Of course the first person I should write about here is Robert Bootzin, aka Gypsy Boots.
Bootzin was born in California in 1914. He was a fitness pioneer, actor, and gained a cult following from his books "Barefeet and Good Things to Eat" and "The Gypsy in Me." His brother died of tuberculosis and after his death Bootzin devoted his life to natural and healthy living. Bootzin is known as the man who introduced America to alternative lifestyle practices like health food and yoga. Bootzin and his group, the Nature Boys, were decades ahead of the Hippie Movement. They lived off the land in Tahquitz Canyon, near Palm Springs; living in caves, bathing in waterfalls, and being seasonal fruit pickers. Bootzin founded one of the first health food stores in the world, The Health Hut. He supported eating only organic food, not drinking alcohol, and not smoking. Bootzin and the Nature Boys championed in the countercultural movements of the 1950s and 1960s. A man before the times, forging a path for those of us today who advocate for healthy lifestyles, enjoy nature, and see the demise of civilization in our money-centred, techno-addicted, and artificially flavoured world. |