James learned about Natural Hygiene in his youth and became an ardent follower of Dr. Herbert M. Shelton, who defined and developed the science, laying down guidelines for food combining and fasting with an emphasis on raw, whole foods. James had his share of health challenges during childhood, including being born crippled and undergoing successful but invasive surgeries. He also had asthma and suffered a collapsed lung. He has been exploring the relationship between diet and health ever since he responded favorably to the whole foods vegan diet his doctor suggested for him when he was about 10 years old.

James was fortunate to be raised in the indigenous California lifestyle by his grandparents on the San Pasqual Indian reservation. They spoke the native Kumeyaay tongue & ate the traditional acorn mush, seeds, vegetables and fruit in season, and resisted the sugar, refined wheat and meat introduced by the invading cultures. Some of his other relatives, cousins, including an aunt, worked at Dr. Bernard Jensen's health retreat in Escondido. Although Jensen was of interest to James he choose to follow a more complete natural hygiene program of Gerald Benesh, Herbert M. Shelton, et al. James prefers to call his understanding of natural hygiene, native hygiene instead, out of respect for the past.

James is licensed in conventional healthcare with a background in post grad music therapy @ Cal State Universities including Stanford University where he obtained a research grant and has worked as a medical technician for several decades. He reared four children, two home births he helped deliver & raised his children along the reservation on virgin terrain without municipal water or electricity as hygienically as possible.

James is a blood member of several Southern California Mission Indian tribes, and is active in preserving the languages and culture of his heritage. He practices repatriation of ancestral remains, & is a certified aerobics instructor. He enjoys singing the traditional songs of the Kumeyaay and Acjachamen and Tongva Kuruvungna Tribes and plays a variety of classical woodwind instruments including several native flutes.

James leads herb walks explaining the names and uses of much of the California flora. He lectures on Natural Hygiene and California history from the native perspective. He enjoys posting on Yahoo groups such as INHS and Rawschool, and corresponding with his friends on Facebook.

Here is an interview James did with Revvell on Rawkin Radio:

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Jera was raised on a family farm in Southern California with fruit trees and dairy goats. She began her study of nutrition at an early age being lectured by her parents on the dangers of processed, refined foods, synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, and being raised on whole foods. Back in the 1950s, she was taking sandwiches to school made from her mother's home-made whole-wheat bread. She learned to garden, care for trees, milk goats, make cheese, and butcher before she was out of high school. She helped make desserts for the family from whole wheat, honey and olive oil. Jera was keenly aware of the reality of where meat comes from, having been raised on a family farm, and began exploring the world of vegetarian cuisine. She read a lot about diet and health, attended classes and lectures on the subject, and eventually received a bachelor’s degree in Natural Health from Clayton College. As a teenager Jera learned of the ideal of raw foods while studying yoga. Later she became involved with a church that taught the benefits of a whole foods diet and periodic fasting. The idea of a diet of raw plant foods was presented as an ideal to aspire to and gradually transition toward. Jera took her time and eventually completed the transition to all simple raw foods.

Jera enjoys raw food socials, health lectures, and devotionals where the oneness of religion is acknowledged such as Baha’i, Sufi, and Essene. She likes to sing and play the guitar, writes poetry, prose and songs. She also enjoys crafts and web page design. She has four adult children and three grandchildren.

Click the duck to see some of Jera's favorite meals ...definitely not a sweet little ducky!