Navel Expo 2011 and Carol Alt on Raw Foods - “I don’t want to hear cheap. It’s your health!”

Carol Alt

I attended the Navel Expo 2011 last weekend in Huntington, Long Island.  The key note speaker for the day was model and raw food entrepreneur Carol Alt.  I was excited to hear Carol speak about raw foods.  I was also curious what 15 years of eating raw foods did to her appearance wise, since most photos taken by professional photographers are airbrushed in some way.  I made sure I was in the front row so I could see Carol up close and personal.

My first impression of her was, “Wow….she’s tall.”  She stands five foot eleven and had on at least four inch heels.  Carol is fifty years old, and I can tell you she is a beauty.  She has a vibrancy that shines from her inner self which makes her exterior all that more stunning.  Carol spoke passionately about her journey into raw foods, its significance to human health and the impact it had on her.  She spoke eloquently with a superior understanding and knowledge about raw food and told us quite frankly, “We’ve all been snowed.”

At the age of 34, Carol found herself plagued with all sorts of health issues and was taking all sorts of over-the-counter and prescription medication.  A friend introduced her to a doctor, a strong raw food advocate, and Carol never looked back.  She decided not only to follow the raw food lifestyle, but to spend countless hours reading and educating herself about foods that are not cooked above 118 degrees.  Carol stressed four important points about eating cooked vs. raw foods:

1.   When you cook food, it turns the pH from alkaline to acid.  Your body needs to maintain an alkaline pH.  An acidic body is a body where disease can grow.  Raw food is logically better for your system.

2.   When you cook food, you denature the vitamins and minerals.  Food needs to be in a form that the body can absorb.

3.   When you cook food, it changes the molecular structure of food.  She gave an example of what happens when you eat fat.  If you eat fat raw, it is good for you.  Once that fat is cooked, it can become a dangerous trans-fat.  Carol is a strong proponent of raw milk and has traveled hours just to find a farm that sells it.

4.   When you cook food, it kills enzymes.  We are only given a certain amount of enzymes our entire life.  Our body uses enzymes to digest foods.  If we continue to eat food that is cooked and without natural enzymes, our body will have to take it from somewhere else in the body to digest the food.  This stresses our system and makes us weaker and weaker.  Raw foods contain enzymes the body can utilize. 

Are you wondering what Carol eats?  She eats fruits, vegetables & legumes, nuts, seeds, raw spouted bread, tartare, fish three times a week, seared steak, raw milk, cheeses, butter and raw fertilized chicken eggs.  She recommends ordering raw food online and finding restaurants that will accommodate your diet.  When someone in the audience asked her about the expense of these foods, she quickly quipped back “I don’t want to hear cheap, it’s your health.”  (I loved that quote!) It definitely becomes a way of life to stay healthy.  Carol admitted that she does like popcorn at games on occasion and does cheat sometimes.  She explained, “You have to live.  It’s more important the quality of your life and not how long you live.”  I loved her attitude, spunk and vigor.  She is truly an inspiration.  But as she modestly said, “I'm just a crazy model who enjoys raw foods.”  Well…..it’s definitely working for her!  Carol has numerous books on the subject: http://www.amazon.com/Eating-Raw-Beginners-Healthier-Raw-Food/dp/140005284X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1304452922&sr=1-1 and a natural skin care line.

I had a lot of fun and learned a lot from the Navel Expo.  I want to give kudos to Health Media Group, Inc., for putting together such a great conference.   There should be one every weekend! http://www.navelexpo.com/index.php  I enjoyed all the talks I attended as well as meeting representatives from local businesses.  I also want to give a special shout out to Kat James.  I read her book, “The Truth About Beauty,” seven years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it.  I highly recommend it to you.  She gave a wonderful and passionate talk as well. http://www.amazon.com/Truth-About-Beauty-Transform-Inside/dp/1582701954/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1304453221&sr=1-1

Christine Segal/Kat James