The Viva Vine: vol #3, no #1: January / February
1994
GRAPEVINE
Dear Ms. Teisler:
Thank you for taking the time to share your views with me. As chairman of the
Subcommittee on Health and the Environment, I want you to know that I take your concerns very
seriously. I am fortunate to have the benefit of your thoughts, and will keep them in mind in the
months ahead. Again, I am grateful for your letter and look forward to hearing from you on all
matters of concern. With kind regards, I am
Sincerely,
--Henry A. Waxman,
U.S. Congress, 29th District, CA.
[Ed. note: VivaVegie Society members should write to Cong. Waxman to thank him for his concern
and apparent understanding of our point of view. Congressman Waxman's letter came in resonse to
being sent a copy of "101 Reasons Why I'm a Vegetarian."
Dear Pamela,
We broke another barrier! I was invited to speak at Yale University School of
Medicine! My topic: Vegetarianism:
-Your health;
-Impact on the earth;
-Ethics.
As for your nut milk recipe, last issue, it is excellent, but for infants, use only the truly
natural ingredients from trees and earth.
--Loving best wishes, Jo Willard, Pres.,
Natural Hygiene, Inc.
Dear Pam --
I finally got to read the Vegetarian Times piece on you -- and it was very good!
You are an American original, so I'm glad more people now know about you. (Are you getting more
mail now?) Today VT; tomorrow People magazine! Any Oprah invites?
--Charles Patterson
[Ed. note: It was VivaVegie Society member Charles Patterson who I have to thank for getting
me that great "Potpourri" feature in *Vegetarian Times* (Dec., '93 issue). (Mr. Patterson is the
author of Animal Rights (Enslow Publishers), a powerful presentation of the arguments for animal
rights with the younger reader in mind.) The VT "Potpourri" feature writer Amy Rosenbaum Clark,
it happens, knew nothing about my vegetarian street advocacy, "101 Reasons...," "The VivaVine,"
nor The VivaVegie Society when she called to set up our interview, and upon Mr. Patterson's
recommendation alone she told me that VT would be running the piece.
Indeed, the mail has poured in since the VT article ran. "The VivaVine" now has about 12 new
subscribers, and several hundred copies of "101 Reasons Why I'm a Vegetarian" have been sold as a
result. I'm happy that more people know about VivaVegie Society activities, and I hope that other
people become activists (or even veg-evangelists!) because of the exposure. No offers yet however
from People or Oprah. (Note: call 1-800-398-2504 to order a copy of Mr. Patterson's book.)]
Dear Pamela:
I have a few thoughts about the nut milk story you published in your last issue
of "The VivaVine," but first, a few words about processed food in general. When the idea of
"recipes" came into the world, it surely was the invention of those whose main interest was in
the taste of food, and/or to make food more elegant and to please one's fancy. However, those
who write recipes generally do not consider their detrimental effect on the nutritive value of
food and therefore a recipe's ultimate effect upon health.
When food is cooked, processed or treated in any way, the living enzymes are destroyed and
the minerals and vitamins are lost to evaporation and exposure to light, air and water used in
preparation. That is why the kitchen is the greatest enemy of food, and therefore health. As for
nuts, they are an excellent food and a prime source of protein. They should be eaten raw and not
processed in a grinder or blender. The physical structure of the nuts, as well as of vegetables,
is designed by nature to house and protect the nutrients in the 'living food,' a gaseous
substance contained in thin sacks or globules. The gas is invisible, colorless and odorless. When
food is ground, many of the tiny globules are broken and the nutrients are evaporated into the
air and the food value is lost. The only justification for using a blender is to enhance a party
or a special function where the health of the participants is of secondary consideration.
If one mainly eats processed, devitalized, demineralized foods to the exclusion of whole
foods, he or she is therefore forced to eat in larger quantities to obtain sufficient nutrition
to sustain life. This overworks the functional organs of the body and leads to various
deficiencies and ailments.
The function of the mouth is to break down the structure of food and chemically prepare it
for the hydrochloric acid and gastric juices of the stomach where it is further liquefied to move
through the small intestine. Nature objects to mechanical assistance (grinders) and interference
in her function of digesting. If you do use the grinder, then do not go all out to make a fine
powder. The tiny particles still contain some nutritive elements. Leave as much dissolution of
any food to the chewing process so it can be mixed with saliva at the same time.
Recipes tend to complicate, while the masters of wisdom admonish us to "simplify, simplify
everything in your life." Simplification avoids bondage to the taste buds and relieves the
house-wife [Ed. note: or house-husband!] of unnecessary work and saves much of her/his time while
improving the health of family members. The taste buds can be retrained to appreciate natural,
raw and simple food.
--Sincerely, Louis Warter
Dear Friend of Animals,
You are the gift recipient of a Farm Sanctuary turkey adoption from
Jean Thaler. Your commitment to animals is helping us save the lives of suffering farm animals,
and educate people about the cruelty of "food animal" production.
--Yours, from Farm Sanctuary,
Watkins Glen, NY
[Ed. note: The above letter came to my husband Alan Rice and me from Farm Sanctuary notifying
us of our wedding present of a turkey adoption from Jean. Also with the letter was our adoption
card and the picture of "Sneakers" with his friends. Contact Adopt A Farm Animal Project, P.O.
Box 1509, Watkins Glen, NY 14891, 607/583-2225 to sponsor a rescued farm animal at Farm
Sanctuary. You will be supporting their excellent advocacy work on behalf of farm animals at the
same time.]
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