Here are the notes from the talk by Aajonus. I hope you find at least
some of it interesting. After the notes, there is a special (Internet
only) supplement that is not part of the newsletter article. The
supplement provides info that will not appear in the SF-LiFE newsletter
article, and I encourage you to read the supplement as well.

Tom Billings

===================================

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Due to the non-vegetarian content of this post, it will not be posted on
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For permission to post/publish elsewhere, inquire for approval before
posting.  Thanks; your cooperation with the above is appreciated!

Tom Billings
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==============================

TALK BY AAJONUS VONDERPLANITZ - NOTES

Aajonus Vonderplanitz, hereafter referred to simply as Aajonus, gave a
talk at the Whole Life Expo, on Sunday, September 7, 1997, in San Francisco,
California. Aajonus is a nutritionist from Los Angeles, who has helped
thousands of people, including many with cancer and other severe or
terminal illnesses, find healing through a diet that is raw, non-vegetarian,
and high in fat. He is the author of the provocative and challenging
book, "We Want to Live".

Before presenting the notes from the talk, a few disclaimers are appropriate.

1. I try to present the material accurately as presented by the speaker. The
fact that I compile the notes does not mean that I agree with the speaker, or
endorse what a speaker says. Despite this, people often challenge me when
they disagree with something a particular speaker said. Comments and feedback
are welcome, but please remember that you disagree (or agree) with the speaker,
not (necessarily) with me.

2. Aajonus speaks very quickly, and my note-taking could not keep up with
his rapid pace, at times. Some of the material here may suffer from that
(i.e., parts of the notes might not be 100% accurate).

3. I am a vegetarian, and do NOT endorse the diet promoted by Aajonus. These
notes are done as a public service. [Although I don't endorse meat eating,
I do find the work of Aajonus to be fascinating. His work is a wonderful
counter-example to the "Health only comes from healthful living" slogan, as
those who promote said slogan condemn meat. We vegetarians do not have a
monopoly on healing, or the truth.] If you are very squeamish, you should
skip this article. Otherwise, read on if you want a challenge to your
beliefs!

4. If there are questions on the notes, you should consult Aajonus' book. If
you are ill or in poor health, consult a qualified health professional for
advice, rather than relying on "book treatments". The note-taker disclaims
any/all responsibility for any actions readers might take in regards to the
information presented here: use solely at your own risk.

Notes

Aajonus was introduced by an Expo volunteer, who told her story of how she
was using the dietary teachings of Aajonus, to find health and healing.

Aajonus began by briefly telling his story. He was born into a violent
household, and his brother tortured him. He was a sickly child, with
severe dyslexia. At age 10, he had peritonitis, misdiagnosed as
appendicitis. At 16, he was diabetic, at 19 he had a stomach ulcer that
was a tumor. The surgery scar from that became a keloid, or a tumor.
The keloid became cancerous, and he had radiation therapy, and chemotherapy.
He experienced severe side effects from the treatments.

He was in a hospice, when a person gave him raw carrot juice, and a book on
how to reverse cancer with carrot juice. He left the hospice and tried the
carrot juice - it reduced his dyslexia. He bought $110 of books on diet and
health to read. He read the books while he smoked (he used to be a smoker).
His health improved, and he switched to macrobiotic. The macro was OK; it
stopped the cancer, but it made his diabetes and psoriasis worse. At that
point, Aajonus claims that he had 6 incurable diseases.

He began to try raw foods - an 80% raw vegetarian (probably vegan) diet. His
raw foods tutor was anti-fat, but Aajonus reported that he had cravings for
fat. He made raw ice cream, and he got better. He tried vegan but it didn't
work for him.

Aajonus went on a 3 years long bicycle trip across the U.S. and Canada.
Approximately 2.5 years into the trip, the cancer resurged again. He
decided to fast himself to death, as he thought he was dying, and fasting
would make it happen quicker. He was in a remote canyon in the Southwest
U.S. A group of coyotes offered him a wild jackrabbit they had killed.
He ate it and was repulsed, due to his vegetarian self-conditioning.

His first bite of raw, dead rabbit came back up. He psyched himself up to eat
it, as he thought it was poison and would kill him. Instead of it killing
him, he felt incredible after eating the raw meat. He started eating other
animals, and felt better and better on the raw meat diet. Now his diet
is high in raw meat and fat, and Aajonus is in excellent shape despite
the fact that he does not exercise.

Aajonus recommends: don't drink water unless you are very thirsty; no fruit
juices, only vegetable juices, and eat fat when you drink juices.
Cooked meat contains toxins.

Aajonus claims that parasites are no problem. He says that he has been
checked for worms and none found, despite the fact that he has no stomach,
due to the cancer surgery years ago. Thus he has no hydrochloric acid to
kill the parasites. He spoke of doing a 41 day fast (he advises against
fasting, he says it's stupid), and eating a rotten salmon steak crawling
with pinworms, but still no worms in him. Of over 3000 clients on the
diet, only 1 person ever got worms.

Look at the tribes that eat rotten meat: Inuit eating caribou, whale meat
that is rotten. The E. coli content should kill you, but it doesn't.
Parasites feed on decay; parasites and bacteria are doing you a blessing.

Aajonus  talked about Hulda Clark's theories, and said it was all
nonsense. He then introduced a woman in the audience, who had blood and
bone cancer (multiple myeloma), and who was sent home to die. After 3
months on the diet, her blood work was nearly normal! She is recovering
and getting better. Of 241 terminal cancer patients, 232 have gone into
remission or reversed. Of 1877 arthritis patients, there is an 85% cure
(or significant improvement) rate. Of 44 heart occlusion patients, 95%
have reversed the problem.

Questions from the audience:

Q: What do you recommend to lifelong veggies?
A: If you are well as a veggie, stay on the diet. 4% or less of raw foods
veggies do well on the diet. If you are satisfied on the diet, don't change.

Q: How do you get a diehard veggie to change?
A: Aajonus told the story of an individual with a mouth problem that he put
on the diet. On the raw meat diet, his condition improved. However, the
person got into a diehard veggie group, ate veggie again and his condition
deteriorated. Ultimately, Aajonus gave a talk to the veggie group. The result:
they are all on the raw meat diet now!

Q: What if you can't get organic meats?
A: Animals are fed hormones and antibiotics. These go first to the glands,
then the bones. Cows are grazed until the last 6 months of their lives,
when they are sent to a feedlot, where they receive hormones and antibiotics.
Don't eat glands from non-organic animals. Muscle meats are OK if eaten raw.

Q: What about the Zone diet?
A: It is a great diet if raw. Don't cook your meat. You can eat raw unsalted
butter with meat. Aajonus then said that he does not eat chicken, turkey, or
pork unless organically produced.

Q: Your daily routine?
A: I'm like the instinctos; I eat what I am hungry for at the time. The only
change is that, due to my diabetes history, I don't eat much fruit. Our bodies
learned to live off sugar rather than fat. This makes the pancreas large, to
handle all the sugar. If I eat fruit, I eat it with a lot of fat (avos,
raw cheese, raw butter). Breakfast was green juice plus milk, and 3 raw eggs
by themselves (fertile, organic).

Q: What about eating out?
A: Ask the restaurant manager for raw meat; sign a release form if necessary.

Q: What about water?
A: Water dries you up, whether taken internally or externally. Water is
dehydrating and drying! Otherwise juice veggies or drink milk. If you are
thirsty, you can eat raw butter and honey.

Your diet should be 80% raw fat if you are ill.

Q: What about algae or spirulina?
A: They don't do anything if you are on an all-raw diet.

Q: Have you had success with MCS (multiple chemical sensitivity) and CFS
(chronic fatigue syndrome)?
A: Yes. 1-2 years on the diet, complete recovery (40 cases).

Q: Is 100% raw a good idea?
A: For overactive people, he recommends some cooked starch with fat (butter
or avos).

Q: What about food combining?
A: Strawberries+beef = gas. If it doesn't work, don't do it. There are no laws
about food combining.

Q: What about MS (multiple sclerosis)?
A: Eat lots of raw beef and raw fish at the same time. 4 severe cases reversed.

Q: What about lactose intolerance?
A: Only 5% of those who are lactose intolerant on cooked milk have problems
with raw dairy (??) Eat butter, cream instead.

Comments (by the note-taker):

0. The notes above are from a 45 minute talk. As you can see, Aajonus
talks quickly...

1. The advice from Aajonus, that one can ignore the risk of parasites in
raw meat, is potentially dangerous. Earlier this year, a well-known
instinctive eater was infected with the trichinosis parasite. (Drugs
were used to kill the trichinosis larvae, and the instincto recovered.)
The point is that one must pay some attention to parasites when eating
raw meat; parasites are a real risk factor.

2. Those who are lactose intolerant should exercise real caution when trying
raw dairy. You might react anyway, regardless of the claim by Aajonus.

3. Aajonus looks very healthy, and has a good presence. His talk was well
received, and many people stayed after to talk with him. Aajonus has
a normal weight, and is muscular despite doing no exercises. He is one
the the healthiest-looking raw fooders I have ever seen.  I say this not to
praise him, but because it is the truth.

4. We are considering inviting Aajonus to speak at an SF-LiFE potluck, and
perhaps at the next SF-LiFE Expo (if/when we do another one). Aajonus
will challenge your belief systems, and this note-taker thinks that is
a very healthy thing to do, on occasion.

5. We are considering buying his book for the SF-LiFE library. The title
is "We Want to Live", and can be ordered for $29.95 plus tax and shipping,
by calling 1-800-266-5564 (in the U.S.). Postal orders: Carnelian Bay
Castle Press; c/o STCS Publisher Distribution Services; P.O. Box 246;
Glassboro, NJ 08028; USA.

6. Aajonus did not convince me to give up my vegetarianism, but I really
enjoyed his talk. He is certainly worth hearing if you ever have the
opportunity.

Tom Billings


Supplement for Internet (only)

Some additional observations:

* there were several SF-LiFE members in attendance at the talk. One member
told me that he, a long-time and (previously) strict vegan, was experimenting
with eating raw fish. I did not encourage or discourage it, but simply
suggested that he try some raw milk/dairy.

* a raw food vegan I know, stayed after and asked Aajonus how to get started
eating RAF.  Aajonus suggested raw fish as the entry point. What is
interesting about this person is that his/her raw food influences include
some of the most extremist fruitarians. [I say he/she to avoid giving any
info to identify the person.] This person seemed to be enthusiastic and
appeared to be considering trying RAF. Imagine that - someone who likes
extremist fruitarians, now seriously interested in trying RAF. Even if
the extremists don't change, their followers can and will change, and
will leave the extremists behind...

* an emaciated woman spoke of how she was a former vegan (she had the
rawist look, I would add), and was now constipated by meat. Aajonus told
her she was just absorbing the nutrients in the meat.

Regards,
Tom Billings
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