Elias pointed out another one of Adi Da's absurd pseudo-scientific ideas, right up there with his idea that some advanced practitioners can live "on breath alone."

Per Elias, Adi Da says:

"The menstrual flow may be regarded as a kind of degenerative or diseased bodily condition, produced by dietary irritation and emotional imbalance."

He proceeds to advocate a diet composed of raw foods only as a way of "healing" this imaginary "disease."

Adi Da's advice here is sheer stupidity. If you starve the body of sufficient nutrients to the point where body fat gets below a safe level, and the body's health has been deeply compromised, the menstrual cycle will be impacted.  This is a sign of malnutrition and poor health, and absolutely does not represent the healing of imbalanced diet or emotion. Some critics have commented on Adi Da's misogynist side, and have pointed out that his attitude towards the female menstrual cycle is certainly consistent with his encouragement of men to hit women to "teach them by incident,"  and his directive in the early-80's that women should not drive because "they are receptive" and might attract problems or accidents to themselves.  Men were said to be "penetrating" and could therefore work their way through traffic better, etc.