Sticking to healthy habits can be difficult; it doesn’t help when your commitment is met with verbal jabs and side-eyes.
Believe or not, there are plenty of people in our society who won’t regard seeing you change your diet and improving your health in any way as “positive”, because your actions will put a certain pressure on them to do the same. Not everyone has the courage or knowledge to be able to improve their health naturally.
It’s important to remember that most of these critiques are the result of people who are misinformed about health or people who feel insecure or disappointed about their own health-related decisions.
I have been a popular DJ for most of my life, so I noticed this attitude shift of people around me when referring to me more than once these days. “Oh, he is changed…” I often hear.
Well… Actually, I have not changed. Let me prove it:
- My weight at 49 years of age is 67 kg (10.5 st.), which is my healthy weight. I was the same weight when I was 18 years of age. So, that didn’t “change” much, did it?
- I am still the same funny, outgoing, and entertaining person that I have always been (whenever I have been healthy that is) so, this didn’t “change” much either, correct?
- I am not sick. I am just as healthy (and even healthier I should say) as I was when I was 18 years old. So, this didn’t “change” much either, right?
As you can see, not much has changed here and I am not the one who has “changed”.
In fact, YOU are the one who changed.
YOU are the one who is so overweight, sick, and miserable that you cannot even handle an intelligent conversation these days.
YOU are the one who is in and out of the hospital constantly because you cannot sort out your diet.
YOU are the one who thinks you are too intelligent to waste time reading a book.
Sadly, that’s how I feel when dealing with most people of my generation these days.
So, the next time somebody say to you, “oh, you’ve changed”, you should reply, “no, I am not changed; I am the same person I have always been. I have “restored” my health which is an entirely different thing.”
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20 Responses
Great comment- lots of ways to keep vibrant and healthy on http://www.cansurviving.com too with mainly raw food- we cansurvivors know a thing or two about diet as well as keeping the Mind and the Spirit in peak condition……GREAT to keep ‘as wonderful as you were’…. Ariel do join us? Others too? We’d love to have you….
Great explanation of ‘not changing’ but restoring health!
Thank you 🙂
Thanks for this Ariel- a raw diet is a vital component for cansurvivors – along with a healthy mind and a daily practice which calms the mind…see it all on the cansurviving site…and we thank you for what you do…
Thanks Judith. Regards 🙂
I can totally relate to your statement. I started going raw 8 years ago. My weight went from 85 kg to 74 kg and then balanced out at 76 kg. I exercised daily, meditated and felt better than ever before. All my friends told me that I looked to skinny. Once I bought new fitting clothe, nobody noticed any more. The best was the abundant energy levels, less sleep, up to 20 pull ups and feeling fantastic. Socially a night mare. You do not get invited anymore, no more restaurants and coffee shops. That was the tough part for me. It will become a way of life eventually. Best thing I have ever done for my health.
Nice to hear your story Mark. You’ll soon stop enjoying the idea of going out to junk food restaurants. The problem isn’t the raw diet but the fact we don’t yet have enough healthy restaurants about.
I hear you I think people think I’m boring now that I don’t drink and pre order my alternate meals before arriving at a booked restaurant but I’ve never felt better. I finished chemo and radiation 9 months ago and now focus on me. This new way of life of raw eating has been the silver lining.
Iam going back to Hawaii in July after living in Up-state NY for the last 5 years.
I started working on my health in the kast 6 years…..
I was a mentally, physically, and a spuritual wreck…..
My health has improved remarkably when I chose to obstain from harmful substances…(alcohol and tobacco).
Educating myself and with the help of my Naturalpathic doc. Daughter-in-law through a daily vitamin and mineral suppliment regiment…and raw food diet…along with cooked whole foods and
mainly plant-based….less meat…
I have an enormous amount if energy and enjoy intellugent conversations and learning new and uplifting ways to enjoy my life sober and healthy.
People will say, and have already, that I’ve changed…THIS IS WHO IAM AND ALWAYS HAVE BEEN…It was covered over with suckness and a clouded mind from all the contaminants and highly processed foods with alcohol and tobacco dumped in with it…
I pray I can set an example that shows what we can do if we apply health laws that we must follow to keep our temples..(bodies) clean…
God made us to serve Him…How can we serve Him if our bodies are afflicted with disease and sickness?
God bless you Ariel..
And a HEALTHY NEW YEAR
Sincerely..Sabra Travers
I think it has changed me or at the very least it has changed my attitude toward those that are close to me. Trying to go vegan or even raw has opened my eyes to those around me and I see them differently now. It would be different if this was just a fad but it is not this is a must. I’m not asking those around me to change their diet and I get that it is hard for those around me to see me change mine. Once you see someone in a different light it is hard to see them as the were. Maybe I just chose not to see them before and I am forced to see them now. In any case right now it sucks because if it bothers them to see me change my diet what would they think of me if they have to push me around in a wheel chair or worse.
Thanks for your comment Sid. Regards 🙂
Love this one. Some attitude never hurts 🙂
I try to get your free book “Raw Dinner” but it says error 404.
Great work Ariel, Pierrette & I understand you completely as we have done the same .We are 66 now and in as good a shape as when we were 20.
Raw fruits and vegetables are the only answer to all health problems.
Thanks
Pierre & Pierrette Trudel
Please refresh the link and try again or use different browser. Thank you
Sooo true! Well said!
I beg to differ from you Ariel.
My whole life changed when I embraced a vegan lifestyle.
My view and attitude to life has changed.
My attitude and views with regard to animal rights and factory farming has changed.
My view with regard to religion has changed
My view with regard to people who eat animal flesh has changed.
I have become more sensitive to the needs of animals and have deepened my connection with other earthlings, this planet and the beauty of nature.
I started recycling, re-using and reducing my carbon footprint on this earth.
I am a new person and yes I have changed so much that when I look back at who I used to be I dont like that person.
So when people say I have changed I feel so humbled and proud because I am becoming a better person than what I used to be
BINGO BINGO BINGO!!!!! Even within my own family, they see me as a whacko, and I see the anger in them but I know where it’s coming from. Like you said, they feel pressure to change but can’t. Its what they feel about themselves thats coming thru. RISE ABOVE IT and be grateful you know THE TRUTH!!! I feel bad they chose the path they are on, but it is their path, NOT MINE! Thank you Ariel!
I completely agree Ariel, however when trying to use the same argument to my significant other half and my grown up children, those harsh words can stir up a lot of friction and emotion
Thank you for all your inspiring articles! I find it really difficult to discuss food with people these days. I generally just stick to eating the healthiest I can, it’s wierd how strongly people react to your food choices. Maybe in 10 years’ time things will be different… I hope!
Thank you. 🙂
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