Welcome Sulis! 

Freedom, I wish for your Mom a healthy, happy new year -- and then some.   Glad to hear she's feeling better already.

One of the biggest changes for me in 2007 is that I embarked on a new and creative type of work.  I currently teach English to adults who are visiting the city temporarily.  They're from around the world, intelligent and interested in learning more about the American culture.

So, I have to say, in 2007, my biggest teachers were these students.

I had to work on my communication, personal, cultural, creativity, interpersonal, professional, etc. skills a lot more.   

Thus, I experienced personal growth in this creative setting.  Awesome!

Looking forward to 2008!

Hi Garfield, thanks for the book recommendation.  I'll have to check it out sometime.  In addition,  I appreciate books from different sources so I can refer different book styles to different people.

Rudolf, the distiller you're getting sounds great.

Here's another excerpt from the book that I found fascinating -- especially the percentage of water that makes up our teeth and brain.

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-->  Nearly 2/3 of the human body is water

Here is a percentage of water in the following body parts:

• Teeth:  10.0
• Bones:  13.0
• Cartilage:  55.0
• Red Blood Corpuscles: 68.7
• Liver:  71.5
• Muscular tissues:  75.0
• Spleen:  75.5
• Lungs:   80.0
• Brain:   80.5
• Bile:  86.0
• Blood plasma:  90.0
• Blood serum:  90.7
• Lymph:  94.0
• Saliva:  95.5
• Gastric juice:  99.5

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Wishing everyone much success and Peace in 2008.

By the way, it's' still 2007 over here (looks like it's 2008 over where most of you are located). 

We have about 4-5 more hours.  Did 2008 arrive a-ok?

As mentioned above, it feels great! After getting past the initial uncomfortableness (at least for me).

A few days ago I read about hot-cold showers in the book , "The Great Water Controversy" (I made a book report here).

It was written by raw rafoodists (Natural Hygiene folks) so I was interested in what they had to say (they covered different aspects of water and health in this book).

Well, not to throw a cold shower over everyone's fun above (including mine ), I was surprised and intrigued to hear them say, basically, that the hot-cold water showers are actually not the way to go....

Here's what  William L. Esser had to say on this..

Note:  

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Firstly, in the book, he said bathing should be quick and simple and the water should be warm, not hot.  The purpose of bathing is for external cleanliness only.

In regards to hot-cold showers he says (now close your ears if your a hot-cold water fan ):

The body is shocked and suffers a loss of energy every time its subjected to very hot or very cold baths/showers.

"The feeling of exhiliration & stimulation is an active sign of energy being wasted.  In young, vigorous individuals this sensation is not usually followed by any noticeably unpleasant feeling, but in those of older years and less abundant nerve force, there is always definite lassitude, drowsiness, weakness, trembling and other symptoms of enervation.  The reactions resemble in many respects those following the use of alcohol."

In short, the body suffers from severe shocks from such exposures (hot-cold).

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Anyway, it made me think.  I will keep reading and learning.

I've tried some cold showers and I also felt very invigorated.  It's not fun going in, but coming out feels great.  Haven't done it in a while.

A couple of years ago, I attended a polar bear club's annual swim on New Year's Day  ( I was a spectator though).  Apparently, they do this every New Year's so it's not too late to join them!

This was in the New England area  (Northeast U.S.) and there was some snow on the ground that day.

I took some photos:

Interesting contrast in clothes! 



"Polar bears" running into the freezing Atlantic Ocean...

Book Report Summary

(take it for what it's worth, as everyone is, of course, doing what works best for them):

Intro

• We should drink enough water so we are not thirsty.  No more, no less. 
• If your diet is mostly fruits and veggies, then the water requirement is naturally lower.  Other factors to consider:  the climate you live in, the amount of physical work you perform, your health, etc.

Notes

1) We lose about 2 pounds or pints of water a day.

2) Over an extended period of time, if a person continually drinks under the minimum amount needed (for their body), sooner or later, this shows itself as a form of disease (chronic or acute).

3)  Water is necessary for dissolving impurities in the body, facilitating function and cleansing the system.

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1) Hard Water (water with minerals). 

a) Spring,  well-water, etc.

In a nutshell, we as humans cannot absorb the minerals (they're at this point considered inorganic material) in the water.

Plants can absorb them.  We can't.  We eat the plants to get the mineral benefits.

It's like dissolving rich, organic dirt in water and then drinking the solution and expecting to get the benefits from the minerals in the soil.

We drink the water and the minerals  build up in the body and eventually take a toll and show up as hardening of tissues, etc.

b)  Tap water or city water (another form of hard water):

This is the worst of the waters. 

Usually chlorinated, fluoridated and has additives such as aluminum compounds.  Many of the chemicals are in the same category as poisonous gases.

In addition, the inorganic material cannot absorbed and they accumulate in our body.   Again, hardening of the issues occurs over time, clogging up of the system, etc.

2)  Boiled water

Yes, it kills germs.  What's left after the water is boiled?  The dead bodies of the germs.  This is, again, inorganic material, and builds up in the body....

3) Soft water

a)  Distilled water

Considered "pure water" and ideal to drink.

How it's made:   Steam the water, leaving inorganic/organic impurities behind.  This is then cooled and condensed back into pure distilled water.  All solid matter (which would accumulate in our body) is left behind.  We then drink the pure water.

One of water's role is to transport nutrients and wastes.

Distilled/pure can serve the body better and do its role the fastest -- and not hard water which has inorganic material that gets in the way of the body's work.

b)  Rain or snow.

Rain water is the purest of natural water. However, air pollution is a factor to consider as rain absorbs and cleans out the air.

Isolated wilderness (perhaps at high altitudes) can provide water that almost compares with distilled water.

4)  Water from fruits

Water from this finished product from Nature (fruits) is pure.

An important distinction from the other "waters": 

Fruit and veggie juices should be regarded as food --  not as a drink.

They should be taken as part of the meal (preferably as part of the fruits/veggies containing them).  Separated from the whole fruit/veggie, they lose much of their value.  Drinking them between meals leads to overeating and disturbs the process of digestion.


Conclusion:

"Drink pure water if you must drink.  Strive to live on a water-sufficient diet."

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P.S.
My thoughts:  I'm going to look more into distilled water for my drinking water

--> Some people don't drink water.

--> Some people just drink water from fruits/veggies.

--> Others drink mineral water (which can come from various sources).

--> Others prefer distilled water.

--> And some drink what many of us grew up drinking, are very familiar with, and enjoyed as growing, healthy, children:   tap water.

Others may not even think about it and just drink whatever.


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I just finished reading a pamphlet-book that is a collection of articles about water and health :

• "The Great Water Controversy " from 9 different authors (T.C. Fry, Herbert Shelton, etc.).
  
  The book looks old (maybe from the 1970s - there's no date ).  It's a natural hygienist book-pamphlet, but I was impressed how they addressed the various water issues.  I learned a lot from it.
  
  

I thought I'd share what I read in a book report (see post below).

P.S. Rudolf, this was the water book I was reading that you asked me about in another thread.

I go to potlucks, but sometimes I just have other things to do.

If I know there's an interesting speaker that day or demo, however, I tend to make more of an effort to go.   That's just me.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Most of the people I've seen at potlucks are not all raw.  Some of the regulars are not even vegan at raw vegan potlucks.  I enjoy meeting different people.

Sometimes people are just  curious, just want to eat healthier, are visiting, transitioning, etc.

In general, I find most are not all raw and most likely will never be. 

In any case, the potluck leaders/organizers (who are usually not 100% raw), do a good job of inviting and make it a point to welcome all new/interested/curious people and are friendly.  Making people feel welcome helps. 

Hi SPB07,

Sounds like you have done some homework and are ready to go!  That's awesome you already like veggies - I think you've got a good headstart with that.

I went into raw not liking either veggies or fruits. 

Just go with what you like, read more, eat more raw, etc.

I think a lot will depend on your goals (and it sounds like you know what you want) and how you feel you are doing in achieving them.   Yes, go at your own pace, self-adjust if necessary, etc.

I think you'll do fine. 

Welcome.

Thanks guys! 

I recently discovered some Southern California orange deals.  Went to the Farmer's Market in San Diego and found local Valencia oranges (no sprays) for USD 38 cents/pound.  Bought about 40 lbs worth of oranges (some I will pass on to friends).

Freedom, I'm very interested as well!!

I'm also guessing bananas in the middle....looks light and pretty...and good!

Aloha Neet,

Sounds like you're being very patient as well as open to other options to help you move forward.  Hang in there!  Yup, it seems like the things we want to heal first, heal later, and the things we didn't think would happen, happened! 

By the way,  anytime you need help with pictures, let me know. I'll be back home in a few days at my computer (am currently at my sister's in another city) and I'll be able to easily work with photots then.

Aloha,

Rosal

In regards to the few quotes from the book above, Joseph Campbell says something similar on one of his CDs...When I first heard it, I could definitely relate to it...

He quotes someone else saying:

Play Hamlet.  Don't be Hamlet.

(Especially as Hamlet dies in the end). 

In other words, in the big scheme of things/reality/life, we're aware of what we're doing, but are not really there (in a way). 

I love reading a good book as well.  Have to get back into that routiine as well. 

I'm currently reading a book about what kind of water would be ideal for us to drink.  Interesting info.