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A few points:
1. WHERE IS LUIGI IN THIS???
What about Luigi Fontana et al's published papers from their (current and continuing) longitudinal study of raw vegans??
The positive data from the papers back up the experience of raw foodists.
Luigi's home page: http://geriatrics.im.wustl.edu/faculty/fontana.html
1: Rejuvenation Res. 2007 Jun;10(2):225-34. Links
Long-term low-calorie low-protein [raw] vegan diet and endurance exercise are associated with low cardiometabolic risk.
Fontana L, Meyer TE, Klein S, Holloszy JO.
Division of Geriatrics and Nutritional Sciences and Center for Human Nutrition, Washington University School of Medicine, 4566 Scott Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA. lfontana@im.wustl.edu
BACKGROUND: Western diets, which typically contain large amounts of energy-dense processed foods, together with a sedentary lifestyle are associated with increased cardiometabolic risk. We evaluated the long-term effects of consuming a low-calorie low-protein [raw] vegan diet or performing regular endurance exercise on cardiometabolic risk factors.
METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, cardiometabolic risk factors were evaluated in 21 sedentary subjects, who had been on a low-calorie low-protein raw vegan diet for 4.4 +/- 2.8 years, (mean age, 53.1 +/- 11 yrs), 21 body mass index (BMI)-matched endurance runners consuming Western diets, and 21 age- and gender-matched sedentary subjects, consuming Western diets. RESULTS: BMI was lower in the low-calorie low-protein vegan diet (21.3 +/- 3.1 kg/m(2)) and endurance runner (21.1 +/- 1.6 kg/m(2)) groups than in the sedentary Western diet group (26.5 +/- 2.7 kg/m(2)) (p < 0.005). Plasma concentrations of lipids, lipoproteins, glucose, insulin, C-reactive protein, blood pressure (BP), and carotid artery intima-media thickness were lower in the low-calorie low-protein vegan diet and runner groups than in the Western diet group (all p < 0.05). Both systolic and diastolic BP were lower in the low-calorie low-protein [RAW] vegan diet group (104 +/- 15 and 62 +/- 11 mm Hg) than in BMI-matched endurance runners (122 +/- 13 and 72 +/- 9 mmHg) and Western diet group (132 +/- 14 and 79 +/- 8 mm Hg) (p < 0.001); BP values were directly associated with sodium intake and inversely associated with potassium and fiber intake.
CONCLUSIONS: Long-term consumption of a low-calorie low-protein [raw] vegan diet or regular endurance exercise training is associated with low cardiometabolic risk. ********Moreover, our data suggest that specific components of a low-calorie [RAW] low-protein vegan diet provide additional beneficial effects on blood pressure.*********
PMID: 17518696 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17518696?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum
CALORIC RESTRICTION
Also, raw foodists tend to caloric restriction after years on the diet. They still east as much as they like, they just don't need to consume so many calories to be full of energy. Caloric restriction has been shown to reverse primary ageing (interview with Luigi):
The role of caloric restrictions in the ageing of the heart
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/8.30/helthrpt/stories/s1551120.htm
2. HIGH ENERGY!!!
80 year old, 40 year raw vegan, Fred Bisci PhD runs 5 miles per day, works 10 hours per day and sleeps 2-4 hours per day.
http://www.fredbisci4health.com/about.html
Dr Doug Graham has also been raw vegan for decades... he's fit, man! He's coached Martina Navratilova, Demi Moore and loads of professional and olympic athletes.
http://foodnsport.com/
Tim VanOrden was a couch potato until about 38, then went raw. He's won a lot of elite running races. He says that (unlike other elite runners) he stopped going to gym because he puts on muscle too quickly which adds too much weight.
http://runningraw.com/results.html
Me? I'm a typically fit as a raw vegan. I enjoy 8 km hilly runs, and 2 hour swims (mainly freestyle).
3. BODY WEIGHT
Raw vegans are slim - the WHO recommends that people be at least as slim as raw vegans. The average BMI of the rawfoodist in Luigi's longitudinal study is 20.5, compared to an average of 25 for individuals eating a standard American diet.
Raw vegan women are fertile. Many of them finally fall pregnant AFTER going raw vegan. However excessive menstruation, like excessive body weight, is unhealthy. Fertility is marked by OVULATION! Get it right! :-)
4. EATING RAW IS EASY
My dinner was blended broccoli with flax oil and seaweed. About 3 minutes to prepare go to whoaa (rinsing the blender). The meal used to take a lot longer to prepare when it was cooked.
5. WHY DIDN'T RICHARD WRANGHAM EVEN *TRIED* EATING RAW BEFORE WRITING THE BOOK??? I FIND THAT EMBARRASSING. ARGH.
Compare with innovative raw researcher Victoria Boutenko who TRIES everything!!! She does PRIMARY research.
6. RAW FOODISTS AREN'T IDEOLOGUES
Most aren't 100% raw and don't want to be. They are maybe 80-90% raw, and keep their favourite cooked old treat foods. However once you've been on a close to 100% raw diet for a while, your body strongly dislikes cooked food.
Blended Green smoothies, with nutrient-dense ingredients like kale and fruit are a staple food for most raw foodists. They're delicious - everyone likes them whether they normally eat raw or cooked.
7. I liked Richard's work on monkeys self-medicating with bitter herbs. Says a lot about their intelligence and the abundance of nature.