The Natural Hygiene Diet focuses on eating as close to nature as possible. This diet approach looks at the many benefits that are associated with raw foods, and was developed to reduce the cooking, heating and processing of foods. The Natural Hygiene Diet recommends eating predominantly whole plant foods, with little to no use of animal products, oils, spices, sugars, salts and processed foods.
Identification
The Natural Hygiene Diet might seem highly restrictive to modern day consumers, as it focuses on meals that use foods that are as close to their natural state as possible, with little to no additives, from salt to sugar and even spices. Heating or altering the raw state of a foods is not recommended with this diet, as the creator of the diet, Dr. Gian Cursio suggests. The diet encourages the plentiful consumption of nuts, seeds and ample plant-based foods.
Function
The concept of the Natural Hygiene Diet is to stop you from eating processed, sugar-laden and chemically altered foods, and to get you into eating whole foods that are full of phyto-nutrients, antioxidants and macro and micro nutrients. As you follow this eating style, you are encouraged to eat as much as you want, until you feel satisfied and full. This will prevent a feeling of deprivation. Dr. Gian Cursio, the developer of this diet, observed that his patients did not gain weight, but lost substantial weight initially, as this new, clean diet was undertaken. When an individual reached her optimal weight, adjustments were then made to keep that weight stable, from adding more food to subtracting food, depending on a person's situation.
Theories/Speculation
The theory behind the Natural Hygiene Diet is that the "toxic load" of the body can be reduced and damaged tissues and cells can be healed through the ample nutrition available through optimal combinations of whole foods. These combinations serve to create a an environment of hormonal balance. Dr. Gian Cursio's theory is that foods in and of themselves do not cleanse or pollute the body. The proper foods eaten in a proper sequence can help create a highly favorable internal environment where the body can simply maintain or regenerate itself and correct its own imbalances.
Additional Diet Facts
As you get accustomed to the Natural Hygiene Diet, moderation becomes the focus, and you may need to count calories. Even healthy foods like nuts and seeds with their high fat content can tax the system when eaten in abundance. As you enjoy the abundant nutritional benefits of whole foods, you also will get hydrated through the fruits and vegetables. Dr. Gian Cursio advises avoiding too much water or liquids, especially with meals, as he believes liquids can dilute food and interfere with the natural digestive process. Simply drink when you feel thirsty.
Foods to Avoid
Every diet has lists of foods to avoid, and this diet is no different. Salt and pepper, sugar and cream, butter, alcohol, ice cream and soft drinks are not permissible. Some seemingly healthy foods are also not allowed, from whole milk to cottage cheese, yogurt, spinach, asparagus, garlic and onions. Although raw spinach and asparagus are rich in nutrients, they contain oxalic acid, a substance which interferes with the absorption and assimilation of iron by the digestive system, suggests The World's Healthiest Foods. Garlic and onions are not optimal foods, because they contain mustard oil, an ingredient that disrupts the action of certain digestive enzymes, suggests Dr. Gian Cursio. However, as with many of Dr. Cursio's claims, there is no scientific evidence to support this assertion.
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