March 14, 2004
ArteriosclerosisGREETINGS AND SALUTATIONS from Arnold's Way!
It was a cold wintry afternoon
That everything that was right
Became wrong
It could have been better
What happened can only
Come out as Thanks
I was at work doing my normal thing. After 12 years in the business it almost becomes
second hand. Every day is so routine yet so different, so unexpectedly joyous that the
height of passion and fulfillment becomes everyday blessing . It was on such thoughts
that my day began. It was on such thoughts that this newsletter is devoted. It was on
such thoughts that my great mentor in the sky became my pillars of strength to seek
excellence in all that I do.
And so I salute Ben and his mother who found truth from within, and Sky,. My pen=pal from San Fran whose everyday pursuit in excellence in what she eats and what she does becomes my inspiration and without her words of inner strength this article might never have happened. All these thoughts, all these feelings became so glaringly clear, so glaringly focused when Ben, my employee of one year, began his day. Ben, whose devotion to his job is beyond any sense of normalcy? Ben had to leave his house at 5AM to arrive at 10 AM. He had to travel from Ocean City by train, bus and yet another train, every weekend. As you might suspect, Ben is not your average employee. He did whatever it took to keep his word. to be on time and to give his 100 percent day in day out.
This is the Ben I know. He is 100% committed to the virtues of raw food, what it does and what it could do. Ben understood the nature of healing. In the words of T.C.Fry as quoted in his article, " The body's self healing power nothing inside or outside of Nature can substitute for the body's wisdom- if the body becomes overburdened it disables itself through what are called acute diseases to hasten the process of purification and repair."
These words are my understanding of why life, why me, why Arnold's Way. I have no choice but to do this work, read every book I can and share this information. I have no choice but to dedicate my time to researching the many diseases, simplifying them into the cleansing process of the body's genetic code.
Just as I have no choice, Ben is of the same nature, traveling 5 hours once a week for his 6 hours of work. Some would say it wasn't worth the effort. If only people knew the real truth as to why we do these things without complaining and almost without pay. It is with these thoughts that I write the following.
It is a Tuesday night, approaching 10PM; I could have been doing anything but staying home and writing on arteriosclerosis. I turned down free tickets to see a concert at the Point (a local night club) featuring Town Hall. I turned down a late evening dinner invitation with my daughter. I turned down an opportunity to rent a movie and do some grandfather-grandson bonding. What I could have done and what I am doing is in part a tribute to Ben, to Donna (Ben's mother) and to Sky.
On this wintry morn Ben entered the store, a little bundled, a little frazzled, a little confident that he had crossed over to the other side of midnight and found glory within his grasp. Ben began his story. About his mother Donna who at tender age of only 55 years old was in intensive care at the hospital diagnose with arteriosclerosis She was a young woman who had experienced none of the warning signs. She appeared fit, slightly above her normal weight, a little stressed from being the owner of a business and a little tired. From working long hours with not enough time for a proper sleep, all these lifestyle factors began to have an effect on Donna. She began experiencing shortness of breath and acid reflux that would not go away. Donna thought she knew everything that there was needed to know about her health. After all her son, was Ben She heard all the dietary rules of why meat chicken and fish are not only not good for the body but they have a strong negative impact on our emotional well being. She heard about the process foods and how they are void of any nutritional benefit. Donna heard all of Ben's lectures on food and health. Ben understood the dynamics of how food affects our body. Ben had long ago given up meat and fish and became a vegetarian. Recently he went from a strict vegetarian diet to a mostly raw food diet. Ben studied; Ben shared his studies with his mother. She listened and she too began making changes. They were small changes but nonetheless changes they were. Donna understood the why in the changes but not the necessity or the urgency.
It was in such complacency that, feeling no imminent health issues she and her husband went on a seven day cruise whereupon she ate a little too much, she drank a little too much, she danced a little too much and did not get enough sleep. Each of these factors by themselves could affect one's health. All grouped together in a seven night period of excess along with lack of rest and conscious eating, they can be disastrous. It was such an onslaught of events that led Donna to an acute case of acid indigestion and lasting shortness of breathe after she had left the cruise. Donna knew but she didn't know. Was there something wrong or were these temporary symptoms? Could they be leading to something much more serious? After two weeks of continuous symptoms, Donna's husband encouraged her to see a doctor. At this point she discovered the hidden dangers of arteriosclerosis.
As quoted in Food For Life by Dr. Neil Barnard MD, " [arteriosclerosis is] a disease of the arteries. Something in the arteries, called plaque, is stopping the flow of blood to the heart. Plaque is composed of cholesterol, fat, debris and accumulating cells growing from the muscle layer that sheaths the artery."
Ben knew all of these facts about cholesterol, about arteries, about changing one's lifestyle to exclude cholesterol rich foods from the diet. As Ben changed his way from the standard American diet (SAD) to a mostly raw diet, Donna also made some minor changes. Unfortunately, the changes were too small. Donna knew the choices, but being only 55 years old, in reasonably good health, going to the gym on a weekly basis, Donna did not know the other side of midnight all the darkness that existed in her system. She did not know of the plaque build-up in her arteries. She did not know the harm that can be done by eating an animal based diet. She did not know that by going on a one week cruise and eating too much drinking too much staying up too late, all these factors would come crashing into a tumultuous war.
Our bodies are meant for purity and excellence. It was on this basis that things changed for Donna. After the cruise Donna began having shortness of breath and a continuous bout of indigestion. What she thought was good health, good lifestyle and good dietary habit, began crashing like a run-away freight train whose break system suddenly failed.
Donna learned the hard way that the easy path may not be the best path. Donna was forced to go to the doctor for a check-up. Donna was then forced to go to the hospital. Donna was diagnosed with 98% heart blockage. The hospital knew only one treatment and only one test to see exactly how much blockage was there. The doctors recommended a standard catheter scan. This is a microscopic camera inserted into a vein in a leg, which is then manipulated up toward the heart to see how much plaque is present. Donna had a 99% blockage in one of the arteries that went to the lungs.
It is at this point that we begin to ask what are the options, why the blockage, why now. All seemingly so perfectly clear, so perfectly obvious. What would I do, knowing what I know? What would Donna do knowing what she knew? What would Ben, her son, advise his mom? It is at this point that the newsletter begins and ends. It is at this point that everybody knew what was already known.
I knew, Sky knew, Ben knew and now Donna knew. All these thoughts came screeching to a halt. It was in the hospital where Donna was admitted and given an angioplasty to widen the artery and allow blood to flow more freely. For Donna, all these thoughts came rushing in as Ben walked into her hospital room. She knew instinctively what she had to do.
Donna looked at Ben and said, "I know."
Events at Arnold's Way
The last Saturday of the month, 8:15-9:45 AM, Arnold is giving an easy food prep class. Cost is $10. Please pre-register 215-361-0116
Every Saturday (except for the last) 8:15 AM, Arnold gives a free breakfast lecture. Topics include: Protein myth, seven stages of cancer, easy weight loss, and the reversal of the aging process. Please pre-register 215-361-0116
Last Friday of the month 6:00PM, Arnold and Gabrielle will give an all-inclusive program detailing Do-inn (self massage) and Qi-Qong (relaxation technique). Will also cover easy raw food prep. Cost is $30. Please pre-register 215-361-0116
Third Friday each month raw food potluck from 6-8PM Free if you bring a raw vegan dish for 6 (bring ingredient list please), $10 otherwise Please pre-register 215- 361-0116
Friday March 19 6PM - Lecture on Genetically Modified Food (GMOs) by Caryn Hartglass (National Director of EarthSave and M.S. in Chemical Eng.). This will take place during the potluck (see above) Please pre-register 215-361-0116 Donations to EarthSave are greatly appreciated
Saturday, March 27 RECIPROCITREE 7-9PM edible raw sculpture, art auction, sensory atmosphere 9-midnight transformation dance, raw refreshments, vital shots. $25 for entire night or $15 each phase $10 for children under 12 Reserve by March 19 -610 447 0669
Wednesday, March 31 Brian Clement, author of Living Food to Optimum Health will be speaking at Arnold's Way. Brian is the director of the Hippocrates Center and a world-renowned authority on healing. Pre-register- call Loretta at 610 648 0241
Sat -April 3 6-8PM Book Night EarthSave members will hold a book night at Arnold's Way. The book of focus will be Mad Cowboy, written by Howard Lyman (the cattle rancher who won't eat meat). If you've never read the book, come to learn about it. If you have, come to share your insights with those who would like to hear them. Bring a meat-eating friend. Free (donations to Earthsave always appreciated) Please pre-register 215-361-0116
EarthSave- the organization started by John Robbins to educate us regarding the impact that our food choices have on the world is here! If interested call Tom at 215 490 2709 or ask Arnold for a sign up sheet. Check out www.earthsave.org
Sat. April 3rd Matt Goodman will be sharing his story on how he beat M.S. on a 100% raw diet in five months after seven years of suffering Listen about how this debilitating disease became his strongest asset from hiking the Appalachian Trail to being a total free spirit and allowing the earth's warmth to be his guide for a new day Time 1030 a.m. to 12 p.m. cost 10 dollars registration is required 215-361-0116
April 1st come celebrate Arnold's grand reopening with a free banana whip. The remainder of the month of April buy one banana whip and get one free with coupon or mention of this ad.
The deadline for signing for Reciprocitree is March 19th this will be an extravaganza like the kind you find in N.Y.C. Our whole store will be totally transformed. Admire the raw food sculptures and attend the art auction. The food will be catered by B.I. (Beyond Imagination) Seating is limited, only the first 30 can be accepted. Sign up early call 215 361-0116
Arnold's Way is pushing organic produce both wholesale and retail. Our prices are unbelievably low. At the present time we are moving a lot of produce and want to move more. Red leaf lettuce is as low as $1.08/bag. Really! That's the case price. A half case (12) is $1.13/bag and buying just six bags is $1.50/bag. Everything has to be preordered by Monday or Thursday each week and pick up the next day. Avocados are less than $1 dollar each. Berries are so low. Plum tomatoes are less than $1.75/pound. We have hundreds of produce cases to choose from. We deal directly with an organic farm in Lancaster. Call 215 361-0116 for further information.
I thank you for your time
Arnold