Raw non-vegan article--Not biased, very, very, relevant!

April 5, 2004

Come-on jeff,

Your reaction seems biased and off-base, not the

article. The author does not offer second or third

hand stories, as you say, but first hand experience

and first hand observation. Nutritional deficiencies

seem to me to be common for raw-vegans--even Gabriel

Cousen's recommends B-12 supplementation! We need to

be realistic, not idealistic, especially when we

preach to others THE WAY as if we truly can know THE

WAY for every one all the time. As a raw food

educator, I know exactly what the author is speaking

of. For myself, it has taken a lot of courage to stand

up infront of my classes and tell everyone (who have

come looking for THE WAY) that I am not always 100%

raw and vegan. Yet, teachers speaking the truth seems

to be more useful because it alleviates the sense of

failure that many of us have felt when we haven't been

able to stick to THE WAY all the time. And, by the

way, as someone who has spent alot of time with other

raw foods educators, I have witnessed exactly what the

author reported: educators preaching a purism, and

living anything but! So, I would say, let's be REAL!

and admit that there are challenges, that no one diet

works for everyone all the time, and not be afraid to

share our challenges as well as our successes. We

might just learn how to do better, and learn that the

road to superior health and proper nutrition is a

process, not blind adherence to a dogma.

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April 5, 2004

Bruce,

Thanks for your post. You seem to have missed my point. Even though

teachers/instructors may not be living the ideal diet, that does not

mean that they do not have a right to teach what they understand to

be a more ideal diet. You are an example of that, as you say you do

not always follow a 100% diet. I've heard rumors (2nd hand info, such

as the article) that some of the raw vegan teachers have been seen at

fast food restaurants ordering non-vegan foods. Again, that does not

mean that they should not be teaching a concept such as raw vegan

foods (IMO).

Something else to consider - As I referred in my previous email, if

someone is not eating an ideal diet, then that may be the reason they

are not experiencing ideal health. If they are consuming animal flesh

and theorize that we doing so may keep them from ideal health, then

that may explain their health issues. Does that mean they should not

teach a raw vegan (mono) diet? Granted, if a raw vegan diet, itself,

was unhealthy, then I believe people knowing that should not teach

it. But if their food addictions and cravings are keeping them from

what they belive is their ideal diet, that may mean they are weak,

but, IMO, that does not mean they should not continue teaching what

they believe to be an ideal diet.

Dr. Graham may thrive on his diet. He promotes a raw mono vegan diet.

I have seen him combine more than one food at one time. That does not

mean that he should not teach raw mono vegan.

Regarding deficiencies, I'd like to hear more details about them,

more facts. The recent email did not help me at all with learning

more about them. If you have more information, please share them,

don't just put me down for commenting on this email list.

Thanks,

Jeff

April 6, 2004

Hi Jeff, I didn't read the article or Bruce message, but I want to reply on your

message.

>> some of the raw vegan teachers have been seen at

>> fast food restaurants ordering non-vegan foods.

I hope they were ordering that not for themselves, otherwise I am considering

taking money from the students for their lessons will be cheating or fraud.

>> If they are consuming animal flesh

>> and theorize that we doing so may keep them from

>> ideal health, then that may explain their health issues.

Jeff, I am vegetarian, but not agree with that statement. Consuming animal

flesh will not keep you from ideal health. It's proved by travelers and

researches. People who live more than 100 years old and are healthy, they are

not vegetarians, you can read about it in Paul Bragg books, he was traveling in

many countries, looking for secrets to be healthy.

My Chinese coworker had a grandfather who died recently at the age 104 and his

main food was boiled rice and baked fish. The guy was healthy, walking every

morning, always happy and smile. But one day he said : It's my time, he dressed

up in suit went to bed and died.

I don't know how much you are familiar with metaphysics concepts, but this

thought from Ayuverda is describing what I believe:

Causes of disease: " perversity of mind " is the ultimate cause of every disease

(negative thoughts). The physical toxins that occur are a symptom, not the

actual cause, of most disease.

love and blessings,

viola

Jeff Rogers <jeff wrote: