Hi Tom,
Thanks for sharing all your Expo stuff with us.  I hope that as my life
situation evolves there will come a time when I'm able to attend this sort
of thing.

>7) (snip) ...You should have positive reasons for your diet; avoid
>negative reasons. Examples of negative motivations for a raw foods
>diet include the fear of mucus, fear of raw protein foods, and
>fear/hatred of cooked foods...

If one finds him/herself motivated by negative emotions, how would you
recommend correcting this problem?

>8) (snip) ...Eating may become an exercise in perfectionism, with low
>self-esteem because we backslide and eat "improper" foods. This type
>of behavior and attitude are factors in eating disorders (anorexia,
>bulimia), and we should avoid such attitudes/behavior.

Again, you have well defined a problem.  Do you have any suggestions
in cases where perfectionism & resulting low self-esteem is a problem?

>(snip) ... the raw food books available range from very good to
>unspeakably bad.

What in your opinion are, say, the three best books, for the lay person.

>Don't believe the zealots who will claim that it is your fault if the diet
>does not work for you. (Apparently the zealots think you should serve
>the diet, rather than the other way around - shame on them!)

I loved this!

>... Actively question and challenge the so-called "truths" of rawism.
>The results of such an approach may astonish you, as many of those
>"truths" are discredited, one after the other. (Note: this is also a way to
>find out if the "experts" are zealots - see if they react with hostility
>when challenged.)

I'd like to add here that insecure persons may also react this way.  I've
seen people (not referring to anyone on this list) whom I wouldn't
consider zealots become hostile when challenged, which I assumed to
mean either insecurity in themselves or in their position.

Thanks again, Tom.

Cheers,
Martha