I'm letting it all out

[twinyoga]

Please give me some thoughts....

I've been such a raw advocate for so long, and I still am! But I'm not eating like I use to. I was a "super raw woman" for the longest time, and then I did a major 21 day cleanse (with the guidance of a local living food nutritionist) and at the end of the cleanse I have not had one all raw day. I just can't get into the swing of things. I'm trying to listen to my body, I'm not being hard on myself, I'm allowing and forgiving...but I sure don't feel as powerful and as energetic as I do when I eat all raw.

So, what's the advice all of you would share with me?

You can also check out my journal.

Thanks so much.

[shakti17]

Hi Debbie!

I can definately relate to your experience. Every time I have done any type of cleanse/fast/colonic, I have always gone back to eating more cooked foods after.

I feel it is because the cleasnse causes us to release a lot more quickly than just a plain ol' raw diet. i feel that sometimes we are not ready for the lightness that results, so we want to go back to what has become comfortable - carrying stuff in our bodies! does that make sense?

probably you are still eating a healthy diet, even though you have some cooked. you could just go back to raw all day with lara bars, some cooked vegan for dinner if you want... i bet you can get back on the raw track within a week if you want.

just stay away from bread if you can! i do eat cooked sometimes, as you know, and i find it OK until I do bread - then the cooked spree begins! it is SO addictive for me.

hope that helps --- the other way you may be able to get used to your new lightness is through yoga/meditation.

:rolleyes:

[Cinnamon]

Hi Debbie!

I at first wondered when I read your post why the body would crave cooked foods after a cleanse as I thought that was such a sure way to detox quickly and get right on track 100% as I've thought of doing the same thing. So the explanation that shakti17 gave made a lot of sense to me (thank you!) because a cleanse is so deep.

Sorry I don't have any answers but I know you will hear a lot of great advise here, and it is so good to hear from you again!

[twinyoga]

Thanks Cinnamon and Shakti. I am frustrated. I mean I am a 100% raw advocate and was living that life and the cleanse was an amazing experience. I lost 7 lbs., felt great and all. But the second the cleanse was over I just haven't felt balanced. I don't feel good eating cooked but I keep adding it to a meal. The funny thing is, I have people coming to me (locally) for raw food advise now! I'm even hosting raw food potlucks. So, I can't preach what I don't practice!

I'm thinking I need to start making more raw "goodies" like I did when I first started raw. And ease back into the really simple foods. Maybe.

Still looking for more suggestions.

By the way, my yoga practice is pretty intense. I practice an Anusara style daily and have two great teachers. So my physical awareness is pretty strong.

[asil]

You know, I always rebound the way you did from a fast. Then I read in an ayurvedic text that some types, esp. vata types, are not recommended to fast. It just makes them too ungrounded. So for now, I'm not going to be fasting. I hope some day in the future I'll be ready for it, but for now, I turn to other types of cleansing -- sauna, days of silence, media-free days, ayurvedic massage, and of course, lots of yoga. :)

Hope you feel better soon.

[shakti17]

yes, i have studied ayurvedic nutrition too, and for a vata to cleanse, they recommend a liquid breakfast and dinner, but to have a mid-day meal. I am a vata vata vata! (actually some pitta too) i have never been able to fast successfully. I always end up getting mental!

Deb, you do not seem like vata to me. i am not sure, but i would guess pitta. that could be why you are determined to be all raw raw raw!!! pittas tend to be very goal oriented, firey types. of course most people have elements of all 3 types -- i would guess you might be pitta-kapha, but not sure. do you know your dosha?

anyway, deb, first of all - you ARE practicing what you preach. you are still a raw foodist. you could do a 30 day challenge again and just go back to eating anything you want whenever, so long as it's raw. i was thinking to begin a 30 day challenge tomorrow - so if you want company that is possible.

[Rainbow]

Hi Twinyago,

I did 3 months juice diet from end of last year. And now I only keep breakfast as juice diet. The rest: lunch and dinner are salad.
You know what, I am craving meat!!! I have been vegan for 6/7 years. All the cooked food and meat smell so good and look so inviting to me! Before I was eating raw, I felt disgusting when smelling the meat. But after intensive cleaning, I am craving meat. If I do not know the nature law in the universe that everything we do will pay the price. I will eat meat. I am so clear with the result of eating meat and the kamer it creates. I will not eat meat even I want to. I even ate some cooked meat at my dream, felt very guilty in the dream. So my conciousness is so clear to myself.

My reason of craving cooked (meat) food is because I am detoxing the stuff I put in my body at least 7 years ago. When these are coming out, we are on the verge of craving these stuff. I believe you have similar situation. So do not blame yourself. Love and accept yourself...you will pass this period and enter the freedom of raw food.

I am thinking of buying book and DVD from Alissa. Do you think it is worth it?
I can only make salad. I wish to learn more raw food preparation, so I can make for family and friends. If the food are so delicious, everybody will love to eat.

I wish you well and be strong,
with blessing




Thanks Cinnamon and Shakti. I am frustrated. I mean I am a 100% raw advocate and was living that life and the cleanse was an amazing experience. I lost 7 lbs., felt great and all. But the second the cleanse was over I just haven't felt balanced. I don't feel good eating cooked but I keep adding it to a meal. The funny thing is, I have people coming to me (locally) for raw food advise now! I'm even hosting raw food potlucks. So, I can't preach what I don't practice!

I'm thinking I need to start making more raw "goodies" like I did when I first started raw. And ease back into the really simple foods. Maybe.

Still looking for more suggestions.

By the way, my yoga practice is pretty intense. I practice an Anusara style daily and have two great teachers. So my physical awareness is pretty strong.

[rawpriestess]

I noticed that when I eat fruit for a long period of time, I feel great while doing it, but when I start incorporating nuts and things back in, I start to crave meat too.


so, I figured that when I do a fruit fast (just like juice only I eat the fruit, and it's usually only one fruit for a week to a month all day long) then I probably put my self into an unbalanced state, so my body starts to crave anything it can find or smell to fill me up.

So, now I try to always add several things each day to make sure I get what my body wants.

I don't just mono meal any more, or at least not for a month any more.

so, I'll have pinepple for breakfast, snack, lunch, snack and then dinner I make sure I have something with nuts and salad and say tomatoes or something other than just pineapple all day.

then the next day, I'll have pineapple for breakfast, snack and an almond milkshake for lunch, the pineapple for snack and dinner and eve snack, so at least I'm getting something else in there.

I know my body wants what it wants, but I also know from experience, what can happen if I just eat what is easy and tasty to me at the time.

I am not cleansed enough to truly let my body dictate to me what it needs, right now it's just dictating what it wants,

and want and need are two very different things.

[twinyoga]

Now this is funny. (especially for Shakti). I am very, very Pitta. But I have been extremely dry lately and my skin is cracking. I've also been constipated and having trouble getting a flowing period (sorry for all the information). Which I know is a vata imbalance. My yoga teacher mentioned this to me today. So, could I be having a vata imbalance? (not to mention that Cleveland is going through a drought this spring...dry air and my allergies are even acting up which is rare).

Yes, I've been thinking about just eating anything as long as it's raw. That's how I started being raw. And it worked before.

If Shakti or anyone wants to give the 30day all raw a try. I'll go for it ASAP. Even as of now. Afterall, the only non raw food I had today was at lunch. I could start it now at dinner.

[rawpriestess]

twinyoga, I'd be happy to do 30 days, with you, I am on day 37, so another 30 will be just fine with me, how do you wish to proceed?


let me know, and I'm there with yah!

[twinyoga]

Yippee. Ok, we can just start ASAP (I'm already journaling). We can chat via a special thread for starting today, through e-mail, or if you have anyother ideas. Is Shakti going to join us. I've never done the 30 day challenge. Cool.

[shakti17]

yes, i will join you - yay! starting....now!

twinyoga, it does sound like you have a vata imbalance. here are some quick tips to balance vata, in case you are interested:

1. whenever you eat salads, be sure to use an oily dressing! (the oil will balance the airiness in the leaves) - seasame oil is excellent to balance vata.
2. abhyanga (self massage with seasame oil). do this daily if you can - before or after bath, as you prefer. massage whole body with seasame oil, including face and head. sometimes i put seasame oil on bottom of feet and on temples before sleeping. (you can warm the oil if you want)
3. routine is good to balance vata - keep a regular schedule for meals and anything else, such as your kid stuff and yoga practice
4. fats and warm and blended foods are good. (ie - nuts and avos and oils. raw soups warmed. blanched veggies (just put in hot or warm water for a minute, such as kale, to make it warm)

sample vata snack i love: apple with almond butter - the heavy oily nut butter will balance the dry crisp apple! which alone is not a recommended food for vata. get it?

well, that's enough for now --- of course if we are doing the challenge then first thing is first! (ie - raw first, balance vata second)

the reason those tips can be useful, is because ayurveda would not recommend a raw diet for a vata imbalance, but i am interested in how to balance vata on a raw diet.

i hope that wasn't too much info. i could go on and on about ayurveda.... i call it "rawyurveda"! haha

ok deb and rp, let the challenge begin!

ps i'll be signed off all weekend, but i'll check in with you gals monday.

[twinyoga]

Lot's of good information, and I actually understood it all. I'll be journaling and feel free to write to me through comments. Or if you want to start a thread, your choice.

I'm making a salad tonight with sesame oil. Sounds good.

Have a great weekend.

[Light of an Angel]

Hi twinyoga I just wanted to say that you are going to get the swing of raw back :) Good luck on your raw challenge :)

You can do it!!!!

[twinyoga]

I started a thread titled April 21 under journaling and discussions.

[faith4u]

Debbie,

So sorry to hear about your trouble.

How long ago did you finish your fast?

[twinyoga]

Exactly one month ago.

[twinyoga]

Now I'm really going to vent. And then I'm going to bed.

I just weighed myself and I've gained 10 lbs. since my cleanse. This is just not right. I weigh more than when I started the cleanse. I should be between 115 and 120 for my height. And now I'm at 130. I don't understand what is going on. I'm craving food like I'll never have it again, I'm thirsty all of the time, and I'm gaining weight faster than I ever have before.

I'm going to try to forget about this for the evening. But I must know what is happening and stop it. I feel like I've hit a new low.

[rawpriestess]

I'll meet you on the April 21 thread, any one can join us, so come on in the RAW water is fine.