Ravishing Raw on “Telefacts”
Raw food is setting foot ashore in Belgian media. Last week I got a phone call of a television news magazine with the request to interview and film me. The reporter came across my website and was impressed. Sure!
After a few hectic days to prepare my place for a film crew, I was interviewed while picking grasses, making a lovely wild juice (which the crew absolutely loved) and prepping some raw nori rolls with “rice” and marinated mushrooms. As much as it may seem strange for an outsider that one juices grasses, I know that it tastes divine when mixing with other greens, vegetables, ginger and some apples. My intention was simple: inaugurate a lifestyle to Belgium that makes a difference to health.
Even though the channel is known for its sensational accentuation, the program for its cynicism and tendency to take an opinion instead of bringing an objective report, I saw it as an opportunity rather than a challenge. The reporter was nice, sincerely interested and kept repeating that I was the living proof that raw food works. The interview went well. They filmed and interviewed about 4 hours. So far, so good.
My first alarm bel went off at night around two, when I was catching up with writing in the sofa, the TV pulled over with the concerning channel on. My attention was drawn by a trailer, showing a Dutch boy with his mom, a dramatic voice saying something like: “Never bread, never milk! They eat as the cave men did!” O…K…
In the morning I called the reporter with my concerns. That I started to fear for an honest report, that the cynicism wouldn’t allow the viewers to form their own opinion. That I am working with world class jazz musicians who eat raw food to perform at top level, that famous Hollywood stars are raw because of its amazing benefits. That in The States health institutes help people heal cancer, that diabetes type II can be reversed in 30 days with raw food. I wondered in silence who the real “cave man” was in this story.
The reporter didn’t know there was a trailer yet and promised me to take out the description, to watch over the content and make it an honest report. The next day a new trailer was up, more neutral tone, me cutting grasses.
Tuesday was D-day. Half of the news magazine went to a Dutch issue of a mother who is on trial because she took her son off of school out of the concern he would start eating unhealthy. It shed a negative light on raw food. Katarina De Vos of Health XL made a good case by telling that a horse or a cow develop a perfectly strong and healthy body, eating grass mainly. So why wouldn’t it be good for us? Next image is me… cutting grasses, saying it is healthy. But what a pity that my scientific explanation about the healing properties of grass were cut out.
So was most of what I said except for a few brief sentences. A professor came in the picture claiming that raw food is unhealthy because you miss out on important vitamins, it doesn’t provide enough variation, that we need to eat accordingly to the food pyramid (meat, fish, dairy, bread,..) I continue that the food pyramid is old school and needs to be adjusted because it doesn’t include proteins from whole foods.
Raw food is a very new concept in Belgium and my previous attempts to tempt media to write about it, failed. So it is a huge accomplishment to have a television item in a well watched news magazine. I understand that as with all new concepts, another opinion was given to warn the audience for the “consequences” of eating raw food only. While eating raw only is exactly what can extend and save lives…
I also got the question if it is fair to take the decision for our children to feed them on raw food and deny them the pleasures of what other children can have.
Being a parent, we all take decisions for our children until they are wise enough to make their own. Raw food may be one of them and if, it is one I applaud because the younger they start eating healthy, the better for their future condition. I would like to rephrase the question: What about parents who grow their children on McDonalds, junk and take out foods, ready meals in plastic boxes, French fries with synthetic, fried meat? Is this the “normal” standard? Is this how children grow up in a healthy way? Is this not neglecting a child’s birth right: health? Are they on trial?
The comments on Twitter and Facebook were not very… subtile. I am now the woman who “eats” grass, “a cow”, a “pig”, I am ridiculous. I dared throwing over their fundament: the food pyramid. “Poor Belgium!” is all I can think. I understand that because of lack of background information, it is difficult for the average BAD (Belgium Average Diet: my translation of Standard American Diet-SAD) viewer to understand why I juice grass. But it is a missed chance for them to explore what it can mean to their health and for the channel to create a real informative premiere by giving the subject more depth.
So there is still a lot of work to do; dissolving undeserved fears through valuable information for instance. Giving experts and professionals the voice they need to teach a broad audience the right knowledge. I understand it is tough to let go of what is accepted as the general rule but what is general doesn’t have to be the exact truth.
Yesterday, a dear friend helped me so much by saying: “Listen. You are a pioneer!” I then knew he was right.
I. Am. A. Pioneer.
I needed this statement to make me realize that I am amongst the first professionals in Belgium who needs to clear the path of pre- and misconceptions to raw food. My thoughts went out to Viktoras Kulvinskas, to Dr. Ann Wigmore, to Dr. Arnold Ehret, to Dr. Norman Walker, to Dr. Max Gerson, to Jay Kordich. They were the real pioneers! They had to catch a lot of wind but it is thanks to them that the world is now opening up to their message of natural health!
I guess it is a learning process I have to go through. I learned another lesson through experience and it will serve me a next time for sure. This experience gave me a new mantra: I am a pioneer. I may bend a little bit while catching the wind, but never break! I may be tested, but I will pass with glance!
Seeing the informative and objective interviews with other raw foodies in the newspapers today, I know that the controversy of my contribution was part of opening up a stream of media interest for this healthy lifestyle. So yeah, that’s a step forward, too!
I am proud that I am walking up front and I am proud that I am not letting anybody indifferent. Even if it is me who has to pay a price. The food we take for granted is not as healthy as it is taught by naturalized acceptance and culture. The close future will proof so. Maybe then my mockers will be reminded of that woman who “ate” the food of cows that helped her cure from “incurable” disease…
Today, I received these wonderful words from two exquisite world leaders who were amongst the pioneers of juicing, Linda and Jay Kordich, The Juice Daddy.
A true leader never worries
what others say, think or do…..they
Suck it up, let it go and continue the work!
They hold the light for the ignorant
on a path only tread by……
A few….If you allow others to affect you
through criticism and mockery, it hurts those
who may have a future to get well.
So, hold steady the lantern of knowledge, so that
the path can be easier for others who follow. It’s a big responsibility
But you have been chosen.
Big hugs and love from me and Jay
.jpg)
