Hi Gary,

you asked:
>How do you know the difference between a craving for foods of a higher
>density, and a past addiction?

Good question. Lets put it this way: if you eat the dense foods your
body is desiring and are completely satisfied afterwards, I would
call it a need. If after the meal you are still craving denatured
foods, there are two possibilities:
1) you didn't eat the food your body needed at that time (if you eat
instinctively you won't make that mistake so easily)
2) You found the right food but your old cravings are still strong
and you cannot deny them.

In fact, if you follow the approach of instinctive eating and use
high quality foods, old addictions and cravings are rarely bothering
you. Perhaps before your meals. The smells of denatured foods can
be sooooo good. But afterwards it's all boring and stupid.

>I, for one, found that being a cooked vegetarian was more of a problem than
>being a raw one, due to the constant "hunger" and lower level of health.

Good to hear that and nice that it works for you.

>>What your big brain needs to work isn't just sugar as the sugar in-
>>dustry wants us to believe. It's   f a t. Fat is what the brain
>>consists of. Since it permanently changes its connections and struc-
>>ture it needs fat.
>
>Do you have any support for this statement?  Should I also eat muscles to
>feed my muscles?

On www.beyondveg.com you will find lots of support for the statement
that humans need fat and animal organs to feed their big brain.
And concerning the second question: if you are doing resistance trai-
ning (like me) and want to gain mass it would be a good idea to eat
muscles, indeed. Perhaps not daily but here and there, when you feel
you need the stuff.

>>Fruits and vegetables do not contain useful amounts of fat (I don't
>>count avocados as fruits although they are botanically).
>
>Why do you not count them as fruits?  Do you count cucumbers?

I count cucumbers, tomatos and bell pepper as fruits and avocados
as "proteins" which is a separation thought out by the rediscoverer
of instinctive nutrition, G.C. Burger.
It has not much to do with botanical classifications but helps you
to avoid undigestable food combinations. That's all.
Also obviously an avocado is a very unusual fruit, concerning its
nutrients.

>I'll take your word for it.  I seem to be thinking clearly without it, so
>may be an individual thing, or some other unknown factor.

Well, you don't know how clear you would think after a good chunk
of raw fatty mackerel or raw tuna, don't you?  :-)

Instinctive raw greetings,

Stefan