Aaron Suttschenko

6/1/2004 - A Raw Food Lifestyle: an Interview with Aaron Suttschenko
Aaron Suttschenko is a knowledgeable and passionate Raw Foods enthusiast from Cincinnati, Ohio. Among his many accomplishments in the realm of Raw Food nutrition he has launched "Paradise Found," a successful Raw Vegan restaurant and Juice Bar. He has also developed a reputation in Cincinnati as a dynamic and informative lecturer on the topic of Raw Foodism. Enjoy his insights and vast knowledge on this frequently debated topic.


SSS: How long have you been on the Raw Food Diet? Before this how long were you a vegetarian? A vegan?

Aaron: I have been 100% Raw for 2 years and 10 months. I first became vegetarian in '97, and vegan upon adopting the Raw Food Diet.

SSS: Who or what initially led you to the RFD?

Aaron: I was in the grocery store and I met somebody (who later became a good friend of mine) that had more vibrant energy than anybody I had ever met. He looked at me and what I had in my cart and said, "why are you buying all this dead stuff?" That initially piqued my interest. I then proceeded to read Arnold Ehret's book "The Mucusless Diet Healing System."

SSS: Was it difficult for you to transition to this diet/lifestyle? Have you experienced any related setbacks, struggles, or challenges with the RFD?

Aaron: Yes. In the beginning I experienced low energy, higly emotional states, and edginess from the detoxification that was occurring. After detoxifying everything remained stable and I truly experienced vibrant health.

SSS: Is it difficult for you to maintain this diet in a primarily non-vegan / "cooked" world? What about traveling?

Aaron: No, not without proper preparation - Quoting the Five P's: Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance. You can always find some type of salad green wherever you are. You simply need to bring with you any additional toppings such as dried fruits, seeds, or nuts, Celtic Sea Salt, and olive oil.

SSS: Do you ever feel deprived of vital nutrients or nutritionally deficient in any way?

Aaron: Hell no. Never.

SSS: What about cravings? Do food cravings or "addictions" as they are often called ever rear their ugly head? Have your food cravings also changed alongside your dietary changes?

Aaron: No. I don't crave low energy, cooked, or processed foods anymore. I do have cravings for a number of raw treats though.

SSS: Do you feel a heightened sense of well being after adopting the RFD? i.e. physical, emotional, and spiritual health, and overall daily energy? Describe.

Aaron: Yes, definitely. I feel better than I've ever felt before. More youthful, more mental clarity, and an overall new vision of life. Becoming 100% raw was like a fog being lifted.

SSS: What are 5 foods you think everyone should eliminate from their diet in order to make the world a better place?

Aaron: Dairy, Meat, Soy, Grains, and heavily cooked or processed foods.

SSS: What are 5 foods you think everyone should add to their diet in order to make the world a better place?

Aaron: Greens of all kinds, quality Coconut Oil, Flax seeds, Goji berries, and wild green superfood (look up Vitamineral Green).

SSS: What are your five favorite foods?

Aaron: Avocados, peaches, young coconuts, durian, figs.

SSS: If you could be a food which would you be and why?

Aaron: A peach because they're juicy, tasty, and plumpy.

SSS: And would you eat yourself if you were that food?

Aaron: Uh...yeah...I guess.

SSS: What did you eat today?

Aaron: Water with MSM, a strawberry-banana-coconut oil-pumpkin seed butter smoothie, dehydrated sweet potato chips, and half of a raw pizza.

SSS: Let's discuss the great vegetarian - carnivore argument. Many argue that humans are carnivores by origin and that we need meat to "survive." What do you say?

Aaron: Bullshit, man. Look to colon cancer, heart attacks and cardiovascular disease. We're simply not meant to be meat eaters.

SSS: And what about the philosophy that eating living plant food is as karmically impure as eating sentient beings or the products made from them (i.e. animals, birds, fish, eggs, milk, etc.)? After all, aren't the plants alive too?

Aaron: It is very clear to me that we are here as plant, fruit, and seed eaters. They don't run, or fight to get away, and in nature we are often a part of their life cycle.

SSS: Many people reading this are musicians. We have been discussing dietary health and it's relationship to music. Do you see any correlation between the arts and the Raw Food Diet? Explain.

Aaron: Absolutely. I have known of artists that experienced drastic changes in their craft upon turning to a raw food lifestyle. Many quote more vibrance and life in their art. Raw food nutrition could very much influence the arts in a positive way.

SSS: Does eating living plant food constitute any part of your spiritual experience?

Aaron: Absolutely. 100%. After detoxifying my body and adopting a raw food lifestyle I have experienced being more compassionate, breathing more deeply, being more engulfed in the moment, and relief from negative karma. Overall, I have become more aware of the beauty of Earth and life.

SSS: Describe an experience resulting from Raw Food Nutrition that has truly made you a believer.

Aaron: When I first became raw I went on a backpacking trip and climbed all the way up a mountain and then back down again after not being physically active for a long time. To my surprise I was not fatigued at all - quite unlike the others I was with who were not raw foodists. That experience truly made me a believer.

For more information on the Raw Food Diet & Lifestyle, visit Sunfood Nutrition(TM).