Positive Health Online

Introduction

The idea for this article stemmed from our love of vegetarian cooking and the way it can be used to promote health. We found people have become vegetarians for many reasons, be it their political, humane, spiritual or health ideals. Then we came across various schools of thought linked with a meat-free diet: macrobiotics, fruitarianism, veganism, taoist cooking. It seemed that there was no end to the different thisisms and thatisms being made available. In the long run we felt more confused than if we had never progressed from the baked beans on toast syndrome.Enter Biogenics!!!

Biogenics has been a turning point in our lives. The sense behind eating foods which remain as close to their original state, thus retaining all the goodness and energies, was overwhelming. At first we thought that salads mixed up with yoghourt was all that we were destined to eat, but delicacies such as raw loaves, raw cakes plus hundreds of different salads and dressing appeared before our eyes.

We haven’t looked back on our decision to follow the way of Biogenics and I hope we may be able to shed a little light on a pathway that is wonderful to tread.

Forward to Biogenics
Love and light
R&Z

What is Biogenics?

Biogenics is the term used by the late Dr Edmond Bordeaux Szekely to describe "the activity of the primordial, natural substances which the Essenes called living foods." From Greek the word means life-generating. The term does not only apply to foods, however, but to any activity that runs parallel with the laws of nature and enhances the quality and reason for living. In the context of Biogenic nutrition, it relates to all foods such as seeds, whole grains, nuts and legumes which, if sprouted, have the potential of generating new life.

These living foods have not come to the attention of the public, because their potential life-enhancing properties cannot be measured by chemical means alone. They contain an energy that cannot be tested by machines and the logical, materialistic attitude of many scientists. The proof must lie in the pudding and here we have such people as Dr Szekely, Max Bircher-Benner, Max Gerson and Harry Lindlahr who spent many years administering these foods to sick people with astonishing results, where conventional means had failed.

Who were the Essenes?

The Essenes lived near lakes and rivers away from cities and towns, and practised a communal way of life, sharing everything. They were agriculturists and arboriculturists; their knowledge of crops, soil and climatic conditions enabled them to grow a great variety of fruits and vegetables in comparatively desert areas and with a minimum of labour.

They lived in the Middle East over 2,000 years ago at a time of turmoil (reflecting present day society). Their practical approach to social problems, to health, nutrition, food production, conservation and education were viewed with admiration.

Why Biogenic Nutrition?

Today our food is supplied by giant companies; it is so denatured and filled with so many additives, preservatives, etc that there have been reports of corpses not decomposing. Biogenics presents an alternative; it offers you the chance to decide how and what you eat.

Health and longevity must be put back into the hands of the individual especially when doctors and scientists insist that there is no hope for our various illnesses. After all, why should we rely on others to cure us when a large percentage of our problems are generated by our own lifestyle? If I put poisons, ie processed food, into my system I can assume that eventually I will become ill because of toxin accumulation.

This quote from Elizabeth Burrows highlights the point:

"Humanity would be astounded to learn within the food which is consumed in day-to-day living lies a potentially greater world destruction that that which would be produced as a result of a hydrogen war. In recent years there have been many types of diets propounded, resulting in considerable confusion and chaos. But the corrective answer is very simple, for the solution lies in eating all things which remain as close as possible to their original state."

This is Biogenic nutrition; eating food which strengthens and purifies our bodies on the physical, mental and spiritual level. It helps retard old age, achieve higher intelligence, more easily adapt to heat and cold, reduce pain and gain greater freedom from illness.

The structure of a Biogenic diet

For thousands of years our eating habits have been seriously out of harmony so it is not possible for our system to live on 100% Biogenic food. Under the umbrella of Biogenic nutrition we have four categories.

Biogenic (Life-generating)

These foods are in the sprouting or young growing phases. They emit the highest degree of life-generating energy. They should represent about 25% of all food eaten.

Bioactive (Life-sustaining)

All living, uncooked food in advanced stages of growth. Fresh fruit and vegetables from the garden. This category of food emits the second highest degree of active life-generating force and should represent 50% of all food eaten.

Biostatic (Life-slowing)

All natural foods which have been cooked such as garden vegetables, rice, legumes, unprocessed cheese, nuts, eggs and foods which are not fresh. These slow down our life processes and accelerate ageing. They should represent 25% of all food eaten.

Biocidic (Life-destroying)

This category includes harmful substances such as chemicals, additives, preservatives, etc. and foods which have been refined and processed. Also foods like meat and meat by-products, coffee and teas (excluding herb teas).

The Biogenic and bioactive categories are able to synthesise entirely new substances which can perform superior biological functions, destroying biostatic and biocidic impurities, microbes and faulty digestive processes. These foods strengthen the oxygen transport system, cell respiration and biological resistance, and accelerate cell renewal through more efficient metabolic action, thus stimulating the natural self-healing processes.

The nine basic essentials of a perfect diet:

You should eliminate from your diet:

1. Any food from which vital nutrients have been removed such as white flour, white sugar and all those foods in which these devitalised substances are hidden in disguised forms, as they are biocidic.
2. Any artificial processing which alters the natural state of a food, destroys vital nutrients and creates biocidic foods.
3. Excessive (commercial) storage such as canning, preserving, freezing, etc which causes depletion or complete destruction of vitamins, enzymes, plant hormones and creates biocidic foods.
4. Artificial, synthetic additives such as preservatives, anti-oxidants, emulsifiers, colourings which are extremely dangerous and may even be carcinogenic. All these foods are biocidic and pathogenic; there is no such thing as a safe or harmless quantity of these chemical substances. And do not expect the label to reveal the whole truth about what chemical additives may be contained inside a can or package.
5. Artificial substances of natural foods which are not only biostatic but may be biocidic.
6. Long storage in the home which seriously depletes the nutritive value of foods, even those which may originally have been of high quality.
7. Although the environment is less under our control than our diet, still avoid as much as possible, polluted air, water, land, industrial by-products, contaminated substances and dangerous radiations.

Include in your diet:

1. Fresh, organic fruits and vegetables and avoid canned or prepared foods, even those which may come from a health shop.
2. Your diet should contain whole grains, seeds, beans, nuts, raw home-made yoghourt, cottage cheese, raw milk, dried fruits (unsulphered).

Well, isn’t that simple to follow? Cut out all the favourites like chocolate, colas, pizza, but also our more healthy dishes such as vegetable lasagna, curries, bakes, etc.!!!

However, these principles are for the perfect diet. It is very difficult to live a perfect life and eat a perfect diet, but that doesn’t mean we can’t try. Yes, you will have to give up colas and chocolates if you want to follow a Biogenic diet, but beware, a slow progression towards it is essential. As Dr Elisabeth Burrows states:

"One should remember that, along with the food consumed, the subtle layers of the unconscious must be completely reprogrammed. To make any change too rapidly usually assures that the change will be short-lived."

No one is asking you to follow this diet, all we are doing is offering what we believe to be a very safe, natural and healthy way of eating. Dr Szekely used over 123,000 people to try out these principles and achieved amazing statistics of recovery of theoretically incurable cases (about 17% of the total participants and test groups).

Health at the meal table

To derive the best advantage from a Biogenic diet - to feel better, and live better - you should observe certain elementary but vital principles.

It is not enough simply to lay out a plate of raw vegetables, a bowl of rice and a slice of wholemeal bread. THE MEAL MUST BE PLANNED PROPERLY. You cannot eat just anything in any order.

The effectiveness of raw foods is increased if they are eaten at the beginning of the meal. White blood cells appear on the intestinal wall as soon as cooked food is swallowed, and remain there for about one and a half hours. Their role is to fight infection; they promote a massive mobilisation of defences against the food that is being eaten. The process is normal, but does not happen with raw food.

It is recommended to start a meal with a fruit or vegetable juice, then a salad and sprouted grain and finally a cereal dish such as muesli. Any fruits should be eaten as a complete meal, or about 20 minutes before the main course.

How to begin. You cannot change your eating patterns overnight. Never try to give up your old ways all at once. Start in the right conditions - of time, of place, of intention. It should be a serious undertaking.

Give your system a spring clean

• 3 days on raw fruit and vegetables
• 2 days on raw foods and bread and one cooked vegetable
• 1 day as above and yoghourt and muesli.

A usual Biogenic day

• Morning Fruit, Muesli and yoghourt, Herbal tea
• Midday Fruit, raw vegetables: cabbage, carrot, spinach, bean sprouts with dressing; soup, jacket potato filled with cottage cheese
• Evening Fruit; wholemeal bread and cheese; yoghourt
• Drink non-stimulant teas and juices throughout this day.

This diet does not mean renouncing the pleasures of the table, but developing new tastes and enjoying food in a more subtle way. It is important to eat with relish, chewing each mouthful thoroughly. After all, digestion starts in the mouth.

Choosing and preparing food

Try to buy organic vegetables which have been grown locally. Prepare salads just before eating and use all goods within 48 hours of buying them. Add fresh herbs, eg parsley, chives, to your dishes.