OrganicAthlete: Tell us about your part from a standard American diet to vegetarian to vegan to a raw vegan lifestyle.

Tonya Kay: I remember reaching into the cage and petting her. Her nose softer than kitten paws, her eyes magnificent brown without the ability to lie. Grandma then took my hand and led me back through the slaughterhouse where vividly I remember realizing, in an eight year old's way, what went on between the holding cages and the freezer. I'm glad my grandparents, beautiful and loving people, owned a slaughterhouse in addition to farming their 130 acres. I wish everyone's grandparents owned one.

So at eight years old I became vegetarian by default. I was not yet mature enough to have opinions on animal liberation or environmentalism. I was not old enough to comprehend mortality and therefore desire health. But I was emotionally developed enough, even at eight, to know that when I saw meat on my plate, I felt nauseous. I became vegetarian for emotional reasons, the great side effect being a feeling of freedom. Even an eight year old can digest spiritual lessons.

I dove into veganism in much the same unconscious way. This time as a test of late teen will power and desire for experimentation (experience being the only valid way I have found to gain wisdom). In the first month after cutting out dairy and eggs, I lost 10 pounds off my already thin, 19 year old dancer frame, experienced again the unexpected side effect of a new level of spiritual freedom, and for the next 2 years existed as what I call an "uneducated vegan": completely unaware in the Midwest farmlands that substitutions such as rice milk, soy burgers or wheat gluten even existed, while the mainstay of their ingredients were being grown by the acre in my very back yard.

Mind you, I became a dancer at 4, a dance instructor at 14 and a professional dancer at 15. Two years of "uneducated veganism" left me slim (great for a dancer), yet entirely unable to build muscle (a giant concern for anybody, especially a professional athlete). Then I read The Zone by Berry Sears, a book outlining a system of balancing protein, fat and carbohydrates to enhance athletic performance and weight loss. My consumption of protein went from the "uneducated vegan's" 8 grams/day to The Zone's 80 grams/day. I happily "blew up like a balloon" as I call it, building an effortless 15 pounds of muscle without changing my already-demanding workouts at all. Proof to me that the "uneducated vegan" diet had left me deficient in ways I had never expected.

Hence began my true health quest marked by years of personal experimentation. Protein smoothies and apple cider vinegar fasts, homemade herbal tonics and in-depth aromatherapy, organic urban gardening and daily spiritual ritual added to my wisdom. At 23 I had eliminated refined sugars and grains, and was consuming a 50% raw diet already, based on intuitive health practices.

Raw food as a lifestyle came again completely by accident when I was performing aerial stunt work in the Off-Broadway production, De La Guarda in Las Vegas. A dear friend took me to The Raw Truth Café and mentioned how the raw diet had cured her of a major health concern. I was challenged that a health seeker as I had never heard of this raw food movement, and inspired when I tasted The Raw Truth's cuisine - how colorful, how flavorful, how nourished I felt right away. Determined to not become the "uneducated raw foodist", I took the next year to read books on the subject and note in my daily life what would soon be changing. I started the raw food diet in August of 2001 as another personal health experiment. The results have been overwhelmingly satisfactory!

OA: What changes have you noticed since first going raw?

TK: Miracles

First and foremost I notice a feeling of personal integrity. The raw vegan lifestyle is truly an expression of mySelf. Authenticity may just be the key to radiant health.

Physically, I notice a general stability in my life. There are no more mysterious energy swings throughout my day---no after-meal lulls, no 4pm lethargy. I now eat and receive life. It is as simple as that. I notice my digestion stabilizing and the feeling of lightness that brings, and I notice my skin is now beautifully clear, to the point that I no longer use any special soaps, products or antibiotics to have a glowing complexion.

My menstrual cycle, once lasting five days, immediately shortened to three days of light flow with no discomfort, and now often ceases to come at all. In the past six months I have spotted twice, and while this was originally a bit disconcerting, I am now intuitively comfortable, knowing ovulation is still present and my lack of blood signifies a clean body with very little to detox on a monthly basis.

Last but certainly not least, I enjoy a deeper pleasure from the foods I eat and a heightened sensuality in all of life.

OA: Many people ask raw vegans, "Well, what do you eat?" From a conventional point of view, a raw vegan diet seems exclusionary and limited. To my mind, a raw vegan diet exposes the taste buds to delights unknown. Every peach, every banana, every persimmon is an absolute wonder. Every farmer's market has a new treat. Last week, I had a meal of paw-paws, a fruit indigenous too much of the US. Do you find the raw vegan approach boring or inspiring?

TK: What I find boring is the Standard American Diet's brown substances masquerading as food when we all know they are nothing more than tasteless carriers for salt and fat.

Wow, that was harsh. What I meant to say is, "Give me a banana wrapped in a kale leaf and I will squeal like a child."

OA: On tour, you must exercise ALOT. Tell us about your routine and how you maintain your energy levels on a raw diet.

TK: If you've ever seen STOMP, you know this production is no joke. Physically, we push our bodies to the edge every nite, mangling many an unsuspecting broomstick, garbage can and knuckle in the name of rhythm. On top of performing, I personally also work out at the gym, take dance class, hike new terrains and get down at the club. On average, I exercise 3 hours/day, 5 days/week.

A typical day starts at noon (oh, the artist's life!). I wake up, consume a large bottle of water and a serving of the ever-portable super green food (a life saver when living on the road). I then commence my first work out of the day: 90 minutes of aerobics and weight lifting at the gym. Returning to my hotel room famished around 4 pm, I will devour four pieces of seasonal fruit (right now pomegranate, persimmon, and honey crisp apple), eat several stalks of celery and indulge in an entire baby coconut. As an athlete I find that fruit supplies hoards of energy without slowing my digestion and as a woman who sweats a lot, celery's salts maintain a healthy internal water balance. The coconut just plain makes me happy.

Around 6:30pm I head to the theatre for my second workout of the day: a half hour of company rehearsal, a half hour of warm ups (sit-ups, pushups and stretches), and an hour and a half of performance requiring every ounce of life my being has to offer. Afterwards I ice my joints and drink ginger tea, both excellent anti-inflammatories, and finish the day's diet with all the salad I can eat - no restrictions. Spinach, kale, wakame seaweed, a dozen cherry tomatoes, two avocados and a banana leave me satisfied. The greens fortify me with the minerals and amino acids necessary to build these strong muscles, the banana's subtle sweetness eases my overworked nerves, and the avocados just plain make me happy.

At midnite I will wrap up with my final workout of the day: an hour-long self-directed dance class/ritual ending in the spontaneous creation of art. I drink my final bottle of water and retire around 4 am for 9 hours of blessed sleep before doing it all again.

I am a beautiful example of how strong and solid a female athlete can be eating only raw foods.

OA: People frequently ask "where do you get your (protein, calcium, iron,...)?" Is this something you ask yourself? How do you respond to these questions?

TK: Commonly asked where get my protein, I respond that the body does not need protein. It takes the difficult-to-digest protein it is often given, breaks it down to useful amino acids, and builds muscle mass from there. Leafy greens are the most readily assimilated, amino-acid-dense food available. A diet rich in varied greens is ideal for building muscles and maintaining the reliable supply of energy an athlete requires.

OA: You ate a typical junk, processed food diet as a teenager, but you obviously had a strong, capable, and talented body. It's true that we can achieve great fitness with a poor diet, but ultimately I think, our health will fail us. What convinced you to begin looking at your diet? How do you think we can convince the younger generation to choose healthy foods?

TK: Young people are brilliant. I am convinced the only reason they choose neon colored cereal for breakfast and Happy Meals for dinner is because we train them to.

While on tour this spring, I had the pleasure of spending time with the Favors, an amazing raw family in Austin TX. David, Yamiah and I were in the midst of conversation when their 12 year old daughter dashed home from school and did as any other growing pre-teen would do, and raided the kitchen cupboard. I was filled with hope for humanity seeing almonds, raw honey and dates as her preferred after-school snack. When I asked David and Yamiah about their strictness as raw parents, they said at home they provide raw options and education, but away from home they allow her the freedom to experience the world.

Never underestimate the power of example. Be a role model, turn off the television, avoid government-subsidized school lunch programs, leave sliced mango on the kitchen counter, then trust that our young people will make the choices that are best for them - whether they mirror us exactly or not.

OA: Women athletes, especially gymnasts and dancers, often suffer eating disorders and intense self-criticism of their body. Do you find this to be true? How have your fellow dancers responded to your diet and lifestyle choices?

TK: I find this to be true not just in dancers, though it is easy for the world to see in our case, but in women in general. When we acknowledge that eating disorders are not anorexia and bulimia, but also the more subtle occurrences of shame, guilt, and self abuse through overeating, we will notice that woman of every age, every income, and every lifestyle have dysfunctional relationships to food. In fact, I've seen many raw foodists obsessing over salad dressings with balsamic vinegar in it, or fretting over a teaspoon of pasteurized honey in their tea. None of this is healthy.

As for dance, it is a visual art. All day we critique ourselves in mirrors. To get a job, we expose our limbs and midrifts in the attempt to portray movement better. It is natural therefore for a dancer to obsess about what he or she looks like, and yes, I have seen many a dysfunctional relationship to eating amongst my fellow artists. Hopefully we have the self respect and self love to understand that our obsession with bodies should be focused on the motion and strength rather than our dwindling away. After all, our bodies are the entire reason we can dance at all. Should we not be praising them and each other for being blessed with the ability to move at all? The new forms and trends of dance seem to covet broadening acceptance of body types, rather than the stick figure ideals of ballet past. Modern dance favors the athletic build, hip-hop loves strong voluptuous women, and tap, as always has no rules.

To me, it doesn't matter how athletic you are or how raw you are, if it isn't bringing you joy, a different approach is needed. Our bodies are after all the only thing separating us from the Otherside. Let us love them while we have them!

OA: On your website, you say you suffered several years of emotional disorders and took medication to "treat" the problems. Did the medical model of cure work for you? Would you share your experiences briefly?

TK: Medicated for the majority of my adult life for Bipolar Disorder, mood swings threatened many times to destroy my health, my relationships and my existence---even when consuming western medicine's chemical "cures". There came a breaking point in my life when I realized that after seven years of medication nothing had changed: I was still Bipolar, I was just poisoning myself in the mean time. In that moment, I developed a personal mantra that has served me ever since: If you aren't getting the results you desire, try a different approach. Repeat as often as necessary.

Raw veganism was the first approach I tried. Through this lifestyle I have developed a deeper understanding and respect for myself, my mood swings have narrowed and my cycles have become infrequent. By committing to discovering my natural, unmedicated health, I have claimed the part of myself that I and society once denied. In fact, I now see my emotional extremes as the exact reason I am so creative, compassionate and extraordinary. Unmediated, hormone-free and chemical-free, I now truly love myself and would not change my situation for all the stability in the world.

OA: You're a student of natural hygiene. What does that mean to you? In such a toxic world, how do you maintain your commitment for "health by healthful living"?

TK: As a student of natural hygiene, I first must realize there is no toxic world. There is no disease. There is no conspiracy. The world as an organism is perfect, like our bodies, going naturally as planned and any resistance to this is an imbalance of my own creation.

In fact, all my concepts on the world are my own creation, as true or as false as I perceive them to be. Why not believe the body to be infinitely resilient? Why not see unwavering wholeness as my intrinsic state?

What I am talking about here is mental health, just one aspect of a wholly healthy being. Another aspect is physical health enhanced of course by consuming raw foods, engaging in physically exerting play, and spending time outdoors. Then there is emotional health - acknowledging and expressing all emotional facets of our beings, giving and receiving loving human touch, and listening to our intuition. Finally, most enigmatic, is our spiritual health, which may be connected to most effectively through plentiful dreaming sleep, ritual and art. It is of no use to eat raw foods if deep down we believe we are victims of a sick world. Health is a religion to be practiced, not studied.

OA: You describe yourself as a deep meditator, visionary, and social activist. How have your dietary choices affected your emotional, social, and spiritual lives?

I am more aware than ever that in the cycle of things, I am completely insignificant, but without me, it would never be the same.

OA: In our email communication, you said, "I like personal interaction. I know the difference a moment with another human being can make." What do you mean by that?

TK: I was living in New York City several years ago, walking down 8th Ave along with several hundred other pedestrians on the block. A man grabbed my arm and as any New Yorker trying to maintain some semblance of personal space would do, I turned to him with a sharp, "Excuse me?" To which he smiled, looked me in the eye and assertively suggested I "have a nice day." Humbled and touched by this genuine moment of personal interaction, I smiled at the next dozen people I came into contact because of him.

Text books and newspapers would have us believe that the world is made up of battles, boundaries and scores. These things may or may not be important - I do not know. But one thing I do know is that if I am on stage and can make direct eye contact with the little girl in the fourth row, she might ask her mom for dance lessons after the show. No television actor can say that. Neck massages, conversations, and other personal interactionsthese are the energies that define real life. These are the stuff the world is made up of.

OA: Organic Athlete is about showing people how to live authentically with themselves, one another, and this earth. As this issue is about social justice, and in particular equality for women, do you think a raw vegan diet connects us with a more feminine energy?

TK: The raw diet removes years of winter coats we've been hiding underneath. It strips off our worn-out habits, removes our stored toxins, and layer by layer, gets down to what's underneath: our authentic selves.

It is so much easier to hear our intuitive voice without all the confusion going on. It is so much easier to trust ourselves when the messages are coming through loud and clear. Raw food connects us with the powerful feminine traits of surrender and receptivity, which are of course present in every self-realized, authentic human being.

OA: What advice can you give people who want to begin transitioning to a raw vegan diet?

TK: The joy is the journey.

Discover the sensuality of a ripe nectarine. Let the juice of a soft pear drip down your elbow. Life is too short to eat one more prepackaged brown burrito when you could be picking a tomato from your own small garden.

Eat raw food not to avoid aging, not to cure disease, not to loose weight.all these things will happen. Do not worry. Eat raw food because it makes you feel alive and there is no greater joy than life itself.

OA: And finally, the toughest question for any rawfooder, what's your favorite fruit?

TK: Ode to the sun ripened avocado - the pearl in the oyster, the moon in this sky. Soft as a mother's breast, warm as her womb, this otherworldly orgasmic sneeze catharsis sets life in motion, creates form from chaos and chaos from form.

Not such a tough question at all

OA: Thanks Tonya!

Visit Tonya's Website