Interesting website. Great articles. I just don’t understand a few things:
1 * why no videos or photos?
I personally think it’s worth showing the world how great we can look and feel on this diet. I think the reclusiveness is quite immature and causes me to question whether she is walking her talk. I mean the cool and mysterious works if your James Bond… but not if we want to spread the message of health to the whole world.
She says:
My website is about sharing my own personal experiences in learning the actual and practical aspects of the frugivore lifestyle. It has nothing to do with my personality. I have no interest in promoting products, publishing books, making youtube videos, or selling products on my site. I have a personal and professional life. I am involved in a 10 year scientific study to see how sustainable the raw frugivore lifestyle is long-term.
I think it has a lot to do with your personality Michelle. I respect the disillusionment with the marketing world though, gotta admit… but selling information is not that bad as long as the price is reasonable and the quality is a-grade e.g. Douglas Graham (although his prices are I think wayyy too high). You have a personal AND a professional life? Cool.
2 * Also, I would argue that her diet is not “frugivore” as frugivores also eat insects and bugs + around 5 % animal products in total diet. So what in fact are they studying? Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s great to do a scientific study on this.
but I was politely denied access to her forum and again, why the secretivity? hmmm… what are they hiding? Perhaps they just don’t want interference from the big bad cruel outside world. A recipe for increased disconnection & estrangement if you ask me. Doesn’t the world have enough of that already?
She also seems to have butted heads with Dr. Graham at his fitness camp and apparently left. After that she disappeared from his messageboards and went into hiding. But oddly enough decided to keep a website without an EXAMPLE.
Don’t know about you guys but I prefer to have my information attached with someone who i know follows their own advice. The modern world of youtube, facebook and online photos + communities like this is a step towards global human community. I hope Michelle wakes up to realize this and shows us how great she is doing.
I also have a friend currently fasting in Costa Rica with Doug and promised to ask him personally about what happened at fitness camp and why she left after only two days there. Actually he just emailed me today about it (asking her name and wwwsite) which reminded me to start this thread. He also says “I have never felt more safe and cared for.” & “I cannot begin to tell you what an extraordinary experience this is being from a physical, emotional, mental and spiritual point of view.”
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Hi Markus,
I don’t know Michelle personally, but I have been in touch with her.
My understanding from others who do know her is that she is very fit and attractive, but also very private, which is her right.
As for the forum, I believe that she is keeping it very small and controlled because she requires members to daily log in lots of personal details like their weight, details about their life, etc. which many, of course might prefer not to advertise on the internet. The purpose of all this is to try to gather a body of information, a sort of non-scientific study to prove the benefits of this lifestyle. Also, she did tell me that she’d had trouble in the past with spam and trolls and members being generally harassed… so this is how she’s chosen to deal with it.
I know nothing about her relationship with Doug, only what I have read, like you, on her website and noted her apparent dislike of people who profit from this information.
Her website is extraordinarily helpful and informative. I think it is a little treasure trove of valuable insights, and I think she must be a rather generous person to maintain the site for any random seekers.
That she also likes to remain private does not bother me in the same way as it bothers you. We’re not all meant to be Durianrider! To me, Michelle is walking her talk in her own unique way.
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sounds like an interesting study. Cool!
‘people who profit from this information’
hmmm… sounds mysterious! woooHer website is extraordinarily helpful and informative. I think it is a little treasure trove of valuable insights, and I think she must be a rather generous person to maintain the site for any random seekers.
Yes it is. Some photos and objective data on her own experiences would be nice.
That she also likes to remain private does not bother me in the same way as it bothers you.
So in what way does it bother you? Remain private and then have a website with a link to forum that can’t be accessed? hmmm…. and write articles about health without a photo of yourself? hmmmm….We’re not all meant to be Durianrider!
a world full of Durianriders… wow, that would be quite a crazy planet!
hahahaaa -
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actually there is no longer a link to her forum on her website.
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oh wait a minute, yes there is! lol
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a world full of Durianriders…
Kevin Gianni’s worst nightmare!
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LOL!
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I completely agree with Sultana.
I know who Michelle is and have ENORMOUS respect and gratitude for her.
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Oh, and for the record- I have consulted with Dr. Graham and also found him to be as wise and caring as your friend did.
Sultana
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If you google “Michelle Aslan” you can find a couple of photos of her, and she is indeed fit and attractive, as Sultana notes, however, I also agree with Sultana in that it is her right to be as private as she likes. I am grateful that she took the time to put such useful and interesting info on a website, and it doesn’t bother me at all that she doesn’t want to splash her photos all over it and tell us all about herself. It’s not her style.
I was also denied access to her forum, and it was explained to me that the only participants are those who are participating in the scientific study of the frugivore lifestyle. It isn’t open to the public. In that case, they should take down mention of the forum on the website, because that just gets people curious.
So you friend is fasting with Doug Graham, and you’re pumping this friend to get gossip from Graham about Michelle Aslan? Really? No judgment, it just seems strange.
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Actually no, I gave him the website much earlier last autumn and asked him about it and he just said he would ask. I replied in my email to not worry about it too much. What I find strange is why she doesn’t have any photos on her website and the whole secretive thing. Smells like b******* to me. But yes she has a right to do that just as I have a right to question it publicly and you have a right to be concerned about why someone cares so much about what someone else does. That’s a whole lot of rights! As I said, without example, giving health advice is a bit hmmm… how would I put it? questionable. But I admit, the articles are quite good. She seems to be doing well. I’m happy for her. Michelle, if you are reading… why not come out of the fruit closet and say hello? If not then that’s cool as well, I respect you and wish you good luck on your study.
No judgment, it just seems strange.
You have a strange definition of ‘judgement.’ -
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links to those photos?
I can’t find any… -
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I once googled her name and found a couple of photos of her on another website that was dedicated to her jewelry-making business (which I believe is her full-time career). It was obviously the same person because the format of this website was very similar to frugivorelifestyle.com and she had a link to info about fruitarianism. She looked like a lovely, tanned, healthy woman in her late 30’s with a radiant smile.
My take on her intense privacy thing has been that she really wants the info about the benefits of this lifestyle to be available, but doesn’t want to make herself into a guru or to be a publicity seeker in any way. With the intense and intimate knowledge she has about this lifestyle, I would say the only way she COULD know this stuff is by walking the walk. It’s not something you can speculate about or “fake.”
I think this community has room for the Michael Arnsteins and the Durianriders on one hand, and the Michelle Aslans on the other. She doesn’t “owe” the world any more than what she has given, but I will tell you that I used to wonder why the site was missing photos or more of a face behind it. Then I realized she is one of those super private people (we all know people like this).
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Then I realized she is one of those super private people (we all know people like this).
Yes we do and I understand what you mean.I still think it’s questionable to offer such a great website but emphasize their own privacy and even have a forum page saying it’s closed and open by invite only + a contact page saying how many emails she gets, etc but not any way to interact with her. It’s a shame but each to their own. Maybe she is undereating on carbs. When I am carbed up properly, my introvertiveness seems to disappear.
This is not necessarily related to her anymore…
but regarding privacy: I do think being “private” is not necessarily an aspect of a healthy individual and is in my opinion a form of dishonesty. Or perhaps it’s just ignorance on the psychological aspects of being an introvert. It’s based on fear. Along with some research I have done, I have come to learn this truth through my own issues with being a recluse, insecurity, etc. I used to take pride in being private and “alone” but have recently took a hard look at myself to discover that being more in touch with the world on a global level is important to bring awareness and light to so many who lack it instead of letting the lost and confused bring darkness into your life. Like the Dalai Lama said “I share my deepest secrets with every stranger I meet”.We need to overcome our reclusiveness, our introvertiveness and if I may say so, our arrogance. Open up to the world and the world opens up to us.
Perhaps this thread should go in the steamroom :)))
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It seems a stretch to assume that she’s arrogant or undereating. At best, it would seem that no one here really knows what she does for certain. In such a case, I’m willing to take it on faith that she’s eating as she advises. Moreover, I find usefulness in the articles and that’s enough for me.
Btw, are we all supposed to have pics of ourselves floating around, now? Do you, Markus?
Upon further reflection, is all of this due to your being rejected from her site?
E
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Upon further reflection, is all of this due to your being rejected from her site?
Honesty, I really don’t care about that. Honestly, this whole thing doesn’t even really bother me. But it is interesting why someone would do this. The information is solid though but if this website was my introduction to this stuff, i’d think it’s horses*** if someone is making health claims and having no photos or videos. I was just reminded of her today with my friend’s email and wondered if anybody here knew what is going on here? Nothing more. Peace to her and peace to everyone else.Btw, are we all supposed to have pics of ourselves floating around, now? Do you, Markus?
hmmm… let’s see. It’s always fun googling myself…. yep, there seems to be quite a few floating around of me. although if I had a website on health (which perhaps I will at some point), I promise you, there will be photos.Images are always more powerful than words.
Until Michelle puts up some photos, I either think she’s got ego issues or is hiding something. And until then I will take her ‘golden’ information with a grain of salt and wearing my extra thick lensed ‘critical thinking’ goggles on.If I ever get a chance to meet her, I’ll get my answers =D
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Hi Markus!
Lots of people have lots of reasons for wanting their privacy. And they don’t have to justify it to anyone.
You are a male, at least you describe yourself as being male on your page, and your photo is of a male- that is, if it’s really you 🙂
This brings me to my 2 points:
First, Michelle could post any photo of anyone she wanted and say it was her, and unless we had firm evidence otherwise, we’d never know the difference.
Second, she did tell me that she was having problems with trolls and other unpleasant types on her forum. Women in particular can sometimes have real safety issues related to being an online presence.
Oh, I guess I have one more point 🙂
Just as a philosophical question, if it turned out that Michelle was ugly and unhealthy and built like a Mack truck… would that negate the value of her website’s information?
Like you, I want to get my advice from someone who looks like they walk their talk, but in this case we’re going to have to take it on faith and look at photos of Doug and Durianrider and Freelee and other folks who practice what Michelle preaches.
Or you always have the option to quit reading her articles and stop visiting her website.
I agree with Heather. The information on her site is so detailed and resonates so closely with my own lfrv experience that I think she’s writing from a place of honesty.
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if it turned out that Michelle was ugly and unhealthy and built like a Mack truck… would that negate the value of her website’s information?
Yes if one wasn’t aware of the information’s possible validity.
A truly healthy person physically, emotionally & mentally is in my opinion the highest definition of beauty. It seems that you assume my idea of beauty is somehow shallow. Beauty is everything to me and when I say beauty I can assure you, I mean much more than a pretty smile and a nice body.I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: great website, great articles, probably a great person and beautiful + healthy. I was just wondering about why so secret. I understand, she is a private person. That is her right. Everything’s cool =)
PS. some anonymous person (who happened to be reading this discussion and not a member of this forum) kindly sent me a photo of her and she does look good.
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You’re mistaken, Markus.
I have no assumptions that your idea of beauty is shallow.
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well then I am mistaken about your assumptions of my concept of beauty and I do apologize for making assumptions about your assumptions (never a good thing to do anyway, I regret it, lol) and hope you accept my apology =))
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… this is getting silly, eh?!
No apology needed. I’m not at all offended 🙂
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I’m offended that you don’t think this deserves an apology…
no just kidding :)) heheh
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lol
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My friend kevin is interning at that retreat. as your friend to say hi for me!
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Unfortunately there are misconceptions about the term frugivorous: Too many ways to say what it is. You define it as eating 5% bugs and insects.
This is the first time I’ve ever read anyone try to pass off the frugivore as an insect eating creature. Perhaps you are thinking of chimpanzees eating ants with sticks. Even so, they don’t get 5% of their diet supplemented by insects.
Personally I use the term fruitarian, so as to avoid this confusion. I am not an animal and refuse any definition based on the animal instincts. I am a human being and have a highly evolved set to morals and ethics to deal with in everyday life. And I’ve thought long and hard on the topic of fruitarian. It’s possible.
Reply by markus on
I am not an animal.
ummm… Yes, you are.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human