Harvey & Marilyn Diamond's Diet

Harvey and Marilyn Diamond's bestselling book "Fit for Life" was first published in 1985, and was re-released in 2010. The diet's emphasis on raw fruits and vegetables is once again in vogue, as raw diets and restaurants proliferate across the nation. The diet has always been the subject of controversy, as its assertions about food combining have never been proven.

The Diamonds' diet is based on three core principles. First, people should consume fruits and vegetables that have a high water content, as they promote water as an internal cleansing agent. Second, dieters must combine foods in the "proper" manner. Specifically, the Diamonds state that starches and proteins must never be consumed at the same meal. The third principle is the "correct" consumption of fruit. On the "Fit for Life" diet, you are encouraged to eat solely fruit and consume fruit juices until noon each day.

The "Fit for Life" diet emphasizes eating raw foods, making the assertion that "cancer cells thrive on cooked food and refuse to grow on living foods." To date, no scientific research has demonstrated that a raw diet is more effective at preventing cancer than a diet consisting of cooked foods. Any reduction in cancer would likely be due to the increased amounts of antioxidants and flavonoids in such a plant-heavy diet. The Diamonds recommend eating several small meals of raw food per day. In an interview with Tom Elper, writer of the blog "New Vegan Age," Harvey Diamond states that 75 percent to 80 percent of his own diet consists of raw foods.

The "Fit for Life" diet plan encompasses more than new recipes and ideas about food combining. A series of activities termed "the dailies" are recommended in addition to the eating plan. The Diamond's recommend that you sleep with your window open at night to get the benefits of fresh air, drink water upon arising and before each meal, take daily walks, stretch and do breathing and meditation exercises. Other recommended practices are yoga, adopting a 9 p.m. bedtime, long, hot baths, doing random acts of kindness and spending time socializing with friends on a regular basis.

A typical daily menu on the "Fit for Life" program might consist of a breakfast of orange juice and fruit and a lunch comprising an avocado-tomato sandwich with cream of romaine and cucumber soup. Dinner could be flounder in a lemon-dill sauce with a broccoli-based side salad. In their book "Fit for Life 2," the Diamonds provide a variety of recipes, including dishes such as udon with pesto and broccoli, stuffed mushrooms and strawberry-mint soup.