Health & Fitness Mag, 12/98: The Fruitarian

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Health and Fitness Magazine (UK)

Dec '98 Photographer Tim O'Sullivan

The Fruitarian

 

Karen Knowler, 26 Co-ordinator for The FRESH Network Eats: Raw fruit

(70 per cent), raw vegetables, seeds, nuts, sprouted beans and

pulses, fresh fruit and vegetable juices.

 

'I used to eat everything: burgers, sausages, chips twice a day. I

even worked in my family's butcher shop. I didn't link health with

food.

 

'Then I moved from living with my mother to my father's. He's a

healthy eater and I became aware of different ways to eat. I decided

to try to cut out meat because of the cruelty aspect, but

ironically, I didn't like vegetables until I was 18. My body was so

polluted with junk, I didn't like the taste of healthy food.

 

'I read a lot about healthy eating and it all made sense. I gave up

meat, then fish and experimented with being a vegetarian, a vegan

and a fruitarian over the next five years.

 

'This time, I've been a fruitarian since June and intend to stay

with it. My energy levels have lifted incredibly, my moods are

consistent and my weight continues to drop as my body clears itself

out. I recognise my true appetite and have eradicated food cravings.

I wake up in the morning completely bright and feel good inside my

own skin. It's given me a real joie de vivre.

 

'Some people think I'm denying myself, but for me, it's freedom for

the first time. I just eat when I'm hungry and have whatever I like.

My taste buds are so acute I get all the flavour of everything I

taste. It's limited in terms of food groups, but within each group

there's so much variety.

 

'Last Christmas I didn't eat 100 per cent raw food because I didn't

want to be a problem for other people. The idea of being socially

difficult or " different " put me off for years - having to conform

was the only problem with being fruitarian. This year I'll make sure

I have a truly fruitarian Christmas. Most people are fine about it,

they usually think my meal looks tastier than theirs.'