Contact Information:

David Richard
PO Box 152
Ridgefield, CT 06877

About David D. Richard
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David D. Richard has dedicated his life to green living and holistic health. He invests in businesses and research that benefit the environment, individual health & well-being and which develop a sense of hopefulness and broader awareness of global health. (And a little humor now and then.)

Through his publishing companies, Vital Health Publishing and Enhancement Books, he has attempted to share information that would help people improve their own health and the health of the planet. His hope is that people still want to educate themselves and that for the most part, freedom of the press be maintained in this country! He has a great passion for organic food and he helped to fund a 98% organic food store in Brewster NY for several years. David has a strong interest in research and education in Life Energy and its effects on individual health and broader community health.

David is an author, a natural health advocate, a photographer, an enthusiastic supporter of the
arts (particularly those arts dedicated to healing), and is dedicated, hard-working and generous.

David’s interests include collecting, playing and sharing music, photography, writing poetry, essays and health-related articles and books. He is an avid reader and his tastes include classical and world literature, books on health, spirituality, philosophy, drama and poetry and non-technical scientific reading. He is an avid collector of paintings, photography, sculpture, wood carvings, stones and crystals. He is currently fascinated by Chinese Gongshi (spirit) stones and “found” natural form art.

David was born in Bloomington, Indiana. At age 9 (as soon as he could easily reach over the counter) he started working in his Dad’s first health food store, Health House (now Fruitful Yield).

At 19 he managed another of the Fruitful Yield stores the summer before beginning his studies at Illinois State University, from where he graduated with honors and a double major, including a comprehensive B.S. degree in Business Administration and enough credits for an English Literature major.

After college he began serving actively on the Fruitful Yield Board of Directors and continued in this capacity for the next 22 years. In 1979, he published his first book of poems, Reflections, and in 1994 he published his second book of poems, Gathering the Wind.

In 1989 David consulted with John Diamond, M.D., for a back injury and the chronic pain he was experiencing. He credits Dr. Diamond with "saving my life." At that time Dr. Diamond introduced David to the concept of Life Energy. He demonstrated to David how creativity and social altruism were the keys to health and wellbeing by most effectively raising one's Life Energy. This concept has helped shaped David's endeavors since that time.In 1995, he started HealthCo Int’l Brokerage Division and also began importing products from overseas for NOW Foods, the popular supplement and health food company his father built.

A year later, he wrote and published, Stevia Rebaudiana: Nature’s Sweet Secret, which introduced the herbal sweetener stevia to the natural health market and brought it to popularity. The book turned out to be controversial as well as popular and the most excitement he had in 1998 was when the FDA threatened to burn his stevia book in Texas. Dr. Julian Whitaker interceded and, together, they filed a petition for rule-making with the FDA. Books were not burned thanks to First Amendment protection, luck and good timing. The media attention surrounding this attempted book-burning spread the news about stevia like wildfire.

The success of this book inspired David to start publishing other people’s books on natural health and in 1997 he founded Vital Health Publishing, wrote and published Anoint Yourself With Oil For Radiant Health after a seven day fast, and wrote and published My Whole Food ABC’s with Susan Cavaciuti.

In 1998 when he was on the verge of publishing the well-known book about GMO’s, Against the Grain by Dr. Marc Lappe, things became even more heated. Who knew publishing was so exciting? He was threatened with a lawsuit by the corporate giant Monsanto. He was forced to turn over publication rights for the book to Common Courage Press and learned how absolutely essential publisher’s insurance can be! On June 1, 1999, the New York Times featured this story in a front page article and Ralph Nader got involved and used the letter from Monsanto in his efforts against their intimidation tactics.

In 1998 he added the Enhancement Books imprint to Vital Health Publishing to feature the books of John Diamond, M.D., and he edited and published Taste Life! The Organic Choice.

Between 1998 and today he has published works by 24 other authors on natural health care and organics.
Visit Vital Health Publishing and Enhancement Books

In 2002 David helped fund the important documentary and social film making house, Ronin Films in Australia to keep it in operation. Three years later Ronin’s founder, Andrew Pike was awarded an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for his services to the film industry and the community and an Honorary Doctorate by the University of Canberra. Visit Ronin Films, Australia

That same year David also provided funding for “Hand-in-Hand”—a video promoting the work of Australia National University music educator Susan West, Ph.D. From this project, a remarkable initiative called the Hand-in-Hand program has arisen. Primary age school children go into nursing homes on a regular basis throughout their elementary school years to sing songs with seniors. The Hand-in-Hand program represents a revolution in music education. For the first time, the approach is basically not technical—but pro-social: Reaching out into the community and using music to actually help people and strengthen community ties.

The scale of the program and its rapid growth are impressive. Since its inception, roughly 15,000 primary school children from 25 schools have taken part.

In 2004 David provided funding and assistance to establish the Life Energy Foundation, a New York state not-for-profit organization that implements the Hand-in-Hand program in the US as well as other programs based on the concepts of Life Energy. David himself can sometimes be heard crooning a tune with seniors at local nursing homes (as one of the outreach team).

In 2006 David funded and worked tirelessly (for the most part!) along with Ian Diamond to start Organic Connection Fresh Food Market in Brewster, New York.

David sold the publication rights of his Vital Health Publishing titles in 2007 to Rudy Shur of Square One Publishers, so that he could dedicate more time to other endeavors.

In 2008, when it was decided that Organic Connection had to close its doors, David purchased all inventory of Organic Connection to pay creditors and donated all goods to charities.

He has now founded Vital Enterprises to consolidate his business endeavors. Stay posted for what's next! He has hopes to fund a new green business, and to open a very special art gallery featuring Life Energy Art. Cheers!

Contact Information:

David Richard
PO Box 152
Ridgefield, CT 06877

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©Copyright 2009 David D. Richard