I would like to know how many people out there decided to eat only living foods primarily for health reasons or also for compassion for animals. I pose this question because I'm seeing a lot of in-fighting among vegetarians, vegans, raw foodists, and fruitarians and it saddens me. I know that many people opt for a 90% or more raw living foods diet for better health. But considering the fact that the raw living foods diet is herbivore vegan plant-based, this also includes the fact that the diet is compassionate and shows complete kindness, reverence, and respect for all life, including and especially animals. The problem is that many people lose sight of this and are so preoccupied and busy with his or her own personal agenda, mission, and goal that they lose sight of the fact that we're all (vegetarians, vegans, and raw foodists alike) striving for the same goal, which is to step lightly on Mother Earth. Instead of criticizing, judging, and hurting those who eat a bit of cooked food or eat grains and vegetables, instead of only fruit, let's remember that we share something very important and special in common. Our diet is 100% strictly vegetarian and contains zero animal flesh meat. It's something to think about.

Much Peace, Love, and Hugs,
Earthwrite

Wear organic or wear nothing!
[bodyearthself.blogspot.com]

Earthwrite, I started out for health reasons, and yet the more I am into it, the more compassion I feel towards the animals that commercially bred for food. I just don't think we were meant to eat meat at the volume "we" are consuming it.

The Veal industry especially sickens me and had for quite some time, even before I stopped eating the other meats. I have been eating this way for nearly 6 months and the health benefits feel miraculous to me.

In 1993 or 1994 I started eating vegetarian out of compassion for animals.

Somewhere along the way I started to believe in health benefits.

A year or two after going vegetarian I tried my hand at raw. I have not been always raw nor always vegan. They're both goals. Someday ... perhaps ...!

Despite my soft spot for animals, it just hasn't been enough of a motivation for me to go completely vegan. And a good deal of the cooked stuff I eat is not vegan.

I'll say that attacks on others for their beliefs or behaviors is unfortunate. But, you know, if the attackers should accept others for what they think, say, and do, well, then, by the same token, the attackers themselves should be accepted for what they think, and say, and do, no? Even the attacks should be accepted, IN A WAY. What good is it to criticize anyone? "Be the change you want to see." Not always easy is it?

Troy.



This way is not compatible with Zen practice. This way IS Zen practice. - Dr. Doug Graham

Nothing whatsoever should be attached to. - Buddha

I started the raw diet because it made so mch more sense then the SAD diet. I always felt guilty about the harmful ways americans eat. I knew there was a beter way to eat an going raw answered my prayers!

This is lovely, thank you for writing. I am vegan for ethical reasons, and raw for environmental and health reasons. I see no reason why a *traditional* vegan diet should be seen as any better or worse than a raw vegan diet, especially if done right, but I find that I personally gain energy, stamina, and feel most healthy and alive when I am mostly raw or completely raw. It gives me the strength to feel my best so that I may help others and be a compassionate person in general. Best of luck to all who are on a journey towards compassion. May we all do what we can to end the sufferings of all sentient beings!

with love, a 21-year old raw vegan who is spreading the raw revolution

/sarah

Great answers, guys.
I think that these ideas encapsulate the general thought patterns.
I am also saddened to see unnecessary in-fighting. I believe, though, that everyone will recognize in their own time that everything is connected.

(As an aside, a good movie produced by PETA which promotes compassion for animals is Earthlings. The movie may be difficult to find, but it has a powerful message.)

Thanks for the perspective!

If you post a reply to this message and would like my feedback, it would be best to send me a private message to that effect. Otherwise, I may not check this thread for a while.

***Info from the advisors at HealthNVitality***

Health reasons for me. However, I repect others for their reasons (caring for animals).
I have been off and on a low carb diet for the past year. To my surprise, the Atkins Diet points the way to this...raw life diet.

I am brand new to this, have not yet started. Feel very lost, confused but I feel this is the way I should go.

I have no equipment, and I don't know what to eat except salad. Dr. Atkin's taught me to eat salad and many greens. Before his diet, I had no idea a baked potato was not a vegtable.
Now I feel it is time to move along into a raw lifestyle. That is my plan for the next year.
Thanks, Myca