Chef lists ingredients for healthful living; Raw foods are a lifestyle, not just a diet choice.

Byline: Lynne Klaft

LANCASTER - Two months after her daughter was born, Maynard resident Adrienne Martin was just not feeling well.

"I felt like I had hit the wall, about 100 times! My knees were blown up, my immune system was shot, I was tired all the time," Ms. Martin said.

"But I was lucky, my mom took me to a healing spa in Florida called the Hippocrates Health Institute, a place where people go when doctors say they can't help anymore," she said.

There, her blood was analyzed, and she was told that her red blood cells were sticking together.

"They asked me, are you eating starchy foods, cheese? I said `yes,'" said Ms. Martin, who explained that red blood cells are the body's system for carrying oxygen, and if they are sticking together, the body is not getting needed oxygen.

"Within three weeks, after being on a raw food, a living food diet, all my cells were unstuck. My cholesterol was down by 35 points. And after a while, I was getting these surges. I figured it out, it was just plain joy. I hadn't felt that way in a long time," she said.

She said that after leaving the institute she tried to be 100 percent raw in her diet, but could not sustain it. A raw food diet consists of organic fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and grains.

After taking a teacher training class with raw food author Alissa Cohen, she learned how to sustain a raw food diet and began to develop theories of her own.

Now a raw food chef herself, she recently shared her passion, life experience and theories on nutrition and well-being with residents at the Thayer Memorial Library's Learn from Your Neighbors program.

Her approach to nutrition includes "the four aspects of abundant living. I believe from the bottom of my heart and soul that living an abundant, healthy life is our birthright," Ms. Martin said.

The first aspect is increasing the amount of raw, uncooked, live fruits and vegetables, as well as nuts and seeds, in one's daily diet.

She stresses balance in this and recommends people try to sustain a 50 percent raw (50 percent cooked) diet and then strive for 100 percent raw.

The second aspect of abundant living: exercise.

"This is almost as important as the first aspect. If your body is moving, your body is pumping fluids. Find your favorite thing to do: yoga, walking your dog, 15 minutes with an exercise video. This is so very important to a health journey," she said.

Ms. Martin's third aspect is preventive medicine.

"I call this investing in your health. Start now, don't wait, do it when you are still healthy. It could be Reiki, massage, chiropractics, acupuncture, things that will keep you in balance. You have to take charge of your health, get a checkup with your doctor. I know we're all busy, but we owe it to ourselves to invest in our health," Ms. Martin said.

The fourth aspect of Ms. Martin's abundant living: spirituality and community.

"I found my girlfriends didn't want to talk about raw foods, so I had a potluck and met others who were. I also do meditation, you have to find something in the context of your life and when all the pieces came together for me, I started feeling excited about life and then just had to share that excitement with the rest of the world," she said.

Ms. Martin shared recipes and tips to make raw foods taste and look appetizing.

Her green smoothie, well, didn't taste green, and the 20 participants in the workshop agreed, watching her blend Italian flat leaf parsley, mangos and bananas for a breakfast wake-up drink.

Ms. Martin's 3-year-old daughter has also benefited from raw foods.

"She says, `Hurray, we're having kale salad tonight!' and I am so happy. She sleeps well, she's healthy, her immune system is strong and I feel blessed. The payoffs for the little ones are incredible," Ms. Martin said.

"Your body will recognize that you are giving it nutrients that it needs. You are just setting yourself up to live abundantly," she added.

Ms. Martin will be teaching classes on abundant living which include raw meals made and served at each class.

She is a licensed acupuncturist, Reiki practitioner, nutrition and wellness coach, and has a cooking class on YouTube at www.youtube.com/abundantlivingtoday.

For more information on her classes, call Ms. Martin at [phone], or send an email to [e-mail].

ART: PHOTO

CUTLINE: Adrienne Martin demonstrates a raw food recipe.

PHOTOG: LYNNE KLAFT