My journey to a raw food lifestyle began over thirty years ago with Nathan Pritikin's low fat eating plan. I also stopped eating meat at this time, but I was still cooking all my food and eating eggs and dairy. I maintained that diet for years, but had a nagging feeling it could be improved.

I progressed to Dr Neil Nedley's guide to healthy eating by adding good omega-3 fats to my diet, a Pritikin no-no, but nutritionists have learned so much since he pioneered the radical idea that diet was responsible for our health so many years ago. Nathan Pritikin saw all fats as bad, but nutritionists understand now that only fats from animal sources are harmful, and raw plant-based fats are essential to good health.

Basically Dr Nedley's diet involves eliminating all meat, fish and dairy produce, and actively seeking out foods high in anti-oxidents such as garlic, goji berries and strawberries, also foods high in beta carotene such as red and yellow fruits and vegetables such as yellow sweet potatoes and foods high in essential omega-3 fats such as flax seed and nuts.

In case you're concerned about protein and calcium intake, and haven't noticed my big boned friend on the right, high protein diets appear to lead to increased calcium losses. Calcium requirements for those on lower protein, plant-based diets are believed to be below the usual recommendations.

The [American] National Research Council itself (which set the RDA values in the first place), acknowledges that people have been able to maintain their calcium balance on intakes of as low as 200 - 400 gm/day. They recommended the 800 mg/day because of the excessively HIGH PROTEIN diet of most Westerners. So if you want strong bones, reduce your protein and increase your vegetables. Think about it...how much meat and dairy does a gorilla eat each day? If at least half your food intake each day is green leafy vegetables you will be in absolutely no danger of being deficient in protien

Avoiding processed foods containing excitotoxins is also vital for long term good health. Don't use MSG and MSG-like substances, such as hydrolyzed vegetable protein -- chemical ingredients that most people should avoid due to potential brain and nervous system damage. Check for suspect wording used to disguise MSG in products, such as "spices" and "natural flavorings."

Another common additive to avoid is casein, (additive 509) a protein derived from milk and used in some glues, and the main culprit preventing the proper absorbion of nutrients due to dairy products coating the intestines. That low vitamin D level the doctor warned you about is much more likely diet related than not enough sunshine. Just popping extra vitamin D in the form of a pill won't help much if your poor clogged duodenum can't absorb it. Cut out the wheat and dairy and watch those levels improve.

Also avoid like poison refined sugar, food dyes, colorings and caffeine.

I've been totally Raw for nearly a year, which has basically eliminated all grains and beans from my diet, unless they're sprouted.

                             The following people have publicly adopted a plant based diet

 
Dr. Benjamin Spock: Yes, in his later years, after having his own health problems and then going meat free, he updated the seventh edition of his famous Baby and Child Care book to recommend avoiding meat and dairy for babies. With all the hormones and toxic chemicals in the meat supply now, giving growing children meat is just asinine.

Jeff Giuliano: Yes, the former Ronald McDonald got tired of putting a happy face on animal suffering and poor nutrition (and needless to say, eating crap)

"Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet." - Albert Einstein