Rainbow Green Live-Food Cuisine (Paperback)

~ (Author) "The theory that I am sharing with you is what is presently known as the pleomorphic theory, developed over a period from the late 1800s..." (more)
Key Phrases: composting button, livefood cuisine, jet stress, Rainbow Green Live-Food Cuisine, Tree of Life, Resources Directory (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Gabriel Cousens, M.D., has once again contributed to the much-needed re-education of humanity. The research and practical advice, along with the recipes from the Tree of Life Cafe in Rainbow Green Live-Food Cuisine, help people awaken to a new understanding and regain control of their internal environment."
—Christopher Yashpal Jayne, N.D.

"Rainbow Green Live-Food Cuisine describes the holistic healing process of biological alchemy. It is a gift for us in how to live in these biologically toxic times."
—Richard Harvey and Mary Huston, Directors of Life Works

Product Description

Medical researchers have found that a high-fat, high-sugar diet, combined with environmental pollutants and stress, can lead to a buildup of toxins in the body collectively known as chronic degenerative disease. Here holistic physician Gabriel Cousens provides a dietary regimen that may help reverse this process by introducing whole, natural, organic, and raw foods into the diet. These restorative "live" foods can reverse chronic disease and bring back health and vitality. This eclectic cookbook shares 250 delicious vegan recipes from chefs at the Tree of Life Cafe. Dishes include Avocado Salad with Rosemary, Green Dragon Broccoli, Raw-violis, Lavender Milk, and Carob Coconut Cream Eclairs. International entrees, juices, and aromatherapeutic remedies are also featured.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 568 pages
• Publisher: North Atlantic Books (August 22, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1556434650
• ISBN-13: 978-1556434655
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (37 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #38,119 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #31 in	Books > Health, Mind & Body > Alternative Medicine > Holistic
  #49 in	Books > Cooking, Food & Wine > Regional & International > International

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

275 of 281 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars These are the best recipes, April 5, 2004

By	"beppi2002" (Denver, CO United States) - See all my reviews

I normally don't write reviews at all, but this book certainly deserves one. The highlights:

* It doesn't consists of all these sweet recipes but has great tasting alternatives (I could never get into all that sweet stuff); there are no dates, bananas, etc., and there are some good explanations as to why
* The recipes don't require a lot of strange ingredients of which I never even heard before; ingredients are easily found
* You don't have to plan days ahead of time to just produce one dish; a lot of it can be put together quickly
* It does have its share of nuts, but for some reason I don't resent that here as I did in most of my other books; they don't seem to be everywhere
* There are NO wheat recipes (yeah!); I'm terribly allergic to that... Instead there are lots of recipes with flax seeds, and there is a very good explanation as to why wheat/grains are not used.

I ordered two other books at the same time I got this one and I already owned two raw food books, but this one is the only one I use. The recipes appeal to me much more than the ones in the other books. There still are tools that are necessary for the raw food kitchen, like a dehydrator, juicer, high-speed blender, etc., but there is a section in the beginning that outlines which ones they recommend.

257 of 264 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Most up-to-date and insightful live-food book available, September 16, 2003

By	Jason Schreiner (Lawrence, KS United States) - See all my reviews

I received my copy hot off the press only a few days ago and already it is quite evident that Gabriel and the Tree of Life chefs have provided us with the best live-food book currently existing. The few recipes I have tried are outstanding, and I am having a difficult time deciding which to try next, since all of them appeal to me.

Perhaps the single best thing about this book are Gabriel's updates concerning live-food nutrition. Though he frequently cites Conscious Eating for a more thorough discussion of many topics, Gabriel also extends his previous theoretical insights with new, exciting evidence published for the first time. His extended discussion of mycosis and the concept of a "compost button" vis-a-vis body metabolism are particularly intriguing. For instance, Gabriel cites the brilliant work of Dr. Robert Young (cf the book, Sick and Tired?) as support for the fact that high-glycemic foods, including many of our favorite raw fruits (e.g. dates, mangoes, bananas, etc.), create biological conditions favorable for the proliferation in our blood of bacteria, yeasts, fungus, molds and other nasties whose primary function is to compost dead matter. So long as we continue eating foods that undermine the vibrancy of our internal biological terrain, our "compost button" remains switched "on" and organisms which compromise our health continue their nasty business. Gabriel provides vivid evidence of this process of degeneration by presenting a series of color photographs that clearly show, via darkfield microscopy, the breakdown of our red blood cells and the proliferation of bacteria, yeasts, fungus and molds. Only by switching our "compost button" to the "off" position, via rainbow green live-food cuisine can we transform our biological terrain and reverse the process of mycosis.

Gabriel outlines how rainbow green live-food cuisine in particular, and not mere raw foods and live-foods per se, facilitates the transition away from mycosis to a friendly biological terrain and optimal health. He identifies three phases, beginning with low-glycemic foods, that we can follow in this process. Most importantly, the authors designate each recipe according to which phase it supports, meaning that we know precisely which recipes we can follow contingent upon where we are in the process of transition. And, Gabriel discusses how he himself, and everyone at the Tree of Life, altered their live-food diets by beginning Phase I and transitioning through Phase I.5 to Phase II, which is the lifelong maintenance diet. In an through this process, Gabriel and his staff experienced even more energy and feelings of well-being than experienced on their previous live-food diets. In other words, rainbow green live-food cuisine is NOT mere "live-food" but a specific, unique approach to live-food preparation and eating.

Finally, of particular importance for the live-food movement is the presentation of burgeoning evidence in support of the fact that Excalibur dehydrators require higher temperature settings (e.g. 145 degrees) during the initial stages of dehydration and then need to be adjusted down to the usual temperatures (e.g. 95-115 degrees) live-food preparation previously utilized from start to finish. The authors note that more research concerning this issue is currently underway as part of the Master's program in Vegan Live-Food Nutrition (see the Tree of Life site for more info about this program). Nevertheless, the recipes in the book reflect this new research, so adherents to live-food preparation ought not to be confused by the recipe instructions calling for higher intial temperatures (in other words, read the intro chapters!).

In short, an awesome book that is accessible and highly informative, and a must have for both long-time live-foodists and those interested in the possibilities for using live-foods to improve their health and experience optimal well-being. Hurray for Gabriel and everyone who contributed to this beautiful, insightful book! Thanks!!!

208 of 230 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Best of intentions, but..., March 22, 2006

By	Nom de plume "rawpetmom" (California, USA) - See all my reviews

The theories and practice recommended by Rainbow Green Live-Food Cuisine miss the mark.

Like so many, I have health challenges. I visited the Tree of Life, a wonderful and beautiful place, and saw Dr. Cousens. I followed his suggestions, which included the no-sweet-fruit diet (phase I of RGLC) and many expensive supplements. I followed the diet for over a year -- strictly.

At first, I felt well. But after a while it became obvious that the program wasn't working: I felt weak, was unfocused, and had tremendous cravings for heavy, fatty foods. (And I have been on a high raw/all raw diet for many years, so this was not just detox.) This program simply does not provide the energy required to function, leading to cravings for dense foods, and most of the calories consumed *by far* come from fat. This is extremely unhealthy! Most world health experts recommend that fewer than 10-15% of calories come from fat. While I haven't checked the actual quantities in any of the recipes, it is clear that all or almost all of them FAR exceed those guidelines. I gained weight and was not thriving, as a person eating a healthful raw diet should. The diet recommended by this book is unsustainable.

Many of the recipes in this book taste good, but again, they are extremely high in fat.

As to the "science" presented here, the wrong conclusions seem to have been drawn. Many of those whose blood was tested by Dr. Cousens may have been people who were not eating a healthful raw food diet at the time, but the quality of the subjects' diets is never shared with the reader. Was it considered? A typical cooked food diet is extremely acid forming in the body and creates the ideal breeding ground for candida, fungal infections, and the mycosis, as Dr. Cousens describes it. If someone is eating this type of diet, then it's true that adding high glycemic foods of any kind may be a poor idea.

Dr. Cousens states that an acid diet, junk food, dried fruits, high glycemic foods, and low oxygen levels in the body contribute to this mycosis, or "internal composting," as he calls it. Most of what he lists *is* unhealthy; however, some of the fruits he considers to be "high glycemic" are extremely healthful and valuable foods.

Even if Dr. Cousens' blood test subjects were eating a raw diet, as most raw food diets contain much too much fat, it is likely that all subjects, whether eating a cooked or a raw food diet, had pre-existing conditions of candida and fungal overgrowth. Fat in the bloodstream prevents insulin from effectively transporting sugar to cells; naturally-present (in small amounts in the healthy person) candida feeds on the sugar in the blood to prevent prolonged high blood sugar levels, and it blooms.

Did Dr. Cousens consider the lifestyles of the people whose blood he tested? It's not clear. Also, it's true that cancer cells grow on sugar solution. Most cells do! But avoiding fruit is not the answer. Getting healthy is.

We are designed to function on simple sugars such as those found in fruits, not on the high fat vegetable diet espoused in this book. A healthful diet that is primarily fruit-based, with sufficient quantities of greens but little fat allows the body to rid itself of candida overgrowth very quickly. It also provides enough nutrients and energy for the individual to be healthy and vibrant. I have started to get well by living this way, and I know I am now on the right path to heal. But it is a simple way, not one that leans toward complex recipes and dietary supplementation.

If you are interested in seeking health and a healthful eating program, please try a low fat raw vegan diet that is fruit-based but also contains substantial quantities of greens and green vegetables with limited fat, such as the one recommended by Dr. Douglas Graham. See also "The Raw Secrets" by Frederic Patenaude.

I truly believe that Dr. Cousens is a kind man who wants to help others. But I cannot recommend this book.

Please be cautious.