Lucia,

> > There is plenty of chlorine in Mexico's city water, so it is
> likely to me
> > that risk of contamination from raw vegetables is very small, unless a
> > specific incidence of contamination was to happen.
>
> ah. so why don't people report getting sick from local micro-orgnisms when
> they come here. or do they?
>

Don't know if they do or not. But most people get sick quite often for
various reasons, even when not travelling, and Liza pointed out the
air-travel factor.

> > I could see it affects Lucy like everybody else; she was drinking
> > sodas for quick energy and got very tired at the end of a day even
> > quicker than I - I told her about my mercury problem and she has a
> > number of mercury fillings in her teeth herself. We are all subject
> > to the same laws of nature.
>
> some people just don't want to be informed that they are living an
> unhealthy lifestyle. but I'm sure you made an impression nontheless.

I really was not judgmental of her at all, and she was not critical of
me. And she certainly does know that sugar is bad. But just the whole
thing made her uncomfortable. I think if I had told her that her
suffering a broken hip recently might be related to the soft drinks it
would not have helped matters.

> One of my hosts in Brazil wasn't able to socialize without a drink.
> One night when she met us to go sit on the beach she even brought her
> own wine bottle with her! One day over lunch she found an article about
> Gary Null and his advice on nutrition and anti-aging in a local magazine.
> shelaughed at his notions. And I encounter that here too all the time. I
> have one friend (with an over eating problem) who actually gets offended
> when I offer her food if I'm making for myself. "you don't have to feed
> me" she says and stomps out in search of a hamburger I suppose. I don't
> get it. it used to frustrate me. now it just makes me sad and puzzles me.
> the only place I will put my foot down is with my husband. not that he
> resists any of this, but he'd eat all cooked if I didn't watch it. and
> that can get tiresome too. I pray that one day he'll "get" it.

Does eating cooked not have any immediate negative effect on him? I
would
think once a person does mostly or all-raw and enjoys the benefits or
sees
symptoms or conditions lessen or disappear they usually would want to
stick
to it. Then again Lynton and others do well with a lot of cooked. I
wonder
how the food situation will play out with me if I get into a serious
relationship. I think if I ever have kids my partner would have to
share
most of my beliefs (at least on things like vaccinations and
Halloween) or
it just wouldn't work.

Anyway, generally I just allow people to do their own thing and they
let me
do my own, excepting if a person is interested or a close friend and
has an
open mind - then I will tell them about what I do and how it has
helped me,
and refer them to a book or website. After that it is up to them.

An interesting example is my co-worker from a Cameroon village with
the
wonderful teeth. Unfortunately she now eats the Western
convenience-food
diet  - lots of bagels and sub-sandwiches and snack-bars - and is
obviously
suffering for it with an ear problem, frequent infections, fatigue,
etc. I
think she will be needing a dentist soon unless she changes. And gosh,
the
dental problems in our society cause enormous suffering. She knows it
is not
good and not what she grew up on but somehow she doesn't see the way
to
simply 'correct' back to her natural diet. She is smart enough to stay
away
from the candy-bowl others keep filling up, but that is not enough.

> meantime - hope you feel better soon!

I do feel better, thanks!

Paul