Consuming whole foods in their raw, uncooked state: a personal interview with raw food nutrition expert, David Wolfe - Medicinal Properties in Whole Foods - Interview

Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients,  July, 2003  by Gina L. Nick

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A short time ago, I had the opportunity to listen to a knowledgeable and charismatic expert in raw, whole food nutrition, David Wolfe. David has written several popular, informative and inspirational books about nutrition including Eating For Beauty and The Sun food Diet Success System. During his talk, he touched upon several intriguing ideas on the subject of raw food nutrition that Tasked him to expand upon in a recent interview for the Townsend Letter.

Gina Nick (GN): What inspired you to dedicate your life's work to the research and subsequent education of the value inherent in the use of whole, raw foods?

David Wolfe (DW): I really do believe in "fate" or "destiny." Some things are just meant to be; some things are meant for some people. It all came about in an epiphany that occurred on one night in August of 1994. I sort of had a realization that raw-food nutrition was my path in life.

That path has evolved into a goal to achieve total mastery in the field of nutrition. I feel relentlessly inspired in this field -- inspired to help others, inspired to learn. Every part of it is absolutely fascinating!

GN: What is your background?

DW: Both of my parents are medical doctors. They met in medical school. I grew up completely immersed in mainstream medicine. That is probably why I am a raw-foodist today (I went the exact opposite direction!) At some point in my early youth (age 8 or 9) I realized that something was deeply wrong with mainstream medicine. I stopped taking medicine of any kind for any reason. And I absolutely refused any shots.

My own nutrition transformed for me in my late teens. I ate everything as a child, like most. I ate meat, cheese, bread, as well as fruits and vegetables. I ate fast food, homemade food, and fresh food. It was all the same to me until I reached the age of 18. Then something happened. I realized that I had allergies to dairy products. I stopped eating milk, cheese, and eggs overnight. I immediately lost 10 pounds, felt lighter, could think clearer, and instantly ended a lifetime of ear trouble. I was later to find out that the number one allergy food is milk and dairy products. And the primary response to food allergens is ear trouble.

When I stopped all dairy products something awoke within me. I felt better, yet everyone told me not to do it. They told me I would miss that nutrient or that mineral. I realized that it was possible they could all be wrong because I felt better. I realized that we could all have been eating the wrong food all along and since everyone else was doing it, no one would notice.

I was turned on, excited. I had stumbled across something of deep philosophical meaning that I could incorporate into my daily life as a hobby. I started reading about nutrition, started juicing, and began eating organic food. I experimented, soon became a vegetarian, and by the time I was 24,1 was on a totally organic, raw-food diet (I will be 33 in August 2003).

Although nutrition is now my primary focus, hobby, and career, I have an extensive educational background, including: degrees in Mechanical and Environmental Engineering, Political Science, and a Juris Doctor in Law.

After being on a totally raw, organic, raw-food vegetarian diet for a couple years and after going through the cravings, the detoxification process, and re-adaptation to natural food, I started being able to tap into more creative powers and a greater ability to perform during exams. Because fellow students and friends always asked me about my diet, I bought 10 copies of the raw-food book Blatant Raw-Foodist Propaganda by Joe Alexander and sold them to curious people. Then I bought another 10 copies and sold those. Soon I had a small book business going out of the trunk of my car.

During the summer of 1995, I traveled to Norway and England. While in Norway, I aspired to the goal of carrying and distributing every raw-food book ever written. I linked forces with some friends and soon we founded Nature's First Law (www.rawfood.com) the world's premier source of rawfood books and exotic raw foods. And that is the business that I still run today.

GN: In your lecture, you mentioned research you are doing regarding the minerals, or lack thereof present in our soil and the fact that there is only one food, if I am not mistaken, that is capable of up taking all existing minerals-which I believe you said was grass. Can you elaborate on this?

DW: Dr. Linus Pauling, winner of two Nobel prizes, said, 'You can trace every sickness, every disease, and every ailment to a mineral deficiency." I believe the study of minerals and the importance of minerals are the most important elements of all nutrition - minerals underlie all nutrition. Apparently, there are 92 minerals that can play a positive role in nutrition.

At least 10 of these are major minerals (calcium, iron, magnesium, etc.) and the rest are trace minerals (zinc, selenium, manganese, etc.). Ideally, it seems logical that if we can get all our minerals through organic, natural (raw), plant food, this is the simplest way to achieve optimum dietary health.