There was this group of individuals, with backgrounds in diet and nutrition, who began to study the effects of food on the human body. Over many decades, they continued their study, along with publishing many books on the subject. Adherents to their beliefs believed the information so wholeheartedly, and believed that the effects of the diet were so positive, that they told all their friends and family members, neighbors, and even strangers about it. Some believed, and also became adherents to the diet. One of the key teachings of the diet was that ONLY the foods recommended by the leaders could be eaten, other foods would have disastrous results.
In time, some believers started to question the leaders, as the teachings on what foods were acceptable became stricter and stricter, and the ?approved? foods list became narrower and narrower. When these ?doubters? would raise good questions, some were answered, but many were brushed off by the leaders with a ?because I said so? answer, without any proof that only one viewpoint was ultimately correct.
Eventually, some of these ?doubters? left the group, or were forced to leave, and, upon doing so, fell into three categories:
1)- Those who would eat absolutely anything, regardless of what they were previously taught.
2)- Those who stopped eating, because they were so disgusted by what the group had taught them, that they abandoned all of the teachings.
3)- Those who realized that there was value in what the group had taught, and that it is both necessary to eat, and to watch what one eats, within the realm of what is known.
The FIRST GROUP truly enjoyed their freedom- they ate whatever they wanted, and they found many exotic foods that were indeed quite tasty. Unfortunately, occasionally one of them one eat something poison or diseased, and would either die suddenly or live on with a disease. Eventually, the majority of them died well before their ?time? had come.
The SECOND GROUP, living on anything but food, became continually weaker, and those who did not change their ways died within a short period of time. Those that came to realize the error of their ways either re-joined the original group, or one of the other two groups.
The THIRD GROUP, like the first, truly enjoyed their freedom- they originally ate only those foods approved by the original group, then slowly, after studying foods on their own, came to eat a much broader and tasteful diet. However, they continued to err on the side of caution, and so, while they may not have partaken of some fine foods, they lived the longest, and on average, were the healthiest of these groups.
I'm glad I'm in the THIRD GROUP. How about you?