(Published by www.RaveDiet.com, 225 pages, $15.95), by Michael Anderson

Reviewed by Gwen O’Neill

December 2010 — Mike Anderson became interested in diet many years ago as he watched close family members contracting one chronic disease after another. His father died of cancer, his mother had severe osteoporosis and close friends were suffering with diabetes and heart disease. He happened to pick up a book that declared that major diseases could be prevented and often reversed by diet and lifestyle changes.

In his own book, Anderson writes about his research and what he learned: “I had always considered myself fairly well-read yet I kept asking myself, ‘Why isn’t this information more widely known? … Why don’t mainstream health authorities tell us about this?”

The result of his research is this book. The RAVE Diet & Lifestyle is “a long-term health regimen” designed not only to help people lose weight, but also to enhance their health and energy levels —“and to prevent (and even reverse) the common diseases that are ravaging Americans today.”

The diet proposes a radical increase in whole, natural plant foods. “Whole foods are good for the whole body. They are not just ‘heart-healthy,’ they are healthy for the heart, the brain, the arteries and all the organs — the entire body,” Anderson writes.

Anderson maintains that the immune system is the internal body armor and the front line of defense against disease. Anderson claims that a weakened immune system is the biggest cause of cancer and that the higher the dietary fat, the more the immune system is weakened. “The only foods that contain immune-strengthening and cancer-fighting nutrients are plant foods,” he writes.

RAVE is an acronym for:

No Refined foods

No Animal foods

No Vegetable oils

No Exceptions & Exercise

Refined foods are excluded because they have been stripped of most of the fiber, vitamins and other nutrients they originally had. Since the plan avoids all animal food, Anderson offers a lot of information about getting protein from other sources. He also makes a case for not using oils, claiming that oils contain no fiber or nutrients and they are 100 percent fat. The exercise component is fairly obvious; I think most people today understand that exercise is really medicine and we all need more of it.

The RAVE Diet food pyramid is very interesting. The bottom — and most important — layer is organic foods and regular exercise. Next comes rice, potatoes, oats and whole-grain foods. Levels three and four are low-fat vegetables and fruits followed by beans, peas, lentils and soy.

The top of the pyramid is nuts and high-fat fruits vegetables. Anderson writes, “These are the only foods that contain both fiber and cancer-fighting nutrients in the same package. At the top are foods with a high fat to fiber ratio. As you move down the pyramid, the amount of fat decreases, relative to the amount of fiber.” He writes that since the top-of-the-pyramid foods are over 80 percent fat, you should “go easy on them.”

There are over 200 recipes in this book, which makes it very attractive if you love to cook, as I do. I have not made these recipes yet but intend to very soon.

Coffee Cake

© Shininghope | Dreamstime.com

Serves 6

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup unsweetened apple juice

3⁄4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

½ cup applesauce

½ cup maple syrup

2 tablespoons baking powder

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan with an oil substitute and flour.

In a large bowl, add flour, ½ cup of oats, baking powder, cinnamon, maple syrup (the real stuff, of course), nutmeg, and ginger. Remove ½ cup of the mixture to a cup or small bowl; add the remaining ¼ cup oats. Cut in 2 tablespoons of applesauce and set the mixture aside. Cut the remaining applesauce into the flour mixture in the large bowl. Stir in the apple juice until well combined.

Pour the batter mixture into the prepared pan. Top with the reserved oat mixture. Bake for about 40 minutes or until done.

Curried Cauliflower with Peas (spicy)

Makes about 6 cups

© Kaanates | Dreamstime.com

1 10-ounce bag frozen peas

1 large onion, chopped

1 cauliflower, cut or broken into florets (about 4 cups)

½ cup vegetable broth or water

1-2 tablespoons tamari (soy sauce)

1 teaspoon coriander

1 teaspoon whole mustard seed

½ teaspoon turmeric

½ teaspoon cumin

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ginger

¼ teaspoon cardamom

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Combine coriander, mustard seed, turmeric, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and cayenne in a large skillet. Heat, stirring constantly, until the spices darken slightly and just begin to smoke — about one minute. Remove from heat and cool slightly.

Add the vegetable broth, tamari and onion. Cook until the onion is soft, stirring occasionally — about five minutes. Stir in cauliflower, then cover and cook over medium heat until tender when pierced with a fork — about five minutes. Stir in the peas and cook until hot — another minute or two. For a less spicy taste, cut back on the cayenne pepper.

Carrots and potatoes are optional. May be served over brown basmati rice or other grains such as quinoa.

Anyone who is seeking a lifestyle change should take a look at this book and accompanying DVD. A vegan diet is not for everyone, but many of the principles outlined in this book make a lot of sense and have been championed by nutritionists, naturopathic physicians and research scientists. I can’t wait to try more of the recipes!