Yahoo News I'm a raw vegan - my children are only allowed to eat fruit and veg
A mum has revealed she's raising her children as fruitarians - surviving almost entirely on fruit and vegetables alone.
Pam Johal, 46, believes believes humans were designed to 'only eat fruit'. She also claims her unusual diet helps her kids to 'behave better' as 'food is highly linked with behaviour'.
As a raw vegan, Pam only eats uncooked fruit and vegetables and has done so for the last four years. Before adopting her diet, she'd eat meat four times a week - until a health scare prompted her to change what she was consuming.
The mum suffered from rheumatoid arthritis from the beginning of 2020 - and by August she claims she has reversed the condition by eating fruit. She cut out lots of her favourite foods, like cheesy pasta and bacon sandwiches, opting to live on mangos and avocado instead.
Now her children - Georgie, seven and Henry, six - have adopted the diet because Pam reckons 'a fruit smoothie a day keeps the doctor away'. The pair never touch milk, eggs or processed meats - but are occasionally allowed some vegan chocolate, ice cream and jelly.
Unemployed Pam said: "I've lived on 90 per cent fruit for four and a half years - I've never felt better. I feel like I'm five years old. Even in my 20s, I didn't feel as good as this. My kids notice how I eat, I take them to vegan fairs and teach them the truth about food. They love the food I make and they never get sick.
"My kids are always happy and thriving, they are always singing and dancing, they are much happier now they eat more raw vegan foods. I make sure everything is as free from rubbish as much as I can, becoming fruitarian has changed me in many ways. I feel out of this world."
In February 2020, Pam was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis after experiencing symptoms for months on end. Her symptoms included: feeling depressed, muscle stiffness, fatigue and swelling.
Pam said she suffered when she 'tried to walk, get dressed and perform basic tasks'. The condition is hereditary with her mum "suffering" from the condition for years.
After visiting her GP eight months ago, Pam was told she may need to use a wheelchair permanently due to deformed joints. She said: "I used to start my days off having a hot bath to help with the stiffness. Then I'd have to take naproxen in the morning. Tasks like getting out of the bath, completing housework, picking up my kids and even opening bottles became painful."
She found out about the raw vegan diet back when she was 23 and she suffered from ulcerative colitis. She went on a three-day retreat where she fasted for three days.
She claims this, along with fruit, 'reversed' her condition. There is not enough evidence to support this, but the National Center for Biotechnology Information says a raw vegan diet may decrease some symptoms. The only known cure for ulcerative colitis is surgery, although patients can go into remission.
Pam revealed that her gastroenterologist was stunned by her test results, describing them as 'shocking' and expressing disbelief.
"Within a few months I had changed my life and reversed my arthritis," she said. Four years into her fruitarian lifestyle, Pam believes she has not only reversed arthritis but also extended her lifespan. She boasts of being able to stay up late, dancing and listening to music without any discomfort.
"I have a tonne of energy, no aches or pains," she explained. "I'm 47 - I have no grey hairs. My family thinks I'm crazy, but in truth, dieting can make you feel incredible. I also don't go through my day thinking about protein, it's all a myth. I don't count calories either."
To ensure she gets all the necessary nutrients, Pam incorporates herbs into her diet, particularly cordyceps mushrooms, which she believes help cleanse her organs.
As a mother of two, Pam strives to maintain a plant-based diet for her children as well, providing them with smoothies packed with essential vitamins. These smoothies might include bananas, dates, pine nuts, and mangos.
"I can't influence them completely," she admitted. "We haven't needed the GP before like some other children."
Pam asserts that her children's plant-based diet has saved them from experiencing common childhood illnesses like the flu. She admits to having her children immunised when they were toddlers, but vows she will 'not vaccinate them again' - firmly believing that 'fruit is medicine'.
On an ordinary day, Pam's meals would include:.
Skipping breakfast and fasting till 11 am.
For Lunch: A combination of salad, mangos, orange juice, watermelon juice and grapes.
Dinner would be: Leek and potato soup, alongside some fruit.
Moreover, Her kids' everyday meals typically are:.
Breakfast: Fruit.
Lunch: Comprises of fruit, vegan yoghurt, raisins, vegan jelly and healthy crisps.
A Snack could be: A smoothie or a vegan KitKat.
While Dinner: Is often up to them but can frequently be soup.
