Rawdorable: Are you living "The Raw Food Lifestyle?"

I have to admit that when I started making some major changes to my blog format (reviews, Q&As, giveaways and shirts, and to top it all off, releasing my raw cupcake e-book), I bit off a little more than I could chew. Would my mostly raw diet be enough to sustain me during this stress fest? Luckily, the subject of today's Q&A had the answers to get me through.

Andrew Perlot was kind enough to think of me when sending out advanced copies of his new e-book for review. Unfortunately, it has been in my possession so long that maybe you've already read it, too.

However, I must say that the timing in which I found to read it was perfect for me. I had just released my own e-book (of course I was worried about the critiques), was still organizing product reviews and Q&As for the upcoming weeks, and feeling a bit anxious about my Brendan Brazier interview, as I haven't conducted such a thing in years. Can you believe I actually used to work for a newspaper for a living?

That's something I have in common with Andrew, who discovered the confidence hidden within himself to interview/write articles, but most importantly, to inspire others to pursue their goals, like how he wrote this e-book. Not only did he utilize the nutritional aspect of his raw diet to lose weight, improve his health and gain energy, he also began living "The Raw Food Lifestyle" (the very appropriate title for his e-book) to its fullest and gaining a whole new outlook on life.

This e-book is filled with positive thoughts from both Andrew and other inspiring individuals. It will have you conquering your own anxieties and putting things in the right perspective. It is worth a read, and you're worth it, too. Are you living "The Raw Food Lifestyle?"

Q.: What made you decide to write this book? What do you hope readers learn from it?

A: "I regularly receive e-mails through my website, www.raw-food-health.net, from people who seem to think of raw foods as a deus ex machina that can solve all problems. They wonder why they're not thriving as much as they'd like on raw foods. They ask me for advice, because they've read about my past of overcoming numerous health problems, along with depression and feelings of worthlessness.

"One of the ideas I try to express to them is that you really need a holistic raw food lifestyle, but I lacked the body of written text to back up what I was saying, and usually failed to get through to them. Writing this book forced me to put down the years of research and personal discoveries I've made, and the end product seems to have the power to move people.

"You don't have to be depressed to benefit form this book. Anyone who is not thriving to the degree that they wish can use it to examine their life and find weak spots to improve. In our lives we stand on a platform supported by 'life' pillars. If a few of the pillars are weak or too short we'll be fine, but when too many of the important ones are lacking we will start to flounder. When we start picking out the weakest pillars an build them up, our lives start to improve rapidly.

"Joy, fulfillment and drive are not things that can only come to us in small spurts. If you mark the pursuit of certain things a focus in your life, you can make your days much more enjoyable."

Q: Why do you advise not skipping the beginning section on depression, even if the person reading it doesn't feel he or she is depressed?

A: "Most people who have never been depressed think of it as some alien syndrome that only a few deal with. They don't realize that in their darkest moments they've probably been fairly close to it, and even if they haven't, their current state is just one point in a continuum of states that includes depression. By understanding what causes depression and how people can get out of it using only their mind, they'll also gain the foundation they need to understand how they can use a few more advanced concepts to go from their current state to the level of thriving they want."

Q.: I know you tend to stick to a lowfat raw vegan diet. Do you ever indulge in the occasional "heavier" raw vegan treat, like a raw cupcake? Maybe I can come up with one that's fruit-based for you (well, I made an apple look like a cupcake).

A: "Certainly. Usually around Thanksgiving and Christmas I make this raw persimmon pie. It's absolutely delicious, and an amazing holiday treat."

Q.: I love the famous quotes scattered throughout the book. What are some of your own words of wisdom?

A: "I'm a big fan of reading, and I've recorded those quotes over the years from various sources that have impressed me. As someone who was never really "normal," and a big believer that the status quo is a dangerous thing, this is one of my favorites:"

"That so few now dare be eccentric marks the chief danger of our time," - John Stuart Mill

Q. Where can my readers find out more about you and your e-book? What are your plans for the future?

A: People can find out more about my ebook at: http://www.raw-food-health.net/Raw-Food-Lifestyle-EBook.html

I hope to greatly expand the resources I have available at www.raw-food-health.net in the future, diving into a number of diet-related health, societal and lifestyle topics.

I've got a pretty full life and I'm not sure when I'll get to it, but one of my huge goals is to publish a book exploring the absolutely amazing connection between increased fruit consumption and mental, physical, economic and environmental improvements. In short, fruit can rock the very foundations of our world, and I hope to chronicle that connection.

*****

By the way, I didn't forget about the Raw Revolution bar drawing today. Here's who Hayden picked in pics:

First up is the chocolate drawing.