Heaven help the person who asks me about my experience at Health and Fitness Week. Even my short answer takes about 15 minutes of excited blather, complete with visual aids and perhaps an attempted handstand!

But who could blame me? I went in with great expectations, and knowing just a little about what was in store, but came away with more that I could have imagined. Let me explain. And be warned: This will take about 15 minutes!

I had looked forward to a week of eating only raw, organic fruits and vegetables. (Though I was already about 80% raw, this was a bit daunting.) But I wasn?t prepared to see the tables at mealtime overflowing with bowls and platters of the freshest, tastiest produce to be found. As it must have been in Eden, we campers ate our fill of nectarines, grapes, peaches, melons, bananas, figs, dates, sugar sweet cherry tomatoes (addictive!) celery, greens, red peppers, lemon cucumbers, avocados, strawberries, raspberries and blackberries. The kitchen staff outdid themselves, making sure that all were fed to capacity.

I had looked forward to the many and varied workouts, having heard much about Doug Graham and John Pierre. Yet I was still amazed at the fact that there was a class for everyone's skill and ability level. And the variety, diversity and scope of the workouts touched on all aspects of human physical fitness: strength, agility, endurance, coordination and rhythm. I chose to attend each of the three two-hour workout classes each day during the whole week. My name for this personal goal was 'Voluntary Boot Camp for the Athletically Insane.'

I had known there would be other campers, raw foodists of varying degrees attending the event in the pursuit of higher health. But I was moved and enlightened by the tales of tough journeys that these individuals had traveled bringing them to the raw way of life. Their eyes and smiles shined brighter, their minds worked faster, their laughter came easier, they listened more attentively and their hearts gave more freely than the average Joe. Yes, I guess you could say I bonded with 38 strangers, whom I now consider 'my kind.'

For me, it was a tough week, but one I embraced. I endured aching muscles, tested the limits of my physical abilities, and often risked embarrassing myself in front of the members in my group as I attempted new activities. This was all my choice, just as each of the other campers chose how s/he would spend her/his time and energy. Each of us came to know why we were there and what we wanted to get from it.

It wasn't until I returned home that I fully realized the scope of my experience at Health and Fitness Week. Seven days of eating fruits and vegetables purified me, inspiring me to continue on the raw path. And I was stronger, more resilient. One bit of proof is that after five hours of hard yard work I didn?t have any sore muscles the next day. But the lasting and most beautiful benefit of this wonderful week was the time I spent with my fellow and sister campers, the instructors, and the staff. Sharing this experience with them was a blessing I hadn't counted on.

For anyone considering attending Health and Fitness Week, know this: It's a place to discover the beautiful ability of your own body, a place to eat your fill of Earth's real food, and a place to belong to the loving community of raw fooders.

My fifteen minutes are up, so excuse me now. I feel a handstand coming on!