Having a really hard time on raw . . .

[julesmoz]

Dear Fellow Rawers,

I've had a rough couple of days on raw. I've been partially raw since late November and 100% since late January. For the first few weeks, I saw awesome improvements in my skin and my energy, but then I lost a lot of weight (not good, as I was already right where I wanted to be when I started), my skin broke out, and my energy waned big-time.

I've felt that way ever since December, and it's making it hard to stay motivated to be 100%. Especially since I have several important weddings coming up starting in May, and I don't feel like having everybody saying how thin I am while I'm refusing all of the cooked food because I'm raw.

My energy and appetite have finally improved over the past two days, but even then, it's hard to still be skinny and to still have skin problems and whatnot!

I've just come out of about a week and a half of drinking a lot of green smoothies to try to speed stuff up. I've been giving myself adequate rest, and I don't have any stressful situations in life right now. I've been getting regular light-to-moderate exercise, moderate sun exposure, and good sleep. I've always been eating a lot of greens and fruit, and I moderate my fat intake (it's not super-low, but also not out of control).

Most people seem to report that their detox symptoms come in waves. Mine have been pretty constant the whole time, though never debilitating. Mainly just low energy, skinniness (this is what I hate the most!), and acne breakouts.

What's your reaction? Does it sound like it's "just detox," or do you see me doing something wrong?

I need encouragement to stay the course! It's one thing when you're seeing all these benefits everyone is speaking of, and another thing when none of your clothes fit because they're all too big and your ribs stick out!

Thank you so much! Just know that your replies will be a blessing :)

[sweetgoddess]

Hey, I am glad you wrote this post. I am sure you will get a lot of support and some interesting experiences from people. If you read a lot of different accounts of people going raw you will notice every single one differs. I am curious to know what your diet is.

Also, if you read in depth about detoxification, toxicity, physiology etc you will learn so many amazing things about what your body is doing in there during the times you are losing weight, feeling unenergetic and less than vibrant etc.
It is a lot of work and energy to clean out many years worth of stored up garbage and to regenerate and repair internal damage and it takes some time.
This is so varied by individual genetics and lifestyle/environmental factors!

Your skin is your largest organ of elimination and toxins being pushed out through this system will certainly cause a "break out"
The skin eruptions, and energy in my humble opinion, are sure signs that your body is working hard in there, using its energy to clean from your most internal depths. You can't even imagine what is in there that it is now free to focus on! You sure don't detoxify a lifetime worth of toxins in a couple of months. Hang in there with the wonderful things you are doing for your body, it will generously reward you.
Warmly~
Carmel

[monkeyboy]

Hi Everyone,

Sweetgoddess speaks the truth.

She's a freakin' moderator and a big monster truck fan.

We are all different.

It's not easy at first to stay raw.

Stick with it and keep us updated.

Support is here.

Read posts by rawkinlocs, sweetgoddess, rawtruth, misslinda , and the ever so humble tglasco.


Peace,

M.B.

[tiger-88]

Hi, I been raw ( well - my coffee ) :p for 6 weeks now and today was the first day that I felt bad the whole time I have been raw. But I went to bed with a small sinus headace and when I got up it wouldn't small anymore :eek: and I took my first sinus med. since been raw and it flew me for a loop! It took me all day to get over that and I have been so hungry all day. Even was tempted to eat something cooked . But I hung in there and made me a good old smoothie a few hrs. ago and as of right now am back on track. Just setting here thinking how my body reacted to something unnatural being put in it after only a short time been raw. I have always said " there anit nuntin worth having that it anit going to be hard to keep " and for me being raw is a keeper ! :D
Tim

[Born2run]

I'm still detoxing after 2 weeks. I get headaches a metallic taste in my mouth and copious amounts of congestion, to the point that I can't cope with it. Today I am past most of the congestion, if I could just get my nose back so I can smell things again. Just hang in there, the worst will be behind you. The frustrating thing is if I would have stayed raw when I first did it in 2000, I'd be past all that. Judy :confused: :confused: :confused:

[Schall]

Please don't worry about being too skinny for a minute. Your body was built on cooked food and it has to get rid of all of that. Once you have been raw for awhile your body will find it's natural weight - BUT it will be built with good cells :D When people worry about how "unhealthy" you look, just let them know it will get worse before it gets better - but you are in it for "The Better!" I am in the same process right now - down to 113 @ 5'6 with large bone structure. My face is breaking out too. You will lose more weight, but when it comes back it will be truly healthy weight.

Be good to yourself through the process :)
Schall

[sweetgoddess]

uh.....monster truck fan?? haha! :p

[julesmoz]

Wow, Carmel. Thank you so much for your encouragement! Thank you so, so much! Your post was exactly what I needed to hear. And I respect everything you have to say, because I know you've been exposed to a huge variety of raw experiences and people!

The rest of you were very encouraging, too. Each of you had a little nugget of affirmation and confirmation, so thank you!

Can you please explain a little about what's going on internally during the skinny stage? I think it would help my motivation tremendously to know what my body is doing in there.

Also, just because the body is rebuilt doesn't mean it won't keep detoxing, right? Just at lower levels, or with longer intervals of rest and vitality in between?

[firefaery]

Dr. Joel Fuhrman talks about the "skinny" aspect a bit in his book, "Eat to Live." It's a vegan diet that is mainly raw-and he says he continually sees patients that are at their ideal body weight lose and regain. He states that it is teh body's way of shedding unhealthy tissue and growing back with new health. Pretty much what was already posted-just further confirmation.
The skin problems are also a sign of detox, and you should be over it quickly. In the mean time you could try to support your liver through the cleanse. Raw cucumber and beets do this really well. You could also grind milk thistle seed into your smoothie-it will assist the detoxification process and strengthen your liver to hopefully also speed you through it. Good luck!

[RawTruth]

From one too-skinny to another --

You are doing great. Don't you let that 'too-skinny" label stick to you even if it's you yourself pasting it to your forehead.

Your body, in its infiinite wisdom, is doing whatever the heck it knows is right to do in there. It'd probably help us big-brainers if it'd clue us in, I know. Other animals just trust (hmmm? well, that's a leap cuz I'm not sure that they even think) their bodies, but we humans have to get our minds all involved and that gets ourselves into trouble.

Your body has intuitive healing power. As long as you're nourishing it with ripe, whole fruits and veggies and germinated seeds and nuts, it'll function as it was designed to. For some, before it's smooth sailing, it has to do battle with all the toxins that we've tucked away into all those hiding places -- down to the cells.

Trust, believe, give it time. And then, give it more time.

By the way, you might consider extending your 1-1/2 weeks on green smoothies indefinitely. Victoria Boutenko explains the "too-skinny" issue in Green for Life as a lack of stomach acid which prevents out food from being digested properly. Complete digestion is the key to our health, of course, since, if much of the good stuff is eliminated without being assimilated, the nourishing stuff is basically going down the toilet!! Eeek!! the images!

[Maria]

Julesmoz, glad you posted on this issue cuz I'm in the same boat! I've also lost a lot of my appetite, but I'm not worried about that since it'll come back. I've been craving oranges so I've been eating those by themselves. Last night I had bad body aches as if I was coming down with the flu and I was working until midnight. I don't like having to work when I would rather crawl into bed and rest. But I got through it and this morning I'm feeling better. I'm trying to listen to my body and what it wants.
Has anyone had acupuncture to help with the detox??

Maria

[julesmoz]

Man, everybody. Thank you so much for the confirmation! I think I just wanted to hear, from as many people as possible, that the skinny thing (and the skin problems) are a normal part of the process, and that it will pass! These boards are SUCH a blessing!

Regarding the low stomach acid you talked about, RawTruth . . . I've been wondering about that. I've heard the same thing, and I've been assuming that after enough time on raw, your stomach acid gets stronger. Is that true? I wonder, too, because my BMs turn green whenever I have a green smoothie (mind you, I do put a lot of greens in those things -- usually about the amount that's in a large salad). Does that mean I'm not assimilating them well, or is it just that greens change BM color just like beets do?

[Sharon in Colorado]

JM can you give some info about you - your diet, activity, how much do you sleep, get out in the sun, air, bowel frequency, any stresses, and other lifestyle factors?

When you run into problems like this, it's usually something you aren't doing or doing too much of, and a few changes here and there can help.

[RawTruth]

Maria -- What do you mean by "help" with the detox. Are you looking for something to help with the symptoms? They usually are gone rather quickly and some people find it helpful to be thankful for them as it's our wonderful bodies getting rid of the toxins. Are you asking whether acupuncture can help move the toxins out faster?

Julesmoz - I highly recommend the book. The only part I didn't like was what I felt was Victoria's assumption that all raw fooders eat like they did -- nut- and dehydrated-heavy foods with little to no greens. That doesn't detract from the main message of the book, however.

Anyway, I don't know about the BM color, but there's little indication in the book as to whether the HCL will return. I emailed her about this myself, but didn't really get an answer since I think that only time will tell.

Blending the greens in (starting with 60% fruit to 40% greens and then increasing slowly) bypasses part of the digestive process so that you will assimilate the food better. You should "chew" each mouthful also to work in the saliva. The mouth is really where the most important work of digestion happens.

I'm sure you already know this, but for any newbies reading this -- Go to www.rawfamily.com for green smoothie recipes.

[rawpriestess]

first off,

Keep drinking those great green smoothies, they are doing their job of detoxing you.

you may wish to try using only honey on your face as a wash, just put a tsp in your palm, smeer it on your face and rinse off, although you are detoxing, and all this stuff is coming out of your body, the honey is an antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral, also it makes you skin super smooth and soft,

you may also with to try parsley juice, (be careful to dilute as it can stain the skin green) or fresh strawberries, smashed up and put on the face, they are an astringent and will help to pull out the oils etc from your skin, use this at night as a mask, then wash with honey, wake up to fresh clear skin.

[julesmoz]

I just started washing my face with honey about two weeks ago, and I love it! I have no doubt about the merits you mentioned, but I do wonder . . . does it remove makeup and grime? If not, what would you recommend? I've had the hardest time finding a facial cleanser that actually cleans, yet doesn't strip my face of moisture.

I have normal skin, if that matters, and I really prefer to use natural products if at all possible.

Thank you so much!