Hi Paul,

Great post - thanks.

> If you keep going back and forth between 'crap' and 'healthy' raw vegan then
> there may be a problem with both. Nutritionally a good varied diet, perhaps
> mostly raw and organic, with adequate animal or total protein, might help
> you stabilize over the long term.
> I don't really know you, but I do know
> that extremes for more than a short period can be harmful, especially I
> imagine going from one extreme to another.


Great advice, great thinking, great great great (at least in my opinion :)
).

> I became too thin and hypothyroid
> a couple of years ago on a mostly vegetable diet with no meat and some
> tofu - fortunately I was smart enough to figure out where I went wrong, and
> correct and reverse the problems (with help from an MD).

If you have the time, I would be very interested to hear more details of
this experience - what went wrong, how you "tracked it down," and what
helped.

> One theory 'out there' is that because we have been raised on refined
> low-fiber foods, among other things our intestines are warped and too long -

Or enlarged and enormously wide (and therefore able to carry an
inordinately large amount of stool, which slows transit time, contributing
to the accompanying problems of auto-intoxication, degradation of the
intestinal wall, and so on.) Or the formation of "diverticuli" - little
balloning pockets along the intestinal wall - the condition known as
diverticular disease. There are many problems associated with
disfigurements of the small intestine, and colon especially, and many can
be directly related to many years of lack of fiber in the diet.

> I discovered 'Cassia' on this list, take it intermittently, and have
> eliminated some very old foul material from the intestines over the past
> several months.  I'm convinced these eliminations - plus eating more protein
> along with my raw veggies - have benefitted my health.

I've discovered cassia on this list, too, and have taken it three times
now. Where did you get yours? I can't figure out if mine has gone bad and
lost it's punch, or whether my intestines are just not responsive to it.  I
was told by the man I bought it from to take 3-5 discs, with three hours on
each side of eating, and in a few hours to expect to see results. I took
three the first time, and nothing happened. The second time I took more -
six or seven maybe - and many hours later (maybe ten) I felt a little
different. So the third time I decided hey - go for broke - and I ate
probably three very large tablespoonfuls (mine has a very mild fruity
taste, not bad but not particularly good either). The same thing happened -
maybe ten hours later I felt just the littlest rumblings, and nothing
particularly different seemed to be eliminated. I'm dissappointed, since
I've read that great things happen with this.

Paul, what makes you think its old foul material that's being eliminated,
and not just your daily meal? I've heard different opinions on this, where
some (docs, colon hydrotherapists, and nutritionists) say that it is simply
not true that stool can adhere to the colon wall and be retained for long
periods. But I've also talked to professionals who say that this _does_ in
fact happen, and that they've personally seen eliminations where there can
be no question but that it is very old material.

It has also been said about cassia that it is _not_ a laxative (meaning it
does not work through irritation of the intestinal wall) but somehow works
differently in the body. Do you, or anyone else, know anyghing more about
its properties? If it turns out that it is in fact just a laxative like any
other, then I'm not as interested.

(I think I want it to be magical). :)

Anyway, I like the _idea_ of cassia very much, and would be happy if I knew
it did what it's rumoured to do.

> The truth is probably .......... that I could eat very healthy
> for a long time - many years - and still not be as healthy as many SAD
> eaters that have a different constitution .....

I am SO glad to see this. Seems like common sense, but this little
sentiment you've expressed is actually a key concept, which people in the
"health-food, special-diet" world seem to be unwilling to acknowledge. In
my opionion, diet is a critical factor, but, fortunately or unfortunately,
even the "best" diet probably won't stave off death forever, and it may not
even ensure good health. There are too many other critical factors, when it
comes to health.

Anyway, thanks again for a great post.

Love Liza

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[log in to unmask] (Liza May)