' tomes from front to back, this is a great nutrition book.

I started scanning from the middle of the book while still at the book store and by the time I arrived home was already correcting my nutrition regimen. In addition, I purchased the recommended Brecille juicer and am very happy with it.

If you buy this book, I believe you will be very happy with it too.

I like the author's writing style and easy manner in which she diagnoses the reader's nutritional state and then "prescribes" what is necessary (vis-a-vis menu plans) in order to transition the reader to a more healthy and/or predominantly raw lifestyle.

Like others, however, I was a bit put off by her colonic irrigation/enema emphasis, and have to agree that I am a bit dubious of the "colon cleansing" market in general. Seems like a bit of a racket to me.

Having said that, though, it's wonderful to be clean on the inside as well as the out, and switching to a largely raw lifestyle will help anyone do that. More fruits and veggies in the diet simply makes sense.

I've been reading about the raw food lifestyle for several months now and while all the science and testimonies sounded great, I still doubted whether I could actually make the leap. I finally bought this particular book because weight loss seemed to be a focus. I'm happy to report that I have been following it for 4 weeks and though I'm just a Level 5 (the "lowest" level - for those transitioning from pretty bad eating habits, i.e regular fast food meals and not much in the way of fresh fruits and vegetables), I have lost 20 lbs! While that's great in itself, the difference I felt in both mind and body after just one week was more than enough of a payoff. I don't know how many times I've told friends and co-workers that I wish I'd done this years ago. I lost weight on Atkins but felt crummy and I know I couldn't continue that forever. With Raw "LIVING!" food, it'll just keep getting better, and there are some wonderful new vegan/raw cookbooks out there. Yes, I'm still eating some cooked foods (a slow transition avoids a toxic overload) but I am anxious to eliminate them ASAP. Ms. Rose provides valuable scientific info as well as encouragement in her book and I recommend it to anyone who will listen.

The claims in this book are nuttier than squirrel poo. Moreover, they make no sense. You get healthier on a raw vegan diet (as I am doing!) because you're consuming no processed foods, no meat, no dairy, no eggs, no fried foods, no cholesterol, little or no saturated fat (unless you get into coconuts), lots of fiber, lots of vitamins and minerals, and probably lots of water. In other words, you're following the diametric opposite of the S.A.D. (Standard American Diet) that's made so many of us sick in the first place. Garbage in, garbage out. Take out the bad things, replace them with good things, add exercise, and you will see improvements, even dramatic ones--but there's nothing mystical about it. All this natural-hygiene nonsense about enzymes and food combining and body pH and diluting your digestive juices with water (people, your digestive acids can strip rust off a nail! You can't "dilute" them!) is bunk and has been proven as such over and over again. But since suspicion (if not outright hostility) towards science is very popular amongst raw foodists, I'm not surprised to see those myths resurfacing here.

And if you're consuming enough fiber and fluids, your colon will take care of removing waste from your body on its own. It was designed specifically to do just that. Nobody, not even Elvis, has a build-up of toxic material weighing down his/her colon. It really isn't necessary to obsess over the products and activities of that part of your body; it's pretty much self-regulating if you're healthy. As for the consumption of meat, eggs, artificial sweeteners, alcohol, and dairy products...well, those are the big troublemakers in most people's diets, so I'm at a loss as to why they're included in a "detox" diet book.

Unfortunately, this book encapsulates so much of the crazy hype and outlandish claims surrounding raw foods, rather than the real, and realistic, benefits; and is a perfect example of the approach that turns a lot of people away from a way of eating that if properly followed, would do them much good. If you want a book with tasty, easy recipes and a good, solid, sensible approach to the raw vegan lifestyle, one that is grounded in fact rather than emotion and fanaticism and written by recognized experts in vegan and vegetarian nutrition, check out "The Raw Food Diet Revolution." "Living Cuisine: The Art and Spirit of Raw Foods" also has great recipes and a more laid-back, balanced approach.

After doing a colon cleanse, I wanted to continue the journey and found this book. My husband and I were truly ready for more of a change.
I have been very pleased with all of the recipes in this book so far. I'm totally addicted to 'pecan pie'. The dressings are fabulous - love the Liquid Elixir.
There is definitely nothing lacking in flavor in any of these recipes.
The information regarding health is excellent. I'm a Holistic/Natural Health Consultant. I would refer this book to any of my clients ready for a change.

I checked this out from the library and I had to put it on my Amazon wish list for future purchase.

This book would have been a service to many who struggle to stay on the raw path for years on end - it is too bad that it hasn't come out early.

There are 2 kinds of people when it comes to food - those who are addicted to cooked food, and those who aren't. The ones that are addicted usually need to turn to raw 100% overnight, no transitioning. They often find themselves reverting to a fully cooked dehydrating diet after their first bite of pizza, whereas those who don't deal with the addiction are able to have the pizza and go back to raw with their next meal.

I believe that anyone following the guidelines in this book will be able to easily transition at the pace that suits them. Some may take more time while others could do it quickly. The guidelines are just that, there is wiggling room for everyone and the author never talks down or give absolutes on how to reach one's goals.

I've been into raw food for almost 5 years now and I would have loved to have this book back when I started. I estimate that I am closest to level 1 (Level 5 being on the SAD - Standard American Diet, with illness and disease) with a little level 2 thrown in.

I will soon have to return this to the public library but I will definately be purchasing this for my own health library!

This book was a huge disappointment.

I have to give the author kudos for using recipes that don't require special appliances, although, NONE appealed to me or seemed appetizing in the least. And she did include some flesh recipes, which is pretty uncommon in raw food recipe books, so I am sure that will please some readers. While the recipes were only a portion of the book, they were a huge letdown for me, as I am guessing they will be for other readers, as well. Finding scrumptious recipes is CRUCIAL to a successful crossover into the world of raw food.

Even though her recipes section was lacking, the author had a great section of information about the raw food diet and why it's good for the body. She also included other means of detoxing and cleansing (such as skin brushing, saunas, etc.). There was a good question and answer section at the back of the book from a raw food expert (I can't remember if he was a doctor or what), and that was interesting and informative.

On the other hand, I have to agree with another reviewer who said that this book is more about extreme dieting than anything else. While the author does separate the population into 5 different categories according to toxicity (using a test she includes in the book, you can determine for yourself which category you fall under), the diets she provides to cleanse yourself and work your way towards a raw food diet are extreme and difficult. The goal for her "program" (which is NOT five steps -- only one; she has five CATEGORIES of people) is for everyone to reach a diet consisting of 100% raw. My problem with that is that even for the most dedicated raw foodists, eating a 100% raw food diet is overly ambitious and unrealistic. Achieving a diet of 70-75% raw is more doable and just as beneficial. Rose's regimen is too drastic and invites failure.

While her weekly diet plans are just examples of possible food combinations, I believe them too be too strict for most people. Rose has a disturbing philosophy that the more purified one's body becomes and the more accustomed one becomes with the raw diet, the less inclined an individual will be to eat. Rose advocates consuming nothing but juices until the afternoon and then just eating a very light snack and dinner. An interesting concept is posed to justify this kind of backwards thinking -- you will have LESS energy the MORE you eat because your body will be utilizing it's sources to digest and breakdown your food. Consequently, Rose urges the reader to go from light to heavy when eating their meals so that one's largest intake is at DINNER, CONTRARY to what almost all diet pushers will tell you. This kind of talk is blasphemous according to almost every other diet author out there, and, while I am not one to immediately discount something because it isn't "mainstream," I tend towards the Blasphemy side on this one. Scientifically and logically, to me, this school of thought does not make sense. And, that's fine, but as I previously stated, Rose's philosophy that the body will require less food as it heals is disturbing and dangerous, as well. That is not something I can overlook. That practice will surely lead to undernourishment and confusion among already misinformed, lopsided-thinking persons, providing them with fuel to continue on with unhealthy, damaging food practices.

This book advertises an extremist's view of a raw food diet and is a read best done courtesy of the local library.

Natalia Rose has an unhealthy obsession with poo, plus she thinks you can gobble down tons of avocados and coconuts (both teaming with calories and fat) and still loose weight! She also wants you to skip breakfast--one of the key things every other dietitian tells you NOT to do! This "diet" left me feeling light-headed and nauseous. I need real food, not juice and water. This book is for crazy people.

This book is clear and easy to follow. Natalia Rose makes a strong case for eating raw foods at least one meal a day. I felt an immediate result when following even half of the diet. A lot more energy, focus and overall health. It helps strengthen the immune system and fight off colds. This is not a diet in the traditional sense of the word, it is a lifestyle.

I recently purchased 15 books on raw diets. Natalia has the most complete resource for someone transitioning to raw food. The test for your transition level tells you which diet to follow based on your personal level of toxicity. She doesn't encourage someone whos been eating meat and junk for 30 years to drop everything and go raw. This was really helpful for me as my family wasn't able to start out 100% raw without severe detox symptoms.

In my opinion, this is not a book for someone who is already strict vegetarian or vegan. Natalia doesn't advise cutting out meat altogether. If you're looking for 100% raw books, try David Wolfe's books for the science behind raw, the Boutenko books for recipes, and Sun-Rose's radiant life for a personal experience.

This book was disappointing because it was billed as a raw cookbook and it is not raw. Get Juliano's "Raw" and "Rawsome" by Bridgette Mars and "Green for Life" by Victoria Botenko instead.

A friend loaned me this book and as I was interested I decided to buy it for myself. I'm a total novice at the whole raw foods way of life. I found that this book was not too extreme. I felt like I could modify my diet to include many raw foods. Natalia seems sensible in her approach for someone new like me. She does "allow" some cooked foods, so for a pure raw foodist this may be out of the question. I love the "Green Lemonade" she advocates. I was surprised at how many of the foods I enjoyed. Some of the recipes call for a few more items than I am familiar with, but fairly doable.
I would have liked a bit more explaination as to WHY this way of life is beneficial, what it is doing to my body. Some explanations are given, but I wanted a bit more depth. If someone was researching this way of life you wouldn't get a huge explanation from this book.
Otherwise, I'm on the road to raw!

This book gives alot of insight on how to start detoxing your body. I've found out that you have to stick with your correct level of detoxing and not try to rush things. The website Natalia gives to help you locate some of the food items is great. I've also emailed her and she will return your email if it's not in the frequently asked questions of her website. It really works and I've lost weight on the program. I've also broke out with acne because I tried to detox at a higher level. I've learned to take it real slow. The recipes are also very good.

Unfortunatly this book is terribly written. I found the book juicing for life to contain many more juice recipies, and be much more readable. Skip this purchase or don't and end up posting a similar review to this one.

How can a "raw food" detox diet include recipes for meat and cooked foods?! This book needs a new title. It is a waste of money for anyone looking to truly detox their body.

I have read many books on food and nutrition,diets etc. and this is the one that makes the most sense. This is not a book about a fad diet its about a way to eat healthy for the rest of your life. She has different levels in which each one has less and less cooked foods and you can choose what level to be on and stay on it as long as you want. I'm a cyclist and not over weight but wanted to clean up my overall diet and not loose energy doing it. This way of eating has been great for me and I have lost weight without even trying. I would highly reccomend this book to anyone who wants to live a healthy and happy lifestyle.Thank you Natalia for writing such a wonderful book.

I have learned so much about my body since reading this book. Although many of the recipes are not he easiest for the busy person t prepare, the author offers a lot of insight as far as foods that digest easier together than others. Since I have read this book, I have given up soy and dairy, and I have never felt better!

So much controversy and reactivity over the ideas in this book! I love it!

After about 15 years of studying and experimenting with nutritional paradigms from the Zone to Body Ecology Diet (anything but Atkins) I'm always curious to see new takes on old systems and this book is a lovely and worthy successor to one of my favorite books on healthy living through good nutrition, Fit For Life. That book introduced me to the reasons behind eliminating dairy, practicing food combining, the energy ladder concept of eating, etc and this book takes those basic principles and brings them into a lovely 5-tiered program for slowly, joyfully and subtly shifting into a lifestyle that includes more and more living foods.

I wholeheartedly believe in food combining and the benefits of dropping things like dairy and soy, so this resonates for me personally via my own experiences with it...when I did all of thee above my asthma lessened, weight came off and my energy skyrocketed. I can't argue with that. There IS science behind it all but at the end of the day what matters to me isn't a medical journal's opinion backing things up, it's how I feel and the state of my health. I am vibrant, energetic and ALIVE when I follow these simple guidelines (yes, I know they are dizzying at first, but it becomes second nature). What's nice about the food combining principle is the fact that by honoring even just that one concept, in general, I feel a difference of night and day. And over time, as you become more comfortable and adept, you can fine tune it further and further, and your body will let you know when that time is.

As for the Green Lemonade/juicing, it sounds fabulous and I will certainly add that in sometimes, but I find using Victoria Boutenko's Green Smoothies to be what my body prefers. I know Natalia says that by eliminating the fiber you hydrate the cells more quickly, and that could very well be true, but again I listen to my body, and my wallet! ;) My trusty glass Osterizer does a bangup job of liquifying my pint of greens and fruit, but I will follow her lead of adding lemon juice and ginger.

As with any system, I suggest allowing yourself to adjust things to what you know works for you, but I also encourage you to be open to her ideas and recommendations. Yes, she allows things like fish, eggs, meat, etc but this is because she wants to make this approachable to everyone, starting from any level. And I think she's quite right to say that you can address things like coffee, wine, etc later on...doing too much too soon can really knock you back and be counterproductive, I agree. I've experienced that myself.

If you are someone who is not open to concepts like food combining, eliminating dairy and soy, etc then this will not be something you'll like or follow. But if you are willing to try these out and trust that perhaps the things we are told by the maintstream aren't necessarily the healthiest choices, you could really tap into something special here. She'd made this as simple and enjoyable as possible, offering everyone from the Big Mac addict to a strict vegan a way to progress into a more balanced and energizing way of eating and living.

I've noticed people sniping about contradictions and I think they must be skimming, not listening. She says time and again that while she presents guidelines, it's not an all or nothing deal. Yes, ideally fruits are to be eaten on their own, but you can mix them with raw veggies sometimes. I think the flexibility is great because it removes rigidity from the equation and makes these shifts less daunting.

She also addresses the inclusion of Splenda on her website; she clearly wants people to turn to natural sweeteners like stevia (my favorite), maple syrup, raw honey, etc but for Nutrasweet addicts at Level 5, that probably sounds unattainable, so she offers Splenda as a transitional compromise. If it keeps someone open to making a shift into something about life energy and vitality, where they can later drop that and go all natural, it's really not such an abomination, and I am as ANTI artificial sweetener as it gets. Taking someone from gallons of Aspartame ingestion to stevia ain't easy...Splenda is just a stepping stone. Ideally, you pass that up and go for the other choices, which are incredible and tasty.

Now as for people who feel she doesn't have the credentials to back up her work, let me just say that I've gotten more sound guidance on health and nutrition from people who study it on their own voraciously than I have from any M.D.s. A degree does not make you an expert, believe it or not. The best personal trainer I ever worked with was a bodybuilder whose self taught knowledge of kinesiology and anatomy was astounding, no initials behind his name but a legion of clients who made incredible gains in strength and health safely under his guidance. Conversely, I worked with a trainer with an Bachelor's and three certifications and she was awful. Degrees are lovely, but if you're someone who needs to see special sequences of initials behind someone's name to find their knowledge valid, move along to something else. There is a world of valuable information out there, but they don't yet offer degrees on things like nutrition for higher vibrational frequencies, etc. Maybe they never will, but either way, this kind of lifestyle shift goes far beyond what can be taught in a college classroom; it's a mind/body/spirit paradigm. Like yoga, there are aspects that can be handed down, and aspects that can only be experienced.

Bottom line, this is a program that really anyone, at any level of nutritional awareness can do and still enjoy life, and eating. And if you are someone who loved Fit For Life, like me, you will likely enjoy this natural extension of those teachings. The recipes are also very approachable, and that's coming from someone who HATES to cook! LOL

I'm a guy and have a I have a chronic stomach illness (IBS).

Before starting this book, I was trying to balance my doctor's and acupuncturist's advice, with a yo-yo diet of junk food (ice cream sandwiches are my kryptonite) to healthy and no real direction.

Then my girlfriend recommended this book. The short story is that I have lost 26 pounds and many of my symptoms have gone away (even though I still can't have balsamic vinegar or too much ginger).

The book is easy to read and offers a 14 day plan for all levels of raw food. However, you don't HAVE TO follow the meal plan if you don't want to - it's about making the right choices. The tone is empathetic to how hard this diet can be and does everything to ease you in gradually.

The recipes are delicious and aren't there as your limitations, but to teach you how to cook raw. The Carrot/sweet potato bisque soup is one of my favorites and after a week of eating it for lunch some odd skin problems I had went away.

The downside is that it's really geared towards women. If you're guy, just stick through it. Also, yes, she doesn't advocate eating meat. However, I have balanced my love of meat into my diet and reduced my portions of protein and upped my veggies with proper combining and healthy ingredients.

Anyway, I can't say enough good things about the book and have been succesfully using the diet for 6 months with no wear and tear to my psyche.

While this can be helpful for the average person looking to improve their health a little by eating healthier, it isn't a great book for those looking to get more serious about their health and for more details about coverting to a raw diet. It's not a bad book, but there is a lot of information missing and it seems to encourage you to still eat a lot of unhealthy foods. The recipes are okay, not great and not all raw. There is some useful information, but might be confusing to most. There are better books out there regarding the raw diet.

I think this raw food diet book surpasses many simply because the author realizes that not everyone can (or even should) transition to a 100% raw food diet overnight. Before obtaining this book, I went 100% raw and felt awful. Now that I know my transition level, I can ease into the raw food lifestyle. Also, I like that sprouting grains or other time-consuming food prep is not the recipe focus, as in some raw food books. Brand names of raw foods and other transition foods are included, making shopping easier. The foods are edible and I think this way of eating provides the solution for every dieter out there who has tried it all but remains overweight. As for food combining and colon cleansing, it works--do it! This book is a great intro into the raw food lifestyle.

I recommend this book. It's an easy read. The plan is simple and effective. I feel great after one week of using her plan. Her methods and reasons make sense and are true. I have changed my way of eating for ever and it's not hard!

The raw lifestyle appeals to me, but reading books like _Rawsome!_ and _Raw: The Uncook Book_ was, to say the least, intimidating. It seemed that I had to go 100%, immediately, or nothing. There seemed to be no in between, or at least no clear-cut progression from SAD to raw.

I came across _The Raw Food Diet Detox_ by Natalia Rose in the bookstore, and decided to take a look. It was well worth it! Instead of just telling you to go raw gradually, or to not worry about discomfort because it was just detox, it actually has five levels, with menus for each, to get you from the Standard American Diet (SAD) to 100% raw. In fact, she actively discourages you from forcing yourself to go too raw too quickly, because you detox too quickly and autointoxicate, thereby undoing all your hard work, or you may become so uncomfortable that you quit before you get to your goal.

Rose does NOT claim to be a raw foodist - as she says, she eats what she wants, when she wants to. However, she is 95% raw, and occasionally eats fish (about once a month or so). She even has a few recipes that require cooking.

The book is very easy to read, and although I haven't tried the recipes yet (except the Green Lemonade - pretty tasty!), they seem pretty simple and tasty for those who like vegetables.

People who are already raw foodists will probably not find any helpful information in this book - in fact, I can see how it may offend many raw foodists. However, for those of us who have not reached that level of purity of diet, this book can be a useful tool to help guide the journey to raw foodism.

I guess I have a problem with hypocrisy. Yes, we're all hypocrites at times. But when it comes to a published and greatly esteemed book spouting out a hypocritical statement in the first 30 pages of its 243, I tend to put up my guard. I was a little shocked that Natalia Rose said "cows milk was designed for baby cows - not humans!" and then goes on to encourage the consumption of goat and sheep milk products. Okay, so baby goats and lambs aren't entitled to a little of mama's milk? Vegans, this book isn't for you. The only part of this book that I believe is valuable is the food-combining information.

I am glad I checked this book out of the library because this diet just won't pan out in my life. She makes some good points about eating healthy raw foods, but the section most important to me 'Raw on a Budget' tiptoed around the fact that you can't afford the really good raw stuff unless you've got plenty of disposable income, but if you really want to make it work you'll magically find the money. I will take away healthier choices, but going through a head of celery a day for some juice and getting monthly colonics while brushing your body daily is more Hollywood than real life. Mostly this book will just make you feel bad about the food you're going to keep eating because living raw isn't totally viable for average people.

I had the mindset that this would be hard to do, but it was actually easier than I thought. I felt incredible after the first few days and my skin looked awesome! I didn't tell anyone what I was doing, and I started getting compliments. That's a personal success right there.

I changed my diet in July '05. I found this book in November '05 and have really enjoyed it. I love the different dressings especially the 2 Asian ones. I am an O blood type so I will always eat meat but this has some good Marinades and my very favorite recipe is the Sunshine Joy. This is an excellent book if you want to transition from the Standard American Diet to a Natural Healthy Diet. I was a level 3 when I found the book and may always be a Level 3 because of eating meat but I do follow the food combining and eating cooked food for dinner. I highly recommend this book for those who want to change how they eat to a healthy lifestyle that will last for a life time.

I was surprised by how much I liked this book. I expected to flip through it and feel frustrated or annoyed - like I have with many raw foods books - but instead I read it the whole way through. I like that she doesn't have a tyrannical "You must eat all raw, all the time!" approach like I've seen elsewhere. I've been vegan for years but even for me, the thought of going 100% raw is daunting. This book made me feel better because while I will probably never go all raw, I can always incorporate more and more raw foods into my diet.

I also enjoyed the raw and cooked recipes. A typically raw meal in another book includes about three dozen ingredients (half of which I can't even find in the multiple natural or specialty stores in my city!) that amount to an entire day's work of chopping and dehydrating. Thankfully, this book makes things more simple and manageable.

The only thing I wasn't too keen on was how much she pushed the enema thing. I have mixed feelings on all this colon cleansing and can't help but think it's a racket.

This book was wonderful. Natalia did a great job explaining the benefits of raw food. She also makes the transition an easy one as opposed to the confusing and somewhat painful 100% immediate transition. After responding to a list you are assigned a transition number(mine was dead on). With this number you are given suggestions(food) on how stick with it, and what signs may imply you're ready to move up to the next level. This book took some of the scary off of being a raw foodist, with openness and helpful raw-in-the-real-world ideas.

Why I like this book is that it gives you instructions on how to start with raw foods slowly and still eat some of the coocked foods you love. The book is also easy to read and easy to follow. There are no restrictions on portion sizes or calorie intake. It has simple and tasty recipes. Believe me, I am not a cook and if the recipes were easy for me, they will be for you too. Honestly, going organic is a bit expensive... but after a week, the way I feel now, well worth it!!

I purchased this book after participating in a physician monitored detox diet of similar origin to help with symptoms brought on by Fibromyalgia. I did so well on that and felt so great that I knew I wanted to continue with the principals of the raw food way of life. I highly recommend this book for people with Fibromyalgia. I have suffered for 7 years and can honestly say that after just a few weeks of living raw, I feel the best I have in 20 years! It really does work! The book is easy to read and the principals are easy to incorporate into a busy lifestyle (I work full time and have an active 9 year old). Be prepared, however, for a bit of an investment. While I feel a $400 blender may be over the top (I've been doing fine with my $30 Hamilton Beach), a good juicer is a must and fresh organic produce can be pricey, but the benefits far outweigh the cost. So buy, read, incorporate and enjoy!

I have a child with special needs who is reactive to the foods in her diet. We have tried every special diet imaginable. This book has answered every question I've ever had. Why when given combinations of foods did she behave drunken or in pain. I never had things explained quite this way before. I am so thankful for this book, I thought these questions would remain a mystery and concern me forever. Our whole family has learned a valuable lesson - how to make the food work for us and make us as healthy as we were intended to be.

Ok, so let me get this straight, you are NOT fat, you are CONSTIPATED. You are constipated because of all of the chemicals you have been eating in cooked foods. You must eat raw foods to lose weight and untoxify yourself.

Ok, so I am going to eat raw foods and I will lose weight. Hmm what about the foods that your body can't digest unless its cooked? So that means I'm only cutting in at around half the calories and nutrients i was taking in before.

So now I am going to lose weight because im eating half the calories and half the nutrients that my body needs to function properly which includes burning fat.

So, ok my metabolism has almost completley shutdown due to lack of nutrients and energy, my body is breaking down muscle protein to use as energy because it is starving and now i could possibly suffer from malnutrition because my body isn't getting all of the nutrients it needs to funciton properly because it cant digest some of the raw foods.

Now what part of this diet makes any sense at all?
I mean it has no real evidence that eating raw foods benifits you in any "real" way and it has no scientific backing at all.

So I ask you, is it really worth it?

I have had my animals on a raw food diet for almost 3 years and have seen the remarkable changes in them. I thought, "Why not me?" Although I am not on an all raw food diet, this book is a great resource for incorporating more raw foods into my life!

I have now been following this "diet" for about a month. I hate to call it a diet because I feel it is a change for life. I am eating raw for breakfast (usually "juice" and fruit, and for lunch as well with a cooked dinner. I have found it to be easy to follow and maintain. I crave the recommended green lemonade in the morning, and have the gazpacho for lunch at least every other day - DELICIOUS. I feel healthy, lean and have a ton of energy. How could anyone argue with eating more fruits and veggies? The food combining takes a little practice and thought, but I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants a healthier way of eating with a bonus of shedding pounds!

This is a good book to start with if you're thinking of going raw. All the basics are here. The author encourages you to start slowly and introduce raw foods gradually into your diet rather than going raw overnight. On this diet, it is so important to food combine properly, which is explained in the book. Also, she includes easily digestible foods that are not raw. I would have given this book 5 stars, but she did not fully explain that apples and lemons can be combined with vegetables, so I think it looks like she is contradicting herself when she includes a recipe with apples, lemon, and greens. Earlier in the book she says that fruit must be eaten alone. Also, she says that avocado is metabolized as a starch, but all other food combining sources say it is a protien. It's okay that she has a differing opinion, but she doesn't state why she thinks so. Read this, get what you can from it, but also do your homework and read from other sources, as well. Gourmet Raw is also good.

Let me start out by writing that as of this time, I am not totally 100% a Raw Foodist. I am not sure I ever want to be fully raw. Sally Fallon is someone to look into and listen to. That been said, this book is not about forcing you to be fully raw at all. The 5 point grading system, based on your answer to some questions, I found to be very accurate. I have been moving into the Raw food diet slowly over a period of four years. I wish I had this book to start me off. The lemonade drink is wonderful. I started out with making drinks and smoothies that had my taste buds scream in terror, but I persisted. Over the years this has improved a lot and with Natalia's help, you can avoid some unpleasant tasting drinks.

I find that I am reading and re-reading sections as a constant reminder to stay on course. I have suggested this book to others.

Now this part I copied from another review :
The fact that "Raw Food Life Force Energy," by Natalia Rose is an update of this book. Look into that, but I fully recommend this book.

I really thought, going into this "raw" deal, that I was going to be sneaking down to the fridge in the middle of the night for the leftover chicken or a slice of cake, but I am amazed at how simple and forfilling the raw lifestyle thurned out to be. I think that this book is a gift for the new raw foodists out there. It outlines different levels of eating so that the burger and fries deprived dont find themselves back in line at McDonalds. The book explains why one doesnt just jump in feet first into this sort of lifestyle....one must test the water until they are comfortable enough to venture further. Two enthusiastic thumbs up. Its all that and a bag of guiltless gourmet chips.

I had been a vegetarian for almost 16 years when I read this book, and was looking for a book about detoxing, not necessarily the raw food lifestyle. Something in it clicked for me, however... RAW was the way to optimum health! Still, I struggled with this information for about a year and half as I allowed myself to be influenced by the opinions of my naturopath, other books, my family, and my own addictions. I never forgot this book, however, and it remained a reference for me. Finally, after a recent 10 day water fast, I finally kicked my Pepsi habit and suddenly instead of trying to convince myself that a raw diet was best, my body actually insisted on it. I was about 95% raw for 3 weeks, and I am now 100%. Thanks, Natalia. Without your book, I may have never realized the internal hum that I have only experienced with raw food!!!

I am new to the world of raw food and if you are too, this book is an excellent place to get started...in fact, it will carry you from where you are currently with your eating all the way to totally raw, if that's where you want to go. A questionnaire will help you decide at which of 5 levels you should start with the program, so don't get freaked out if you are currently subsisting on Big Macs and diet Coke...you don't necessarily have to do a 180 right off the bat. The book is filled with excellent information and rationales as to WHY this is a desireable way to eat, and anyone should be able to ease in to it. The recipes are wonderful, and you won't have to be buying rare, exotic foods in order to make it work. A juicer is recommended, and I bought the one the author suggests. It is amazing. Simply, if you are wanting to explore the world of raw eating, start with this book. I think you will be very pleasantly surprised at how easy it can be to incorporate!

I was so impressed with this book and the gradual and "finding your own" into raw foods. It makes so much sense, the lists are so helpful and I love the different options that didn't scrub my colon basically raw! I am brand new to this and am able to follow it without any harmful side effects, just the side effects of feeling so much better and losing weight. I checked this book out from the library, read the 1st (and maybe 2nd) chapter and ordered! I love it, Thank you Ms. Rose!!!

This book presents a very modern take on the raw food movement. It's very practical in that the author recognizes that not everyone is cut out to be a 100% raw foodie, she allows for a persons individual needs, and meshes them well with the concept of a raw food diet. The technical ins and outs of the book are very easy to understand and very information, I have read this book back to front more than once and have dog-ear'd almost every page. I tried the Green Lemonade, and yech, but I just have a penchant for sweeter juices. As much as I love meat, and I do love meat this book made so much sense to me and I look forward to spending my days eating "light to heavy."

This book is great and provides great insight to the world of natural foods. However, if you are some fatty that's been living on the Standard American Diet (SAD) and have made no serious attempts at eating healthy, this book maybe too much for you to handle. That is my one complaint about this book. Ms. Rose makes everything too rosey. There are a lot of people who would die just thinking about this diet. Literally! They would just keal over and die. I know some of these people. They're digusting. However, I lost four pounds in three days, so it works for me but I've been eating fairly healthy for the past five years. I wouldn't be able to do it if I had still been eating burgers and "Diet" Cokes. Anyway, good book but not definitely not for everyone, especially those in the midwest.

This book is valuable in that it presents an approachable way to "detox" and eat in a way that's healthful for most of the population. That's a big distinction to make, however, in that there are some people for whom this diet needs to be tempered with more information. I'm thinking specifically of those with preexisting conditions like pre-diabetes or metabolic syndrome, which is likely more common in the general population than many of us are aware. I hope that Natalia Rose will add more information to a future edition for people in such situations. They may experience symptoms or have special needs that aren't addressed in the book. This is not to say the book isn't valuable, only that it needs an addendum, in my opinion.

This is a great book that really helps you on your way to changing your eating and making the transition to Raw Foods. It is easy to read and follow. The best part is that this program works ! I loved it so and lost 9lbs in 2 weeks that it led me to further research on food combinining. I say this book is a good place to start because it just touches the edge of the whole food combing science and you will want to learn more after reading it. I did and this were I ran into a problem. I found some conflicting information about fruits and digestion time and am now unsure what information to follow, I visited the books website which has what I consider a no-brainer Q&A page and could not answer the detailed questions I have. So if you are content with the info in the book, don't look any further, this book alone will be enough to help you make the changes you are looking for!

This is a great book to get infomation on how to start a RAW food lifestyle. It has some recipes and tips on how to start off and get on a healthier eating path.

I decided to read this book after counting my carbs and walking 4 miles a day didn't even MOVE the scale.
I'm no vegan and happen to HATE salads so I thought this would be a bust for me. But willing to try anything ONCE I started doing all of the suggestions. (minus the juicing since my juicer won't be here for another week) Even without the benefit of green lemonade, and while eating what I wanted (Including meat) for dinner..I'm losing about 5 lbs every 3 days.
I'm a believer!
I also read Carol Alts book on the subject. She is a meat eating raw foodie as well.
I lost weight, I look loads younger than my 40 years and I can keep up with my toddler. What more could I ask for?

My goal was only to get more fruits and veges into my family, so I'm not to strict about the actual "diet." I do try to make the Green Lemonade every day or every other day and my non vege eating husband pronounced it "not bad" and will drink it, as will my 16 month old son (4 year old daughter has said "no thanks" thus far.) My book is already water and food stained from trying the recipes; my favorite being Guacamole Salad (both kids beg for it when they see it!) and Marinated Portobello Mushrooms. It has inspired me to add almond milk to their cows milk to try to reduce the dairy. It has also caused me to simply buy more fruits and vege and offer them to the kids (and myself.) This is why my son ate almost an entire pint of blueberries the other day and my daughter took 1/2 a cucumber and ate it like it was an apple. My goal to get the family to eat more vegetables has been satisfied with the help of this book!

I borrowed this book from the public library. After reading this book, several other books on nutrition/diet, and web searches and forum discussions, plus trying out her plan up to phase 3 for several weeks, this is my take on it: It certainly encourages you to eat lots of fresh fruits and veggies, which is a very healthy thing. I'm pretty good with eating fruits only until noon. That's easy and I like it most of the time. However, all the food combining stuff is a pain in the rear, and pretty much unfounded (no scientific basis for it at all). I will say that while I was following this plan, I became very regular. Every morning like clockwork. So that is a plus. I never got to the juicing stage, although I am intrigued by it, and some time within the next year I will probably buy a juicer and try doing veggie juices. The real plus about this book is the gradual approach she encourages. She even allows you may want to just be "raw vegan" for breakfast and lunch and eat a regular dinner with your family (i.e. meat/animal products). In that sense, this is a very doable plan for almost anyone. She doesn't try to insist that you go 100% raw vegan, but that you take from the book what works for you. The recipes seem pretty decent. I made a few of them. I'm not doing this books so closely at the moment, but it has influenced my eating. I eat more fruits and veggies than I did before reading this book and trying out the plan for a few weeks. And I do feel better, too.

August 2002 is when I first learned about and tried the whole "raw food thing." Since then, I've purchased 9 books, spent countless hours online, patroned raw restraunts in every city I've visited, and still found myself strugging to get it to work for myself, my lifestyle, and more importantly not alienating myself from the rest of the world. And then I found this book...on Amazon (I actually bought both of her books at once). This is it! Natalia is not a preacher...she is not telling anyone to become "100% raw" or downplaying those who can't or don't want to commit to that level. She just wants others to feel the benefits of this healthful, natrual, and easy way of eating! Her main point is how food combinations affect proper digestion (and it works so well that it's scary!). There aren't a ton of recepies, but they are exceptionally tasty, satisfying, and EASY!!! Her recipes don't call for dehydration, sprouting, or soaking. Since I've read her books, my other raw food books make much more sense and I've been able to eat plenty of raw foods withough wating much produce if any. She also includes a great FAQ section in the back...so awesome!!!!

PS - As for juicing, this book doesn't claim to be a juicing book, but has basic helpful info. If you want a straight up juicing book...then go buy one!

This is my third raw foods book that I've purchased and so far it is the best!

If you can't figure out or don't want to go raw tomorrow, this book provides a nice transition from cooked to raw. I also love how there's no dehydrator in site!

If you want to know why Splenda is mentioned in the book, please go to Ms. Rose's web site and see her explanation under "Miscellaneous" in the FAQ's.

I can hardly wait to get started.

I'm or at least was a skeptic exploring the possibility of "Raw". I feel armed and poised for success with this book in hand. While I bought others, this book was the single most useful. If you are just starting out, apart from being simple and instructive, it covers a lot of the 'whys and hows' about doing things. Also Natalia leaves no stone unturned in terms of envisioning scenarios that might present a challenge and making them simple. My only challenge was that I live outside the US and getting access to a few of the ingredients was not so simple. No one at my local health foods store or at Whole Foods in Atlanta had heard of Agave Nectar which seems to be big in the Raw foods movement. I can't say enough good things about this book however, while it is thorough and extensive I read it in one sitting, it is that engaging! I can't wait to see my results I felt healthier just reading it. I also bought Raw Foods for Busy People that while it didn't deliver on the raw foods without equipment, it didn't include much in the recipes that I didn't already have in my kitchen. If you are just starting out I can't imagine needing any more than these two books at least to get you off and running.

I've been trying to go raw for 6 months now, and I continue to mess up. This books offers a practical plan for eating healthy for life. It divides your challenge into achievable goals. If you already feel like you are eating as healthy as you possibly can, then this book is not for you. But if you need improvement (no you may not achieve the greatness of vegans or raw foodist) you will find yourself eating better than before and actually thinking about what you eat and when---without being overwhelmed because you change in steps.

Like you, I have been doing a lot of research on raw diets recently and because of this, I've bought a lot of books on the subject. This one by far is my favorite, I knew from reading just the first 3 pages that I found exactly what I've been searching for. Unlike others that have "no rules" and keep you busy dehydrating everything all day, Natalia Rose has a much different and better - in my opinion, approach. I love - LOVE the green lemonade, detox pizza and quesadillas - and that's only a few that I've tried so far! Everything in this book makes complete sense to me, one example of that is to start off incorporating raw foods to your diet slowly, it's okay to have a cooked dinner with your family. It's not as extreme as other books suggest. I'm also learning to buy healthier things such as sprouted breads, which my two children love to toast. It's just a much easier approach to not only raw foods, but a healthier life. Buy this one, you won't regret it! My only other suggestion is to check out the book, "The China Study".

This is good for people just beginning raw food eating who aren't gung ho obsessive and want to slowly change, but the raw food diet does not work until you go 100% raw so this is a good baby steps beginners book. You will need a more hard core advise book on raw foodism as a follow up. When you start slow, and achieve little results you could give up, or stay in limbo between raw and cooked, because only at 100% raw do you recieve profound results.

From cover to cover this book speaks the truth about our terrible eating habits in America. This is both a very simple and very difficult diet to put into action because it runs counter to what we find readily available in supermarkets and restaurants. Vegans will find it particularly easy to adjust to. It would be helpful to get the whole family on board because you have to "cook" at home to realize the full benefit of the program. It isn't cheap either, but then what is your health worth? If you can follow this plan, you will feel incredibly good, lose weight (if you want to) and probably stave off a multitude of diseases. The author promotes several levels of dietary changes, so it isn't an all or nothing type of program. Even implementing the first level will have long-term health benefits. This is a quick read, so you can start right away.

I've been a vegetarian for the last 3.5 years so started at Level 3 of the detox diet. There are a lot of rules and it's really hard to remember all of them all of the time so I've been picking and choosing what I feel like doing. I'm not following the diet to lose any weight but, in following the basic tenement of not mixing certain food groups together, my digestive system has become slicker than ever. Before starting the regimen, I would go 1-2 times every day. Now I go 3-4 and there's never any straining. A friend of mine who has battled with constipation for a long time also started this diet and is now regular w/ 1 movement every day.

This is one of the best books on Raw food I have ever purchased. If you are a just learning about raw foods Natalia makes the transition easy! Don't let the word DETOX scare you away! It is more than a detox plan it is a plan for life. If you are new to the raw food movement and you are looking for a comprehensive and simple place to start I urge you to buy this book!

This book is saving my life. Excellent way to eat, excellent way to live. AND THE FOOD IS EXCELLENT!!!

I always buy things on Amazon and I NEVER write reviews. I love this book so much I decided it was worth the time and effort just to let people know what a great book it is.
This book changed the way I think about food. All those diets that tell you to stay away from fruits and carbs are WRONG! I have never been "overweight," I just wanted to eat healthier and hopefully lose a couple inches. I am 5"5', went from 132 pounds to 120 in about a month on the Level 3 diet. It was amazing! And what I loved most about it was, I could still drink my oh-so-important coffee in the morning, just without the milk. I've done other detox diets, but they were all missing key points. The food combining is very important. Also, this book might not be hard core raw, but Natalia understands that most people don't have the time and willpower to stick to a rigid diet like that. This is a diet that is totally within reason and doesn't make you feel guilty if you "cheat" once in a while. I hate this cliche, but it's not a diet, it's a lifestyle.
Now that being said... this diet is not easy. You will have to give up some foods and let go of they way you think about certain foods (like carbs being bad), but it's worth it! I still have the "Green Lemonade" every morning and eat raw until a healthy cooked dinner and I feel the best I have ever felt in my whole life. If you go on this diet, about 3 or 4 days in, you will feel light, happy, and slim. Exercising is easier for me and I sleep better at night. And there's no way you couldn't lose weight, just give it a try for a month!

This book is everything you need to know about eating a mostly raw diet. I love all of the "real life scenarios" in the book-- this is a lifestyle I could easily follow for, well, life! I have been vegetarian for a few years and a vegan for over two. I have always eaten light during the day, and love Ms Rose's approach to doing so. Vegetables are neutral so you can have them w/fruit, it just takes longer to digest. Also, for as long as I've been vegetarian, I've followed the rules of food combining (which were first recommended to me by my nutritionist/naturopath who does have a legit degree-- I agree with some who say Natalia's credentials are lacking). It works well for me to avoid combining starch and proteins especially.

BUT, this lifestyle, diet, whatever you call it, isn't for everyone. I wouldn't ever try to push this on anyone who eats a diet of mainly meat, dairy and processed junk or fast food. I used to eat junk/fast food here and there before becoming vegetarian, but it was very easy for me to give it up. Some of these reviews say that this diet advocates meat, dairy & eggs. But truly, it only does in sparse amounts. The "dairy" is RAW goat cheese which is far better for you than dairy, and the meat is only fish. The author says she ate fish occasionally but now has given it up because she felt as if it wasn't contributing to her "life force energy" anymore (this is in her 2nd book I think), which does make sense. Fish is the best "meat" you can have, if you do eat meat. As far as eggs go, she mainly suggests them as a transition food. I am vegan and don't care for eggs, so I ignored this. BUT all of the other foods -- raw or sprouted breads, almond butter, avocado, etc. are very, very good for you! I am not a big fan of her using so much olive oil; it should only be used sparingly and not daily.
My favorite part of the book is the concept of "light to heavy"! I have always eaten this way, even before veganism or whatnot--light breakfast, light/medium lunch and a larger dinner (salad, soup, entree). I have noticed that drinking lots of juice and fruit/veg during the day is highly beneficial and doesn't weigh you down. Don't take this as "starving"--it isn't. Plus, in the higher stages, you can still eat other raw foods (like the salads, soups, lara bars etc--and on level 5 you eat toast with avocado for breakfast I believe). Level 1 or 2 isn't for everyone, and it doesn't have to be. Plus, you can eat chocolate and desserts...who can disagree with that?

Another thing I like is the concept of not counting calories, fat grams, etc. If you're eating healthy (as long as you're not overeating) it's unnecessary.

I wish there was more research to back-up her claims on soy being "poison". I like soy, and I only eat natural sources of it (not soy "meat" and whatnot) like tofu, edamame, etc. I have never had any problems with this, so I refuse to give up soy products. This diet definitely provides enough fat, carbs and vitamins--but what about protein? Green vegetables do have some, but there is no way you can get an adequate amount from plant foods (excluding legumes) and some raw goat cheese and the occasional piece of fish.

I would recommend this for anyone who's willing to give it a go, but make sure you get enough nutrients overall (the only concern should really be protein, though). And if you're trying to lose weight, you still should include some exercise (or at least for overall health). And don't listen to the claims of other reviewers--she does suggest finding the raw foods and products on her website, but you buy them from other sources (so she is NOT just trying to "make a profit" off of it). You can find juicers for pretty cheap, even really nice ones for a reasonable price. Give it a shot. She knows what she's talking about (for the most part) and gives good advice on how to live a better, healthier life overall.

Two years ago at the age of 53 I was diagnosed with several health problems. The doctor I was seeing wanted to put me on prescription meds and expensive supplements.
At that time I began searching for dietary solutions to my problems.
I made progress with the Right For Your Type lifestyle, but this book answers all the questions and presents the perfect solution for me.
I had already begun juicing and looking into eating raw, but didn't know how to start.
This book explains a raw lifestyle clearly and concisely with the reasoning our bodies thrive on it and explains food combining with crystal clarity. It is unfortunate to me that it calls itself a "diet", I find it to be more of a lifestyle and feel I have finally found my way to the correct source for all my dietary and health problems.
I highly recommend this book for anyone who is a Type A blood especially, but also anyone who just wants an easy, healthy guide to food consumption. It should be required reading for all families interested in their health

I found this book really helpful as a person who has transitioned from a Vegetarian to a Vegan to now a Raw Vegan over the past few months (you do not have to be a Vegetarian to follow this book). The details on food combining are great for weight loss and the green drinks are amazing, they will give you more energy than a double shot at Starbucks! Even if you are not interested in weightloss; the principles this book is founded upon will provide you with optimal health..If you are still eating processed, packaged, chemical laden, carcinogenic food, grab this book ASAP it will save your life. I am disgusted by the way I used to eat (and was thinking it was healthy..frozen meals, dead food..gross!).

Yeah! Loved the section for feeding children. This extremely picky boy I feed likes this type of food. I needed other suggestions. He loves soy chips, juice, fruit, nuts, cereal, smoothies, and high protein pancakes and wholesome bread (if I bake it myself, zuchini with protein powder etc.) Loved the additional suggestions. A nice way to think about salad alternatives if you aren't going to go raw foods all the way, you'll still learn something and be healthier for reading this book.

This book has been very helpfull as I start down this road to raw food health. I have tried many recipes and most have been very good. She does have some extreme views towards cleansing that I'm not quite sure about at this time but I am new to this so we will see. I do like the fact that she does not say you have to eat all raw and stresses not diving head first into a raw food life style as to not fail, but says the goal is superior cell health, not exclusively a raw food diet.

I learned some interesting things about transitioning to raw, and the importance of sequencing your food intake by anount of time that particular food takes to digest. Very informative.

This is a very good book for someone interested in going All Raw or Mostly Raw, or even for someone interested in incorporating more raw foods into their diet. The recipes are easy to prepare and do not require a dehydrator and many may be made without any machines and you can improvise for the rest. Many books are very black and white and say that you must go all raw. But I found this book to be very inviting and useful.

I have read a lot of different diet books and this one stands out! a lot of useful information, easy to read, very recommended!

I like this book because it is realistic. It is the only book out there that realizes "hippie health nuts" don't happen overnight. You cannot dive into the raw food diet b/c you could become very sick. Natalia realizes that fact, thankfully!!

This is a hard concept for most of us to grasp in today's hectic world. In order to do it right, what we eat should be raw and it should be organic. Sounds easy, but hard to pull off.
I got more out of Brenda Watson's book Fiber 35.

I really enjoyed this book even though a lot of it was reiterating things I've always known - fresh vegetables and fruits are healthy for you, and make you feel amazing. However, it was very smart of the author to include meals that help you progress to eating more raw meals gradually, since cold turkey diets set people up for failure so often! I thought it was very helpful the way the digestive process was described, and it was very readable. I'm definitely recommending this read to some of my friends!

This is a great book for changing the way you eat a little bit at a time. The section on families is filled with great advice. I've lost 20 lbs in four months and after the initial shock of eating mostly raw fruits and vegetables, it's easy. I crave my fruit smoothie in the morning and raw salad at lunch. Then I eat a healthy dinner. The recipes in it are excellent. I've made the Peace in the Middle East salad to bring to parties and people love it. The dressings are great too. The only thing I'm not into are the colonics she mentions. I'm not ready for that one. Other than that, I recommend this for anyone who wants to change their diet and lifestyle forever.

This book was fantastic and very easy to read and understand. I loved it and am following the ideas set out in the book.I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to lose weight and understand about good health.

This book starts off making lots of sense & gets you all hyped up....but when you start to read what it's really all about...the actual diet...you're very discouraged. It's not a practical diet for the everyday life of a working mom. I'll stick to Weight Watchers. I returned the book for a refund.

If you are trying to detox, loose weight and transition to raw foods, this is the book for you. It is a perfectly laid out plan of attack based on your past eating habits and personal issues. It helps you get there without going "cold turkey". You don't have to give up your meat, dairy and eggs right out of the gate and you will feel great each step of the way. It is all in the book. It has EVERYTHING you need to take your new journey. It is a book that you will keep on the kitchen table and use every day if not at every meal. It is a MUST have. The recipes are truly delicious and easy and my life has truly changed for the better because of this book. Don't pass this one up! Blessed be All...

I love Natalia's book: it differs from other raw recipe and information books because it does not require a 100% immediate transformation to a new way of eating. Natalia offers a gradual and safe program for those interested in making a permanent change to their diet and health program by delineating five coherent and progressively more healthy phases for change.
Natalia's advice helped me relax and enjoy my eating program, and focus on the my real goal: healthy cells!

I own atleast 20 Raw Food books and although I have many great ones and have learned alot of great info from them, nothing compares to Natalia Rose's "The Raw Food Detox Diet". Her approach makes the most sense to me and instead of getting caught up in all the labels of "high raw" and "80% raw" or "vegan", it's so much easier to follow her "quick-exist rules" and proper food combining!!!! IT WORKS and her recipes are great and easy, too!! I highly suggest that anyone who is interested in detoxing, changing their lifestyle, eating more raw or just feeling more clean and energized should GET THIS BOOK!
P.S.
her "Green Lemonade" recipe is what I have every morning for breakfast and I've already noticed a change in my digestion from it!! It's delicious, too.

What I really enjoyed about this book is that it understands the key fact about most human beings - even with the best of intentions 100% is a hard thing.

That's where this book is ideal for people looking to transition to the raw food lifestyle. Because it does not ram 100% compliance down your throat it makes it an easier book to work with.

The way it is written is warm and friendly and encourages you to try more raw food in your diet while respecting where you are today.

A good all-round book for a wide audience.

This book is incredible..I stayed up all night reading and then sent a copy to all of my friends and family. It gets you so excited about cleaning up your diet!!

I this is a helpful approach to a "raw" diet. It is not legalistic, militant or radical. It also gives options for people who want to eat more healthy but are not willing to cut out meat entirely.

This is quite a comprehensive explanation of "what" and "why" eating a raw food lifestyle is best for the human body. I believe calling it a "Detox Diet" may put people off. I recommend Ms Rose's book "Raw Food Life Force Energy" as well. Raw food eating is not a new fad but the originally intended way for food preparation. Dr. N. W. Walker wrote many outstanding books published by Norwalk Press; hopefully, they are not out of print. Ms Rose continues in this tradition

This book makes recommendations for change for most every person. If you are a "junk food junkie" or a "healthy eater" and are interested in getting healthier and heading toward eating RAW food, this is a great help. It takes you step by step from unhealthy all the way to a full Raw Food diet in stages that are achievable. You take your time and find each level that you are comfortable with.

I was thoroughly impressed with Natalia's detailed introduction to raw foods. It was encouraging -- not intimidating. I feel like my journey now has a safety net, thanks to Natalia's book. I am very grateful! It has changed my entire outlook!

I'm new to the raw food lifestyle. Some of what the author, Natalia Rose, says in this book makes sense to me. Some of it does not. I do NOT consider this an authoritative guide, but it does include SOME useful and informative suggestions. One thing that really bothered me was that she ignores raw food eaters and people interested in the "lifestyle" who are not among the wealthy or upper middle class. For example, she states quite soberly in the book that NO ONE in America is starving, has not enough to eat. She's woefully out of touch with a significant segment of the population and, unfortunately, her readership. While Rose claims to be socially conscious (supposedly made manifest in her choices of what to eat), she is not. I would keep this in mind when you're considering purchasing and owning this book.

I purchased this book the same week I was learning (and very excited about) "green smoothies." I was anxious to learn more about incorporating the "raw food diet" and believed this book would help in that transition. In reality though, the food combining information completely confused me and discouraged me from this way of eating. In addition, the author states multiple times that one should never eat fruit with any other type of food, so now my green smoothies were no longer looking so great. I am looking elsewhere for information to get started on a raw diet with simpler explanations and no strict rules about what to eat at what time of day, etc. - much better for a newbie like me.

I was disappointed when I started going through the recipies section of the book. They are not all raw. There are quite a few recipies that require cooking. If you are looking for an all raw foods book. This is not it.

The ideas are fabulous and the ingredients are not difficult to find. This is a good book that makes a great ADDITION to your collection, I would not start with this book though. I can actually eat these food combinations without going yuck. YAY! for recipe books and information such as this! May all the world become healthier and happier through better eating! FIVE BIG PHAT STARS!!

If your're realy interested in raw food you must check these books out:
Raw Food And Health: The Raw Food Classic By The Founder Of The Raw Food Movement
The Advantages Of Raw Food
The Black Art Of Cooking: The Raw Truth
The Unfired Food Diet Simplified: The Raw Food Guide
Uncooked Foods and how to use them: How to use Living and Raw foods for health

Natalia is an amazing human being with a profound knowledge of how the human body actually works. If you're looking for the next South Beach Diet or Atkins Diet, you're in the wrong place. However, if you want knowledge and empowerment, look no further. Natalia's books will teach you how to forever change the way you eat and therefore increase your health and vitality for the rest of your long life. She changed the lives of my wife and I, and for that we're forever grateful to Natalia. If you want to take the red pill, not the blue pill, read this book...wake up to reality. Take control of your health so it's not in the hands of bureaucrats in Washington or corrupt corporations. This book will help you stay healthy, not even needing healthcare. It's all in what you eat.

I ordered this book after getting consistently sick for about three months straight. I always ate quite healthily (rarely ate junk food, always had "balanced" meals) and I took multivitamins but I knew there had to be something my body wasn't getting in my diet. I found out I was about 15 lbs overweight at around the same time I was looking for a new way of eating, so this book fit the bill.

To start, I shed pounds like nobody's business. I lost 12 pounds in the first two weeks and my belly flattened more than it had since I'd been a teenager. If that weren't enough, I felt great. I had tons of energy, I was happy and glowing and I stopped getting sick. When I "miscombined," I felt the change in my body immediately - I would get sluggish and tired... it was like magic.

A word of warning... as my period came near, I crashed big-time. Because it takes a little while to get used to the food combining (I ended up having to plan when I would be eating my fats, my proteins, and my carbs throughout the day), I wasn't getting enough carbs in my diet to maintain my mood through my hormonal changes. I became more aware of my own body's needs for carbs after this and adapted my diet to take care of that need.

I am not still on this diet. I'm pregnant now and the raw foods exacerbate my nausea. It's amazing how much I miss eating this way and I very much look forward to the time I can go back to it. Try it out. You'll feel better than you could ever imagine.

In our economy spending $800 a month on food as the author claims she does with a 3-person family is unreal. The juicer alone costs $200. I felt the book itself was well written and very informative. Honestly folks, I'm sticking with the South Beach Way of Life because it's inexpensive and it will work for you if you do it right.

I bought this book several years ago and followed the diet exactly. Three years later my digestion is terrible. My diet now consists of vegetables and a small amount of grains. I cannot eat fruit or nuts. Do not buy this book if you are an emotional eater. By this book for the recipes. Do not follow her eating advice.

I really enjoyed Natalia Rose's book on the raw food detox. It was very informative in regards to nutrition and how little nutrition is received with a "normal" diet. Somehow her approach to the "diet" and explanations about popular food/nutrition myths really rang true with me. I really liked that she was not a hard & fast "raw foodist" but gave a gradual progression to a raw food diet and left room for error, growth & personal preference. Many diets are not realistic and so a person loses interest, starts strong & gives up easily or does not even give it a try because they think "this way of life" is way out of their league. My plan was never to go completely raw food. I thought it would be a good way to start eating MORE healthy than I was and if I was only able to do it 50% of the time then that was still better than what I was consuming before. The author herself was a medium level raw foodist for several years before she made the transition on her own...that impressed me. This was a very real, very down to earth book that has a ton of great suggestions as well as easy recipes for everyday. I highly recommend & have recommended it already to several people I know.

Another "best" book ever. Great information to become the healthiest ever. I couldn't put it down. I also bought several copies to give to friends and family. Good health is everything. What good is money if you don't have your health?

I love this book and this "diet". I didn't get this book to go on a diet, but to eat in a healthier way. It was very interesting to read and learn about the way our bodies react to food. I do feel the difference in eating this way. I also like the fact that you don't just crash into this diet, there are five levels of eating this way so I started in one level and my husband actually joined in on his level because he liked it so much. We all agree that there is definitely a change in energy when you eat the raw food diet. I would suggest this book to anyone who wants to feel better overall!

I've never felt better and have returned to a weight I had in my twenties (I'm in my forties now). Once I understood the science of food combining, my previous ways of "just grabbing a sandwich" went by the wayside--in that a simple turkey, cheese, mayo and veggie sandwich took 8 hours to get through the stomach. But a properly combined sandwich like veggies with avocado on whole grain sprouted bread is digested in just 3 hours--and tastes delicious! That left the other 5 hours to detox my system and lose the weight I was holding onto for years. I also agree with other reviewers in that Ms Rose leaves it up to you to decide how far you want to take this in your own diet. No judgement if you choose to eat meat or drink wine either--so it's a very accepting book for an individual to create a food lifestyle that fits for you. I've told many friends about Ms Rose's book and those that have tried it--are also singing her praises.

This is a great book if you are interested in health and weight loss. Not a diet book per se, but a healthy life-style book. The author is down to earth and realistic about living a real life while getting healthier. I found the book very interesting and thought provoking - introducing eating concepts (and the reasoning for them) that were new to me. Highly recommended.

I found the book easy to read and to follow. I was looking for a way of life with my eating pattern, amounts, "doability," and found it all in this book. I am in the process of transitioning to this way of eating for health, weight loss, and better appearance. Those that I have seen who followed this eating plan were energetic, alive, and vibrant with healthy skin.

This is not a raw food book, let alone a detox book. There are probably more cooked recipes in here than raw. I hate this book and the fact that I bought it. This woman is using a title that has nothing to do with the content of her book to make money. Further, the book is useless unhealthy garbage. Even the raw recipes are awful- 5 teaspoons of honey with almond butter on one romaine leaf? I can't wait to get rid of it, as everytime I look at it I am reminded of being ripped off by a product that is stupid. Don't buy it!

I was excited to receive this book, however after only a few chapters it stopped making sense. I got so upset by the dangerous advice given in this book I had to write this review. The author writes about a Level 1 diet where the dieter will have only watermelon in a 5 hour window. This to me sounds like extreme dieting, rather than a healthy way of eating. The author does not believe adults stomachs can handle cow's milk, yet suggests goat milk mixed with water for an infant when mommy is busy, just because she believes formula is toxic. Can you say cuckoo? If formula was so bad babies wouldn't thrive on it, as they do. She also advocates UN-pasteurized goat milk. This is dangerous and a recipe for disaster! And please stay away from colonics/enemas, the body know how to do its own cleaning, inserting foreign objects in your body will do more harm than good and could cause infections. People who believe they were re-born or whatever simply because they had a colonic are dellusional and mentally unstable. Look at the author, does she look healthy? Not one bit. She looks like a pale skeleton! I would give this book zero stars if I could and it's going back asap. I agree with another reviewer that this book is for crazy people. PLEASE stay away from this book or life threathing conditions will follow. AND please please whatever you do, dont risk your babys life by giving goatmilk or forcing a raw food diet upon them. Let kids be kids.

This is a great book for anyone who wants to incorporate raw foods into their diet. Great tips and easy recipes that anyone can follow. Also provides encouragement to those who aren't quite ready to let go of 'cooked foods'. I had actually check this out from the library to make sure I liked it before I bought it...I have done this with several raw foods books and this was, by far, the best one for the stage I am in...definitely worth purchasing!!

I just downloaded this book, and it looks like a fine, well-organized and helpful book. The problem? When you get to the section with the recipes, you find a list with page numbers. (No page numbers on the Kindle.) The recipe list is not electronically interactive, so finding a recipe becomes a protracted scroll-a-thon. With a book such as this, you want to do a lot of flipping back and forth, and it ain't easy with this electronic edition. If I had it to do over, I'd get the paper-and-ink version.

I really enjoyed this book. I love that it's not dogmatic - it's not all or nothing. Especially the part about having a "cooked" dinner. I don't eat meat to begin with, and very little dairy. I found raw goat cheese at Trader Joes which is good.

However, I had such a difficult time avoiding fruit for 3 hours before and after a non-fruit meal. I love fruit, but I find eating fruit alone does not keep you satisfied for very long. And I love eating fruit after lunch and dinner.

As far as the green lemonade, I liked it at first. But yesterday I couldn't take it down. It just repulsed me! Maybe I was just having an off day.

I first bought this book where I take yoga and loved it so much that I ordered 7 more copies from Amazon. I have been doing a lot of raw food for a long time and this book re-excited me about the entire process because it helps you incorporate raw foods into your diet at whatever level you feel comfortable with. I have made many of the receipes and love them all and I think that with the help of this book, I have made several converts to the incredibly healthy way of living with raw foods.

This book will give you the tools to eat heathy and lose weight. Easy to understand and fallow instructions about diet for detoxing or weight lose. The recipes take little to no time to make and taste great. A friend of mine lost 40lbs. following this books in 6 months. That was all I needed to check out this book. I'm glad I did. I've lose 5lbs. in a month.

It has been over 30 days since I ordered this product and still NO BOOK.

I love Natalia's advice and recipes, but I'm really not so sure how well it is working for me. I'm eating around level 3, except I'm not having the green lemonade first thing in the morning as I need a new juicer. My digestive system is working the best it ever has, which is amazing, but I've been having stomach pains every day and have been very bloated the whole time. I was really hoping to lose weight on this plan but I am so bloated constantly that I am unsure what is going on. Did this happen to anyone else and did it go away? I love eating raw until dinner and I love how my digestive system is working, but I hate the bloating and the pains.

the price for this book is really reasonable and the information within the book is extremely informative on the subject of eating raw, cutting processed foods out of your diet, and in general just cleansing your body from the inside out. i was also surprised and pleased with the recipe section of the book, it's really nice and gives great ideas for all different types of meals, depending on how intense you want your experience with raw foods to be.

This book is a great read. It is full of information. This Author is so realistic and down to earth. She gives you a wealth of information but also understands that everybody is at different places in life and it doesn't have to be "All" or "Nothing". I would highly recommend this book even if you don't want to "go raw".

This little book was recommended to me by a trusted friend and it has proved to be one of my best buys. I too would recommend it to anyone trying to lose a little weight painlessly and stay healthy at the same time. The green lemonade recipe is easy to follow and provides the simplest way to obtain your "5-a-day" and get those anti-oxidents into your system every morning.

I enjoyed this book immensely because as a beginning raw foodist, I had a lot to learn. The author makes it easy to understand the basics and gives several excellent suggestions for detoxing to take place.

She takes care to let the reader know that it's a one day at a time thing and not to fret if the person falls off the wagon or doesn't become 100 percent raw. She gives easy to use recipes that any novice can put together in a hurry.

I'm in my second reading of the book because I enjoyed it so much. I've promoted the book at my blog and several of my readers have purchased a copy for themselves.

I do recommend it, obviously.

Love the book...received it in only 3 days

Changed my life..I see better & feel 20 years younger

This book is great. After a friend let my boyfriend and I borrow it we just had to own it. Although we haven't gone completely "raw" yet, we learned alot and it's great having this book on hand to reference.

This is a really well-written book with practical advice for those of us who may not be ready to go 100% raw. I found it very inspirational!

I bought this book because it seemed to me that the Hallelujah Diet was just a little too cold turkey (no pun intended)into the raw food vegetarian lifestyle. This book rightly explains that to not make this a somewhat gradual change could have some really uncomfortable effects as our bodies need time to transition from our old ways of eating. I like that the book gives tips and recipes for whatever level you're at. The author has some really strange theories on how to maintain proper bodily functions which I mostly disagree with but aside from that, it is a helpful book.

An excellent foray into this lifestyle. A lot of information and goal setting for every level of participation, casual or full tilt, you can find recipies, product references and sources in here.

This book was instrumental in getting my raw food diet off the ground. She helped me understand why the foods I was eating were making me feel so bad and gain so much weight, and her 5-step process of changing to the diet made it really easy.
I really liked all of the recipes she had in the back of the book. I don't even like vegetables (weird choice of diet, I know) but a lot of the recipes made even ME love them!
While I know that a lot of people might want to do this for a short amount of time just to lose some weight or get healthy, once you've started it's really easy to do it for life.
Good luck!

This book was the first I'd read on Raw Food. I'm interested in health and nutrition and read a variety of books in that area. This book was well written, explaining the pros of raw food. As any diet book, it has menus and ideas, but this book has several stages to 'ease' you onto raw foods. I like how the health benefits are tied into how your body works. I've bought this book for others, and shared my copy of the book with friends. It even inspired me to go out and get a juicer, something I've been thinking about for years, but have never done.

This book is just fabulous! Aside from all the delicious recipes, the best part is all the great information she provides especially for us newbies to the raw diet. She also offers a guide to the different levels of eating raw so anybody can make this fit their lifestyle. The recipes are also much less complicated than other raw recipe books I've seen because sprouting/soaking and expensive equipment is not necessary. I'm so glad I own this book and will purchase more as gifts for interested friends and family. Highly recommended!

This book's writing is a bit confusing. It talks about many things, but not very much about weight loss.

I absolutely loved this book. Natalia Rose is a phenomenal nutritionist and her knowledge is apparent in her approach to help people get healthier through excreting the years of build-up in our intestines, through a guided transitional diet plan. Rather than watching portion sizes and such, she encourages you to listen to your body and eat more of the same food group rather than mixing groups. Food combining is amazingly beneficial and sets your body back to reset. I know because I've followed her plans for years and never have stomach issues, rarely feel guilty about overeating and excrete at least 3 times a day (not to be too graphic). I lost a few pounds even though I didn't need to when I started with little effort and learned to relax more about eating and exercizing.

If you are trying to get healthier but need a little leniency in your plan, Natalia Rose hands you the reigns to go as far deep as you want to or need to.

I found this book helpful when trying to stay on a very healthy diet. A sensible way to loose weight,and stay fit.

This is your one stop to detoxing! Truly a masterpiece of raw food research and chock full of what you need to know to get back to 100% fitness!

If its your stomach that is the problem, I can also add the following to the list of books you will require:

Rebuild Your Stomach

Best of health!

It is a good transitional book for going raw or partially raw. It has a few good recipes in it. It is probably a book that you could borrow from the library, read and copy some of the recipes because although it was a good read, I doubt I would re-read it.

Given as a gift, the reader said: "This book is a great companion to Andreas Mortiz's book "The Amazing Liver & Gallbladder Flush". The additional knowledge and recipes has given me the tools to be successful in reaching my long-term health goals."

My husband got this for me for Christmas and it has changed my life. I like many things about it and have recommended it many times to others. As a newbie to raw foods, this book did overwhelm me a bit at first. I could only take in part of it. I have gone back time and again and take in a bit more every time. This would get 5 stars if it was a bit more divided. For example, what is the best first step? In my mind it is recognizing what we eat that is processed. Separating foods by categories is maybe step 9 or something. This book includes food combining rules in the beginning. Keeping in mind that most people can only retain 3 things at a time, it would be good to break tips into sections more completely. That being said, this is the best there is for newbies right now.

I got the book last week, read it, loved it, and am now beginning to LIVE it! I bought a juicer, eating more raw salads. I still eat a little chicken sometimes for dinner, but I'm overall feeling very healthy and have lost 2 pounds in 5 days without exercizing (other than normal walking here and there). I love the way the book is set up, it's easy to understand and not just another "diet" book. It's a lifestyle change for the better. I really do recommend you read this book if you are at all thinking about how to become a more healthy person! Enjoy.

I love this book. It's written very well and is easy to understand. Anyone can follow this diet in some form or another!

This book helped me to understand how to dramatically change my eating habits and to focus on more intake of fruits and raw vegetables (also, other raw foods, such as raw nuts, raw cheese, whole grains, etc). I lost 15 pounds in the first 2 months and am continuing to lose a little each week. You'll need a good juicer to maintain the raw style. Also, I mix a little meat (lean) with this program, which is perfectly acceptable.

The Raw Food Detox Diet: The Five-Step Plan for Vibrant Health and Maximum Weight LossA very interesting and well written book. This is a book to live your life by and save it along the way. Try it out you will be amazed at how good you feel. It is very easy to read and has very sound reasoning for it's hypothesis.

I love this book! It's my new Bible for health and healing. I am not new to healthy eating, but this just ramped it up a notch.

The book is awesome, the raw food detox diet is really working for my family, and the raw recipes are amazing. I highly recommend this book.

This book is a godsend to me. It was exactly what I was looking for. It is not a lecture nor is it technical. It gets to the point of how to get results in a very real and attainable way. No tricks. And it completely makes sense. After reading several other raw books, this is the one that really spoke to what my goal is and how to acheive it. Many other raw food books just discuss the health benefits, but this really outlines how and why to start at any level regardless of your purpose. And no fancy kitchen stuff! I am reading all of Rose's other books and am a new fan.

An introduction to raw foods and how they work for effective weight loss, detoxing and healthy living.

There is so little in this book that is truly about raw (the few "raw" recipes are not even true raw recipes). I think the author may be trying to ride on the popularity of the topic. (Yet on the positive side, I do appreciate a balanced approach.)

One of my biggest complaints is that this book is written in an incredibly condescending manner and tone. Get off your high and mighty horse, yes you are so brilliant and the rest of the world is so stupid for not seeing the light sooner.

Also, there are lots of claims very confidently stated, but rarely, if ever, is there any data to back it up other than her just saying it is so.

A complete waste of money.

LOve this book.. Especially pg 36 food separation. It is the missing link to all diets.. Only one adjustment I make to the advice in this book, is that I avoid sugary fruit, dried fruit and starches for I have an insulin sensitivity.. and I think for most people too much sugar and carbs is no good

This is a great way to detox and lose weight. I am taking a class at a friend's house and this book outlines the program we are following. I am doing really well. I am 47 yrs old and thought I would never lose another pound. I have lost 8.5 lbs so far. I am looking forward to losing more. I plan to have a great summer!

this book provides a great transition to a healthier lifestyle. I am switching from a "better than the average american" diet to a raw vegan diet and I found this book tremendously helpful in doing that slowly and safely. Simple yet effective explanations and rationale and simple and delicious recipes. I refer to this book multiple times a day.

I'm into the health food movement like a lot of people nowdays. Unfortunately most books and programs don't cover all of the many ways to get and stay healthy. Although the above book listed is an excellent resource. It's like most authors and programs are trying to be too pc (politically correct). To correct myself a little, most health advice, programs, books and supplements usually offer pretty good advice these days.You know:
1. Don't alcohol
2. Don't abuse drugs
3. Don't smoke (cigaretts and the like)
4. Eat move live fresh fruits and vegetables.
5. Eat less process foods and meats.
Now all of this is good advice, although there is a right way and wrong way to do anything. I saw an excellent book with a good 8 step plan. Search Amazon for: The Magic Of Mother Nature's Healing Foods. I liked it.

I didn't like this book it is too extreme. I actually took it to a bookstore that sells used books.

I give this book 3 stars for the recipes. I'm not feeling this book at all! I wouldn't recommend.

Very useful book. I have been using it for about a year now. Highly suggested.

I just purchased this book and read the entire thing in one sitting. I'm new to following a Raw Food Diet. I've been on it for about 3 weeks (at about 90% raw) and have noticeable weight loss results. I'm actually surprised I havent done this a long time ago because I love fresh fruits and veggies and could eat them all day long - which I am now. :)

Anyway, back to the book, I really bought this for recipes as the ones I found online were not very appealing to me and I was running out of ideas. I found this book to have a lot of good recipes and enough to add some variety to my diet for a while. I especially like the salad dressing recipes.

I also liked the food combining info. I was not aware of this and had not been following this logic however, I am going to give it a try as well.

Overall I found the writing style easy to read and fun with lots of examples of what she is talking about etc, like I said, I read the entire thing in one sitting. My only complaint about this book is that the title makes it a bit misleading. There is a LOT of talk of cooked foods in here. I was not expecting this. I appreciate the fact that this book is giving readers a way to ease into a raw food lifestyle by including cooked foods so you arent going cold turkey however, there is so much mention of cooked foods in here that are allowed on the diet (if you so chose to incorporate them) that this doesnt strike me as real a "Raw foods diet" at all. I would think for hardcore Raw Foodists, this book would not be useful at all. I found my own diet that I am following to be much more hardcore than this book and I am new to the whole thing!

Like I said, I liked the book, I got a lot of good info out of it I just found the title to be misleading and would not recommend this book to anyone who has been following a hardcore raw food diet as I dont think they would get much out of it other than a few of the recipes. I think I would change the title to "Raw Food Light" as I found this to be a light version of the real thing. Having said that, I found her ideas and plans much easier for someone to follow and to make a lifestyle change they would stick to because it isnt so extreme.

I have been on a search for information about eating healthfully as well as the best way to lose weight. I had 40 extra pounds to lose and the more I read the more I realized I did NOT want to sign up for some fad diet. I was interested in something for the long term: long term weight loss and long term health benefits. This is it!
I am actually on Natalia's Detox For Women program right now, I'm halfway through week two and I am already 8 pounds lighter. After I finish the detox (two weeks left) I will transition back to the guidelines outlined in this book and I know it will be great.
Her food choices make sense. The main idea behind it all is proper food combining. It's not about going completely raw, it's about moderation and healthy sensible choices.
I would definitely reccomend this book to anyone looking to start their journey towards sustained weight loss and vibrant health.

I enjoyed many of the recipes and the advice in this book but found that the raw food diet is nearly impossible for me to keep up with.

If you want to feel bettetr and look good this is the book for you.
It explains the why and how and is easy to follow. Simple daily menus you can follow. Easy to use reipes. AND best of all the weight drops of too. A new healthy eating plan that you can follow even when going out for a meal. Eat and feel great!! I do!The Raw Food Detox Diet: The Five-Step Plan for Vibrant Health and Maximum Weight Loss

The book is easy to read and understand . It makes really good sense . A lot of the info you have heard of in different books but this one brings it together. I would of liked a little more info on the different foods listed in the different catigories. A more complete lists of quick exit foods and the right combinations .

I paid extra money to have this book shipped to me quickly and it did not arrive early enough to match the amount extra I paid. Tried 2 or 3 times to contact the people selling it, they never did e-mail me back. This is the 3-4 time that I've written something negative about the experience and I still have not heard anything from anybody ! I gave a one star but if I could go back and take the star off I would !!!
TH

I think this book is great, simple to understand and a good read, I can see the "why" of this way of eating, not just the "how" and it makes sense. What I wanted to write about is if you have an iPod or iPhone and wish to read this digitally on those devices, be aware that the format for delivery is really lacking at this time. There's a pretty important chart of the 4 food divisions that is so tiny it is garbled and unreadable and there is no way to enlarge it. Also forget using the index or page references, once in a while the author will refer to something on, say, page 123, um, hey Amazon, why aren't the pages numbered according to the physical book? Instead there is this sort of useless numbering system that has very little to do with the book, its references or index. There's also one sideways scroll that locks up and doesn't function after a while - buggy. My suggestion, definitely get this book, but don't get it for your iPod or iPhone until Amazon improves formatting for those of us who don't want to $Kindle....

The book came right away and was in perfect condition. No problems whatsoever

I've eaten healthy before and it resolved all my health issues. This book came into my life at the right time to resolve my issues again. Thanks.

The book is one of the best I have read on the subject. The best part is the quiz to determine where you should start and specific recipies for your level of detox. Anyone can do it.

The Raw Food Detox Diet: The Five-Step Plan for Vibrant Health and Maximum Weight Loss very informative

I have yet to completely finish the book but the first half is pretty good. I like her approach and the reasons behind her explanations, and her modified guidelines for stages of transition to a raw food diet. I enjoy Natalia's blog quite a bit so her book is an extension of her ideas and theories on nutrition. So far, I do recommend the book and the recipes.

Great book and great seller. Would gladly purchase from this seller again.

Thanks so much.

I got immediate results. I lost weight. I felt healthier. So why didn't I last? I was negotiating an acquisition of a company and my client insisted that I try one of their new products a thin crust pepperoni pizza. For about three hours I was asking myself what would Natalia Rose think about my fleshy treat with a refined carbohydrate crust? Not knowing that my meeting would stretch longer I was ill prepared I didn't pack a salad with the golden elixir or a pint of green lemonade. In due time my concentration was dropping and I was missing out on the legal and financial minutiae. When I finally succumbed I treated myself to a slice of truly spectacular thin crust pepperoni pizza soon followed by seven other slices and several diet sodas. So is this the end of this diet? Absolutely not. I am back on the program and hopefully will be able to sustain it. I can't say that I totally embrace the author's philosophy or lifestlye. I can't imagine engaging in colonics (it sounds like prison therapy) and I can't think of any rational reason for separating fruit and vegetables (Isn't an unsulphured dried cranberry a fruit?)however my own version of her diet seems to work.