Is the ‘sunlight diet’ healthy?
Some spiritual people claim they avoid food entirely and get their nourishment from the sun. But is it safe?
By Melissa Greer
Did you hear about the woman in Switzerland found dead in her home last year? She reportedly followed a “spiritual diet” described in a 2010 Austrian documentary, In the Beginning There Was Light. In it, Indian guru Prahlad Jani claims to have avoided food and drink for 70 years, his only form of sustenance being derived from spiritual means and sunshine. Jani is alive and well, but his story hasn’t been substantiated by medical authorities. The Swiss woman supposedly avoided all food and water, even spitting out her saliva. Her cause of death was ruled to be starvation.
Stephane Shank, a spokesperson for Health Canada, states the obvious: “This type of diet certainly goes against Health Canada’s advice to maintain healthy eating habits daily. There are risks that come as a result of not meeting the nutrients and dietary requirements laid out in Canada’s Food Guide.”
Known as “breatharianism” or “pranic nourishment,” the so-called sunlight diet also gained popularity through books by Australian “breatharian” Ellen Greve, who goes by the name Jasmuheen. (She has won a Bent Spoon Award, given each year by the organization Australian Skeptics to “the perpetrator of the most preposterous piece of paranormal or pseudoscientific piffle.”) Since the 1990s, at least three other deaths have been reported as being attributed to the practice
of breatharianism.
So, eat, drink and be—alive!
This article was originally titled "The 'sunlight' diet" in the September 2012 issue of Best Health. Subscribe today to get the full Best Health experience–and never miss an issue!
Best Health Magazine, September 2012
THAT is the dumbest thing i have ever heard LOL! or read GAWD!! like grab a brain yo.
Didn't we do this dance with the 'Breatharians' in the 70's? They were debunked when one of the leaders was witnessed downing a cheeseburger.
to Andy and Faith: you guys are idiots!
human beings are meant to survive on food and water, not sunlight or this spiritual crap you are spewing. how will you feel later when you barely have enough energy to walk or see your ribs through your emaciated body?
and the population problem is not because of food, it because of human beings who breed like rabbits.
Are there really people out there that believe that is possible? What resposible company would publish a book whos bottom line says dehydrate and starve yourself to death? Any one who would read that and take it for a trouth needs some serious help!
I believe the sunlight diet should be encouraged for several reasons. Not eating would help to solve the overpopulation problem leaving more food to sane people. Possibly humans would eventually evolve to exist without consuming food. Of course there would be a few casulties until we have adapted to the new lifestyle. Not eating for a few days is healthy so why not extend the duration of not eating and see what develops.
The Sunshine Diet is what we definetely should be doing. However, if these people were truly spiritual than they would understand that everything is spiritual and not to be understood naturally. Therefore getting their nourishment from the Sun means getting revelation and wisdom from God. He is the Bread and we are to eat of Him. Naturally we need food and water. Water is symbolic of being washed in the word. Plain and simple. Hear from GOD.
naw... survival of the fittest! let the dumb ones just survive on dust, time, wind and sun; that should be enough for them to enjoy a long happy healthy life. the rest of use can eat the food and drink water