Gawler Foundation-Grace Gawler on Vegan Diet
Hello – I am Grace Gawler – co founder of the Gawler Foundation and the visionary/inspirer for the Yarra Valley Living Centre. I need to correct the idea that a part of Ian Gawler’s cure was a Vegan Diet. As Ian’s care-giver I took sole responsibilty for the preparation of his food and nutritional program from 1975 until November 1997 – approximately 22 years. It is important to be factually correct with our story because many people are inspired to emulate our healing journey.
Unfortunately, the Gawler Foundation has been incorrectly reporting Ian’s veganism for some time and an article written for the Medical Journal of Australia (December 2008) also reported this error as fact. There were many other errors in The MJA which are currently being rectified. The MJA stated: “The patient has followed a Vegan diet throughout his illness, recovery period and life.” Firstly – it is important to define the content of a vegan diet and the difference between vegetarian, lacto-ovo vegetarian and a a vegetable based diet that includes fish and small amounts of animal flesh.{Note: According to Wikipedia, “Veganism” is a diet and lifestyle that seeks to exclude the use of animals for food, clothing, or any other purpose. Vegans endeavor not to use or consume animal products of any kind.}
The MJA report then quotes the adoption of a Vegan diet and such a diet’s relationship to lifestyle change associated with gene expression and tumour reduction. MY CORRECTION: Not so; Ian had never followed a Vegan diet. In fact the patient’s diet during the Gerson regimen consisted of fresh fruit, vegetables, juices, yoghurt, cottage and ricotta cheese and juice made from fresh calf liver twice daily. After a 3 month period, that diet was altered to include regular meals of fish, dairy in many forms, shellfish and eggs.
This note hopefully will put many of the queries about the “real” Gawler diet at rest. Balance in ALL things is my best advice and find someone who can individualise your program for you…avoid lots of supplements, practise possibility thinking!. Often, there is a lot more to each individuals recovery than is written about. If you want to read what we actually did during those all important years of Ian’s recovery – please go to Google books online where relevant parts of Grace, Grit and Gratitude – my memoirs, can be read for free; scroll to page 107.
If anyone needs assistance or if you have questions I am more than happy to help.
Yours in truth and healing
Grace