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Diets through the ages
continued from page 2
1930’s: The Bland Diet
This plan was advocated by American Presbyterian minister, Sylvester Graham, who was nicknamed ‘Dr Saw Dust’. Bland foods such as crackers and dry bread were favoured over meat, spices and stimulants because it was argued that the spirit would grow strong only through denial of the flesh. He felt that resisting these luxurious foods would eventually encourage restraint in people’s sexual and social behaviour. Graham developed a band of supporters across the U.S., but his diet soon lost popularity when devotees became too weak and ill. 1980s – 2000s: The breatharian diet (also known as the air and sunlight diet)
The Bretharian Institute of America (www.breatharian.com) explains their philosophy in this statement: ‘When humans reach the purest sense of harmony with the surrounding world as well as a complete understanding of each individual’s role as a function of God to create the universe, they will have reached a vibrational frequency on this material plane, where they no longer require food, water or sleep’. Spin-offs of this interesting programme are still in practice today. Ellen Greve, an Australian who practices this particular brand of madness, has 5,000 disciples and charges more than £1000 per ticket for her seminars, where she attempts to liberate people from the ‘drudgery of food and drink’. More sinister, one Australian couple who led a similar group that advocated living on air alone were convicted of manslaughter when one of their disciples died of dehydration. 2000s: The Atkins Diet
A whole host of celebrities from Nigella Lawson to Renee Zellweger embraced the the carb shunning, protein heavy diet as did the public. The Atkins Diet books hit the top spot in best sellers lists everywhere and although the diet suffered a minor blip when the its creator died it remains popular, although the GI (Glycemic Index) diet seems to have now claimed the top spot.
This plan was advocated by American Presbyterian minister, Sylvester Graham, who was nicknamed ‘Dr Saw Dust’. Bland foods such as crackers and dry bread were favoured over meat, spices and stimulants because it was argued that the spirit would grow strong only through denial of the flesh. He felt that resisting these luxurious foods would eventually encourage restraint in people’s sexual and social behaviour. Graham developed a band of supporters across the U.S., but his diet soon lost popularity when devotees became too weak and ill.
The Bretharian Institute of America (www.breatharian.com) explains their philosophy in this statement: ‘When humans reach the purest sense of harmony with the surrounding world as well as a complete understanding of each individual’s role as a function of God to create the universe, they will have reached a vibrational frequency on this material plane, where they no longer require food, water or sleep’. Spin-offs of this interesting programme are still in practice today. Ellen Greve, an Australian who practices this particular brand of madness, has 5,000 disciples and charges more than £1000 per ticket for her seminars, where she attempts to liberate people from the ‘drudgery of food and drink’. More sinister, one Australian couple who led a similar group that advocated living on air alone were convicted of manslaughter when one of their disciples died of dehydration.
A whole host of celebrities from Nigella Lawson to Renee Zellweger embraced the the carb shunning, protein heavy diet as did the public. The Atkins Diet books hit the top spot in best sellers lists everywhere and although the diet suffered a minor blip when the its creator died it remains popular, although the GI (Glycemic Index) diet seems to have now claimed the top spot.
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Created: 08/11/2001 Updated: 14/02/2007
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