Hi Deborah,

> I appreciated your passing along Dr. Castelli's current thinking.
> If you still have an avenue to him, could you ask him how he
> would explain Zephyr's consumption of raw animal products
> (including their fat), for nearly six years, at an approximate
> rate of three meals weekly, averaging two pounds at each of these > meals, and his cholesterol, after that >six  year period, being only 119?  [This was measured at the very
> beginning of his downturn due to trichinosis.]

As you know, it would be unwise for him or anyone to answer that
question without a much further understanding of his total diet and
nutritional intake along with a complete evaluation.  Many things
contribute to ones cholesterol levels (both high and low), and
cholesterol is only one factor in disease risk, and by itself may not be
that important as once thought.  With everything else that was going on
at the time, the reading may also be considered "suspect".

Also,
- remember that the most hypercholesterimic factor we know of today is
trans fatty acids (regardless of the source) which are a result of
heating fats.  So, cooked fats seem to be the worst of all.

- You are asking to compare one individual case study with several
long-term large, multi generational population studies. (I doubt you or
anyone [including the tobbacco industry] would consider George Burn's
long life a testimony for smoking cigars) :)

- more important then what Zephyr may have eaten on 3 occassions each
week, is what he was consuming the rest of the week.

I understand your experience has been very traumatic and intense to say
the least and raises lots of questions and concerns.

Personally, I have many serious concerns with the instincto's and RAF
theories both philosophically, morally, ethically, physiologically, and
anything else I can think of, but haven;t addressed them to the list,
and maybe one day will.  I have been aware of them and followed them
somewhat for sevral years.  My brother followed it  for awhile and I
wouldn;t consider his experinece a success. Several of the ideas are
interesting and we all could benefit greatly by applying some of them.
In the meantime, I saw that you yourself came to question several of the
theories during your experinece and since.

And philosphically, the ongoing evolution and "rules" that seem to
develop along with it, almost seem to fly in the face of its own theory,
and just seem to complicate the whole supposedly natural and simple
original theory.  Which is a amjor part of the original theory.

But that is not only true for the Instincto's but also for the ongoing
issues that always seem to prevail amongst the Natural Hygienists,
Fruitarian's, Raw fooders, Sproutarians, etc., etc., .

Excuse me, but I thought this was suppossed to be the natural and
simple, softer and easier way!

Anyway, Hope all goes well, and best wishes to you too.

Jeff