Matt Bennett Rises Over Asthma and Eczema on a Raw Vegan Diet

Matt Bennett is a Holistic Health Educator with an emphasis on detoxification and raw, living foods. Matt grew up in a small town in southern Minnesota, where, from a young age, he suffered from a variety of health issues that his doctors could not resolve. Through his search for answers, he came across the concept of juice fasting, which eventually led him to discover a raw vegan lifestyle. Over the next several months, Matt watched virtually all his health issues fade away, and, now, after more than 10 years of practicing a raw vegan lifestyle, he continues to experience the best health of his life.

In 2014, Matt earned his certification as a Level II Detoxification Specialist through the International School of Detoxification, and, later that year, he became a Certified Raw Food Chef and Educator through the Graff Academy of Health Science. In 2017, Matt founded Raw Intuition LLC to help people reconnect with their intuition and gain the clarity to identify and remove the obstructions that are sabotaging their peace, health and happiness. Learn more about Matt on MyRawIntuition.com, where you can sign up for the Raw Intuition Newsletter and receive Matt’s top five breakfast smoothie recipes for free! You can also connect with Matt on Instagram, YouTube and Facebook.

Matt Bennett Suffers From Health Conditions Such As Asthma, Eczema and Dry Skin As a Child

The moment when health education is entrusted to Big Industry, it almost always leads to negative outcomes for the public. My parents raised me using the information they were taught by the school system, the media and, of course, the pediatricians and medical system. Unfortunately, for me, this led to health problems early and often. 

I suffered from asthma, eczema, dry skin, canker sores, constipation, colds and flus from a very early age. The doctors only ever recommended drugs to deal with my issues, and, if the subject of food was ever brought up, their response was that “food has nothing to do with it” and to simply “practice moderation with all things and you’ll be fine.” The school system preached the same “moderation” mantra using the industry-lobbied food pyramid, which recommended nearly equal amounts of meat and dairy as was suggested for fruits and vegetables—all on a foundation of processed and refined grains.

By following the advice of the so-called “health authorities,” I was rewarded with more and more drugs to take as I grew up. It began with years of my parents covering my skin with prescription steroid creams and then wrapping me in warm, wet washcloths to combat the eczema. In addition to not fixing the problem, this led to my incessant need for a variety of lotions to combat the excessively dry skin and rashes that would develop. I was placed on a nebulizer and inhaler to open up my airways and help me comfortably breath once I developed asthma. Then there was the antibiotics and over-the-counter drugs for the recurring ear infections. I vividly remember the absolutely awful taste of the pink, chalky syrup that the doctors recommended for my frequent colds and sore throats. On top of all that, there were various other drugs recommended for the allergies and attention issues, but nothing ever fixed the problems.

Matt Bennett Experiences Hair Loss, Dominating His Focus in Life

I began experiencing hair loss around the age of seventeen, leading to extreme levels of stress, anxiety and increased self-critical thinking. I became depressed and desperate for a way to stop my hair from falling out. It completely consumed my life, and I was constantly searching the internet for solutions. I tried just about everything imaginable, from special shampoos, nightly head stands and scalp massages to high-protein diets, pharmaceutical drugs, topical concealers, various home remedies and even a surgical hair transplant at the age of 21! Just like with all my other issues, nothing worked, and my hair continued to dissipate as the months went on.

Matt Bennett Embarks on a Juice Fast to Detoxify His Body

Once I had virtually given up all hope that I would ever be happy or confident with my impending hair deficiency, I came across an internet radio program that was advocating the health benefits of juice fasting and detoxification. Interestingly enough, I had just received a hand-me-down Jack LaLanne fruit and vegetable juicer from my brother a few weeks prior that had gone unused and was left sitting on a shelf in my basement. Something inside of me knew that I needed to give this juicing thing a shot—so I did.

That weekend, I went to a grocery store and gathered all the fresh fruits and vegetables that I could fit into my cart and began what I thought would be a three-day juice fast. Apples, carrots, cucumber, ginger, celery, spinach, beets and lemons—never before was my refrigerator so vibrant and colorful! I was shocked at how delicious and satisfying the juices tasted and that I wasn’t starving at the end of the first day. Almost immediately, I felt lighter and more energetic. My mind was clearer, and the incessant toxic thoughts began to subside. I hadn’t felt this good in a long time, and, by the end of the third day, I decided to restock on groceries and continue with the fast.

What I intended to be a three-day, one-and-done juice fast turned into a 10-day life-altering experience. After 10 full days, I broke my fast with a delicious seeded watermelon. I was nearly 15 pounds lighter, my skin was clearer and my soul was revitalized. I remember thinking, “If I feel this good after 10 days of consuming nothing but fresh fruit and vegetable juices, what else is possible?” From this point on, I was dedicated to discovering the truth about health and immersed myself in documentaries, books and continuous internet research. Over the next several months, I continued to include more and more fresh fruits and vegetables into my diet until that was virtually all that I was consuming.

Matt Bennett Feels the Call of a Fruitarian Lifestyle and Tunes out Old Behaviors

Lifestyle choices that I once enjoyed were now becoming less appealing. I no longer had the desire to drink alcohol, spend time at bars, dine out at restaurants, watch television, consume most forms of mainstream entertainment or spend time keeping up with the Joneses. I was now more attracted to activities that strengthened my connection with my higher self and that brought me a greater sense of peace and fulfillment. I started reading educational books, listening to motivational speakers, meditating, spending time in nature, eating organic food, drinking clean water, speaking kindly to myself and building healthy relationships.

Through this process, I became much more aware of the impact that my lifestyle choices had on the environment and on the lives of other sentient beings. I adopted a vegan lifestyle and began transitioning away from the use of products that used synthetic chemicals or plastic packaging as much as I possibly could. It was through many of these seemingly small changes that I accrued such a dramatic improvement in my quality of life.

As my body became healthier, so did my mind and self-awareness. It became much easier for me to recognize the harmful behaviors that I had adopted throughout my life that were keeping me from experiencing my full potential. I no longer saw a need to put so much of my energy and attention into preventing or disguising my hair loss and instead focused on being the best version of myself that I could. I shaved my head for the first time in 2014, and it was truly one of the most freeing and empowering things I had ever done for myself. I was no longer held captive by the fear, shame and relentless anxiety of what my hair looked like at any given moment.

Matt Bennett: “Food Is Unbelievably Powerful”

An important lesson that I learned throughout this stage of my life is that food is unbelievably powerful. Food has the ability to affect every aspect of our life experience. It impacts our physical, mental and spiritual capabilities to an extent far greater than what we have been taught. Food is not just some indiscriminate means of fueling the body; food is information; it carries its own frequency that becomes integrated within our consciousness and affects the way we think, feel and act. Sort of like changing the dial on a radio, certain foods tune us into certain channels of awareness. We can tune into channels that play abrasive and erratic music or channels that play rich and uplifting music, largely based on what we put into our body.

When I unintentionally changed my frequency during my juice fast, I suddenly had the clarity to transcend many of the lower-level thoughts that I had been tuned into. I realized that who we are is much more than our physical body. The value that each of us holds is not tied to any physical characteristic but rather it is an intrinsic part of who we are. Regardless of how we look, the level of formal education we have, our financial status or anything else, as long as we honor what is in our heart and follow our intuition, we can accomplish amazing things. It is our personal belief systems—influenced by the frequency we are tuned into—that either keep us trapped in artificial limitations or empower us to create a happy and fulfilling life. 

The challenges that each of us face in our lives can be used as an excuse for why we don’t have what we want or harnessed as an opportunity to learn and grow into a stronger version of ourselves. Just as muscles require resistance in order to grow, so do we as individuals. We can choose to be a victim and point fingers or we can see each challenge as an offering from God (or your higher power) intended to help us understand and develop our unique gifts that we are meant to share with the world.

Matt Bennett Learns to Create Lip-Smacking Raw Vegan Recipes

Making exciting raw vegan recipes became one of those gifts that I believe I was meant to develop. When I got into the raw vegan lifestyle, I noticed that so many of the recipes that were available online were either full of expensive and hard-to-find ingredients, took too long to make or were just too high in fat for my preferences. I began experimenting and testing out different ways of making my favorite recipes with simple, affordable and easy-to-obtain ingredients that maintained the same great taste as the original recipes I loved. I even spent three weeks in Roswell, Georgia, at the Graff Academy of Health Science, learning new ways to create delicious raw vegan recipes. I knew that if I wanted to make this lifestyle sustainable for myself and others, I needed to find a way to make it as simple and satisfying as possible.

After 10 years on this lifestyle, I am just getting started with developing and sharing a variety of useful tools for people to successfully and enjoyably transition into this lifestyle and sustain it for the rest of their lives. My most recent tool and ebook is called the The Art of Salad Mastery, which teaches people the blueprint for creating delicious and satisfying salads that will help them eliminate cravings and increase their chances of long-term success with their raw vegan lifestyle. 

Matt Bennett Pays It Forward on YouTube, Home to His Powerful and Engaging Raw Vegan Lifestyle Videos

Sharing my lifestyle on YouTube has been an incredibly powerful tool for sharing the valuable insights that I have gleaned from this way of life. It is so rewarding to receive messages that my videos have had a positive impact on someone’s life. And, without YouTube, I may have never discovered this amazing lifestyle in the first place had I not come across the likes of John Kohler, Dan McDonald, Dr. Robert Morse and many others that were and still are sharing this message on YouTube. They gave me the inspiration and education that I needed to begin implementing this diet and lifestyle in a sustainable and intelligent way. And that is exactly what I want to do for others. Which is what fuels my inspiration to share my ideas and perspectives about this philosophy and to help others experience their highest level of peace, health and happiness. 

Matt Bennett Looks at Every Day As an Opportunity to Grow

Reaching my potential is an ongoing pursuit that, for me, will never end. Every day presents a new opportunity to learn, grow and express more of who I truly am. In a world that teaches us to fit in, standing out and expressing your unique individuality is a revolutionary act. Be you at all costs. It’s not always easy, but finding the courage to move to the beat of your own drum is the path of a life well-lived. 

Matt Bennett Is Driven to Help the World Awaken From Its Slumber

I want the world to wake up from the hypnosis that it has been put under. As a whole, we have been lulled into an apathetic, gullible society that has unconsciously allowed for the destruction of our bodies, minds and environment to reach unthinkable levels. We have failed to honor, protect and defend our most precious assets. 

I want to be a light for those with the eyes to see the reality of our situation. I want to offer solutions that will help to awaken our individual and collective intuition and bring sanity back to the forefront of our consciousness. I want to be the change I wish to see in the world.

I want to thank Brian and Fruit-Powered Magazine for the opportunity to share my story. I hope you enjoyed reading it.

Wishing you peace, health and happiness.