Dennis, can you tell us a little bit about who you are, just the
basics to start, how old are you, how tall, what do you do for work?
D: Sure, Im
51 years old, 510 and I weighed 175 pounds two months ago
before starting this diet, but now I'm down to 143 pounds. I own
a restaurant/bar called Tramonta in North Hampton, NH. Ive
always considered myself to be very healthy up until about 10
years ago. I was a vegetarian for
30 years, even raised my kids on a vegetarian diet. I always worked
out, in the gym or playing basketball, and tried to take care of
myself.
So it sounds like you knew a bit about health
and fitness and how to implement that into your life. Lets
talk about the last 10 years though, how were you feeling and what
was happening that made you feel like you were not as healthy?
D: Mentally how
did I feel?
Sure, start with that
D: Drained,
depressed, stuck in a rut, no motivation, no ambition, foggy headed,
just going through the steps.
Why did you feel like that?
D: Bad
relationship, alcoholism, gambling, poor diet, Getting stale at
my business, wanted a new career, Ive been doing this business
for 30 years and it's affected my health and lifestyle greatly.
Physically how did I feel?
Yes
D: Horrible!
Why?
D: Again,
poor diet. Over consumption of alcohol, insomnia, body aches, irregular
bowel movements, fatigue all day. My day consisted of getting up,
going to work, not eating breakfast or working out in the mornings
anymore, consuming alcohol all day, sometimes not even eating, working
12 hours a day, going home, sometimes eating dinner or sometimes
not, then going to bed.
How much alcohol were you
drinking a day?
D: Between 24
and 30 bottles of Heineken a day, sometimes a bottle of wine with
dinner if I was awake to eat. Everyday, seven days a week for 2
years. Before that it was the probably the last 10 years anyway,
with less degree, but pretty close to that.
Ok, so I have to ask you, before we delve deeper
into more of the physical ailments and healing that you have experienced,
what made you decide to change your lifestyle, what happened between
then ( 2 months ago) and now?
D: Alissa Cohen
So meeting Alissa has had that much of an impact
on your life? Did you decide to change before you called her?
D: Yes, it had that much of
an impact on my life. I knew Alissa many years ago but then we lost
touch. As far as deciding to change before I met her again
I
wanted to change, I just didnt have the catalyst to put me
into that mode, and Alissa was just that, and it changed my whole
life in an amazing way.
Wow.
D: Its true.
So was it easy for you to switch to a raw and
living food diet, stop drinking, gambling, and change your whole
lifestyle?
D: It was extremely easy.
Really, why? Why do you think it was easy for
you when a lot of people struggle with changing their life, cleaning
up their diet, losing weight, healing their body
why do you
think it was so easy for you?
D: I was ready to do it, but
I think before meeting Alissa again I lacked the support. I also
found love and someone who gave me a reason to want to live my life
to the fullest. Once I had those two things in place, changing the
lifestyle was instinctive. It wasnt a matter of fighting alcoholism
or fighting cooked food, it just came natural, like I had been doing
this my whole life. Alissa always says, to have the lifestyle
your living you have to create the environment to support it.
So thats the advice you would give to
people, to change their environment in order to succeed on a raw
food diet?
D: Well, its the same
piece of information that Alissa continually tells people you cant
expect to lose 100 pounds or heal a disease and continue to do the
same thing youve been doing that got you into that situation
in the first place. Because if you do continue to live the same
way, i.e.. eating the same, spending time doing the same things
going out eating and drinking with friends, sitting in front
of the TV instead of exercising, etc
you will either never
change or if you do initially, you will slip back into those old
patterns and habits. Again you need to create an environment to
support your new life. Having a cabinet full of donuts, going out
to dinner every night, or being a couch potato isnt going
to support eating healthy and being physically fit! Youll
be fighting it the whole way, it will be too much of a struggle
and your old lifestyle will win
So, yes, I guess thats one of the pieces
of advice I would give to people. Make a commitment, change your
environment and keep focusing on your goals.
Ok, so lets get back to how you feel.
How long has it been since youve been on this diet?
D: 8 weeks
Did you have any physical problems before you
started this diet?
D: Yes, its one of the
reasons I didnt have much desire to live and I think was slowly
trying to kill myself with alcohol and a poor lifestyle. Hepatitis
C and liver dysfunction. My liver was inflamed and it was painful
just to touch to my side. My urine was bright orange and I had bleeding
gums. I also had shortness of breath, my skin was broken out, and
I was bloated and had no energy or stamina.
And how has all that changed?
D: Well, my urine
is clear, my liver does not hurt at all, no more pain anywhere,
and my gums arent bleeding. Im going to get another
blood test in a few months to see whats happening with all
of the liver problems, but I feel as if I am regenerating my liver
cells and hopefully healing the Hepatitis as well. I have no more
symptoms from it though, so I believe I am on my way to curing that.
Also, I have so much energy, I only need a few hours sleep a night
and my stamina has increased greatly. I no longer have shortness
of breath, Im no longer bloated, and my skin is no longer
broken out. In fact, my skin is usually the first thing people comment
on, how clear and smooth it looks. What a difference from only a
couple of months ago!
And you said you feel so much difference emotionally
and mentally?
D: Oh, yes. I was in law school
many years ago, I loved using my mind and have always been very
sharp witted and quick to figure things out. For many years after
that I was opening restaurants and running many different businesses.
But lately, before going raw, I didnt think, I just went through
the motions. Now, since going raw, my cognitive ability has gone
way up. Its amazing; Im so much more alert. Im
extremely motivated now. I feel I have so much to live for; I want
to explore life in other ways. Im no longer depressed. I can
make decisions much quicker. My head is clearing up more and more
every day.
Emotionally
hmmmm, well, I feel more open minded. I feel more
loving and more willing to do different things in life, and experience
new things. I also feel more peaceful and relaxed.
Have you experienced any detoxing?
D: I have, but its only
been a couple of days here and there. One day a felt like I had
the flu, I had body aches, stomach pains, cold sweats, and was a
bit disoriented. The other days I woke up with cold sweats as well,
but felt fine during the day.
How much weight have you lost?
D: Ive
lost 30 pounds. I was 175 pounds and now I am down to 143.
How do you feel about the weight loss?
D: I wasnt happy about
it until Alissa convinced me it was a good thing. I know Im
detoxing all of the junk thats inside me and once I clean
out, I'll begin to put some weight back on. Im working out
with weights everyday though to keep my muscle tone. Im actually
eating a lot, so it was surprising to me, but its such clean food
so its understandable.
If you hadnt met Alissa and began eating
a raw and living food diet, where do you think youd be right
now?
D: I can tell you exactly where
I would be, Id be in my restaurant. If I was eating, it would
be some processed cooked food, a Heineken in my hand, and Id
be watching T.V. I'd still be depressed, just waiting for the close
of the day, which would be 7-8 oclock. Then I'd go home and
probably not even eat dinner and go to bed. I'd get up the next
morning and do the same repetition. No workouts, no motivation,
high depression, high anxiety, feeling and looking lousy, feeling
bloated.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
D: With
a little more weight on my body, continuing to work out, feeling
as good if not better then I do right now, (which is excellent),
muscles toned, lean, healthy, eating raw and staying highly motivated
and working with Alissa to promote raw and living foods.
Again why do you think it is easy for you to
do this diet?
D: A lot of its in your
head, peer pressure, a lot of people are use to getting attention
associated with not feeling good, being lazy about having to change
etc
You have to make a commitment to what it is you want in
your life. Im very stubborn and determined, so for me there
is never even a question anymore about whether I will stay on this
diet or not, its just now the way I live my life.
Its easier to eat raw then it is to cook
food. Alissa and I prepared a 3 course meal the other night and
I roughly timed it from start to finish. Including cleaning the
appliances that we used, it was less then a half an hour and we
had a beautiful meal. A salad, an entrée and a dessert in
no time. It was delicious, it was healthy and it was simple. I think
people get intimidated by eating raw and they shouldnt, its
easier then eating cooked. Just a little more practice, a little
more thought when you go shopping for product, and imagination.
Yeah, Alissa has a lot of great recipes, but after a while, just
use your imagination, if youve got the product in your house
and the appliances to prepare it, you dont need anything else.
Also, stay connected in some way to people
who are living this lifestyle. But most of all, for me, its
the commitment. As time goes on, that commitment is no longer something
I need to even think about, it has become a habit and the way I
live my life.
But what about cravings. Sometimes cravings
can seem to outweigh the commitment?
D: Not for me. Obviously, if you
have a half-ass commitment and youre hungry, its pretty
easy to convince yourself to go get a burger, or whip up a pan of
brownies.
So you never get cravings?
D: Not really.
Once in a while I smell something and I remember that taste, but
its just a thought, and then it passes. You cant focus on
it. If you do youll start to think about it more and it will
become the object of what you desire. Focus your attention on other
things, like what it is you are really wanting in your life, how
you want to feel and look. Again, make a commitment to yourself
and then stick to it. It will be so worth it, I promise!
What else are you doing, besides eating raw,
to improve your health and your life?
D: I work out everyday. Alissa
and I go to the gym every morning. We also rollerblade and walk
and take yoga classes. Ive also started meditating daily.
Thanks Dennis!
Well be checking back with you soon to chart your progress!
If any of you have any questions for Dennis, please email
us and we will try to include them in
our next interview. Please place Dennis in the subject
line.
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