Hallelujah Diet Review

 

The Hallelujah Diet, - also known as The Hallelujah Acres Diet & Lifestyle or the Genesis 1:29 Diet - is a strict vegetarian diet that was developed by The Rev. George Malkmus (and his wife) from an interpretation of a verse from the Bible's Book of Genesis. Chapter 1, Verse 29 reads: "Then God said, 'I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.'" "Biblical nutrition", Rev. Malkmus says, is "God's way to ultimate health" and Malkmus emboldens his claim by stating that this diet effectively cured him of colon cancer. The Hallelujah Diet has received a significant amount of press since it was launched, with Rev. Malkmus appearing in interviews on The 700 Club, Fox, CBS, NBC and ABC among others. Malkmus is also the author of "Why Christians Get Sick".

And what is "biblical nutrition"? In a word - Earthy. It's a primarily vegan affair consisting of 85% unprocessed and raw organic foods and 15% cooked (natural) foods. The 85% portion of the diet is basically raw vegetables, fresh vegetable juices, fresh fruits, raw nuts, nut butters, seeds, sprouted beans, raw oats, olive oil, flax oil and avocadoes. The 15% portion of the diet includes steamed or stir fried vegetables, steamed or baked white potatoes, sweet potatoes, cooked beans, whole grain breads and pasta, brown rice, soy cheeses, rice milk, raw honey, molasses, and herbal teas. Fruit should account for 15% of your total daily intake. What's out? Just about everything else. Meat, fish, eggs, dairy products, caffeine and alcohol are strictly prohibited. Also banned are white or brown sugar and sugar syrups, refined flour, seasonings, salt and pepper, non-herbal tea, cocoa, soft drinks, sports drinks, artificial fruit drinks and juices, canned and sweetened fruits, and nonorganic dried fruits. Also banned are cold breakfast cereals, white rice, roasted or salted seeds and nuts, margarine, shortenings, hydrogenated oils, canned soups, candy and gum, cookies, donuts, cakes, pies, canned vegetables and vegetables fried in oil. Basically, if it didn't come straight from the ground or a tree - you can't have it. Breakfast and lunch and any snacks are to be raw foods, dinner is the only meal you're allowed to have cooked foods - but remember that you are only talking veggies and grains and the like with no salt or pepper.

Malkmus is of the (alternative) school of thought that raw foods are the key to health because cooking destroys the nutrients in food - noting that man is the only animal that eats cooked food. He is a passionate advocate of juicing - believing that it is the most efficient way to get the most nutrients from food into our systems - so juicing vegetables and such is a central element of this diet plan. Note that medical experts (of which Malkmus is not one) explicitly state that while there is nothing wrong with juicing, it most certainly does not increase the percentage of nutrients absorbed by our bodies. Nonetheless, no one can argue that incorporating more fruits and vegetables into a diet is a good thing - they are nutrient, anti-oxidant and fiber-rich, and unquestionably associated with reduced risk of diseases. And - it's widely acknowledged that the standard American diet is sorely lacking for the healthy stuff.

It should be noted that Malkmus veers way off of the biblical path with his advocacy of supplements - B Vitamins, oils, digestive enzymes, barley powder and the like, which - wait for it - it's recommended you purchase from the Hallelujah Acres website. His advice that you should drink only distilled water - due to toxins in the water supply - is also nowhere to be found in the Bible, but perhaps he can be forgiven his concession to modernity here. Where Malkmus gets it right is the lifestyle elements of the diet - he strongly advocates daily exercise for both weight loss and overall health, as well as adequate rest, spiritual well-being, adequate amounts of sunshine and reducing/eliminating stress. No arguing with the wisdom of that.

Will you lose weight on the Hallelujah Diet? No doubt. The food choices are so limited, so low-cal and so high-fiber they would be enough to facilitate weight loss on their own - add in the daily exercise and the weight will shed even faster. Problem is, this diet is so restrictive that many people will find it hard to stick with. Additionally, bear in mind that your body will likely go through a detoxification process as it adjusts to the absence of meats, refined sugars, dairy, caffeine, booze and the like. Symptoms of detoxification can include headaches, irritability, nausea, fatigue and diarrhea. Note also that strict vegan diets often beget other health issues - including nutritional deficiencies, loss of muscle tone, fatigue and depression. While the American Dietetic Association approves of structured vegetarian and vegan diets, it stresses awareness that these diets can be lacking in nutrients like protein, iron, zinc, calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B12 and omega-3 fatty acids among others.

The verdict? It's a mixed bag. For weight loss, it's a winner - provided you can muster the commitment this much food sacrificing takes. For long term health it's more questionable - the efficacy of vegan diets for long term health is 50/50 at best. Critics of the Hallelujah Diet cite a later chapter in Genesis to counter Rev. Malkmus' righteousness on his own playing field - Chaper 9, Verse 3 reads: "Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things."