Thanks to Jo Yoshida for an informative and interesting post! I would
like to make a few brief comments on the topic.

Jo Yoshida <[log in to unmask]>
>When advised by a health counselor to incorporate the agents of vitality
>(including a change in diet), it isn't surprising, then, that a Twinkie
>addict easily deflects such an approach to health reform and instead
>clamours for a bottle of magic pills to provide immediate relief for his
>ulcers.

Tom:
I agree with you on this point, but would add that the fake diet gurus
who promote cure-all diets, are in effect selling "magic diets"
rather than "magic pills". I refer to this as "dietary snake oil"
in direct analogy to the peddlers who sold "magic healing elixers"
in the US earlier this century.

Thus the fake diet gurus - quite a few of whom are selling raw/fruit diets
as cure-alls, are in effect the spiritual brothers and sisters of the magic
pill sellers (i.e., it's the same scam.)

Tom Billings