Phil Madeley

Date Written: 18 Mar 1998

Hello All I am back on the mailing list. I have seriously missed the list since I lest before Christmas. A great deal has happened since then. I have so many new ideas to share.

I am still 100% raw and no signs or desires to go back. I love raw food, it gives me that buzz to live life to the full. I am starting a raw food group in Manchester, England my home town. I have a little bit of interest so far. I have a web page on the Living foods web site. I am going back to Uni in September to complete my studies. I managed to get on an Environmental Management degree course on the third year so will be finished next June. I am doing my dissertation on soil remineralisation, so if anyone has any contacts I would greatly appreciate them. I was demoted from premier in my canoeing last season because I was in Sweden. I had my first division one competition on Sunday. I was 6th/70 which I am quite happy with. My sister is seriously considering going raw. My dad the butcher is asking me more questions, he will be converted eventually. Have to go now. All the best. Smiling forever, living life to the full. Enjoying every moment.

Date Written: Tue, 25 Nov 1997

Hello

My name is Philip Madeley, I am 21 years old and an environmental student.I am a Slalom canoeist and I regularly run, cycle and do weights, I am also very interested in mind improvements. Here is my story:

My journey to Raw Foodism all started last year. I was interested in improving my performance in Slalom Canoeing and was reading Anthony Robbins, Unlimited Power, I was not planning to change my diet in any way (My idea of health was no chips and some frozen veg, the only fruit I ate was Golden Delicious apples, one a week, I hardly ate any veg and my dad is a butcher), however I was beginning to tire of meat and felt sick if I bit a bone, or even looking at uncooked meat (so I think my body was trying to tell me something). So anyway I came to a chapter on energy in the book and it introduced me to the concept of water rich food, breathing, dangers of protein and milk, from that day (Easter 1996) on I never touched meat every again. Instantly I wanted to try all the new food available to me an gained excellent guidance from Fit For Life I&II, my parents were really understanding (even my father), although we had a few small arguments. They are now eating loads of Fruit and Vegetables, my dad still has meat, but my mum and sister are 95% vegan. When I first started doing it the response from people was really poor, but this was to my advantage, they kept asking me questions, like where do you get this or this nutrient, so I read more and more books on the subject.

During the summer on 96 and towards the end I was eating loads of bread and rice and pasta and couldn't understand why I was always so tired. Then I went to university in Nottingham and joined the Vegan Society there, I knew something still was not right when I came across an article in vegan views relating to a Vegan called Dave who had loads of energy and was really fit, so I wrote to him and it turned out that he was part of Susie Millers Raw Food Network, he wrote me a letter which was really inspirational, so I decided I would change immediately. It was not easy to begin with, I emptied my cupboards and began eating more salads and fruits. My only problem was Nuts, I ate loads of them and they made me really ill. I went back to some cooked food on and off, gradually cutting it back out again in about August (After coming to study in Stockholm for 1 year, gave me loads of time to think), after that the only cooked food I had was steamed vegetables, until about 1 month ago I completely cut out these.The people in Stockholm are really great, they do not criticize, they just accept you for who you are. I was still having a problem with nuts so I mind mapped what they were doing to my body by overeating and set up a plan to sort it out, firstly I stopped eating them for two weeks and currently I am limiting myself to ten per day.I am beginning to feel much better now, and a few changes have occurred, I seem to be more aware of my self as a person, I am more confident at everything, I feel so relaxed, I smile much more and sing,I need less sleep, I am constantly talking to myself about life (e.g. what do I really want, who am I, why am I feeling like this) I am not saying everything is perfect, but now I think I can see where I am heading in life and eventually it will be intuitional.

The last few weeks I have been searching the internet for as much information as possible and 2 weeks ago I discovered the Fruitarian Universal Network was based in Stockholm where I am staying for 1 year, so last week I met two great people Mangus and Thor and they have invited me to write an article for their newsletter.

I still have much to learn and am still open to new ideas, but I will never eat cooked food ever again.My only problem now is rising and falling energy levels, and sometime eating too much at once so I am beginning to eat regularly and smaller amounts. After writing this I feel much better, (I know it is long, I felt I had to get it down on paper) and I hope it inspires others. I would also like to thank everyone for just being there.

Will write again soon.

Give life everything you have and give LOVE to everyone you meet.

Please don't forget to sign the guestbook when you leave!

Return to All Raw Times Homepage