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An Interview With Harvey Diamond-Fit For Life!
Harvey Diamond
Harvey Diamond (he has dropped the Dr.) was a pioneer in alternative health with his book Fit For Life way back in 1985 before computers and we all had to go to the local library to look up things.I read his book and for me, it was a real eye-opener. I think mainly because it just made commonsense. I was so in love witht his book that I gave many copies out as gifts. I’m sure 90% of the gift receivers thought I was crazy.
Now here it is 2014 and I have discovered that my hero, Harvey Diamond, lives is Sarasota so I decided to give it a chance and called him to request a phone interview for this health blog. I left a cheerful message on his voice mail and hoped for the best. Imagine my surprise when I saw “Harvey Diamond” on the caller ID a few hours later. We decided on a time in a couple of days and as promised, he called me back for what I told him would be 15 or 20 minutes interview.
Before the interview I carefully scripted out my questions on paper with plenty of room to write down his replies between my questions. We started off with me saying how honored I was that he agreed to the interview and then we went right into a conversation like we were old friends. I would normally write the interviewees’ answers down but we both got off on tangents…scripted questions out the window.
I explained to him that I was always interested in staying healthy and now was diagnosed with Hashimoto Thyroiditis. (Hashimoto Thyroiditis is a autoimmune disease that attacks the thyroid.) He said he just spoke to a very famous person yesterday and was giving her advice on how to deal with Hashimoto. (These are not his words exactly for I am paraphrasing but if I use italics it is a direct quote..) He told me, “You know if you have Hashimoto what things you have to stay away from. Soy and Fluoride.” I told him I did and also cut out gluten. But I didn’t want to talk about me so I moved on with the questions and Harvey (he told me to call him Harvey) is so enthusiastic and energetic in talking about health that he can go on for about 5 minutes in rapid fire speaking with statistics and sometimes funny sayings that made me burst out laughing like “I’d rather step in front of a truck than eat….”
I was interested on how his book Fit For Life became such a sensation. Harvey said the timing was right for a health book and he was a guest on all the talk shows as in Oprah, etc. “Yes, but you just don’t get on Oprah by calling her up and say can I be on your show?” I said.
As a beginner writer and someone who also likes to help indie authors promote their books, this info was important to me. Was it just word of mouth that kept Fit For Life on the New York Times’ Best Seller List for 40 consecutive weeks? So, I circled back with my questions on how he marketed his book.
“Oh, I had a friend that was on the Eight is Enough TV show, Joannie Prather, and her agent was with William Morris Agency and she said she would put my manuscript on his desk. He liked it and passed it on to Warner Books and the rest is history.”
I asked him what he was doing for employment at that time in 1985. “Nothing, I was borrowing money from friends and working on my book with heart and soul. I had a feeling it was going to be well received.” That was in 1985 and since Fit For Life he has written 8 more books his latest Fit For Life-A New Beginning. He said, “It’s my best book so far.”
He told me that his website had a lot of information and I brought it up on my laptop as we talked. I noticed that there were a lot of supplements on the site. “No!” said Harvey emphatically. They are enzymes which are very important for your digestive system. I wouldn’t eat cooked food without taking one first. I don’t believe in supplements. Did you know Americans have the most expensive urine?”
Some of the other things he pointed out:
- USA spends 3 trillion a year on health care
- We are a pill-taking society
- People are overfed and undernourished
- Still believes in water fasting for health
- A mostly raw food diet is important
- You should have a good partnership with your body for health
- He never eats sugar or believes in dieting
He claims to not be perfect (who is) and will occasionally have a slice of pizza. Aha! I thought I had him with that one. “But that has a high-glycemic index which the body converts to sugar!”
“Oh, I don’t go along with that guy (guy?) who talks about the low glycemic way of eating. I mean according to that chart a watermelon has a higher glycemic index than a bowl of ice cream. I love watermelon! A bowl of ice cream is not better for you than a piece of watermelon.” Point taken.
We talked about the naysayers he said that attacked him when his book first came out and some are now agreeing, writing or lecture on the same topic they were so against in the 80s. I told him that I was juicing and that was even a controversial topic between the juicers and the smoothies. “There will always be someone to contradict you,” he said.
“Do you really think there is a cure for cancer?” I hopefully said.
“I thing the medical community dangles the word “cure” like a carrot in front of a horse. I think the word “care” is more important.”
I said, “Why don’t more people work on the care of their health before they get cancer? I want to do something to prevent getting cancer now so I don’t have a cancer diagnosis in the future.”
“People believe that the medical profession is going to cure them when they get called into the doctor’s office with the bad news.” Harvey continued with, ” “Chemotherapy is actually mustard gas which causes cancer. It’s like trying to stop a freight train with a fly swatter.”
I had heard that Harvey had been suffering from the effects of Agent Orange that he was exposed to while serving in the Vietnam War. He is 69 years old now and can hardly move his arms and walks with a distinct limp. He told me he was one of the few survivors from Agent Orange that is still alive and can walk. Something he claims is because of his mostly raw food diet.
Well, we finished the interview in just shy of an hour. He was fascinating to talk to and I promised to send him my book, The Insomnia Cure-How I Kicked Insomnia Out of My Bed! He said, “that’s a good title.”
Thank you, Harvey!
From http://www.harveydiamond.com
Harvey Diamond is a Health & Wellness Advocate and New York Times #1 Bestselling Author who has been studying and teaching the principles of healthful living for over 40 years. He is credited as a pioneer in helping shift people toward healthier eating. He has helped millions of people worldwide to not only dramatically improve their health, but also to overcome serious, catastrophic disease, including cancer.
His FIT FOR LIFE books have sold nearly 14 million copies in 33 languages and are read in over 80 countries. FIT FOR LIFE held the #1 position on the prestigious New York Times Bestseller list for an unprecedented 40 consecutive weeks. It was the fastest selling book of its kind in history.
Books by Harvey Diamond
Terry Ryan
Terry Ryan is a health blogger and lives in Sarasota, FL with her husband Kenan.
The Agent Orange Victims Fund (AGORAVIF) works to support families and children affected by Dow’s chemicals. You can find out more and donate to their fund by visiting www.vnrc.org.vn.
My Experience with Acid Reflux Disease by Terry Ryan
Have you ever wondered why you have acid reflux? Most people over the age of 50 do. It is considered one of the “old-age” disease…thank you very much. As a Baby Boomer when I turned 50 I can remember the exact moment it hit me, Acid Reflux Disease. I was at dinner with friends having a wonderful time drinking wine and eating Clams Casino as an appetizer when burp it started burning in my throat. “What the heck is that?” Then it happened again and again that horrible burning there is a volcano in the stomach feeling.
I noticed it was happening to my friends, too. A few summers ago, I was out in a boat with the girls and they were drinking Margaritas. I witnessed Katie take a sip of cocktail and then chew on a Tums; take another sip and eat another Tums. Whoa!!!!
I 
made an appointments with a gastro who prescribed the usual prescription of Prilosec that works as PPI (proton pump inhibitor)
When you eat, millions of tiny pumps in your stomach produce acid to break down food—and heartburn can occur when excess acid refluxes into your esophagus. A PPI treatment, such as Prilosec or the generic form Omeprazole, works by turning off many of these pumps to reduce the amount of acid produced, but leaving enough acid for digestion. Prilosec, for some people, treats frequent heartburn for 24 hours with one pill a day for 14 days. (Note: the 14 days. That’s how long you are supposed to take the drug.) Prilosec starts working on day one, and some people get complete relief of symptoms within 24 hours. It may take one to four days for full effect. PPI’s did not work for me. On to the next treatment.
H2 Blockers
H2 blockers relieve heartburn symptoms by blocking histamine type 2 receptors, one of the three triggers of acid production. H2 blockers can begin working within an hour, so they act faster than a PPI, but they do not provide the immediate relief of an antacid. H2 blockers then continue to work in the body for up to 12 hours. H2 blockers can work against heartburn, but they do not last a full 24 hours from just one pill. Prevacid is an example of a H2 blocker.
Antacids
I depend on antacids. They seem to work the best for me. I use a combination of store brand Ranitidine (Zantac) 150 dose and Mylanta which seems to control the “volcano” in my stomach. Antacids neutralize the acid in your stomach. Antacids go to work on your heartburn immediately unlike PPI’s. While no heartburn treatments cure the condition, antacids provide only temporary relief.
Getting Old Is Not Fun.
With age, the strength of the lower esophageal sphincter (or LES, the valve that connects the bottom of your esophagus to your stomach) decreases, as does the amount of stomach acid produced. This is an excellent recipe for acid reflux and explains why close to 50% of adults over the age of 50 experience acid reflux. There is a common misconception that acid reflux is caused by too much stomach acid when in reality it is more common for the cause to be low stomach acid, say some of the experts. I have experimented with increasing my stomach acid to test this with horrible results. I tried drinking only grapefruit juice diet…OMG! Then I tried to increase my stomach acid with Betaine Hydrochloride. OUCH! I threw the bottle away. Now on to drinking a tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar which seemed to increase the burn in my stomach, not decrease it.
However, according to some health websites they stress that we Baby Boomers produce less acid and If stomach acid is too low, then LES doesn’t close properly and allows stomach contents and acid to splash up and irritate the esophagus causing heart burn. One website makes the point that teenagers produce more stomach acid than mature adults and they don’t have acid reflux.(Hmmmm) Baby Boomers also tend to be taking multiple medications, many of which can weaken the LES. These include nitrates, calcium channel blockers, benzodiazepines, anticholinergic agents, and antidepressants.
As we age, lactase levels in the small intestine decrease, leading to dairy intolerance. There may also be an overgrowth of bacteria that can cause gas, bloating and bowel habit changes. The small intestine also becomes less able to absorb nutrients such as B12, Iron, Calcium and Vitamin D.
I spoke to my gastroenterologist about the low acid theory and she said that it is true in about 10% of adults and the rest of the population produce too much acid. During my research I have read many conflicting reports. Some have said too much acid and others have said too little acid. Who to believe?
Lifestyle changes for reducing acid reflux disease.
- Skip alcohol, soda, coffee
- Eat small meals.
- Dark chocolate can irritate your stomach
- Take dairy out of your diet
- I find that juicing does not irritate my stomach and is a good way to up your veggie intake
- Don’t eat 4 hours before you go to sleep
- Don’t eat until your stuff. Leave yourself a little hungry at meals. It takes 20 minutes for your brain to catch up with your stomach
- Lose weight. Experts say that losing weight helps with acid reflux
- Use two pillows under your head when sleeping.
Recommendation
If you have acid reflux I recommend finding a gastroenterologist and seek treatment. Also, if you have had it for a prolonged time, then ask to have a endoscopy to see if you have any damage in the lining of the esophagus. When stomach acid constantly splashes up into your esophagus you may develop Barrett’s Esophagus Disease; scar tissue buildup that can lead to esophageal cancer. Why more doctors do not recommend an endoscopy along with a colonoscopy is something I do not understand because personally I know more people who have died from esophageal cancer than colon cancer.
If you found this blog informative, please share.
Terry Ryan and Mo
Terry Ryan is a blogger, recent author of The Insomnia Cure: How I Kicked Insomnia Out of My Bed, health enthusiast, and website designer. She lives in Sarasota, FL and Lake George, NY.
My Excellent Memory Came Back
My excellent memory came back. That’s right. I found out that losing my short-term memory was not an age related thing for me as everyone had told me. It’s back and my mind is sharper than ever. Hey, I passed the Florida Real Estate test and that right there tells you something. Boy, that is a hard test. I actually had to study for it.
Before in my younger days, I always had an excellent memory and could remember people’s names and details about them like their birth dates and favorite color; things most normal people couldn’t do. I also never made lists. I could stop at a grocery store and remember everything I needed to pick up without a list. To Do Lists where all in my head.
I could shock people when I said things as-remember that time we hiked to the Cascades and you got stung by that bee?- and the person I was talking to would have no recollection of the event.
Of course, having a great memory is not a good thing for my husband because like a hard drive in my brain, I stored everything he did that I felt was an assault on our relationship…and you know how that goes. I’ve learned to back-off on that one.
Yes, I relied on my quick wit and brain storage capability through my life so when I hit my 50’s and to my horror, I started forgetting things. Where did I put my cell phone? Where did I park my car? Oh my gosh, I completely forgot about calling that person back. I complained to a friend about my failing memory when he told me…it’s inevitable; a fact of old age. Nooooooo!
As the years progressed my short-term memory got worse. I was constantly searching for paperwork, sunglasses, car keys, and my handbag. There where days I couldn’t remember my own phone number or social security number. I would walk into rooms not remembering why I walked in and go to Google on my laptop forgetting what I wanted to search for. Does any of this sound familiar?
People suggested that I try supplements like Omega 3 but that never worked. I started placing Post It notes all over the house and write down in a notebook what I had done that day. Was this the beginning of dementia? I missed my great memory.
If some of you are following me on Facebook, Twitter, or one of my blogs, you know that I have become a rather health enthusiast. I have cleaned up my diet by “eating clean” which means I try to eat raw vegetables and foods with the least ingredients, and over time I have regained my memory. That’s right, it is reversible and I now have a sharp as a tack memory. I owe it all to giving up sugar, eating low glycemic foods (limit pasta, potatoes, crackers, bread), and reducing my alcohol intake to maybe a cocktail once every three months. Most of the time I will walk around with a glass of sparkling water at a social event. The fog that was creeping into my brain is gone. GONE!
The other day, I was at my hairdresser’s. She was putting highlights in my hair and I remembered that the last time I was there, a month ago, it was her 50th birthday. She had a friend sitting in a chair waiting for her to finish with me (I was her last appointment that day) and they were going to start celebrating by going to a couple of clubs. She was pretty excited and they opened a bottle of champagne to celebrate.
A month later I am back in her chair and I asked her how was her birthday celebration? She had a blank look on her face. I said trying to jostle her memory, “Ted was here and you two were going to go out and bar hop.” She said she couldn’t remember what they did and admitted that her short-term memory was terrible. She attributed to getting older. I let it pass then I asked her if she had remembered to order this product I asked her to order. She said she forgot. Then later someone asked her to recommend the plumber that my hairdresser had just used and she couldn’t remember his name and couldn’t find the number in her phone. I’d say her memory was terrible and she was heading for early dementia.
I said to her let me guess, you eat a lot of sugar? She said no I am not a big sweet eater. Okay, then I guess you eat a lot of pasta, bread and potatoes. She said yes and why? Those are high-glycemic foods that I found that when I eliminated them I improved my memory. “Oh, I wouldn’t know what else to eat. That’s all I eat. Pasta, pretzels, bread, and I don’t like vegetables,” she said. I already knew she loved to go to the bars because every time I am there she is telling me some story about her latest funny bar episode. Do you want to be like her or like me?
Eat your veggies!
Here are some suggestions if you want to get your short-term memory back:
- Balance your blood sugar with a whole foods, low glycemic diet
- Exercise daily — even a 30-minute walk can help
- Deeply relax daily with yoga, meditation, biofeedback, or just deep breathing
- Take a multivitamin and mineral supplement
- Take extra vitamin B6, B12, and folate
- Take vitamin D3 (I do 5k per day.)
- Treat thyroid or low sex hormones (I use bio identical hormone cream I apply to my arm)
- Get rid of mercury through a medical detoxification program
- Don’t drink alcohol
- Juice daily to increase your vegetable intake
- Eat simple foods or with the least ingredients
- Play games on the computer that challenge your brain
- Read everyday for enjoyment
- Write in a journal
- Take a class at the local college
- Pick a new hobby
- Get a good night’s sleep-read my book on Amazon.com The Insomnia Cure: How I Kicked Insomnia Out of My Bed by Terry Ryan
Now there are some drawbacks to having a great memory and here it is. Everybody wants to use your brain. I am constantly finishing peoples sentences for them and finding their car keys. Oh yea, it can become tiresome.
Do not eat this
Terry Ryan is a blogger and health enthusiast.
Amazing Turmeric
Turmeric has been a main spice ingredient in Indian food and I may have purchased the orange colored spice once in my life and left it in the spice cabinet for years where it hardened and I threw it in the trash. To tell you the truth I never knew what to do with it. But now that I am reaching Master Juicer title (self named) I have been researching the different herbs and vegetables to super-size my juice recipes turning me and my followers into SUPER HUMANS!!! Da da da TA! So here is what I found out about turmeric.
Turmeric has a peppery, warm and bitter flavor and a mild fragrance slightly reminiscent of orange and ginger, and while it is best known as one of the ingredients used to make curry, it also gives ballpark mustard its bright yellow color.
A Potent, Yet Safe Anti-Inflammatory
The volatile oil fraction of turmeric has demonstrated significant anti-inflammatory activity in a variety of experimental models. Even more potent than its volatile oil is the yellow or orange pigment of turmeric, which is called curcumin. Curcumin is thought to be the primary pharmacological agent in turmeric. In numerous studies, curcumin’s anti-inflammatory effects have been shown to be comparable to the potent drugs hydrocortisone and phenylbutazone as well as over-the-counter anti-inflammatory agents such as Motrin. Unlike the drugs, which are associated with significant toxic effects (ulcer formation, decreased white blood cell count, intestinal bleeding), curcumin produces no toxicity.
“Curcumin may provide an inexpensive, well-tolerated, and effective treatment for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) such as Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis, recent research suggests.”
Relief for Rheumatoid Arthritis
Clinical studies have substantiated that curcumin also exerts very powerful antioxidant effects. As an antioxidant, curcumin is able to neutralize free radicals, chemicals that can travel through the body and cause great amounts of damage to healthy cells and cell membranes. This is important in many diseases, such as arthritis, where free radicals are responsible for the painful joint inflammation and eventual damage to the joints. Turmeric’s combination of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects explains why many people with joint disease find relief when they use the spice regularly. In a recent study of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, curcumin was compared to phenylbutazone and produced comparable improvements in shortened duration of morning stiffness, lengthened walking time, and reduced joint swelling.
Cancer Prevention
Curcumin’s antioxidant actions enable it to protect the colon cells from free radicals that can damage cellular DNA—a significant benefit particularly in the colon where cell turnover is quite rapid, occurring approximately every three days. Because of their frequent replication, mutations in the DNA of colon cells can result in the formation of cancerous cells much more quickly. Curcumin also helps the body to destroy mutated cancer cells, so they cannot spread through the body and cause more harm. A primary way in which curcumin does so is by enhancing liver function. Additionally, other suggested mechanisms by which it may protect against cancer development include inhibiting the synthesis of a protein thought to be instrumental in tumor formation and preventing the development of additional blood supply necessary for cancer cell growth.
Turmeric and Onions May Help Prevent Colon Cancer
Curcumin, a phytonutrient found in the curry spice turmeric, and quercitin, an antioxidant in onions, reduce both the size and number of precancerous lesions in the human intestinal tract, shows research published in the August 2006 issue of Clinical Gasteroenterology and Hepatology.
Five patients with an inherited form of precancerous polyps in the lower bowel known as familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) were treated with regular doses of curcumin and quercetin over an average of six months. The average number of polyps dropped 60.4%, and the average size of the polyps that did develop dropped by 50.9%.
FAP runs in families and is characterized by the development of hundreds of polyps (colorectal adenomas) and, eventually, colon cancer. Recently, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs such as aspirin, ibuprofen) have been used to treat some patients with this condition, but these drugs often produce significant side effects, including gastrointestinal ulcerations and bleeding, according to lead researcher Francis M. Giardiello, M.D., at the Division of Gastroenterology, Johns Hopkins University.
Previous observational studies in populations that consume large amounts of curry, as well as animal research, have strongly suggested that curcumin, one of the main ingredients in Asian curries, might be effective in preventing and/or treating cancer in the lower intestine. Similarly, quercetin, an anti-oxidant flavonoid found in a variety of foods including onions, green tea and red wine, has been shown to inhibit growth of colon cancer cell lines in humans and abnormal colorectal cells in animals.
In this study, a decrease in polyp number was observed in four of five patients at three months and four of four patients at six months.
Each patient received curcumin (480 mg) and quercetin (20 mg) orally 3 times a day for 6 months. Although the amount of quercetin was similar to what many people consume daily, the curcumin consumed was more than would be provided in a typical diet because turmeric only contains on average 3-5 % curcumin by weight.
While simply consuming curry and onions may not have as dramatic an effect as was produced in this study, this research clearly demonstrates that liberal use of turmeric and onions can play a protective role against the development of colorectal cancer. And turmeric doesn’t have to only be used in curries. This spice is delicious on healthy sautéed apples, and healthy steamed cauliflower and/or green beans and onions. Or, for a flavor-rich, low-calorie dip, try adding some turmeric and dried onion to creamy yogurt.
(Source: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=78)
So, there you have it. I, for the first time, added some fresh turmeric to my juice today. Wow! It was one 
spice combo. Here is my recipe for today: (everything OF COURSE organic)
- Apple
- Pear
- Celery
- Carrots
- Sunflower sprouts
- Slice of tumeric
- Knob of ginger
- Cucumber
I made about 16 ounces and shared with my husband. I’m trying to convert him and I think he is coming around.
Happy juicing!
Terry Ryan is a blogger and health enthusiast.
Juicing For Slim Healthy Sexy
I have a buzz going on in my body but it is not from an overdose from coffee. Heaven’s no! It’s from the juice I just drank in the sun by my pool. I started the day off with hot water and lemon and I love the combo very much. I. goodbye coffee breath, 2. Bye brown teeth, 2. Hello liver cleanse, 4. How ya doing alkaline body!
What a glorious way to start your day! Please join me in juicing. You will be amazed at how much your health will improve. How has it helped me?
- No colds this year
- Better digestive health
- Glowing skin
- More energy
- Excellent memory.
- No need for reading glasses.
- Reduction in my thyroid meds
- Better and deeper sleep
:Last Saturday I went to Jessica’s Organic Farm in Sarasota. It is practically hidden in the middle of Sarasota County and even with my GPS I made a few wrong turns, but I did find it. There were acres of veggies growing and the humble stand was full of produce, and organic produce at that. In fact there was only one item that wasn’t organic; coconuts from Thailand.
At the entrance is a large display of different edible grasses and sprouts. I recognized wheat grass but the rest was foreign to me. I saw a man with long dreadlocks and thought he looked like a juicer but when I asked him he answered in a very thick accent and I really couldn’t understand him except that part that he was not a juicer. The prices were reasonable and a lot of variety that is mostly grown at the farm. The hours are limited: Friday, Saturday and Sunday only and closed June, July and August.
I selected beets, dandelions, parsley, kale, 2 gorgeous artichokes, cucumber, and English peas. The entire bill came to $22.00.
Today’s recipe was:
- Dandelion
- Parsley
- Cucumber
- Lemon
- Celery
- Apple
I am still using my garage sale find, a juice extractor I call Old Faithful.
If you want to be slim, healthy, and sexy at any age, I recommend juicing and signing up with my blog for updates and tips.
Happy juicing!
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