Tonya Zavasta is 53 years young

The sun has quite a rap-sheet. Just about every degree of assault and battery you can name, from the mere annoyance of a little sunburn around the backyard pool to full-on skin cancer. Freckles, liver spots, red blotches, wrinkles, and dry skin—the sun “takes the heat” for them all. And the older we get, the more we blame old Sol.

Actually, I abhor the phrase “sun damage.” The sun per se does not create these problems. Toxins in the body are what do the damage, directly. Unless you’re on a sound raw foods diet, sunlight will have an ill effect on the skin. Sunbathing is downright dangerous for those on a standard high-fat American diet or who don’t get an abundance of raw fruits and vegetables. An average person must take steps to protect herself from the sun. The trouble is…you are then missing out on all the benefits that sunlight brings. Read the rest of this entry »

It’s been many years since I took the first few tentative steps on my raw food journey. Since then, I’ve experienced one exciting transformation after another, both physically and mentally. My health, looks and state of mind have continuously improved over the years. Just when I thought things couldn’t possibly get better, they did! I firmly believe this is because I took special care early on to transition slowly to raw foods, and to incorporate all of the lifestyle practices so essential for creating genuine, lasting health.

Food is Just the Beginning

Our western culture is all about diets, all about pills—things you consume. The truth: Food is only the beginning! I get many emails from people confused and disillusioned because they’ve been eating raw foods exclusively for a time but still feel constipated, still have skin issues, haven’t lost enough weight—the list goes on. A common thread runs through many of their pleas. It’s simple: The “food thing” is all they’re doing! I can’t figure out what’s wrong…I haven’t experienced the ‘butterfly-cocoon effect’ like you…and I’ve been raw for months! Sometimes, the trouble might be medical. And I do not, cannot give any medical advice. I can, however, offer some common sense from one who has walked the path for many years. Read the rest of this entry »

Metabolism is the set of chemical and biological reactions that occur in living organisms in order to maintain life. Through eating, drinking, breathing, and assimilating, we degenerate due to metabolism’s reactive by-products. Metabolism causes damage, and this damage eventually causes pathology. Every organism that metabolizes also dies because of this metabolic process. Metabolism keeps us alive and metabolism eventually will kill us. The fitness industry is all about “boosting your metabolism.” On the other hand, leading anti-aging research is all about slowing down metabolism through caloric restriction. Seems like a paradox? Read the rest of this entry »

Remember Chernobyl? That’s right—the nuclear “incident” that occurred on April 26, 1986 in the Ukraine, in the former Soviet Union. The day after, we were driving just 15 miles from that site, returning from a visit to friends.

At first, the government kept the incident under wraps. Nobody told us we were passing through a high radiation zone. We often think of that day—how we got out of the car and had a picnic at the roadside. Read the rest of this entry »

Having a new baby. Often it’s the happiest time of your life. You’ve counted the fingers and toes, verified he or she is healthy, and probably pronounced your child as the most perfect in creation. At first, you don’t even care about that lingering “baby bulge,” you’re so happy. But time has gone by, the worries of childhood are behind you and now you want to move heaven and earth to get rid of that baby bulge. Read the rest of this entry »

A healthy smile does the heart good…literally! Did you know that the state of your dental health can greatly impact your physical health?

Numerous studies have shown a real relationship between periodontal disease and risks for cardiovascular and other diseases. One recent study conducted by researchers at London’s University College determined that people who brushed their teeth infrequently had a whopping 70% higher risk of developing heart disease. This is due, in part, to oral bacteria resulting from chronic gum infection leaching into the bloodstream and attaching to fatty plaque in the arteries. Read the rest of this entry »

First, we need to agree on what “raw” means. What are the main characteristics of fruits, vegetables and greens that come directly from a garden or orchard with absolutely no processing? They are whole raw foods and the only ones I eat. We know what “raw” means, but what about “whole”? It means the water is intact. By this definition, oils are not whole raw foods even if they are cold pressed. Read the rest of this entry »

Often, I get emails from readers just embarking on vegetarian, vegan, or raw foods programs. Here’s “Bart,” who has a lot in common with many…

Tonya…I’ve started my own better eating program, inspired by your books. Not yet ready to go raw (though that’s my goal), I know you’re okay with that: It’s a transition—not an event. I still cook. But I’m nearly vegetarian now. The trouble… Read the rest of this entry »

Health is the state about which medicine has nothing to say.

— W.H. Auden

I’ve been entirely privileged over the last thirteen years since discovering the raw food lifestyle to have overcome many physical, medical and dental challenges to reach a level of health I never even known was possible. Certainly I’ve had my share of ups and downs and learned many valuable things throughout the course of my journey. Read the rest of this entry »

My readers challenge me. Good! One e-mail responded to a recipe of mine which featured nut cheese topped with persimmons. My reader wrote: Food-combining charts say that the combination of fruit and nuts is not ideal due to differing digestion times. I’m surprised, Tonya, that you’d eat nuts and fruit together… Read the rest of this entry »