Dietary Advice from the Edgar Cayce Readings
The Edgar Cayce readings make repeated reference to the importance of proper diet and nutrition in achieving and maintaining health and wellness. Based on my understanding of the basic dietary principles and practices found in the Cayce material, I recommend that you
(1) avoid alcoholic beverages (except for small quantites of brown bread and red wine, said to be a "blood builder");
(2) avoid drinking coffee to which milk or cream has been added;
(3) avoid ingesting anything containing white sugar (as a substitute, the readings allow beet sugar, saccharin, and raw honey);
(4) avoid smoked foods;
(5) avoid foods containing nitrates, nitrites, benzoate of soda, calcium chloride, MSG, and other chemical additives and preservatives;
(6) never eat fried food of any kind;
(7) except for small quantities of very crisp bacon, do not eat pork;
(8) never drink carbonated beverages;
(9) except for small quantities of very lean cuts, do not eat beef;
(10) by far the most preferred meats are fish, poultry, lamb, and liver (because seafood may now be contaminated with mercury, consider eating Alaskan salmon);
(11) strictly limit your intake of starchy foods like rice, potatoes, and pasta;
(12) fresh raw fruits, vegetables, and their juices should be part of your daily diet;
(13) avoid spicy foods;
(14) eat only breads and cereals of the whole grain variety;
(15) eat quantities of lettuce every day (it acts as a blood purifier);
(16) do not combine whole grain cereals or dairy products with citrus fruit or citrus fruit juices at the same meal (have them preferably at opposite ends of the day);
(17) excellent are salads (preferably mixed with powdered unflavored gelatin) made with grated or chopped raw carrots, lettuce, celery, watercress, radishes, onions, vine ripened or canned tomatoes, and cooked beets;
(18) except for small quantities of butter, avoid products containing saturated fat, such as lard, whole milk, and cheese (skim milk and non-fat yogurt are alright);
(19) in regard to eggs, eat only the yolks, and make sure they are thoroughly cooked;
(20) do not eat if you are excited, angry, upset, or excessively fatigued;
(21) avoid ingesting anything prepared or stored in aluminum;
(22) although not mentioned in the readings, avoid food and drink that has been microwaved;
(23) although not mentioned in the readings, avoid food and drink containing aspartame;
(24) eat a few almonds every day;
(25) limit your salt intake to small quantities of sea salt or kelp powder;
(26) avoid raw apples unless you are on the apple cleansing diet (see below);
(27) drink bottled spring or, preferably, distilled water instead of regular tap water;
(28) take a really good multivitamin/mineral supplement (or its equivalent) daily;
(29) avoid candy, cake, pies, pastries, and ice cream;
(30) drink six to eight glasses of water daily;
(31) avoid products containing vinegar, such as pickles, relish, ketchup, mayonnaise, and salad dressing;
(32) have some powdered unflavored gelatin with every meal (it aids absorption of nutrients);
(33) do not cook with condiments, including salt (it destroys much of the vitamin content of food);
(34) drink half a glass of warm water upon arising in the morning (it helps rid the body of toxins);
(35) avoid products containing corn syrup;
(36) do not eat bananas unless vine ripened in your vicinity;
(37) try to avoid having protein (e.g., meat) and starchy foods (e.g., potatoes) at the same meal;
(38) avoid any vegetable oil that has been hydrogenated (e.g., vegetable shortening and margarine) or otherwise processed or refined (with the exception of palm oil and coconut oil, which are both high in saturated fat, "cold pressed" oils are alright, and extra virgin olive oil is especially recommended);
(39) although not mentioned in the readings, avoid soy foods;
(40) because digestion begins in the mouth, chew your food thoroughly (even liquids should be chewed two or three times before swallowing); and
(41) insofar as practicable, eat mostly organic, locally grown foods, both raw and cooked.
The above dietary recommendations are based upon the major assumption that you do NOT have any food allergies, intolerances, or sensitivities. However, many people do indeed have difficulty handling certain foodstuffs. For example, I am allergic to soy products, eggs, citrus products, and the gluten in wheat, rye, barley, and oats. I am also intolerant to the particular type of protein and sugar normally found in cow's milk. It is HIGHLY recommended that you ascertain what your food weaknesses are and that you take that information into account in following the above dietary advice. Many people have found the The 96-Food Domestic IgG ELISA Food Intolerance Test very helpful in pinpointing problem foodstuffs. For more information about identifying and treating food allergies, read Food Allergies and Food Intolerance
, by Jonathan Brostoff, M.D., and Linda Gamlin.The above dietary recommendations also assume that you are not afflicted with an overgrowth of yeast in the intestinal tract, which appears to be an unusually common problem since the advent of antibiotics (unavailable in Cayce's day). For more information, visit
and read The Complete Candida Yeast Guidebook, by Jeanne Marie Martin.
Another consideration is the great emphasis the readings place on maintaining a proper balance between foods that are acid reacting versus those that are alkaline reacting. By way of explanation, it may be said that practically everything we eat or drink will tend (based on the body's metabolic processes) either to acidify or alkalize the body (i.e., will cause the body to react with either an acid or a base as a metabolic end-product). And it is not always obvious what foods will have what effect in this regard. For example, drinking orange juice (though an acidic substance), will normally tend to alkalize the body. Edgar Cayce recommended that 80% of what we eat or drink be alkaline reacting and that 20% be acid reacting. Following the dietary advice above will tend to alkalize the body.
For more information about the importance of maintaining a proper acid/base balance, read Alkalize or Die
, by Dr. Theodore A. Boroody.One of the drawbacks of our modern industrialized society is the contamination of our air, food, and water supply with at least trace amounts of pesticides and other harmful chemicals. This tends to cause a buildup of toxins in the body quite detrimental to health. One means of eliminating these toxins is the Cayce apple cleansing diet:
Eat nothing but raw, organic, Delicious apples for three days. During this period, drink nothing but distilled water, and avoid strenuous work or exercise. On the evening of the third day, take two ounces of extra virgin olive oil. If possible, obtain a colonic irrigation the next morning (or at least have an enema after your first bowel movement).The readings claimed that this regimen would detoxify ANY system, and it might be wise to go on this diet BEFORE instituting any extensive Cayce treatment plan. It might also be a good idea to repeat this diet two or three times a year.
As an easily assimilated, easily tolerated source of strength and vitality, the readings frequently recommended beef juice. For more information, visit
SOURCES OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
For more information regarding Edgar Cayce's approach to diet and nutrition, visit
and read Nourishing the Body Temple
.A Discount Source of Edgar Cayce Products
The Edgar Cayce Virtual Library
