Hi Lynton!
Thank you for such a thoughtful letter.  Really stimulates new thinking, and
lots of questions!

You write:
> << At present I believe that problems with digestion _could_ come from
> one or more of :
> (1) foods that require the body to contribute digestive enzymes
>     (espescially cooked foods).
> (2) foods that contain lectins and other things  that react with the
>     immune system.
> (3) lack of a suitable proportion of beneficial gut organisms.
> (4) trauma/disease in the gut tissue.
> (5) trauma/disease in the digestive organs. >>

Why do you feel that the body must contribute digestive enzymes in order to
digest cooked foods, but not raw?  I understood that the human gut will
secrete the necessary specific enzyme for digestion of each particular
substance - raw foods included.  Perhaps cooked foods cause problems because
new compounds are created for which our guts are not prepared. Is this what
you mean?  I have often seen some confusion people seem to have over enzymes
found in  foods - where people assume that the plant's enzymes are necessary
for human digestion.  I don't beleive that this is the case. The plant's
enzymes exist for the plant's own metabolic needs.  Do you agree? (By the way
- my own diet is 80% raw - for other reasons).

Which foods are you thinking of when you refer to those that react with the
immune system? Do you mean allergens for the particular individual, or
something else?

You write:
> << Fasting is not a long-term solution, is it?  (Long term fasting is
> "breatharian" approach, huh?). >>

I guess I don't think of fasting as long-term solution, but kind of a
"vacation."  After the vacation, my body has to return to "real life,"
which I try to make as healthy as I can figure out.

You write:
> << By eating foods that are easily absorbed, the body gains enzymes
> and has extra energy and resoures to cope with recovery.  Does this
> make sense to you? >>

Well, it makes sense to me that the body has energy and resources when it
can absorb nutrients, but I'm still not clear on your comments about
gaining enzymes.  Like I mentioned earlier, I don't beleive that we gain
enzymes from foods.  We synthesize our own enzymes, and are able to do so
with exact specificity for the food that needs to be digested.  That's
what I have learned.  How does your understanding differ?

 You write:
> <<  if I eat say a pound of meat raw (having carefully selected it
> and prepared it) I notice no digestive effect.  If I make a meal of
> the same pound of meat cooked, even lightly then I notice my
> metabolism is slowed, thinking duller ( and I could even go to sleep )
> plus I notice a sort of digestive effort in my stomach. >>

What do you mean by "digestive effect?"  Do you mean you don't feel anything
going on in your gut, and no tiredness? (like with cooked food?)

 You write:
> << Now I happen to know that the meat I eat is good for me (being a
> type-O).  But there are people who cannot tolerate meat well at all,
> and are naturally suited to a vegetarian diet. >>

When Adamo's (or whatever the name is) book came out about blood types,
there was a lot of talk around here, and everyone was all excited.  My
husband thinks its right on the mark, and so do a number of nutritionist
friends of mine.  But for some reason, I'm not sure why, it just strikes
me wrong - like a fad. I am also type-O+ - and actually, through trial
and error, my diet has evolved to be almost identical to the one
recommended for my blood type. And I DO require lots of aerobic excercise,
like I'm "supposed" to. But somehow it still just seems like a sweeping
over-simplification, to put people into so few categories, and not consider
so many other factors.  I don't know. Something just doesn't seem right.
Why do you subscribe to this theory?

You write:
> <<  I am taking the trouble to write this because I sense that you
> are really interested in getting well by as natural means as possible
> - otherwise I would recommend _most_strongly_ to consult with a good
> medical practioner. >>

Lynton - I thank you very much for taking the time to write!!  I sure
appreciate it!  I am hungry (funny word to use when fasting) for knowledge,
and your letters help me to think.
You are right - I am stubbornly trying to get "well" (whatever that is)
without having to consult with a professional. But I will if I can't figure
things out on my own.

You write:
> << You have tried fasting many times, and you are worse now than before
> you  ever fasted.  This is true?  Surely it is time to examine other
> possibilities?  Yes or No? >>

Well I have fasted many times, over the past 10 years or maybe even 15 -
but not because of specific health problems. I have always fasted, like
I say, to give my body a rest. I wouldn't say that I'm "worse" now than
before. I feel I'm pretty healthy, really. (Everyone else thinks of me
as the total "Model of Health"). Its just that I have two problems that
don't seem to be going away (the fibroids I'd mentioned before, which
only developed in the last two years, and a constriction of my lungs
when running - with extreme shallowness of breath).  So I thought the
fast might help.  I guess you don't agree, huh?!?

 You write:
> << I feel that I must make some more comments about fasting:
> To lose weight, dieting does not work.  People typically put on more
> weight than they had before afterwards. (Look at your own experience
> and decide if this is true for you. >>

Well my weight stays the same no matter WHAT I do. Of course during the
fast I lose a lot of water weight at first (this time 12 pounds the first
week), and then after that it creeps downward very slowly (like a pound
every two days or so). But as soon as I start eating, the weight comes
back, and stabilizes at EXACTLY the same weight I carried in high school!
Its weird. My body seems to want to be a particular weight, and nothing
seems to change it.  So I don't worry about the weight at all.

You write:
> << The weight lost includes muscle mass, which takes a lot of effort
> to put back - the weight regained is mostly non-muscle.>>

Since I am staying in bed almost entirely during this fast, the weight lost
is HOPEFULLY fat reserves (with all their accumulated toxins) and - HOPEFULLY
HOPEFULLY stupid things like my ##@**##  FIBROIDS!!!!!!!!   AAAAGGHHHH!!!
 Anyway, that is the hope.  If I were up and around, like I'm not supposed
to do, you are right - I would probably force my body to resort to
"glycolysis" to draw glucose from the muscle tissue, in order to provide
enough energy for the extra exertion. But I'm trying to be good.

As for putting it back (the muscle tissue) - I am a personal trainer (as
well as a nutritionist) so I work out every day anyway - and I don't mind
at all losing a little muscle if it will help me to be healthier. I'll
put it back on easily.

You write:
> << If you continue to eat the foods you ate before, then you will get
> back more of the same food-related problems (toxins, etc). >>

Yes, thank you. That is a useful reminder. So I'll just have to figure out
what foods are the problem ones. Thanks.

You write:
> << True, fasting does release toxins into the system.  But alot of them
> may only be redistributed in the body (in addition to making you feel
> bad).>>

Is this true? It never occurred to me that toxins may not be eliminated,
just redistributed! What causes this? How is this avoided? I've never
heard this before.  This doesn't sound good at all. Please say more!

 You write:
> << To understand why eating is important to toxin disposal you need to
> understand the metabolic pathways involved.  If the body does not have
> a supply of the required materials, the toxins cannot be excreted! >>

Please explain more. This is all new to me. Which metabolic pathways are
you referring to? Which required materials? This is an entirely new line
of thought for me, and I am eager to hear your thinking.

 You write:
> <<  Who is Haagen-Das ? >>

Oh! This was just an attempt at a joke. Haagen-Das is a brand of ice-cream
- very rich and creamy (fatty). You have never seen it? or heard of it? -
or EATEN IT????? My God, you're good!

Lynton - Thank you very much for the long letter, and all your thoughts.
Looking forward to hearing from you again!

Lots of Love,    Liza

ps Have you ever fasted? How was it? Or did you always think it was a bad
idea?