The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
RAW VEGAN DIET CAN MELT AWAY POUNDS
Long went viral showing a very slender physique.
Bishop Eddie L. Long went viral with a video showing a very slender physique that he attributed to raw vegan meals.
Long, senior pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia, said in the video, which was posted on social media, that he gave up eating his fast-food favorites in favor of being a “raw vegan.”
“People are asking, ‘Bishop, what happened to all of you?’” he says in the video, posted to his public Facebook page (but later taken down). “Well, all of me has meelllllted away.”
Long did not return several calls to his office to learn more about his eating habits. So, we have no details about his health, specific changes in his diet or whether he is working with a nutritionist.
There’s a difference between being a vegetarian and a vegan or even a raw vegan. Some people practice a mixture of them all. It varies. According to the Vegetarian Center’s website, whether you are vegan or vegetarian, you don’t eat meat. Some vegetarians though may eat eggs, milk and cheese. A vegan avoids all animal products and, beyond diet, may not wear animal-based items like leather and wool.
Nina Curtis, executive chef at the Ranch at Live Oak/Malibu in California, followed a raw vegan diet for three years and is an expert in raw vegan and cooked vegan cuisine.
“Usually you do lose weight because it’s cleansing and detoxing,” said Curtis, although she is not intimately familiar with Long’s nutrition plan.
“When talking about raw vegans, there are different degrees,” said Curtis. “I can be talking to another raw vegan and we can be eating very differently. Most people assume we all eat raw foods like salads and fruit. But the main reason raw can be so good for you is that we don’t heat anything above 118 degrees, which keeps all the enzymes in food intact.”
If you increase the amount of raw food in your diet, pounds seem to “melt” off you, she said. Changing your diet also has increased health benefits. It can reduce high cholesterol and blood pressure levels as well as lower the risk of diabetes.
Long, for instance, said he has more energy and no longer has to take blood pressure medication.
Quinnie Cook-Richardson of Decatur has been a practicing vegan for 26 years, is a raw chef and conducts retreats and classes for people interested in eating raw or making food decisions that are healthier.
She uses flavorful marinades and sauces as the key to making delicious gourmet raw dishes.
As a result of eating a plant-based diet, she said, her digestion is better, and she has more energy and is more alert. “It’s all totally improved,” she said. “Had I continued on that path, it would have led to other health challenges. As people of color, many of us have family histories of certain diseases.”
In the case of Long, “people are not accustomed to seeing him like that,” she said, although she is just an observer. “It doesn’t mean he is sick. I’m sure he feels a lot better and has a lot more energy and vitality.”
Dr. William Richardson, of American Clinics for Preventive Medicine, has been a vegan for about 30 years — the last 10 as a raw vegan.
He said following that program meant an end to migraines, sinus problems and constipation.
“Sometimes I test patients to see how many push-ups they can do,” said Richardson, a holistic practitioner who is married to Cook-Richardson. “”I’m 62 and I see 25- and 30-year-olds who can barely do 20 or 25. No question, you have a lot more energy. I have always made dietary counseling a major part of my practice.”
Long, he said, “looks more fit and better in my eyes as a physician.”