Sunday Telegraph | Stella Magazine ~ Sunday 18 November 2007

So the 4-page "Food Diaries" feature was published in Stella magazine today. (Stella magazine is a free full-colour glossy magazine supplement that comes shrinkwrapped with the Sunday Telegraph. The readership for the ST is estimated to be 1,880,000 - Yes, nearly 2 million readers!)

You may recall that I had the interview and photo shoot done for this some weeks ago, and it was a lot of fun. However, I was semi-dreading the nutritionist's "analysis" as I know that all nutritionists are not created equal, and some are more raw-friendly than others. So it was with some trepidation that I logged on to their web site this morning to see her interpretation of what I eat...

They're four women whose jobs demand optimum nutrition. But how healthy are they really? Read on for our experts' verdicts on their eating and exercise habits…

The nutritionist Vicki Edgson co-founded the Food Doctor business and has been a presenter on Diet Doctors on Channel Five. She has a clinic in London (vickiedgsonnutrition.co.uk)

The fitness trainer Mark Anthony has worked with more than 2,000 clients including Billie Piper and David Furnish. He runs a workshop in London (markanthonyfitness.com)

The raw foodie Karen Knowler, 35, is 5ft 4in and weighs 8st 7lb. As the Raw Food Coach she teaches clients how to include fresh and raw foods in their diet for optimum health and energy (therawfoodcoach.com)

7am I drink a pint of water. I used to weigh 12 stone and eat anything that was put in front of me. Now I don't eat until I feel hungry. My five-year-old son has breakfast while I do his packed lunch.

9am-10am Go to the gym where I swim or work out with a personal trainer. I do 30 minutes of cardio and 30 minutes of weights.

11.30am I work from home and after I've checked my emails I have green juice - a blend of spinach, pineapple, apple, celery, cucumber, lemon and lime. After becoming a vegetarian, I got into raw food in 1993. My stepfather is a butcher and my family thought I was going to die! But cooked food is less nutritious because heat destroys enzymes, water, oxygen, vitamins and minerals.

1pm For lunch I'll have a large salad made from mixed leaves and herbs, tomato, avocado, bell pepper, beetroot, carrot and sprouted beans or seeds with tahini dressing, and I drink water or juice.

4pm I snack on fresh fruit and a small handful of almonds. If I'm hungry, I might have a smoothie. I'm an intuitive eater and how much I eat varies with the time of year and what my body asks for.

7pm For dinner I'll have nori rolls with avocado, tomato, onion, black olives, rocket and watercress. Afterwards I'll have raspberry passion pudding, which tastes as if it's naughty but is just frozen raspberries blended with fresh strawberries, passion fruit and mango and topped with bee pollen. Rather than taking vitamins I use superfoods such as wheatgrass and spirulina in my diet. Although I like the taste of wine, I rarely drink because alcohol hits me like a brick.

Nutrition

'Wow, respect! This diet is popular in California and Spain but more difficult to maintain in the cold British weather. I'm a little concerned that Karen doesn't have enough protein and will have longer-term problems with her joints and teeth, or osteoporosis, because of insufficient calcium. She should eat broccoli and a wide variety of nuts and seeds. Having said that, I'm looking for someone exceptional to train under in this area and I think I've found her.' VE

Fitness

'Karen is over-training and should do no more than three sessions a week. She's 35 years old and very small. People think that the more they do the leaner they're going to get, but it's not true. I would prescribe strength training with weights only once a week for optimum results. This allows the body to heal and regenerate. She should also drop one of her cardio sessions.' MA

Corrections ;)

As far as accuracy goes this is not too far off beam in terms of what I said, so I'll just say that I don't have a step-father anymore and he WAS a butcher, plus my parents thought I would die if I went vegetarian, not raw!

Nutrition: Well, I definitely get enough protein - lots of greens, spirulina, sprouted beans and seeds, bee pollen, nuts, seeds... how much more raw vegan protein could there be? Not to mention the fact that these are un-fragmented protein sources, not cooked and de-natured and de-mineralised etc. Calcium - greens, nuts, seeds, sea veg, tahini... again I am not worried about this at all. And yes, I do eat broccoli (!!) and some days I eat more nuts than others... (I am not sure how one day's food diary is supposed to give a complete picture, but there we are : ) Naturally I was very happy to read Vicki's final comment; watch this space! Overall I am pleased with the comments, compared to what they might have been... no mention of B12 or iron - now there's a first!

Fitness: Maybe Mark got the wrong end of the stick with this one as I only do running and weights 2x per week and I'm thinking he thinks I do this every day... Anyway, I'm definitely not over training, as I never seem to ache, and two times per week is hardly over-drive. And one more thing... what's this about being 35 (and "very small"!), and making it sound as if I should be taking it easy ; ) Not a chance.... I'm only just getting started!

Read the full set of interviews and comments here.

PS: Those shoes were awesome, shame I couldn't bring them home ; )

Comments

[Lina]

HI Karen -- I think you look amazing and your "grazing" meals as well as the intuition of eating greatly impact how and what we eat. You look awesome and the supposed "experts" dont really have a clue.. Im glad you may be able to COACH them in the future!

ON a side note, I just printed your raw food journal a few days ago, and when I started reading it, I couldnt put it down! I even was reading it during class(while still taking notes) and walking to the car. I clung to every page, identifying with all the moments. Now I cant wait to finish the other half that I forgot to print out!

Blessings,
Lina

[Julie]

Hi Karen,

You look amazing in that photo, very radiant and beautiful - you look the best out of the 4. I liked the fact that the article made raw food sound healthy and delicious and did not sound too "way out" or unattainable. The green juice sounds especially delicious - can you give us the recipe?

Kind regards

Julie

[Paul]

Karen - you have such a great looking website - full of great information and good looks, just like you! awesome!

From Karen: Paul Benhaim... where have you been hiding! Good to hear from you after all this time : )

[beel]

Who made that green dress that you are wearing? I must have it! Catherine Malandrino? Who! Please help me! You look fantastic and I want that dress!!!!

From Karen: The dress is Alberta Ferretti with a price tag of c. £350! ($700). Not mine... but I did ask if we got to keep what we wore ; ) Alas, not.

[CMPeterson]

Karen--I think the best thing about this article is you look way better, healthier, and *younger* than all the other women in this article. Comparing you with the 37-year-old women is a joke (she looks much more aged) and you look as young as the women in their twenties. You go girl!

What great press for the raw food movement!!

[Dhrumil]

Can I just say that you look wonderful!

Thanks for posting it.

From Karen: Certainly you can say that : ) Can I also say that about you? haha Thanks for sharing it at WLIR!

[Wendy]

Bought the paper especially to see my favourite 'Raw Foodist' and didn't you look great! Good article.

[zoe]

I really enjoyed reading that, you look fantastic in the photo. I am always amazed at top nutritionists not understanding the calcium and protein issue. What do they learn at college?
And whenever people say it is easier to be raw in the USA, well,I was in Northern California in June this year, and it snowed at night, it was colder than the UK! USA isn't all sunshine and orange groves Northern California has a climate similar to here ish).

[jessica]

This was an amazing piece. How great it is that more and more live/raw food is being recognized.
Congratulations for being included in the article. You are a great representative.

From Karen: Thank you, that is very sweet! We just all need to keep walking our truth; it's just a matter of time, consistency and a numbers game : )

[Debbie Took]

I feel confident that the raw diet gives plenty enough calcium for our needs. Perhaps the nutritionist doesn't attach any credence to the research that says it's diets high in meat, fish, dairy and alcohol that predispose to osteoporosis (because they give our bodies too much phosphorus and when that happens our bodies leech calcium from the bones). I've heard that calcium 'requirements' were deliberately set high because of the nature of the standard Western diet!

[David]

Great job Karen! Don't be too hard on yourself as most of the others were told they weren't eating enough protein even with soya products, cheese, eggs, steak etc!! Funnily enough you were free of the health problems plaguing the others so I see that as a definite plus 1 for raw. Hey I think I might even start to keep a food diary online and then see if I really am missing nutrients. Because I've never felt better!

From Karen: Thanks David and good idea. Seems everyone is hung up on protein even though protein deficiency is practically unheard of! We need more raw blokes on the web : ) How about you contact "Men's Health"? I think they featured Chad Sarno once... Now there's a raw challenge!

[Indie]

I totally agree with your "corrections" but all in all this is wonderful news! And you look amazing! Well done for helping to make raw more mainstream! :oD

From Karen: Cheers Indie! May it make way for many others of a similar ilk : )

[eve]

hi Karen,

I have been reading your blog for a couple of weeks now, signed up for your newsletter and listened to your podcast last night. WOW I am a fan!! Anyway you have been a real inspiration to me, I started going RAW only a short time ago and could really relate to the things you said about feeling a little "weird" sometimes. The thing is that every cell in my body says I am on the right way both spiritually and physically. Anyway I just wanted to say "Thanks". I will be back for your next post!

Love
~eve~

From Karen: Thank you Eve. I am very touched : )... And yes, feeling weird is "normal"; "normal" is weird!!!