RE: Response to your post on rawfood

[Guest guest]

 

Steve Seuser [steve.seuser]

Wednesday, October 06, 2004 12:51 AM

gwilcox

Response to your post on rawfood

 

 

Hi Greg,

 

I tried responding to your message twice on the listserv -- quite a lengthy

response both times -- and it's never appeared. I could have made a mistake

the first time, but I'm sure I sent it correctly the second time around. I

thought I'd post it in case someone else ever faced similar issues, but I

guess I can't. Anyway, here's one last shot. I got your email address off

your website.

 

First, congratulations on making such an effort to succeed on a raw food

diet. I might have bailed out sooner. I've made very similar choices, and

I've faced similar pitfalls. I've overeaten nuts, seeds, sweet fruits,

dried fruit, dates, etc. But now my diet is fairly good, as long as I keep

my favorite nuts and seeds out of the house. I've been raw for about two

years now, and I've ended up at 150 lbs., and I'm 5'11 " tall.

 

The big difference I notice in your description is both your lack of energy

and your interest in the very intense physical activity of distance cycling.

In contrast, I do Bikram (hot) yoga (90 minutes) alternating every other day

with weight-lifting and running (60-90 minutes). I was feeling the need to

build muscle mass after doing mainly yoga for a couple of years.

 

You also mention Gabriel Cousens, who I've been reading for a while now.

I'm mostly into his 2003 book, Rainbow Green Live-Food Cuisine, which

provides a framework for all people to succeed on a live food diet, with

strong variations for different metabolic types. Based on his experience

working with thousands of people, he's convinced everyone can thrive on a

raw food diet tailored to their metabolic needs.

 

He recommends significantly different intake of proteins, fats, and carbs,

depending on your type. Based on what you've said, I'm wondering if you

might need to increase protein through spirulina, Klamath Lake algae, or

hemp seeds, for example. Or you might also need to increase carbs. I'm

assuming you're getting plenty of fat, based on what your wrote.

 

Two other schools of though come to mind. The detox folks would say that

your weight loss is due to the body detoxing unhealthy cells out of your

body. Just hold on, and you'll be fine. If you need to slow down the

detox, add a bit of cooked vegan food in (remembering that cooked food is

addictive). Then gradually eliminate it as your body heals.

 

The natural hygiene folks like Doug Graham would tell you to eat mono meals

including a lot of sweet fruits. After all, you need the carbs to fuel your

body. You could try this and see if it works for you. I had a similar

reaction to you when I did this -- a lot of gas and intestinal problems.

But I have to admit I ate a lot of nuts and seeds too, and I didn't stick to

mono meals.

 

Right now, I'm starting in on Gabriel Cousens Phase I diet, which eliminates

all moderate and high-glycemic fruits and veggies from the diet. He thinks

it's necessary for people eating a Western diet to go through a detox phase

of 3-6 months, followed by a slightly more relaxed eating phase for a total

of 2 years, to get rid of all the fungus we have in our bodies. Based on

the evidence he presents in his book, which jibes with my own experience, I

have to agree with him.

 

I can't offer you any specific advice, and I have to tell you I've been

about ready to jump off a cliff several times with this raw food stuff, but

I think you can try out a few things and you'll muddle your way through. If

you haven't already read it, I'd suggest Rainbow Green Live-Food Cuisine.

Maybe you'll find something there that will work for you.

 

Good luck in your journey. I hope your next step gives you some relief and

energy.

 

Take care,

 

Steve

[Guest guest]

 

Steve Seuser [steve.seuser]

Wednesday, October 06, 2004 12:51 AM

gwilcox

Response to your post on rawfood

 

 

Hi Greg,

 

I tried responding to your message twice on the listserv -- quite a

lengthy response both times -- and it's never appeared. I could have

made a mistake the first time, but I'm sure I sent it correctly the

second time around. I thought I'd post it in case someone else ever

faced similar issues, but I guess I can't. Anyway, here's one last

shot. I got your email address off your website.

 

First, congratulations on making such an effort to succeed on a raw

food diet. I might have bailed out sooner. I've made very similar

choices, and I've faced similar pitfalls. I've overeaten nuts,

seeds, sweet fruits, dried fruit, dates, etc. But now my diet is

fairly good, as long as I keep my favorite nuts and seeds out of the

house. I've been raw for about two years now, and I've ended up at

150 lbs., and I'm 5'11 " tall.

 

The big difference I notice in your description is both your lack of

energy and your interest in the very intense physical activity of

distance cycling. In contrast, I do Bikram (hot) yoga (90 minutes)

alternating every other day with weight-lifting and running (60-90

minutes). I was feeling the need to build muscle mass after doing

mainly yoga for a couple of years.

 

You also mention Gabriel Cousens, who I've been reading for a while

now. I'm mostly into his 2003 book, Rainbow Green Live-Food Cuisine,

which provides a framework for all people to succeed on a live food

diet, with strong variations for different metabolic types. Based on

his experience working with thousands of people, he's convinced

everyone can thrive on a raw food diet tailored to their metabolic

needs.

 

He recommends significantly different intake of proteins, fats, and

carbs, depending on your type. Based on what you've said, I'm

wondering if you might need to increase protein through spirulina,

Klamath Lake algae, or hemp seeds, for example. Or you might also

need to increase carbs. I'm assuming you're getting plenty of fat,

based on what your wrote.

 

Two other schools of though come to mind. The detox folks would say

that your weight loss is due to the body detoxing unhealthy cells out

of your body. Just hold on, and you'll be fine. If you need to slow

down the detox, add a bit of cooked vegan food in (remembering that

cooked food is addictive). Then gradually eliminate it as your body

heals.

 

The natural hygiene folks like Doug Graham would tell you to eat mono

meals including a lot of sweet fruits. After all, you need the carbs

to fuel your body. You could try this and see if it works for you.

I had a similar reaction to you when I did this -- a lot of gas and

intestinal problems. But I have to admit I ate a lot of nuts and

seeds too, and I didn't stick to mono meals.

 

Right now, I'm starting in on Gabriel Cousens Phase I diet, which

eliminates all moderate and high-glycemic fruits and veggies from the

diet. He thinks it's necessary for people eating a Western diet to

go through a detox phase of 3-6 months, followed by a slightly more

relaxed eating phase for a total of 2 years, to get rid of all the

fungus we have in our bodies. Based on the evidence he presents in

his book, which jibes with my own experience, I have to agree with

him.

 

I can't offer you any specific advice, and I have to tell you I've

been about ready to jump off a cliff several times with this raw food

stuff, but I think you can try out a few things and you'll muddle

your way through. If you haven't already read it, I'd suggest

Rainbow Green Live-Food Cuisine. Maybe you'll find something there

that will work for you.

 

Good luck in your journey. I hope your next step gives you some

relief and energy.

 

Take care,

 

Steve

[Guest guest]

Steve, thanks for replying, and for your persistence. I have

forwarded your message to the list for you, since that was your

intent.

 

I think you are right about weight lifting and building muscle mass.

I went back to the gym yesterday and got a personal tour by their

fitness trainer, Greg Brown. He planned a workout routine for me, and

showed me how to use each machine. All this, and I haven't even

joined yet! I plan to join soon, however.

 

Yes, the Gabriel Cousens I have is " Rainbow Green Live-Food Cuisine " .

Based on your recommendation, I will give it another look. It didn't

seem as clear to me as David Wolfe's book, however. I am not sure

whether I am a slow, fast, or mixed-oxidizer. Also, I do not know my

blood type. At least it seems obvious that my ayurvedic type is vata.

In contrast, the Sunfood Triangle makes it easy to figure out how to

balance your diet to achieve specific results.

 

In any case, you make some good points. Cousens' system has a proven

track record. I only read it once, and it didn't really sink in.

There is wisdom there, and I need to make use of it. Thanks for

pointing this out.

 

--greg

 

Gregory C. Wilcox

31 Overlook Drive

Candler, NC 28715-9260

(828) 665-7531

(828) 665-7887 (parents)

(775) 255-1617 (fax)

Email address: gwilcox

Personal home page: http://buncombe.main.nc.us/~gwilcox/

Greg's Grains: gregs_grains/

Blue Ridge Bicycle Club: http://www.blueridgebicycleclub.org/

UUs for the Ethical Treatment of Animals: http://www.uua.org/ufeta/

Mass Extinction Underway: http://www.massextinction.net

 

" If present trends continue, the result will be irreversible

impoverishment of species. At the current rate, we will lose half the

plant and animal species on Earth by the end of the century. " -- E.O.

Wilson, Salon Magazine, January 14, 2002

[Guest guest]

> I am not sure whether I am a slow, fast, or mixed-oxidizer. Also, I

do not know my blood type. At least it seems obvious that my

ayurvedic type is vata. In contrast, the Sunfood Triangle makes it

easy to figure out how to balance your diet to achieve specific

results.

 

Greg,

 

That is exactly the rub with the book. I don't know for sure which

category I fit in either. I'm actually planning to head out to the

Tree of Life center in Arizona to do some training, and maybe their

nutrition masters program. When I'm there, I'd do the blood work to

figure out what category I fit in. Maybe I can also get some

specific advice about putting a diet together. But regardless of the

vagueness of the book, I think the overall framework is valuable. It

is difficult to understand (and maybe not that clearly written).

I've read it about three times trying to make sense of it, and it's

slowly grown on me. The real issue is the one you identify -- you

can't figure it out until you know which box you fit in. But there's

always trial and error, which is what I'm doing right now anyway.

Might as well try in the ballpark.

 

I also tried to use the Sunfood Triangle to " balance " my food

choices, but I didn't find it specific enough to be helpful.

 

I've found that knowing my blood type was useful. I read " Eat Right

for Your Type " and the updated book (Live Right for Your Type?), and

got some good tips from them. Being a Type A, I don't need much

protein, and I thrive on a vegan diet. Big surprise. But Cousens

says he's worked with Type O's (meat-eaters, supposedly) and designed

raw vegan diets that have worked well. He knows O's who have been

raw vegans for decades. I can't remember if he's an O himself.

 

Figuring out your dosha is also helpful. Conscious Eating gives a lot

more detail on the diets for the doshas than Rainbow Green.

 

Thanks for forwarding my message to the list. It hasn't appeared

yet. It's pretty interesting that it hasn't appeared once after

being posted three times. I hate to be paranoid, but that seems a

little weird. Who's running this list anyway?

 

Peace,

 

Steve