 total gain of 29 pounds after 27 days of eating. Blood
pressure 112/74. Breakfast: two whole grap efruit and about four ounces of filbert
nuts. Lunch: strawberries, grapes, apple,  and a whole avocado. Supper: large raw
vegetable salad, bowl of steamed peas, asparagus, green beans, and a buckwheat
groats (kasha) casserole. I get a little ner vous when I think of leaving tomorrow. I've
been here two and one-half months now and it's  as if I've always lived here. (Over the
ensuing years, Pawling Manor does become a home away from home.) I spent part of the day thinking back, all the way back, to the year 1958 when I first became ill. I
relived that six-year nightmare under medical care, the transition period when Natural
Hygiene was presented to me, and then the entire magnificent experience here--the
six-week fast, the careful and methodical breaking of the fast, with the eventual
attainment of the goal to be able to eat a basically raw vegetarian diet after the body had healed itself--something my doctors sa id was impossible. It's so difficult to
believe what I've been through and that this  first phase of my rebirth (?) has passed.
(One thing I've learned over these past 12 years is that whether it is good, bad or
indifferent, "everything comes to pass.") Not much sleep. Too many thoughts of
home, my wife, children, my practice, and a myriad of other important and even
nonsensical items.
   Friday, November 13, 1964 --29th eating day: Weight 137-1/2 pounds a gain of 1/2
pound from yesterday and a total gain of 29-1/2 pounds after four weeks of eating.
Blood pressure 112/74. Breakfast: two oranges and about four ounces of whole
almonds. Lunch: romaine lettuce and celery, one pear, one apple, a dish of dates, and figs. Supper: large raw vegetable salad, st eamed butternut squash, and a special treat
since I would be leaving this evening; Mrs. Gross (Joy) made what was to be one of
my favorite fancy vegetarian dishes in  the future--eggplant parmigiana (broiled
eggplant, mushrooms, onions, green pepper, tomatoes, etc., topped with mozzarella cheese).
   This was a very emotional day for me. This was the day for which I had been
planning and waiting, yet as much as I wanted to go home I had a desire to remain here. I must assume it was the security a nd dependency of being here and I knew this
umbilical cord must be severed so I could be my own man again. I had learned a great
deal from Dr. Gross about Natural Hygien e and myself, and I had enough knowledge
of natural living to carry me through my day-to-day living when I returned to the proverbial rat race.
   Part of the day was spent packing and saying goodbyes to the many friends I had
made in the past two and one-half months. I took a long walk through the countryside.
I wanted to be alone, to think. The mid-November air was a bit chilly, but I didn't
mind. It was great to be alive, to have health, and to be in one piece. The way I was
feeling then, there could have been rain, snow, or sleet and it wouldn't have made any difference. When you have health, you can cope with anything and there's nothing
you can't do when there's a positive determination. When you are ill, everything tends toward negativism; but when you have vibrant health, you exude an aura of
positiveness. You become positive in body, mind, emotion, and spirit.
   Dr. Gross came to my room about 6:00 p.m. and had a last minute chat with me.
(My train was scheduled to depart from Rhinecliff, six miles away, at 8:00 p.m.) He
advised me to get right back into the swing of things when I returned home. I was to
return to Pawling Manor next year and for succeeding years for subsequent fasts until
I reach a maximum of healing and a high le vel of health. Right now I would say I'm
50 percent to 60 percent better than when I first came here. It took many years to
evolve disease and it would take a number of years to undo all the wrongs and evolve
good health. There is no instant cure. Many people spend most of their lives and
money seeking it, though; but it is not to be. You just cannot buy good health--you
must earn it. You must work at it and build it; but it takes time, a little self-discipline, a little knowledge and understanding of the basic principles of natural living, and
sometimes a perserverance that is unshakeable. There is no other investment one can
make that will pay dividends as high. Dr. Gross also suggested I fast one or two days
per week, say like Monday and Thursday. I was to keep in touch to report my
progress or any problems as the need arises. (I have developed a rapport and a kinship with Bob and Joy Gross that will not only endure but will deepen as the years pass.)
Time for leaving was almost here and Bob insisted he drive me to Rhinecliff to catch
my train. This time I carried my own lugga ge; not like when I first arrived here and
Joy had to carry my luggage and support me at the same time. Bob stayed with me,
giving me some personal and confidential bits of advice until the train arrived. Bob and I shook hands. My eyes were beginning to  tear and I couldn't say much. I didn't
want to get emotional, but it was showing. I could only utter a simple, "Thank You!" Then I boarded the train.
   I had taken a roomette again because I did enjoy the privacy and thought I might be
able to get a good rest. The trip would take about 13 hours. I would arrive in Detroit at 9:00 a.m. I settled back and tried to keep my mind blank as I stared out the window
into the night, but it was impossible. I tried reading and couldn't. Too many random
thoughts darted in and out of my mind; thoughts of what was, what is, and what might
be. I also had mixed emotions; I was depressed yet elated. But the closer I got to home, the more elation I felt.
   A few hours later I felt hungry, so I reached for the snack bag Joy had given me. It
was totally unlike the "last supper" I brought with me two and one-half months ago. This time there was a luscious variety of fresh fruit. It was after midnight when I
pulled down the bed, jumped in, and tried to fall asleep. But my mind was so active I
couldn't sleep, so I just looked out the window and watched the little towns pass in the
night. I finally did get to sleep but it was a very sporadic sleep, the kind that leaves you groggy when you get up in the morning.
   I awoke about 6:00 a.m. and couldn't fall back to.sleep. Too much anxiety. The
same type of anxiety I experienced upon returning to the United States with the army
after a tour of duty in Korea; a butterflies- in-the-stomach feeling. But soon the feeling
eased as my eyes caught a glimpse of the sun peeking up over the horizon. in the southeastern sky and I watched its glow illuminate the countryside.    (I didn't know it at this time--Corinne admitted to me years later--but she had a great
fear of my returning. She was afraid of how I would look. This unknown factor kept her in a slightly tense state, but I had filled out enough to be able to pass for any
human being.)
   It wasn't long before the conductor came through and called off Detroit as the next
stop. I gathered my luggage and moved to the front of the car. The train eased its way into the railroad yard and finally came to a stop in the station.
   I juggled all my belongings, stepped off the train, and made my way hurriedly
toward the gates inside the depot. I paused momentarily at the big iron gates, my heart
pounding fiercely, and then stepped through into the beginning of a new life.
Chapter 7 -- A Return To Life
   At the far end of the depot I could see my father, my four-year-old son, and my
wife. I was half walking and half running until I finally reached them. Corinne and
my son, Irwin, stared at me for a few seconds and then we all embraced. It was good to be home.
   I felt Corinne studying me and she could hardly believe the amazing physical
transformation that had taken place. So it was for this reason, right here in the train
station, that my wife made a vow to change our way of living. We would follow Natural Hygiene in all of its tenets and we would raise our two boys as vegetarians.
   During the drive home, Corinne told me my mother was staying with our other son,
Darryl, who was 11 months old. Looking out the car window, I saw a sunny Saturday and was grateful for the weekend


 accept myself.” Or, if you’re just plain resistant to
tapping at all, go with that.
Step 3. Tap the EFT basic recipe using the EFT setup statement you
created or my example:
Karate chop: Even though I’m resistant to tapping about this (name
issue), I love, honor, and accept myself anyway.
Now, apply the EFT sequence with your reminder or problem phrase:
Top of Head:  this resistance to tapping
Inside eyebrow:  my tapping resistance
Side of eye:  my tapping resistance
Under eye:  my tapping resistance
Under nose:  my tapping resistance
Chin:  my tapping resistance
Collarbone:  my tapping resistance
Under arm:  my tapping resistanceYou may choose to tap down through the EFT sequence points several
times before rechecking the tapping resistance feeling.
Step 4. Test yourself. When you think of your tapping resistance about
the target or in general, what’ s changed? Has the resistance decreased, gone
up, or stayed the same? Get even more specific. Ask yours elf, without
judgment, if there were reasons to not change this issue, what would they
be? And assume you’ve got good reasons. List them now.
Step 5. Measure intensity for each resistance reason. If you’re a workin g
parent with young children maybe your reason is: “I don’t have time to
tap!” and that’s a 9. And it also makes  sense that this working mom of three
may have resista nce to tapping on her deepest, darkest issue when kids need
feeding, work needs, doing, and the partner ’s out of town. Still, you can tap
on the “no time! ” issue. Even one 30-second tapping round on “I don’t have
time to tap with these kids and this work and these demands on me!” takes
the edge off, moves stress out, and helps you uncover resources you didn’ t
realize you had.
Step 6. Now choose the reason with the highest tapping resistance
intensity numbe r as your more specific tapping target. Create and customize
your EFT setup phrase for the tapping resistance reason with the most
intensity. You could start it with “Even though I’m resistant to tapping
because …”  and then add that specific reason from your list. Here are some
examples I’ve come across in my own EFT practice:
“because I won’ t do it right,” “it won’ t work for me, it won’ t work on
my kind of issues,” “it’s too hard,” “I don’t believe in it,” “I don’t want
to get all emotio nal,” “I don’t know the words to say,” “I’m afraid of
what I might feel,” “what if I have to make changes.”
Add your acceptance phrase, such as “I deeply and completely love,
honor, forgive, and accept myse lf,” or “I accept myself and how I feel about
this.”Step 7. Now how resistant to taping that target are you, 0 to ten? Write
your number down.
Step 8. Drawing on the examples in step 6, does one reason stand out to
you? Ask yourself when didn’ t you “get it right” or when was it “too hard”
or what happened in the past when you made changes? Often beneath
tapping resistance is the need to keep safe and survive.
List a time when you didn’ t get it right, etc. Voilá—you now have an
underlying even t that is likely driving some tapping resistance. Use this as a
tapping target and then return to your tapping resistance and see if it has
changed.
Step 9.  Now what other  specific thoughts about your resistance to tappi ng
come to mind? What remains in the way of your tapping? Aim for the
specific events and thoughts, detail by detail, until your resistance is cleared
at its roots, often in early childhood.
Tapping on something as simple  as “no time to tap” can easily go quite a
bit deeper, to a core issue such as “I have to work hard to be productive and
can’t take a break in order to be loved,” a learned way of thinking as a
family pattern or witnessed in childhood. Thus the “no time to tap” surface
tapping reveals deep, old learned patterns and a new awareness of the way
those patterns have affected our adult life. Tapping on the specific
memories surrounding the belief unravels and releases the unfelt childhood
events holding the “no time to tap” in place and the pattern is dissolved.
Step 10. Now note any remaining resistance you named or are believing
right now and tap a round on that one aspect, remembering to test your
intensity before  and after one round of the EFT basic recipe. Tap for
whatever comes  up around that specific phrase, and then move on to
another reason on the list.
Step 11. Review your original list of reasons for not tapping. Which one
stands out, now? Maybe not it’s “I can’t get it right.” Great! You can now
either tap on that phrase or ask, “When did I first believe I couldn’ t get itright?” You will uncover events in earlier life where you “couldn’ t get it
right.” T ap on them one at a time. Remember, your ideal “event” is less than
three minutes, so chunk them down into manageable pieces. You can give
your events a title, and use Tell the Story technique. Continue on this same
way until you feel the resistance subside, and instead of resist, persist.
Before we explore some hypothetical possibilities, you might consider
activating your body’ s energy system while reading. Consider  tapping or
gently massaging the collarbone point as you read on. Remember one-point
tapping? You can also tap continuously on all of your tap-down points from
the top of the head to the under the arm point. You can finger -tap, which is
tapping on the inside tips of each of your fingers, including your thumb (see
the figure  in Appendix A ) to locate the points, which alone is revitalizing.
Tapping on something as simple  as “no time to tap” can easily go quite a
bit deeper, right to a core issue. Perhaps in the case of the person above,
after three rounds on “too busy,” she experiences a deep welling up of
sadness. She doesn’ t know what  it’s in relation to yet, but can easily use the
sadness as her next tapping target, like so: “Even though I am too busy to
tap, and feel a lot of sadness about that right now, I deeply and completely
accept myself.”
She may realize  she’s not as resistant to tapping after a couple rounds,
and decide to try again tomorrow. Or, as she taps on the sadness about being
too busy to tap, some specific past events come to mind. Perhaps more
emotions bubble  to the surface as well as some tears. But as she taps there
is a sense of relief that surprises her. So while she hasn’ t solved the problem
yet, she has siphoned off upset. She thinks about what made her sad but
isn’t as sad anymore. This kind of emotional breakthrough usually
encourages us to keep tapping, and consistent tapping over time begins to
have a cumulative ef fect: we feel better.
Tapping can easily lead us all the way back to unfelt childhood  feelings
still at work in our lives and our bodies. EFT allows us to work on and
release those feelings, procee ding step-by-step through our troublingchildhood events. Tapping on each event is like collapsing a table leg
holding up our “resistance to tapping” issues. By tapping on the specific
events or tuning into the sadness, her energy disruption relating to feeling
sadness will resolve. Again, most of the today issues we are tapping are
bouncing of f a core issue or story from much earlier in our lives.
Forgot the words or all the points? Tap silently on any points  you can
remember, or tap on only one point. Instead of resist, persist.
Quick T ips to W ork with T apping Resistance
1. No time to tap? Integrate tappin g into your down time: in the shower or
the bath, before bed, in the gym, even during a bathroom break. At
work, you can tap with your fingertips on the tabletop or even under
your desk. Remember the famous fingertip points from Chapter 2? Just
tapping those tips will help.
2. Scared you won’ t get it right? T ap on that!
3. Too hard? Just one point tap. Pick one point you like and try it for 60
seconds. See how you feel before and after.
4. Can’ t remembe r to tap? Schedule an alarm or a recurring  widget
reminder on your computer/mobile device to remind you.
5. Feeling isolated? Work with a tapping buddy for connection, motivation,
and accountability. Forgot the words or the points? Just tap on one point
and forget all about the words—focus on the feelings. Persist despite the
resist. Y ou can do this.
Self-Sabotage Roots and Safety
We all have basic need to be safe, comforted, accepted, loved, and to
belong. Ironical ly, it’s how we go about getting these basic needs met that
gets us in trouble. We fear that if we fail, we won’ t be loved. We fear


,  w e  w i l l  f i n d  H i m  r a d i c a l l y
a v a i l a b l e  t o  u s.

M e r c y

S o m e t i m e s  w e  w a l k  c l o s e l y  w i t h  G o d,  a n d  s o m e t i m e s  w e
s p r i n t  t o  t h e  o t h e r  s i d e  o f  t h e  u n i v e r s e.  W h o  a m o n g  u s
h a s n ’ t  t a k e n  a  f e w  d e t o u r s  i n t o  f e a r? *
Y e t  w h e n  w e  d o,  a n d  t h e n  c o m e  b a c k  t o  l o v e,  w e  l e a r n
a m o n g  o t h e r  t h i n g s  h o w  m e r c i f u l  G o d  i s.  T h e r e  a r e  c e r t a i n
w o r d s  y o u  c a n ’ t  t r u l y  u n d e r s t a n d  u n t i l  y o u  a c t u a l l y
e x p e r i e n c e  t h e m.  A n d  m e r c y  i s  o n e  o f  t h e m.
W h e n  I  w a s  y o u n g,  t h e  c o n c e p t  o f  G o d ’ s  m e r c y  m e a n t
l i t t l e  t o  m e ;  I  f i g u r e d  i t  m e a n t  H e  w a s  “ n i c e. ”  B u t  n o w  I
h a v e  a n  a p p r e c i a t i o n  f o r  t h e  c o n c e p t  I  c o u l d  n e v e r  h a v e  h a d
b e f o r e ;  y o u  u s u a l l y  h a v e  t o  h a v e  l i v e d  a  w h i l e  b e f o r e  y o u
u n d e r s t a n d  t h e  m e a n i n g  o f  r e a l  r e g r e t.  B u t  I  h a v e  f o u n d  t h a t
H e  j u s t  k e e p s  u s i n g  o u r  m i s t a k e s,  a s  w e l l  a s  o u r  s u c c e s s e s,
t o  t u r n  u s  i n t o  t h e  p e o p l e  H e  h a s  i n  m i n d  f o r  u s  t o  b e.
G o d ’ s  m e r c y  i s  a n  a c t i v e  p o w e r.  H i s  a n g e l s,  b o t h  v i s i b l e
a n d  i n v i s i b l e,  a r e  p r e s e n t  a t  e v e r y  s t e p  o f  o u r  j o u r n e y,
r e a c h i n g  o u t  t o  u s  a s  w e  r e a c h  o u t  t o  t h e m.  W h e n e v e r  w e
a r e  r e c e p t i v e  t o  H i s  h e a l i n g,  H i s  h e a l i n g  i s  o n  t h e  w a y ;  G o d
w i l l  d o  H i s  p a r t  i f  w e  d o  o u r s.  A s  w e  a d m i t  t h e  e x a c t  n a t u r e
o f  o u r  w r o n g s,  m a k i n g  a m e n d s  w h e r e v e r  p o s s i b l e ;  a s  w ea t o n e  a n d  a s k  G o d  t o  r e m o v e  o u r  c h a r a c t e r  d e f e c t s ;  a s  w e
o p e n  o u r  h e a r t s  t o  r e c e i v e  H i s  d a i l y  c o m f o r t  a n d  a l l o w  H i m
t o  u s e  u s  i n  b r i n g i n g  c o m f o r t  t o  o t h e r s ;  a s  w e  s e e k  t h r o u g h
p r a y e r  a n d  m e d i t a t i o n  t o  b o t h  k n o w  H i s  w i l l  f o r  u s  a n d  d o
H i s  w i l l  f o r  u s,  a  m i r a c u l o u s  p r o c e s s  t a k e s  p l a c e  w i t h i n  u s.
W e  a r e  l i f t e d  f r o m  w e a k  t o  s t r o n g ;  w e  a r e  l i f t e d  f r o m  l a c k  t o
a b u n d a n c e ;  w e  a r e  l i f t e d  f r o m  p a i n  t o  p e a c e ;  w e  a r e  l i f t e d
f r o m  f e a r  t o  l o v e.  N o n e  o f  t h i s  h a p p e n s  i n  a n  i n s t a n t,  b u t
o v e r  t i m e,  t h r o u g h  t h e  d a i l y  p r o c e s s e s  o f  l i v i n g.  I n  e v e r y
d a r k e n e d  c o r n e r — e m o t i o n a l l y,  p s y c h o l o g i c a l l y,  s p i r i t u a l l y,
p h y s i c a l l y — H e  s e n d s  H i s  l i g h t  t o  r e p l a c e  a l l  d a r k n e s s.
A n d  t h u s  w e  a r e  r e d e e m e d.  T h e r e  i s  n o  s i t u a t i o n  t h a t  t i e s
H i s  h a n d s.  A n d  t h e r e  i s  n o  p e r s o n  i n  w h o m  H e  i s  n o t
i n t e r e s t e d  o r  f o r  w h o m  H e  d o e s  n o t  h a v e  a  p l a n  f o r  t h e i r
h e a l i n g.  T h e  w o r l d  a s  w e  k n o w  i t  c a n  b e  c r u e l  i n d e e d,  b u t
t h e  r e d e m p t i v e,  a l l - l o v i n g  p o w


  t h e r e  w a s  l i g h t  p o u r i n g  o u t  o f  y o u r  h e a d,  a n d  w h e ny o u  s m i l e d  a t  m e  I  f e l t  l i k e  a  t h u n d e r b o l t  h a d  h i t  m y  c h e s t
a n d  I  k n e w  I  w a s  o k a y ”?  T h a t  m o m e n t  h a d  c l e a r l y  p a s s e d.
B u t  I  h a d  b e e n  g i v e n  a  g i f t  t h a t  w o u l d  s t a y  w i t h  m e  f o r e v e r
b e c a u s e  m y  c h o i c e s — o r  a t  l e a s t  o n e  o f  m y  c h o i c e s,  o n
s o m e  l e v e l  s y m b o l i z i n g  m a n y  o t h e r s — h a d  b e e n  v a l i d a t e d
b y  a  w o m a n  o f  p o w e r.
T o d a y  m a n y  y o u n g  w o m e n  c o m e  u p  t o  m e  a t  m y
l e c t u r e s,  a n d  I  s e e  i n  t h e m  t h e  y o u n g  w o m a n  I  o n c e  w a s.
T h e y  t e l l  m e  t h e y  w a n t  t o  d o  w h a t  I  d o,  a n d  I ’ m  s u r e  t h e y
w i l l — o n l y  b e t t e r.  A  t o r c h  i s  a l w a y s  b e i n g  p a s s e d  f r o m  o n e
g e n e r a t i o n  t o  t h e  n e x t.  M y  s p e a k i n g  m i g h t  h a v e  l i t  s o m e
s t a r  i n  t h e i r  s k y  t h e  w a y  o t h e r  w o m e n  h a v e  l i t  s t a r s  i n  m i n e.
A l l  o f  u s  a r e  p a s s i n g  f r o m  o n e  s t a t e  t o  a n o t h e r  a l l  t h e  t i m e,
a n d  G o d  s e n d s  g u i d e s  a n d  a n g e l s,  i n s p i r e r s  a n d  m e n t o r s,  t o
l i g h t  o u r  w a y.  H e  i s  a l w a y s,  a l w a y s  p r e p a r i n g  n e w  l i f e.

T h e  I n - b e t w e e n  T i m e s

S o m e t i m e s  w e  a r e  l i v i n g  i n  t h e  i n - b e t w e e n  t i m e s :  w h e n
w e ’ r e  n o  l o n g e r  w h o  w e  u s e d  t o  b e,  b u t  w e  h a v e n ’ t  y e t
a r r i v e d  a t  o u r  n e x t  s t a g e  e i t h e r.
I n  J a n u a r y  2 0 0 4,  I  t o o k  m y  d a u g h t e r  t o  s e e  B e t t e  M i d l e r
p e r f o r m ;  f o r  m e,  t h i s  w a s  t h e  t h i r d  t i m e.  I  r e m e m b e r e d
s e e i n g  h e r  p e r f o r m  i n  N e w  Y o r k  C i t y  i n  t h e  s e v e n t i e s  a n d
t h e n  a g a i n  i n  L o s  A n g e l e s  i n  t h e  e a r l y  n i n e t i e s.  T h e  y e a r sh a d  p a s s e d  a n d  s o  m u c h  h a d  c h a n g e d.  T a k i n g  m y  d a u g h t e r
t o  s e e  t h e  s h o w,  I  f e l t  l i k e  I  w a s  p a s s i n g  o n  t o  h e r  a
b e a u t i f u l  g i f t  t h a t  h a d  m e a n t  a  l o t  t o  m e.  M i d l e r ’ s  m u s i c  h a d
s t i r r e d  m y  s o u l,  a n d  n o w  i t  w o u l d  p e r h a p s  s t i r  h e r s.
I t  w a s  i n t e r e s t i n g  t o  s e e  h o w  B e t t e  h a d  c h a n g e d  a n d  h o w
s h e  h a d  n o t  c h a n g e d.  O n  o n e  h a n d,  j o k e s  t h a t  p l a y e d  w e l l
t e n  o r  t w e n t y - f i v e  y e a r s  a g o  d o  n o t  p l a y  t h e  s a m e  w a y  n o w :
t h e  w o r l d  i s  e n t i r e l y  d i f f e r e n t,  a n d  s o  a r e  w e.  B u t  t h e
c h a n g e  t h a t  I  n o t i c e d  m o s t  w a s  i n  M i d l e r  h e r s e l f.  S h e
c l e a r l y  c a r e s  d e e p l y  a b o u t  p e o p l e  a n d  i s  h e r s e l f  a  v e r y
s e r i o u s  p e r s o n ;  h e r  c o m m e n t a r y  o n  t h e  s t a t e  o f  t h e  w o r l d,
a n d  i n  p a r t i c u l a r  A m e r i c a n  p o l i t i c s,  w a s  s e a r i n g  a n d  r e a l.  ( I t
w a s  c o u r a g e o u s  e v e n,  g i v e n  t h a t  s o m e  i n  h e r  a u d i e n c e
w o u l d  s u r e l y  n o t  h a v e  a g r e e d  w i t h  h e r! )  Y e t  I  c o u l d  s e n s e
a n  a n g


cause is not known, how is prevention or cure possible —as, for example, by producing a mild form of smallpox or other
so-called disease by poisoning a healthy person by
introducing into his body the pathological products of said
disease? Certainly  only pathological thinking can arrive at
such conclusions. Vaccines and autogenous remedies are
made from the products of disease, and the idea that disease
can be made to cure itself is an end -product of pathological
thinking. This statement is not so in congruous after we
consider the fact that all search and research work to find
cause by medical scientists has been made in dead and
dying people. As ridiculous as it may appear, medical
science has gone, and is still going, to the dead and dying to
find c ause.

   If prevention and cure mean producing disease, surely
prevention and cure are not desirable. If prevention can be
accomplished, then cures will not be needed.

   At the time of his death, Mackenzie was laboring to
discover prevention. A more w orthy work can not be
imagined. But the tragedy of his life was that he died from
a preventable diseases he could have cured the disease that
killed him if his conception of cause had been in line with
the Truth of Toxemia —the primary cause of all disease.

    In spite of Mackenzie’s ambition to put the profession in
possession of truth concerning prevention and cure, he died
without a correct idea of even in what direction to look for
this desirable knowledge’ as evidenced by such statements
as: “Our pro blems being the prevention of disease, we
require a complete knowledge of disease in all its aspects
before we can take steps to prevent its occurrence.” There
is the crux of the whole subject. It is not disease; it is cause
“in all its aspects” that we ne ed to know before we can take
steps to prevent “disease.” Mackenzie stated the following
concerning diagnosis:

   But it appears to be unlikely that in the present
state of medicine there would be any great
dissimilarity in the proportions of diagnosed an d
undiagnosed eases in many series of investigation
such as we have made. The proportion depends, not
on the skill or training of individual practitioners,
but on the unsatisfactory state of all medical
knowledge. The similarity of the statistical records
from the institute and from private practice goes
far to support this view. In spite of the additional
time given at the institute to the examination of
cases which are undiagnosable in general practice,
and the assistance given by the special
departments —clinical groups —in their
investigation, they remain profoundly obscure,
although we know that it is from among them that there will gradually emerge the cases of advanced
organic disease and the end -results which form so
large a proportion of the inmates o f hospital wards.
And the tragedy is that many of them suffer from
no serious disabilities, and might, but for our
ignorance, be checked on their downward course.

   Isn’t this about as sharp a criticism of medical
inefficiency as Tilden has ever made?

   This brings vividly to mind the statement, made only a
short time ago, by Dr. Cabot, of Boston, that he himself
was mistaken in his diagnoses about fifty per cent of the
time—that he had proved it by post -mortems. Such a
statement as this, coming from a  man of his standing,
means much. To me it means that diagnosis is a
meaningless term; for, as used, it means discovering what
pathological effects —what changes —have been brought
about by an undiscovered cause. Diagnosis means, in a few
words, discovering effects which, when found, throw no
light whatever on cause.

   Again I quote Mackenzie: “The knowledge of disease is
so incomplete that we do not yet even know what steps
should be taken to advance our knowledge.” This being
true, there is little excuse  for laws to shut out or prevent
cults from practicing less harmful palliations. How many  reputable physicians have the honesty of Sir James
Mackenzie?

   In spite of Mackenzie’s high and worthy ambitions, he
could not get away from the profession’s ste reotyped
thinking. The early symptoms of disease he declared held
the secret of their cause, and he believed an intense study of
them would give the facts. But functional derangements are
of the same nature and from the same universal cause that
ends in al l organic so -called diseases. All so -called diseases
are, from beginning to end, the same evolutionary process.

   The study of pathology —the study of disease —has
engaged the best minds in the profession always, and it
surely appears that the last word m ust have been spoken on
the subject; but the great Englishman believed, as all
research workers believe, that a more intense and minute
study of the early symptoms of disease will reveal the
cause. There is, however, one great reason why it cannot,
and tha t is that all symptom -complexes —diseases —from
their initiation to their ending, are effects, and the most
intense study of any phase or stage of their progress will
not throw any light on the cause.

   Cause is constant, ever present, and always the same.
Only effects, and the object on which cause acts, change, and the change is most inconstant. To illustrate: A catarrh
of the stomach presents first irritation, then inflammation,
then ulceration, and finally induration and cancer. Not all
cases run true to form; only a small percentage evolve to
ulcer, and fewer still reach the cancer stage. More exit by
way of acute food -poisoning or acute indigestion than by
chronic diseases.

   In the early stages of this evolution there are all kinds of
discomforts:  more or less attacks of indigestion, frequent
attacks of gastritis —sick stomach and vomiting. No two
cases are alike. Nervous people suffer most, and some
present all kinds of nervous symptoms —insomnia,
headaches, etc. Women have painful menstruation and
hysterical symptoms —some are morose and others have
epilepsy. As the more chronic symptoms appear, those of
the lymphatic temperament do not suffer so much. As the
disease progresses, a few become pallid and develop
pernicious anemia, due to gastric or int estinal ulceration
and putrid protein infection; in others the first appearance
of ulcer is manifested by a severe hemorrhage; others have
a cachexia and a retention of food in the stomach, which is
vomited every two or three days, caused by a partial
closing of the pylorus. These are usually malignant cases.

    To look upon any of these symptom -complexes as a
distinct disease, requiring a distinct treatment, is to fall into
the diagnostic maze that now bewilders the profession and
renders treatment chao tic.

   It should be known to all discerning physicians that the
earliest stage of organic disease is purely functional,
evanescent, and never autogenerted so far as the affected
organ is concerned, but is invariably due to an extraneous
irritation (stim ulation, if you please), augmented by
Toxemia. When the irritation is not continuous, and toxin is
eliminated as fast as developed, to the toleration point,
normal functioning is resumed between the intervals of
irritation and toxin excess.

   For exampl e: a simple coryza (running at the nose —cold
in the head), gastritis or colonitis. At first these colds,
catarrahs, or inflammations are periodic and functional;
but, as the exciting cause or causes —local irritation and
Toxemia —become more intense and cont inuous, the
mucous membranes of these organs take on organic
changes, which are given various names, such as irritation,
inflammation, ulceration, and cancer. The pathology
(organic change) may be studied until doomsday without
throwing any light on the ca use; for from the first irritation
to the extreme ending —cachexia —which may be given the blanket term of tuberculosis, syphilis, or cancer, the whole
pathologic panorama is one continuous evolution of
intensifying effects.

   Germs and other so -called ca uses may be discovered in
the course of pathological development, but they are
accidental, coincidental, or at most auxiliary —or, to use the
vernacular of law, obiter dicta.

   The proper way to study disease is to study health and
every influence favora ble or not to its continuance. Disease
is perverted health. Any influence that lowers nerve -energy
becomes disease -producing. Disease cannot be its own
cause; neither can it be its own cure, and certainly not its
own prevention.

   After years of wanderi ng in the jungle of medical
diagnosis —the usual guesswork of cause and effect, and
the worse -than-guesswork of treatment, and becoming
more confounded all the time —I resolved either to quit the
profession or to find the cause of disease. To do this, it was
necessary to exile


 in the
t<.)rm of a sing le resounding slap on the recipient' s rear, is a great
ice-brt·aker at an oppo rtune nlotnt·nt, tor instanc e when the pt'r
son targeted is picking son1cth ing up front tht· floor. Tickling.
popubr with teenag ers, is also great for grown-ups, because
the scnsJtion is dt'tinitcly sexuJl. The annpits, the undersides of
the knet·s, the soles of the feet, the nape of tht· neck, the sides of the torso, and thl.· inner thighs arc n1ost sensitive to tickling. An
infallible erotic prelude is friendly wrestling. Since this playful
tussle requires neither a rdl.·rt-c nor rules, a handcuf f hold by the
stronger partner n1ay easily lead to more interesting activities.
A prclin1inary \Vith great physical poten tial is the pillow fight.
This bedroor n garnc rnay dissipate any latent sexual hostility and
at the san1e tirnc bring partners to enjoy erotic play fulnes s. Down
pillows \Vith no buttons or other hardware attached arc the ideal
weapons. l)nc can hit the opponen t at various strategic spots with
great gusto, without causing any real injury, as long as no heavy
blows reach the face, breasts, or genitals of either partner. As a
vigorous pillow fight rnay result in a n1ess of flying feathers, one
might \vant to consider pillows with synthetic or rag stuffing.
As for clothing. a coup le rnay start their love -play dressed,
partly dressed, or undressed, according to their personal taste and
the whirn of the n1on1ent. Disrobing oneself rapidly bespeaks
either great urgency or lack of finesse. Sometimes partners' un
dressing each other can be a potent source of erotic arousal, se
ductive and titillating. This can be done slowly, in for example a
gan1e of strip poker, in which the loser of each round must divest
one or more articles of clothing.
PRE SSING ON AT LovE -PLAY
Whether the prelude lasts the wink of an eye or an hour, or even
days, the unmistakably sexual love-play that follows often evokes
all the senses of both partners. This phase of lovemaking consists
mainly of kissing, hugging, and caressing. These act ivities can
be enjoyed with endless variations. They involve the entire body,
and eventually focus on the genital area.
Kissing is an effective and essential part of love-play. The
mouth, lined with soft, pliable tissues including keen tactile and
taste sensors, is an erotic organ. It is extremely responsive to sex
ual stin1ulation. The sensitive nerve endings on the lips and tongue
and elsewhere inside the mouth can react erotically to the touch of
a lover's lips, tongue, and in moments of passion, teeth. The tac
tile sensation varies with the arnount of suction used. Since the
olfactory nerve cells in the nose arc ncar the mouth, the scent of a
partner's breath, n1outh, and the surrou nding skin is highly ar ous-Tire Alrlu·rny t�( Des ire
193 ANC IENT SE CR ETS FOR MODERN LOVERS
194 ing, especially when combined with the very personal taste of lips
and tongue. In erotic mouth-to-mouth kissing, one touches, tastes,
and smells a member of the opposite sex; this intimacy is analo
gous to coitus.
The erotic kiss may be as light and fickle as a flitting butterfly,
or as deep and enduring as the celebrated French kiss, indulged in
by the young people of Pays de Mont in Brittany, in which lovers
use their tongues to penetrate and explore one another's mouth,
sometimes for hours on end.
Deep kissing is usually the first undeniably erotic act between
lovers. Dependi ng on the degree of intimacy and the mood of the
moment, it often leads to other forms of touching, namely caress
ing. Experienced lovers who want to arouse and pleasure their
mates have quite a store of information on this: modern sex
ologists have enun1erated erogenous zones, and ancient Taoists
mapped various love points on the body. Any part of the body,
actually, could be an erogenous zone. Stroking the nape of the
neck lightly, kissing the sides of the neck, probing the ear open
ing with a stiff tongue, nibbling the earlobe might bring a partner
to a high pitch. Other erogenous zones are the armpits; inside the
elbows, thighs, and knees; at the lower spine; and of course, in the
genital areas. Some of the love points identified by the ancient
Taoists coincide with the erogenous zone s, while others do not.
Love points are discussed further in chapter 1 5.
The sensitivity of the commonly accepted erogenous zones
differs among individuals; some people, in fact, are completely
without sensitivity in certain areas. Sotne women's breasts are so
sensitive that when caressed the won1an n1ay reach an orgastn;
other won1en n1ay be unarousablc when so caressed. In zones
generally less sensitiv e than the breast, the reaction is even tnore
unpredictable. But n1ost people's erogenous zones arc erotically
sensitive. A careful lover first explores and expcritncnts on these
areas in love-play to tind the n1ost effective way to arouse and
pleasure the partner. Sensitivity to t'rotic caresses usually increases
frotn the extren1ities of lin1bs to the torso, and fron1 the periph
eral parts of the torso to its tniddlc. Caressing a partner in the
peripheral areas and progressing to tnore sensitive areas tends to
create a crescendo of desire.
Kissin� naturally nlt'rgt's with caressing in lovt'-pby. With
sotne exceptions, a good lover docs not zero in on the partner's genitals in the beginning, son1etin1es not even on the breasts. An
inexperienced or inconsiderate lover, usually the nule, is often
guilty of heavy-handed love-play. A rough squeeze or two of a
won1an's breasts, a firn1 grab of her buttocks, and he is ready for
penetration and dischargt'. Such a crude style turns n1any won1en
off What turns then1 on, at least in the beginning, arc gentle and
tender caresses. Energetic, vigorous love-play is effective when
the partner has been highly stitnulated already. Even nuny tncn
are aroused n1orc by love-play that titillates and tantalizes. And
it should be rcrnctnbcrcd that the sight, sound, and scent of an..__
aroused 1natc arc often potent aphrodisiacs.
Most won1cn arc highly stimulated by having their breasts ca
ressed and kissed. There is an in1portant nerve link between a
woman's lips and her breasts, and another between her breasts and
her genitals; thus n1outh-to-mouth kissing often makes her nip
ples become erect, and stin1ulation of her breasts by a lover often
causes her clitoris to become erect and her sexual juices to flow.
A good kiss is, therefore, the start of a delightful "downhill"
JOUrney.
In some passionate women mere psychological reactions may
make their nipples erect. But most are aroused by a combination
of psychological factors and the physical love-play at their breasts.
A good lover therefore, after kissing and caressing his partner's
face, neck, and shoulders, will go on to her breasts. When done
with tender passion, this will greatly arouse his partner.
Most women enjoy having their breasts cupped and hefted
with the palms, lightly stroked around the nipples, rhythmically
and gently squeezed. They love having their breasts kissed, and
their nipples sucked and playfully licked with the tip of the tongue.
The tongue's underside is smooth, like the lips, and its top is rough.
By using the smooth and rough sides alternately, a man can give
varying sensations to a woman. Only after such exquisitely stim
ulating preliminaries should he go on to lower areas-buttocks,
groin, perineum, vulva, clitoris.
GENITAL CARE SSING-A ND BEYOND
Love-play progresses naturally to the genital area. Caressing a lov
er's genitals-with the hand, the Jnouth, or another part of the Tile Alclu·my l!f Dt·sire
1�5 ·' N l. I F N T S F C R 1: T S I 0 R M I l I> I� � N I I ) V E H S
body- is the n1ost passion ate and intimate form of noncoital erotic
conu nun ication betw een lovers. It may end right there, to be re


 moment to ask yourself who
you really are and allow that question to reveal the ever-present awareness
that is your essential, irreducible nature behind and within all experience.
There is nothing complex about this. We know our self more intimately
than we know any other thing. Even our most treasured thoughts and feel -
ings are but strangers to us compared to the familiarity and intimacy of
our own being.
     Know yourself as the fact of being aware or awareness itself rather than
a continuous flow of thoughts, images, feelings, sensations and perceptions.
It is true that when any of these are present they are you, in the sense that
they are made out of the awareness you are. But that is not all you are. They
are ripples on the surface of your being. None of them define you or are
essential to you.
48the ultimate prayer
     Mind is always in movement. No movement, no mind. But what about
awareness? Awareness is always just awareness, colouring itself in the form of
the mind or remaining in its uncoloured condition. But irrespective of whether
awareness is colouring itself as experience or resting colourless, does awareness
ever leave itself and then come back to itself? Does awareness ever ask the ques -
tion, ‘What practice do I need to undertake in order to know myself?’
     What does awareness have to do to be itself? Does it have to undertake
any activity in order to maintain itself, or is it always effortlessly simply being
itself? What kind of experience could prevent awareness from being itself?
What kind of experience could prevent awareness from being aware? Is not
awareness effortlessly being aware now?
     What kind of a movie could prevent the screen from being the screen?
Likewise, what kind of experience or activity could make awareness more
aware than it already is? Does anything that takes place in a movie add any -
thing to or remove anything from the screen? Similarly, does anything that
takes place in experience add anything to or remove anything from your self,
awareness? Can you feel the freedom that is your original nature and that
needs nothing from experience?

I guess it’s more about not being so identified.

But who has to be less identified? There is no separate self to be identified or
not to be identified. There is awareness all alone or awareness colouring itself
with its own activity, that is, awareness simply resting in and as itself or
appearing in the form of experience.
     See clearly that knowing, being aware or awareness itself is your nature.
It is who you are, not what you might become. Let this be your new default
felt understanding. It is not something you can work towards. There is no
separate, independently existing ‘you’ who could become or work towards
awareness. There is just awareness and its own activity.
     And even when awareness is colouring itself in the form of thoughts,
images, feelings, sensations and perceptions and seeming, as a result, to be a
person, it is still not identical to any of these, just as a screen is never identical
to any of the objects or characters in the movie. Awareness is always only
ever identical to itself, for there is nothing in itself other than itself with
which it could be either identified or unidentified.
49you are the happiness you seek
So there is just the recognition of that?

Yes, there is just the recognition of that. And who is it that would recognise
awareness? Only awareness is aware, and therefore only awareness is aware
of itself or, indeed, aware of any other apparent thing.

But I still find experience distracts me from my true nature.

The drama of experience may retain the capacity to veil your true nature for
some time, and therefore there may be a feeling of back-and-forth for a while.
However, just as the movie loses its veiling power in time and, as a result,
the distinction between the screen and the movie fades, so experience loses
its ability to conceal awareness and, as a result, the distinction between aware -
ness and experience diminishes and the conflict between them ceases.
     At that stage there is no longer any back-and-forth, because it is all aware -
ness wherever you go and whatever you experience. At that point meditation
is life and life is meditation. We may still choose to sit quietly with our eyes
closed for some time to rest in being, but we would not essentially be doing
anything different from what takes place in the activities of everyday life.

*     *     *

I’m wondering about the balance between doing and non-doing, because I feel
I need to make an effort, yet at the same time I feel that non-doing is actually
allowing me to step back more into who I truly am.

If it seems, to begin with, that an effort is required to be aware of your
own being, then make the effort. First investigate your essential nature and
then stand knowingly as that. Don’t superimpose the idea of non-doing
on yourself.
     In time, it will be clear that you cannot make an effort to be what you
always and already are. Indeed, it would only be necessary to make an effort
to be something you are not, such as a separate self. That is why it is so ex -
hausting to be a separate self! If I were to ask you to stand up now and take
a step towards yourself, how much effort would you have to make?

50the ultimate prayer
None!

Yes! Any effort would only seem to take you away from yourself, although
even that is not true, because wherever we are, we are! The same is true
of meditation, which simply means to be knowingly our self rather than
mistaking our self for a cluster of thoughts, images, feelings, sensations and
perceptions.
     However, if we feel that we are something other than this open, empty,
inherently peaceful and unconditionally fulfilled presence of awareness, then
we should make the effort to investigate our self, recognise our self and then
be that knowingly.
     All that then remains is to establish our self as that in all circumstances
and to realign every aspect of our life with this felt understanding.

51 chapter seven
The Silent Presence of Awareness
My silence, life returns to thee
In all the pauses of her breath.
Hush back to rest the melody
That out of thee awakeneth;
And thou, wake ever, wake for me!
alice meynell

awareness is immanent and transcendent

The understanding that we are the awareness that witnesses, knows or is
aware of experience is the first great recognition. It is the first step on the
path to rediscovering our innate happiness.
     In order to arrive at this understanding, we extricate ourself from the
content of experience. We distinguish the knower from the known, the ex -
periencer from the experienced. We have not manipulated or rejected any
aspect of experience; we have simply seen that no experience is essential to us.
     However, awareness does not witness experience from a distance like an
aloof observer. Just as an image does not exist at a distance from the screen
upon which it appears, likewise no experience stands apart from the aware -
ness with which it is known.
     Imagine a magical television screen that is not watched by someone sit -
ting on a sofa but has the capacity to watch the movie that is playing on
itself. It is an aware  screen. We, awareness, are like that. We are utterly, inti -
mately one with any experience and, at the same time, free from and inde -
pendent of it. Awareness is both immanent and transcendent.
     This recognition is often accompanied by a great peace and joy. For so
long we have been oppressed by our conditioning and history, weighed
down by our circumstances and relationships, and now we have the first
taste of our inherent freedom. It is a liberation from the burden we have  you are the happiness you seek
unknowingly carried around with us all our life, which usually becomes
heavier as we get older.
     Now the burden lightens. Occasionally it is discarded wholesale, in one
simple recognition that is so complete and powerful that no experience ever
again has the capacity to veil the nature of our being. More commonly,
as this understanding percolates more deeply into us, the accumulated
burden of experience is gradually eased, and in its place a peace and lightness
emerge from within.
     Later on, we will further collapse the apparent separation between aware -
ness and experience. However, for one who is lost in the drama of experience
and has, as a result, mistaken their self for a bundle of thoughts, feelings,
sensations, activities and relationships, it is first necessary to make the dis -
tinction between the two.

awareness is eternal and unchanging

Having extricated ourself from the content of experience and recognised
ourself as the presence of awareness, the next step is to explore the nature  of
the awareness that we essentially are.
     The essence or essential nature of anything is the aspect of that thing that
cannot be removed from it. Anything that can be removed from a thing is
not essential to it. No movie is essential to a screen because the screen can
exist in the absence of movies. No cloud is essential to the sky because the
sky can exist in the absence of clouds.
     All thoughts, images, feelings, sensations, perceptions, activities and re -
lationships are continually appearing


ufficiently	“marketable.”
Although	this	might	be	good	marketing,	it	is	not	good	science.	As	I	have
come	to	understand	more	about	the	biochemical	processes	of	various	diseases,
I	have	also	come	to	see	how	these	diseases	have	much	in	common.	Because
of	these	impressive	commonalities,	it	only	makes	sense	that	the	same	good
nutrition	will	generate	health	and	prevent	diseases
across	the	board.
	Even	if	a
whole	foods,	plant-based	diet	is	more	effective	at	treating	heart	disease	than
brain	cancer,	you	can	be	sure	that	this	diet	will	not	promote	one	disease	while
it	stops	another.	It	will	never	be	“bad”	for	you.	This	one	good	diet	can	only
help	across	the	board.
So	I’m	afraid	I	don’t	have	a	different,	catchy	formula	for	each	disease.	I
only	have	one	dietary	prescription.	But	rather	than	be	forlorn	about	its	effect
on	my	book	sales,	I’d	prefer	to	remain	excited	about	telling	you	how	simple
food	and	health	really	is.	It	is	a	chance	to	clear	away	much	of	the	incredible
public	confusion.
Quite	simply,	you	can	maximize	health	for	diseases	across
the	board	with	one	simple	diet.PRINCIPLE	#8
___________
Good	nutrition	creates	health	in	all	areas	of	our	existence.	All	parts	are
interconnected.
Much	has	been	made	of	“holistic”	health	in	recent	times.	This	concept	can
mean	a	variety	of	things	to	different	people.	Many	people	lump	all	of	the
“alternative”	medicines	and	activities	into	this	concept,	so	holistic	health
comes	to	mean	acupressure,	acupuncture,	herbal	medicines,	meditation,
vitamin	supplements,	chiropractic	care,	yoga,	aromatherapy,	Feng	Shui,
massage	and	even	sound	therapy.
Conceptually,	I	believe	in	holistic	health,	but	not	as	a	catchphrase	for
every	unconventional	and	oftentimes	unproven	medicine	around.	Food	and
nutrition,	for	example,	are	of	primary	importance	to	our	health.	The	process
of	eating	is	perhaps	the	most	intimate	encounter	we	have	with	our	world;	it	is
a	process	in	which	what	we	eat	becomes	part	of
our	body.	But	other
experiences	also	are	important,	such	as	physical	activity	emotional	and	mental
health	and	the	well-being	of	our	environment.	Incorporating	these	various
spheres	into	our	concept	of	health	is	important	because	they	are	all
interconnected.	Indeed,	this	is	a	holistic	concept.
These	expanding	interconnections	became	apparent	to	me	through
experimentation	with	animals.	The	rats	fed	the	low-protein	diets	were	not
only	spared	liver	cancer,	but	they	also	had	lower	blood	cholesterol,	noticeably
more	energy	and	voluntarily	exercised	twice	as	much	as	the	high-protein	rats.
The	evidence	regarding	increased	energy	levels	was	supported	by	an
enormous	amount	of	anecdotal	evidence	I	have	encountered	over	the	years:
people	have	more	energy	when	they	eat	well.	This	synergy	between	nutrition
and	physical	activity	is	extremely	important,	and	is	evidence	that	these	two
parts	of	life	are	not	isolated	from	each	other.	Good	nutrition	and	regular
exercise	combine	to	offer	more	health	per	person	than	the	sum	of	each	part
alone.
We	also	know	that	physical	activity	has	an	effect	on	emotional	and	mental
well-being.	Much	has	been	said	about	the	effect	physical	activity	has	on
various	chemicals	in	our	bodies,	which	in	turn	affect	our	moods	and	our
concentration.	And	experiencing	the	rewards	of	feeling	better	emotionally	and
being	more	mentally	alert	provides	the	confidence	and	motivation	to	treat
ourselves	to	optimal	nutrition,	which	reinforces	the	entire	cycle.	Those	who
feel	good	about	themselves	are	more	likely	to	respect	their	health	bypracticing	good	nutrition.
Sometimes	people	try	to	play	these	different	parts	of	their	lives	against
each	other.	People	wonder	if	they	can	erase	bad	eating	habits	by	being	a
runner.	The	answer	to	this	is	no.	The	benefits	and	risks	of	diet	are	crucially
important,	and	more	sizable,	than	the	benefits	and	risks	of	other	activities.
Besides,	why	would	anyone	want	to	try	and	balance	benefits	and	risks	when
they	could	have	all	the	benefits,	working	together?	People	also	wonder
whether	a	perceived	health	benefit	is	because	of	the	exercise	or	because	of	a
good	diet.	In	the	end,	that’s	simply	an	academic	question.	The	fact	is	that
these	two	spheres	of	our	lives	are	intimately	interconnected,	and	what’s
important	is	that
it	all	works	together	to	promote	or	derail	health.
Furthermore,	it	turns	out	that	if	we	eat	the	way	that	promotes	the	best
health	for	ourselves,	we	promote	the	best	health	for	the	planet.	By	eating	a
whole	foods,	plant-based	diet,	we	use	less	water,	less	land,	fewer	resources
and	produce	less	pollution	and	less	suffering	for	our
farm	animals.	John
Robbins	has	done	more	than	any	other	person	to	bring	this	issue	to	the	front
of	American	consciousness,	and	I	strongly	recommend	reading	his	most
recent	book,
The	Food	Revolution.
Our	food	choices	have	an	incredible	impact	not	only	on	our	metabolism,
but	also	on	the	initiation,	promotion	and	even	reversal	of	disease,	on	our
energy,	on	our	physical	activity,	on	our	emotional	and	mental	well-being	and
on	our	world	environment.
All	of	these	seemingly	separate	spheres	are
intimately	interconnected.
I	have	mentioned	the	wisdom	of	nature	at	various	points	in	this	book,	and	I
have	come	to	see	the	power	of	the	workings	of	the	natural	world.	It	is	a
wondrous	web	of	health,	from	molecules,	to	people,	to	other	animals,	to
forests,	to	oceans,	to	the	air	we	breathe.	This	is	nature	at	work,	from	the
microscopic	to	the	macroscopic.WHO	CARES,	ANYWAY?
The	principles	outlined	in	this	chapter	began,	for	me,	with	a	narrowly	focused
question	on	diet	and	cancer	in	rats,	then	grew	into	an	ever-expanding	universe
of	questions	about	human	and	societal	health	around	the	world.	In	large
measure,	the	principles	in	this	chapter	are	the	answers	to	the	far-reaching
questions	that	I	could	not	help	but	ask	during	my	career.
The	applicability	of	these	principles	should	not	be	underestimated.	Most
importantly,	they	can	help	to	reduce	public	confusion	regarding	food	and
health.	The	latest	fads,	the	newest	headlines	and	the	most	recent	study	results
are	put	into	a	useful	context.	We	need	not	leap	from	our	seats	every	time	a
chemical	is	called	a	carcinogen,	every	time	a	new	diet	book	hits	the	shelf	or
every	time	a	headline	screams	about	solving	disease	through	genetic	research.
Simply	put,	we	can	relax.	We	can	take	a	much-needed	deep	breath	and	sit
back.	Moreover,	we	can	do	science	more	intelligently,	and	ask	better
questions	because	we	have	a	sound	framework	relating	nutrition	to	health.	In
effect,


 are especially fond of raw tuna.
   Beef and lamb are considered  the most appropriate of the
red meats in their raw state; pork and pork products are best
avoided under existing methods of pork production and
inspection. Beef steaks and lamb chops may be eaten without further preparation or they may be prepared by chopping and
grinding. Probably the most popular raw meat dish is "Steak
Tartar" made by running raw lean beef through a meat
grinder and mixing this with egg yolks and chopped onions or garlic.
   The raw organ meats may also be included in the diet, as
these are much richer in vitamins than are the muscle cuts. The glandular organs are especially rich in vitamin D, which
tends to be deficient in plant foods. A well balanced
uncooked diet ma
y include liver, brain, kidne y, sweetbreads, and heart, as well as muscle meat. These can be sliced and
used without further preparation, or they may be chopped or
ground. For those who have not learned to appreciate the
flavor of raw organ meats, these foods may be blended with
raw vegetable juices, which disguises their original flavor.
   Halibut, mackerel, sea bass, barracuda, tuna, clams,
octopus, conch, mussels, cuttlefish, and oysters are
considered the best tasting of the raw sea foods. Clams,
mussels, and herring contain a little of the enzyme,
thiaminase, so they should not be used as freely as the other
sea foods. Raw fish may be served alone or with a sprig of parsley, a little lemon, or some uncooked mayonnaise. They
can also be chopped up into small pieces, mixed with sea
greens, onions, radishes, bell peppers, or other vegetables,
and then marinated with lime juice. The fish are best chilled in the refrigerator before serving.

V
EGETARIANISM
   In arriving at the general dietary balance, it is necessary to
consume both plant and animal foods. An uncooked diet composed exclusively of foods from the plant kingdom, as
advocated by some sincere vegetarians, is not adequate for
optimum health. After many years, of observation and study of primitive racial groups in all parts of the world, Dr. Weston A. Price declared: "As yet I have not found a single group of primitive racial stock which was building and
maintaining excellent bodies by living entirely on plant foods.
I have found in many parts of the world most devout
representatives of modern ethical systems advocating the
restriction of foods to vegetable products. In every instance where the groups had long been under this teaching, I found
evidence of degeneration in the form of dental caries, and in
the new generation in the form of abnormal dental arches to an extent very much higher than in the primitive groups who
were not under this influence."
   The late Mahatma Gandhi devoted much of his life to the
advocacy of strict vegetarian diet, and for years he
experimented on his own body to find a suitable selection of
plant foods on which to sustain health. But all attempts were
failures. In 1929, Gandhi and 22 companions went on a diet consisting of a limited selection of uncooked plant foods.
Whereas the diet worked out well for a time and led to
marked improvement in consumptive cases, it failed to prove
adequate on a long-range sustenance basis. One by one
Gandhi's companions were forced to depart from the diet, and Gandhi himself had to add
goat milk to his fare in order to regain health. "For my companions I have been a blind guide
leading the blind" declared Gandhi after the experiment was
over. Gandhi still felt, however, that "the hidden possibilities
of the innumerable seeds, leaves and fruits" of the earth could be explored and found to provide mankind with adequate
nourishment. He never stopped trying to experiment along
these lines, but he always had to turn back to goat milk to
regain his strength. In the end he had to acknowledge the
necessity for animal food. In 1946 he declared: "The crores of India today get neither milk nor ghee nor butter, nor even
buttermilk. No wonder that mortality figures are on the
increase and there is a lack of energy in the people. It would
appear as if man is really unable to sustain life without either
meat or milk and milk products. Anyone who deceives people in this regard or countenances the fraud is an enemy of
India."
   These are strong words from a man who devoted most of
his life to the search for a sa tisfactory vegetarian diet. But
Gandhi's experience is not unique in the field of nutrition.
Many others have also gone through the experience of
believing that man could thrive exclusively upon a limited selection of uncooked plant foods, only to find in the end that
animal products were necessary for sustenance. In England
the word, "vegan" is used to designate one who abstains from
all animal food products, and a so-called vegan movement
has attained marked prominence among English vegetarians. Several years ago, a large group of vegans in England were
studied in the Laboratory of Human Nutrition at Oxford
University. It was found that these people tended to receive adequate amounts of the recognized nutrients, except for
vitamin D, calcium, and vitamin B
12, which were somewhat
deficient. Whereas some of the subjects had lived as long as
ten years on the vegan diet without suffering from serious
illness, a number developed deficiencies which caused serious ailments. This difference in reaction was considered
due in part to the varying ability of the subjects to synthesize
vitamin B
12, in the body. When serious deficiencies of this
vitamin existed, the addition of milk to the diet brought about
rapid improvement in health. Other observations of vegans in England have also indicated the presence of considerable
impaired health, including a number of sudden and unexpected deaths in the vegan ranks.
   Dr. Price believed that the lack of vitamin D in plant foods
was responsible for the failure of an exclusive diet of plant
foods to maintain health. Whereas the Oxford studies
confirmed this viewpoint in part, they indicated that the deficiency of vitamin B12 in plant foods was perhaps even
more im
portant. It is true, as Gandhi stated, that there are many hidden possibilities yet to be explored in all of the plant
products of the earth, and there is a chance that some plants
not presently in use could improve the nutritional quality of a
strict vegetarian diet. Possibly there is a combination of plant foods that will prove adequate. For the present it is sufficient
to say that no one has succeeded in developing such a
combination. We must rely upon a combination of plant
foods and animal foods for optimum nutrition. The plant
foods doubtless should predominate in quantity, as they have with the most successful dietary regimes, but they cannot be
used to the exclusion of all else.
   What has been said with re ference to a strict vegetarian
diet, from which all animal foods are excluded, does not
apply to a lacto-vegetarian diet, which includes dairy
products, or a lacto-ova vegetarian diet, which includes both
dairy products and eggs. Vegetarianism can be successful if adequate animal-food substitutes for meat are included in the
dietary. Some racial groups have sustained high levels of
health by utilizing liberal amounts of dairy products and very
little meat. Others have succeeded in building superb bodies
with meat but no dairy products. In the therapeutic use of raw diets, remarkable successes have been achieved on both lacto-
vegetarian and non-vegetarian diets. The obvious deduction is
that meat is compatible with good health but not essential to
good health. There is room for both lacto-vegetarians and
non-vegetarians in the modern world, and both may secure adequate nutrition from the wide variety of foods which are at
man's disposal.
   The proper selection of foods in an uncooked dietary is
quite simple and can easily be established on a practical basis.
Instinct alone tends to lead to sufficient variety in selection providing no food classes are omitted from the diet for
ethical, religious, or economic reasons. A satisfactory
uncooked diet may include fruits, nuts, vegetables, legumes,
grains, seeds, tree saps, flowers, herbs, fungi, honey, milk,
cheese, eggs, and meat. The diet must be omnivorous or lacto-vegetarian, and it may be derived from both the land
and sea. Domestic foods will form the basis for the diet under
present conditions. Edible wild plants are not essential, but
they do represent accessory foods which can add significantly
to the pleasure and nutritive value of the diet. In terms of total composition, the uncooked diet is thus easy to select, simple
to balance, and available to everyone living under modern
conditions of food production and distribution.

       9
RAW FOOD IN PREPARATION
AND USE
THE PREPARATION of raw food is the most important part of
the culinary art. In the usual cookbook, information on this
subject is restricted almost entirely to the preparation of
salads, and even here many cooked ingredients and irritating condiments often enter the recipes. For those undertaking the
maximum possible use of raw foods, much more knowledge
is required. Salads comprise only a limited part of the total
intake of food in the uncooked dietary. If we are to achieve
maximum


 by twenty? eight successive
masters and much later became the origin of Zen.
Seeing beauty in a flower could awaken humans, however briefly, to the
beauty that is an essential part of their own innermost being, their true
nature. The first recognition of beauty was one of the most significant
events in the evolution of human consciousness. The feelings of joy and
love are intrinsically connected to that recognition. W ithout our fully
realizing it, flowers would become for us an expression in form of that
which is most high, most sacred, and ultimately formless within
ourselves. Flowers, more fleeting, more ethereal and more delicate thanthe plants out of which they emer ged, would become like messengers
from another realm, like a bridge
between the world of physical forms and the formless. They not only had
a scent that was delicate and pleasing to humans, but also brought a
fragrance from the realm of spirit. Using the word enlightenment in a
wider sense than the conventionally accepted one, we could look upon
flowers as the enlightenment of plants.
Any life?form in any realm mineral, vegetable, animal, or human can be
said to under go enlightenment. It is, however, an extremely rare
occurrence since it is more than an evolutionary progression: It also
implies a discontinuity in its development, a leap to an entirely dif ferent
level of Being and, most important, a lessening of materiality.
What could be heavier and more impenetrable than a rock, the densest of
all forms? And yet some rocks under go a change in their molecular
structure, turn into crystals, and so become transparent to the light. Some
carbons, under inconceivable heat and pressure, turn into diamonds, and
some heavy minerals into other precious stones.
Most crawling reptilians, the most earthbound of all creatures, have
remained unchanged for millions of years. Some, however, grew feathers
and wings and turned into birds, thus defying the force of gravity that
had held them for so long. They didnt become better at crawling or
walking, but transcended crawling and walking entirely.
Since time immemorial, flowers, crystals, precious stones, and birds
have held special significance for the human spirit. Like all life?forms,
they are, of course, temporary manifestations of the underlying one Life,
one Consciousness. Their special significance and the reason why
humans feel such fascination for and af finity with them can be attributed
to their ethereal quality.
Once there is a certain degree of presence, of still and alert attention in
human beings perceptions, they can sense the divine life essence, the one
indwelling consciousness or spirit in every creature, every life?form,
recognize it as one with their own essence and so love it as themselves.
Until this happens, however, most humans see only the outer forms,
unaware of the inner essence, just as they are unaware of their ownessence and identify only with their own physical and psychological
form.
In the case of a flower, a crystal, precious stone, or bird, however, even
someone with little or no Presence can occasionally sense that there is
more than the mere physical existence of that form, without knowing that
this is the reason why he or she is drawn toward it, feels an af finity with
it. Because of its ethereal nature, its form obscures the indwelling spirit
to a lesser
degree than is the case with other life?forms. The exception to this are all
newborn life?forms babies, puppies, kittens, lambs, and so on. They are
fragile, delicate, not yet firmly established in materiality. An innocence,
a sweetness and beauty that are not of this world still shine through them.
They delight even relatively insensitive humans.
So when you are alert and contemplate a flower, crystal, or bird without
naming it mentally, it becomes a window for you into the formless.
There is an inner opening, however slight, into the realm of spirit. This is
why these three en?lightened life?forms have played such an important
part in the evolution of human consciousness since ancient times; why,
for example, the jewel in the lotus flower is a central symbol of
Buddhism and a white bird, the dove, signifies the Holy Spirit in
Christianity. They have been preparing the ground for a more profound
shift in planetary consciousness that is destined to take place in the
human species. This is the spiritual awakening that we are beginning to
witness now.A New Earth
O U R  I N H E R I T E D  D Y S F U N C T I O N
If we look more deeply into humanitys ancient religions and spiritual
traditions, we will find that underneath the many surface dif ferences
there are two core insights that most of them agree on. The words they
use to describe those insights dif fer, yet they all point to a twofold
fundamental truth. The first part of this truth is the realization that the
normal state of mind of most human beings contains a strong element of
what we might call dysfunction or even madness. Certain teachings at
the heart of Hinduism perhaps come closest to seeing this dysfunction as
a form of collective mental illness. They call it maya, the veil of
delusion. Ramana Maharshi, one of the greatest Indian sages, bluntly
states: The mind is maya.
Buddhism uses dif ferent terms. According to the Buddha, the human
mind in its normal state generates dukkha, which can be translated as
suf fering, unsatisfactoriness, or just plain misery. He sees it as a
characteristic of the human condition. Wherever you go, whatever you
do, says the Buddha, you will encounter dukkha, and it will manifest in
every situation sooner or later.
According to Christian teachings, the normal collective state of humanity
is one of original sin. Sin is a word that has been greatly misunderstood
and misinterpreted. Literally translated from the ancient Greek in which
the New T estament was written, to sin means to miss the mark, as an
archer who misses the tar get, so to sin means to miss the point of human
existence. It means to live unskillfully, blindly, and thus to suf fer and
cause suf fering. Again, the term, stripped of its cultural baggage and
misinterpretations, points to the dysfunction inherent in the human
condition.
The achievements of humanity are impressive and undeniable. W e have
created sublime works of music, literature, painting, architecture, and
sculpture. More recently, science and technology have brought about
radical changes in the way we live and have enabled us to do and createthings that would have been considered miraculous even two hundred
years ago. No doubt: The human mind is highly intelligent. Y et its very
intelligence is tainted by madness. Science and technology have
magnified the destructive impact that the dysfunction of the human mind
has upon the planet, other life?forms, and upon humans themselves. That
is why the history of the twentieth century is where that dysfunction, that
collective insanity, can be most clearly recognized. A further factor is
that this dysfunction is actually intensifying and accelerating.
The First W orld W ar broke out in 1914. Destructive and cruel wars,
motivated by fear, greed, and the desire for power, had been common
occurrences throughout human history, as had slavery, torture, and
widespread violence inflicted for religious and ideological reasons.
Humans suf fered more at the hands of each other than through natural
disasters. By the year 1914, however, the highly intelligent human mind
had invented not only the internal combustion engine, but also bombs,
machine guns, submarines, flame throwers, and poison gas. Intelligence
in the service of madness! In static trench warfare in France and
Belgium, millions of men perished to gain a few miles of mud. When the
war was over in 1918, the survivors look in horror and incomprehension
upon the devastation left behind: ten million human beings killed and
many more maimed or disfigured. Never before had human madness
been so destructive in its ef fect, so clearly visible. Little did they know
that this was only the beginning.
By the end of the century, the number of people who died a violent death
at the hand of their fellow humans would rise to more than one hundred
million. They died not only through wars between nations, but also
through mass exterminations and genocide, such as the murder of twenty
million class enemies, spies, and traitors in the Soviet Union under Stalin
or the unspeakable horrors of the Holocaust in Nazi Germany. They also
died in countless smaller internal conflicts, such as the Spanish civil war
or during the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia when a quarter of that
countrys population was murdered.
W e only need to watch the daily news on television to realize that the
madness has not abated, that is continuing into the twenty?first century.
Another aspect of the collective dysfunction of the human mind is the
unprecedented violence that humans are inflicting on other life?forms
and the planet itself the destruction of oxygen?producing forests andother plant and animal life; ill?treatment of animals in factory farms; and
poisoning of rivers, oceans, and air. Driven by greed, ignorant of their
connectedness to the whole, humans persist in behavior that, if continued
unchecked, can only result in their own destruction.
The collective manifestations


ke other purified minerals, salt has a tendency to raise the
osmotic pressure of the body and interfere with the passage of
solvent through the membrane lining of the blood vessels. As
the tissues are adapted to a specific osmotic pressure at all times,
any factor which tends to raise it above normal, is attracted to
the kidneys for elimination through a process which physiologists
define as "selective excretion17 Large amounts of salt are thus
attracted to the kidneys for elimination. As the kidney tissue
itself appears to be particularly sensitive to salt, in the course of
time it may undergo some damage. Even in the early stages the
normal excretion of water by the kidney cells may be partly in-
hibited. In the latter stages there is occasionally the development COMMON SALT DANGERS IN MODERN FOODS
1
of Bright's disease. Some physicians recognize that salt is a
I
I I significant factor in producing this ailment, and hence they
usually recommend a salt-free diet for all patients so afflicted.
As the kidney function becomes impaired through the use of
salt, elimination of the salt is also impaired and some of the
material must then be stored in the body, until it can be elimi-
nated at a more favorable opportunity. As a part of the body's
regulatory apparatus, the body stores toxins and unuseable mate-
rials in its comparatively inactive tissues, such as bone, cartilage, 1
and connective tissue. These tissues, particularly the subcutane-
ous connective tissues, become the site for salt deposits when
~ the substance can no longer be eliminated. The salt is diluted
I
I with the water, the water serving to hold the salt in solution and
thus protect the tissues as much as possible from irritation. By
being held in the subcutaneous tissues the salt is kept from cir-
culation and hence from damaging the more vital parts of the
body. We thus find the development of edema - a water-logging
of the tissues -which serves a physiological need and acts as a
defense mechanism. The primary cause of edema in such cases
I is the excessive amount of salt in the body, and it tends to dis- 1
I appear as soon as the use of salt is discontinued. Many physicians
1 now use a saltless diet for all cases of edema, and when the ail-
I ment is caused in the first place by salt, recovery is the usual rule.
The relation of salt to insomnia and nervous ailments has been
studied by Dr. Mickail M. Miller at the U. S. Public Health Nar-
cotics Hospital in Lexington, Ky., a U. S. Marine Hospital, and
the New York State Psychiatric Institute. At these places many
I of the patients suffered from insomnia, "convoy" fatigue (among
1 seamen), drug addiction, and general nervousness. Dr. Miller
1 found that the insomnia tended to disappear according to the!
I rate at which he withheld salt from the diet, and then quickly
1 reappeared as soon as salt was again used in large quantities. To
patients who had been sleeping only an hour or two each night
the salt-free diet often brought surcease within just a few weeks.
At the same time disturbing dream phenomena tended to dis-
appear. The subjects were able to relax more readily; a decline in the intensity of emotions resulted, and the ability to concentrate
increased. Studies of the chloride content of the brain tissue have
further indicated that there is retention of this mineral in most
cases, which may give some theoretical explanation for linking
the body's salt metabolism with mental disorders.
Salt is perhaps the most important single cause of hypertension
(high blood pressure) and its many complications. This was
noted as early as 1922 by Dr. Frederick M. Allen and his co-
workers, who then announced the successful treatment of 280
cases of very severe, otherwise uncontrollable, high blood pres-
sure with a saltless diet. In the following years, up to 1949, Dr.
Allen treated several thousand additional cases of hypertension
with a salt-free diet. Most of the patients were kept active and
improved, with progression arrested and complications prevented
or rendered less severe. "Frequent clearing of the retinitis (swell-
ing of the retina and optic nerve of the eye), congestive failure
(heart failure), headache, dyspepsia (shortness of breath) and
other symptoms is unmistakable:' declared Dr. Allen, in refer-
ence to the effect of the saltless diet for hypertension patients.
Dr. Walter Kemper, assistant professor of clinical medicine at
Duke University, has also used a salt-free diet in treating hyper-
tension, and he employed other dietary changes as well. He points
out that his dietary regime usually causes a marked decrease in
blood pressure in three to four months, with an occasional patient
getting results in as little as four days. A few patients had to
remain on the diet for 12 months to secure a sufficient decrease
in pressure. Also observed on the salt-free diet anlong some
patients was a significant reduction in the size of greatly enlarged
hearts, in addition to favorable changes in electrocardiograms and
improvements in the fundus of the eye (retina and optic nerve
head).
Numerous other pathological conditions have been attributed
to the use of salt and then treated with a saltless diet. Experi-
ments have shown that salt interferes with the absorption of
chyme by the mucous membrane of the intestinal tract, which
theoretically might lead to various ailments. Dr. Haig of England COMMON SALT DANGERS IN MODERN FOODS
showed that the elimination of uric acid is impeded by salt, a
fact which is often pointed to in consideration of the possible
causes of rheumatism. K. De Snoo has described salt as a cause
of the eclampsia of pregnancy, and he advocates a low-salt diet
during the second half of pregnancy. J. 0. Arnold also recom-
mends a limitation of salt in the diet under certain conditions,
in particular when pregnant women are threatened with
eclampsia. Pomerance and Daichman have observed that the
length of labor is apparently reduced by a limitation of salt dur-
ing the latter part of pregnancy. Barker reports beneficial results
in treating patients affected by congestive heart failure with a low-
salt diet, containing no more than ten per cent the usual amount
of salt. Scheinm reports benefit for his cardiac edema patients
by using a similar diet, low in salt content. Wheeler, Bridges, and
White report improvement in 22 of 35 cases of congestive heart
failure by limiting the amount of salt in the diet. Likewise, by
reducing salt intake Walsh and Adson were able to secure com-
plete recovery or improvement of vertigo among 78 of 128
patients affected with Meniere's syndrome.
Salt is considered of therapeutic value in treating constipa-
tion and heat fatigue, but the acting principle of salt in these
cases acts as a detriment and may induce the development of
other diseases. When using the substance as a laxative, two
tablespoonfuls are taken with a quart of water in the morning
before breakfast. This induces immediate elimination, but only
at the high cost of irritation to the intestinal tract. The delicate
lining commences to "water" as it comes in contact with the salt,
just as the eye waters when it is irritated. The water quickly
washes away the irritating salt, and the result is a soft or liquid
evacuation such as diarrhea. Peristaltic action is also increased,
as the body quickly acts to expel the irritant. The total effect is
similar to that of many drugs; the artificial and excessive stimu-
lation is eventually followed by corresponding depression and
weakness.
To prevent and remedy heat fatigue, heat cramps, and stroke,
salt has been enlployed by the U. S. Army and in many indus- tries, furnace rooms, and mines. Certain physicians and nutri-
tionists have also recommended the procedure as a daily pre-
caution for everyone in hot weather. It is thought that the extra
salt will stabilize the amount of salt in the body at a time when
more salt than usual is lost in the process of perspiration.
Actually the loss of salt in perspiration is helpful, and such salt
need not be replaced. Its presence in perspiration is only the
result of elimination of a material the body cannot use, with the
work of the kidneys being lessened accordingly. The loss of water
in perspiration, however, must be replaced, and for those who
drink insufficient water or liquid food during a heat wave, salt
has the advantage of inducing thirst and is of according benefit.
This may account for the good results first reported from the use
of salt tablets or extra salt for those working under conditions of
excessive heat. More recently, however, physicians have begun
to realize that the liquid intake can very easily be increased with-
out the use of salt. A number of patients suffering from heat
fatigue have taken salt for relief, only to find later that they
became more allergic to heat and suffered from weakness when-
ever it was present. Others have noted that no amount of salt
had any effect on their ability to withstand heat, and a number
have become ill after taking salt tablets. Indigestion and nausea


 or near death.
It seems to me that science and medicine are in total denial or that they are protecting the processed food industry and
restaurants.

My nutritional career unofficially began in 1969. Since I hadn't died in 1961 when doctors said I wou ld. I thought that I had had
some answers to better health. In 1969 I began advising and suggesting healing methodologies for people, especially
particulars about diet.
Now that I look back on my life, I wonder how I could have been so confident, even arro gant, to advise anyone with the little
knowledge and experience that I had. I knew a lot about disease but little about health and healing. I seemed to have a fairl y
good intuition for it.
However, I adhered to certain idealistic concepts that interfered a nd sabotaged my intuition. I misled people into veganism
and/or fruitarianisin because I believed that all meat was poisonous and bad karma. I didn't realize that something had to be
killed to sustain life whether animal, vegetable or fruit. That is a law of this planet. I did not realize that only cooked meats
contained poisons (i.e. lipid oxides and protein toxins). In my early years as a nutritionist I helped many and hurt many.
Because my help was always greater than my mishaps, I continued to counsel.

After I learned about the tremendous properties of raw fats my successes reached 60%. After I learned about the fantastic
healing characteristics of eating raw meat, my successes with disease rose to 75%. After I learned the techniques for amounts
and par ticulars that certain foods had, my successes reached 85% and better, depending upon the disease.

Occasionally there was relatively immediate healing. Most often though, healing requires time to build strength, detoxify and
regenerate.
The fact of healing  according to Dr. F. Pottenger's work is that it takes 5 generations to achieve optimal health.
It takes approximately 10 days to replace every cell (one generation) in the blood, 2 1/2 years to replace one generation (ev ery
cell) of glands. Approximately 4 1/2 years to replace one generation of arteries, approximately 5 years to replace one
generation of intestines and tendons, approximately 6 years to replace one generation of cartilage, and approximately 7 1/2
years to replace one generation of bone.
Therefore, to achieve one's optimal health in a particular body part, it takes 5 generations: that is 7 weeks for the blood, 2 years
for glands, 22 1/2 years for the arteries, 25 years for intestines and tendons, 30 years for cartilage, and 37 1/2 years fo r bone.
Usually, healing enough to stop disturbing pain can he achieved during the first generation of healing.

Many of our members are Natural Hygienists and have chosen to eat a vegetarian (vegan and raw primarily) diet. Many fast on
occasion to allow their body to eliminate the toxic condition from daily stress. How do you view this practice of fasting and what
experiences or data could you share with us on these views?

 copyright © Dr. Stanley S. Bass   (718) 648 -1500    www.drbass.com  66

I have completed approximately 75 fasts from 1969 -1981 of various lengths -- many 1 -day-a-week fasts, several 5 -day, 10 -day
and 15 -day fasts. One 31 -day fast and one 41 -day fast. During 60% of them I drank water only with no cheating eve r. During
40% I drank all or some of my urine and a little water.
During the 41 -day fast I drank all of my urine and a little water. Each one, including 1 -day fasts was difficult. The easier of the
long-term fasts was the 41 -day drinking urine because of t he nutrients in the urine. Urine is the blood with most of the red blood
cells removed and a little ammonium added by the kidneys. During the 41 -day fast (I should call it a urine feast) I lost the least
amount of weight and energy, had the fewest headache s and had better disposition but my breath was atrocious all of the time.
The 31 -day fast on water only I did at age 27. It took me 2 1/2 years to regain my equilibrium. The last intellectually motivated
fast I did at age 33 - the 41 -day urine fast. It took me 1 1/2 years to regain my strength.
I found that fasting longer than 3 days was impossible without daily enemas to dilute the toxins in the bowels. Enemas
destroyed the bacteria that is the major constituent of feces but so did the toxicity from fas ting. I had constant headaches,
depression, anxiety and nausea without enemas.
I stopped fasting when I realized that the side effects of forced -fasting were greater than the benefits. The benefit of ketosis,
cellular cannibalism, which usually occurs with in 12 hours of fasting is that it reduces the overpopulation of sluggish cells,
leaving the stronger cells and those that overproduce prostaglandins. This is a process of mass genocide via cannibalism. The
deleterious effects are that blood maintains a hig her acid ratio weakening and damaging red blood cells and their ability to
transport oxygen.
If fasting continues beyond 2 days severe blood -fat deficiency occurs. The body leeches fats from the lymph system and cells
to maintain it. This fat - leeching weakens the immune system.
Another deleterious effect of fasting is that the necessary bacteria level in the intestines diminishes. Since 60 -90% of fecal
matter is born of bacteria, constipation results and severely diminishes bacterial synthesis of B vita mins and amino acids. This
further weakens and diminishes the immune system.
Another side effect from fasts, resulting from blood -fat end lymph deficiencies is that many toxins from either industrial pollution
or natural by -products of metabolism are freed. They irritate, burn and often imbed in the stronger cells, therefore weakening
them. Fat, especially in lymph, usually binds with toxins and either neutralizes or escorts them out of the body through the
mucus membranes, skin or bowels. If great collecti ons of these toxins occur during fasting, kidney damage results. These side -
effects usually create edema, especially when eating is resumed. The body often tries to dilute the toxins when it does not h ave
enough fat to chelate and remove them. Mutations s ome-times result.

My conclusion after 13 years experience and research with intellectually motivated fasts is that fasts are often more deleter ious
than helpful. They may have their place, but I won t gamble with people's lives using fasts as therapy.
When certain situations are favorable and if an individual has no appetite, I may suggest that they fast until hungry. However, if
the individual is anorexic, I do not suggest that they fast.
I have replaced fasts with a formula of raw vegetable juices (rarel y fruit juices) and raw eggs. This supplies the nutrients to form
solvents to remove toxicity and the fats necessary to eliminate them from the body. It is not as dramatic an experience, but it
works well, and more people are able to do it and still functi on.

You say that fasting weakens the immune system, but Shelton and others noticed just the opposite - that colds/flus/infections in
progress would cease within a few days of starting a fast, and that new ones would never occur.

Concluding that because colds and flus often cease during fasts does not mean that health is improved. It has been my
experience that colds and flus and all other diseases are detoxification. I have experienced and observed that colds and flus
often ceased during fasts because th e body could no longer tolerate such major detoxification. Some detoxification continued to
occur during fasts, however it was mainly the tremendous toxicity from the body cannibalism (acidosis). Weaker cells are
consumed to feed healthier cells. Fasts for ce the survival -of-the-fittest reality as in most starved species. This in consequence
creates a somewhat healthier body because it eliminates so many weaker and decaying cells.
In most circumstances, because the body usually requires much time and nutrients, especially fats and proteins, to detoxify and
recover from fasts and because most people do not eat diets that provide proper nutrients, people lack the nutrients necessar y
to ideally enter regular major detoxification like colds and flus. Espec ially in our toxic environment bodies need major
detoxification regularly.

It is also known that the starving prisoners of nazi death camps were less susceptible to typhoid than their "well -fed" guards.
This, if anything, indicates a strengthened not wea kened, immune system. How do you explain things like this?

I do not attribute increased immunity of typhoid to starving. The high consumption of alcohol and drugs among guards seems to
have contributed to the greater susceptibility to typhoid. Starving pr isoners died of typhoid.

Your book was very informative about the role of raw animal fats, meat, and eggs for the proper nutritional fuel for our bodi es.