I first learned about Lillian Muller about 15 years ago when I was browsing in the book store and came across her book “Feel Great, Be Beautiful Over 40”. In it, she talks about using a high-raw/100% raw food diet to age gracefully. And she’s a perfect example of it.
I met Lillian in person, along with her daughter who by that time had grown up since the picture of her in the book (Lillian was pregnant at the time) , at a talk Lillian gave in Pasadena, Los Angeles. At 57, she had on no make-up and her skin was like a baby’s. She was fit, lean and toned and had good energy and a very positive attitude and good sense of humor. She was a shining example of what anybody would want for themselves as they get older. Lillian, in fact, is redefining aging for the younger generation.
John Robbins, who is the author of “Diet for a New America” wrote a recent book entitled “Healthy at 100” where he profiled 4 long-lived cultures that had a larger than normal percentage of centenarians (those who live to 100 years old) than other populations. He listed their diets and all of them were almost 100% vegan and most of them were high-raw. They had great hearing, stamina, eyesight and JOY and were living independent, vigorous lives well into their late 90’s.
Lillian’s diet and lifestyle mimics that of the cultures that John chronicled. She is high-raw with some cooked vegan food. Many struggle to be 100% raw and after reading about Lillian, hopefully you will see that even a very high raw diet with some cooked vegan food is a vast improvement over the Standard American Diet. This is not black and white, all-or-nothing: do the best you can, have a positive attitude and you, too, can age well with vibrant health.
As you can see in the above video and pictures, Lillian is stunning. Even 16 year old’s would like to look like her. Genetics? I’m sure they play a part, but if you read her book, you will see that in her young 20’s she was starting to show the signs of dark circles under her eyes, water retention and mood swings as well as low energy. At age 27, she turned things around by going 100% fruitarian for 9 months and has maintained a high-fruit based diet since.
Read on and be inspired….even though I personally feel my best when I am 100% raw, this hopefully will show you that this is not a pass/fail proposition. The goal is direction and then when you achieve the results you desire, you decide what you do from that point on…
For exercise, 3 days a week, I walk to the gym for muscle and bone strengthening, it’s a 45 minute walk altogether. I like to stay firm and toned, that’s why I work out with the weights and machines available at the gym!
As for diet, in the morning I like to start with fresh fruit juice, never pasteurized, and a tall glass of water. I like to meditate and read and start the day off calm. I always make sure that there is 12 hours between my final meal of the day before my breakfast. I like to eat lightly in the morning and kind of do a breakfast fast.
About 2-4pm I have my first meal of fresh fruits and raw nuts or seeds, with another big glass of water. I like to eat some fruit like ½ of a pineapple or some figs or prunes and maybe 2 bananas and a handful of nuts.
In the evening I like to have a meal of raw vegetables in a salad with perhaps some steamed vegetables, baked potatoes, or wholegrain rice or rye bread or some other whole grains, preferably sprouted. I also eat a small amount of soy products, but only if organic…in general, I eat only organic, if at all possible.
Very occasionally I will have some wild caught Salmon, because of it’s high omega 3 values. I use organic, cold pressed plant oils, raw apple cider vinegar or organic balsamic vinegar dressing on my salads. I LOVE avocadoes, I eat at least one a day!
My ice creams and milks are from organic soy, rice or nuts. I use dried organic fruits as a substitute for commercial candy…plus some organic soy chocolate. I avoid commercial sugar and white flour products….sugary foods leaches the minerals out of my bones, and white flour foods are highly mucus forming.
So, my diet consists of mainly: Water, fresh juices, fruits, salads, vegetables, nuts, seeds, plant oils, whole grains, a small amount of organic soy products. I NEVER eat meat. I have NEVER smoked, had alcohol or tried drugs!
I’ve been eating this way for 31 years and I’m 60 now.
2) How many calories a day do you eat? What fat percentage would you say you eat a day of your calories?
I eat when I’m hungry, and I eat only healthy foods. And I practice correct Food Combining. I don’t count calories, carbs or fats or proteins.
3) How important is sun exposure? Do you lay out?
I think getting enough sun is important. Especially for those living in Norway which is where I am now living, I feel it’s important to get enough to make vitamin D. I feel that one of the main reasons so many Norwegians get osteoporosis is because they are not getting enough sunlight.
4) Did you have any symptoms when you went through menopause?
No, I didn’t. It was very smooth for me. I stopped menstruating at age 53 and I’m 58 now. I never did hormone therapy. I believe if you start living a super healthy life style from when you’re young, I started at 27, you will not experience heavy PMS or Menopause symptoms!
5) Has your daughter been vegan since birth?
She’s been vegetarian since birth with the exception of when she was a little girl and lived with her dad for 2 years and chicken was included in her diet. She’s 19 now and has been vegetarian most of her life and is now wanting to be an environmental attorney.
6) How did your pregnancy go with her?
Really smooth. I had a natural childbirth and felt great with the exception of the one binge I had when I visited my parents here. I went through 70 lbs of oranges a week when I was pregnant. Oranges are so high in calcium. I also did a lot of nut milks like cashew milk and sesame milk.
I only gained 16 pounds because of my healthy diet and moderate exercise through my pregnancy…and as a result, I didn’t get one stretch mark!
7) Is there a lot of vegetarians in Norway?
No. Not at all. In fact, I am filming a TV show right now called 4 Star Dining where celebrities are invited over to different homes for dinner and then vote on the best one. I will be one of the hostesses and I am going to fix a vegetarian meal.
8) What are you going to make?
I don’t know yet, but I want it to be delicious. Whatever I make, it will include lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. I want to get the vegetarian word out. And it will
be properly combined. I eat more cooked food when I am here because it’s harder to find organic produce. They will post the TV show on Youtube this fall.
We need to eat organic because the soil is so lacking in minerals. That’s why I supplement. I don’t like eating vegetables, I wish I did, and I know they are higher in minerals than fruit is, but I am more drawn to the fruit so I just take a supplement for my minerals.
Supplementing with B-12 is very important, too. And essential fatty acids.
9) You mentioned at the talk that I attended that you’ve had breast work done, have you had any other plastic surgery like on your face?
No, I’ve had no surgery on my face.
10) Who inspires you and why?
John Robbins is a wonderful man and I’ve read his book Diet for a New America.
Dr. Wayne Dyer is one of the most inspiring people I know. If I would do an opening introductory talk for someone, I would want it to be for him. I’ve read his books “The Shift”, “Wisdom for the Ages” and others.
Also, the book “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho is great. I also love Tony Robbins. He’s into raw foods I think and was in the video that I was in with Gabriel Cousens “Raw for Life”. I admire Gabriel Cousens a great deal.
11) What do you think is the most important element to health?
Positive thoughts and knowing how to keep negative thoughts under control. The older I get, the more important I realize positive thinking is. Pure positive thinking with pure, healthy foods makes for a pure bloodstream which gives you a strong immunity system!
12) Do you grow your own food?
No. But I try to buy organic whenever possible due to the poor soils.
13) Where do you see yourself in 30 years?
Well, in 30 years I’ll be 88. I am thinking about going back to school to become a doctor and combine natural health with being a doctor. I think that’s where the future is heading.
14) I read your book “Feel Great, Be Beautiful over 40” that you wrote awhile ago. Any other books in the works?
Yes, I am writing another book and will update what I know since the last book. This one will have more emphasis on the mental and spiritual aspects of health.
My book FEEL GREAT, BE BEAUTIFUL OVER 40 is currently in it’s 4th printing. People can still order it through my web site www.Lillian Muller. com!
15) Anything else you would like to add before we sign off?
One quote that I’ve used over the years to pull me up when I am down is “Superb Self-Appreciation and Total Faith in God”. That’s helped me out of a lot of hard times.
Thank you Lillian for doing this interview. 🙂
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