Still Feeling Yucky

[akh78749]

I have been raw almost 1 1/2 months now. The first two weeks were fabulous. I had lots of energy and felt great. But since then, I have been vacillating between feeling okay and feeling very tired and irritable. Very little energy.

Could this just be detox? I know everyone is different, but has anyone experienced detox for 3 weeks or more after going raw? I have been really good staying raw. Only had a couple of slip ups. I feel like I am eating extremely healthy too and getting a good variety of stuff.

Does anyone know why I could be so low on energy? For the last few days I haven't had much of an appetite either. I haven't been able to excercise much because I just don't feel like it. I have gone to the gym, but I don't last long. I just want to go lie down.

Ugh. Tired of being tired.

[juliebove]

Are you eating a balanced diet? Getting enough iron? How is your thyroid? Could you have diabetes?

[akh78749]

Yes, I am eating a balanced diet of fruits and greens as well as taking vitamin supplements. Thyroid is fine. No diabetes.

[rawnora]

Dear AKH...,
Think about what you're asking your body to do. Over the several decades that you've been eating cooked food, it had to adapt so that it could stay functional on foods that it couldn't fully recognize, break down and assimilate. It protected you from yourself. The foods you're eating now don't require those same adaptive devices. The body will be discarding them (aka healing), and this requires energy. So, in one way the energy that you used to have available for outward activities is being redirected to internal ones.

In addition, over the years, your body has taught itself to produce energy from very dense, concentrated foods. The foods you're eating now are very dilute by comparison. So the body has to re-learn how to create energy. It can do this all on its own, but it takes time and in the meanwhile, it won't be so good at producing energy. Weakness and/or lethargy are the result. This is part of the healing process. It's all good.

Also, what we are used to thinking of energy when we were eating these harmful foods was actually stimulation. Eating harmful foods occasions hormonal activity bursts, which are experienced as highs. Eating raw, biologically appropriate foods doesn't cause these same responses in the body, and this will naturally make us feel different than we're used to. Real energy doesn't feel like a caffeine buzz, it's much more subtle, constant and comfortable.

It's very common for new raw fooders to go through alternating periods of feeling very energetic and feeling very low on energy. Healing happens in cycles. The body takes some of its newfound vitality and directs it to reconstruction for awhile, and then it takes a break from that while it builds energy up again. The best thing to do is learn to adapt your behavior to the needs of your body. In other words, when you feel tired, you shouldn't drag yourself to the gym. When you feel energetic, be as active as you can be.

Sometimes these feelings of low energy can be traced to eating the wrong foods, eating complex combinations, high fat, etc., and in those cases it's helpful to learn from the experience and make improvements. When you're in a period of low energy, it's always best to ease your body's digestive burden by eating more simply of fruits and tender greens. If you do this, you should be feeling better within a few days. The only caveat is that if doing this makes you feel tempted to backslide into cooked foods, add the fats and complex combos back in to the extent that it helps you avoid backsliding.

Hope this helps. Hang in there, what you're going through is totally normal and expected.

Best wishes,
Nora
www.RawSchool.com

[akh78749]

Thanks so much, Nora.

That's what I was hoping was happening. I just needed to hear it again. It's easy to get worried when you are going through a long detox. I have abused myself with alcohol and cigarrettes for years. I know I have a long way to go. You are right about not dragging myself to the gym. I just need to rest when I am as tired as this. People keep telling me I should work out to get my energy back up, but my body is telling me to rest. So I will.

I appreciate you taking the time to give me such a detailed response. :)

[Lay-Lay]

Today is my 49th day raw and I am still going through detoxes. It's normal. You can have detox off and on for up to 2 years on raw. How many years have you been eating cooked food? Real results are worth waiting on.

[miachris]

I'm having the same problem too. I've been about 75% raw for a few months & 100% raw for 8 days and feel horrible. I'm so fatigued I don't know what to think or do.

Does anyone have any suggestions to help w/ energy during detox?
Are there any raw food concoctions we can take to help?

Thanx :)
Miachris

[vgloveforlife]

I think one of the problems can be too much fat. Eat less fat and see how you feel. Good luck. You will feel better soon I'm sure. It is a long process but worth waiting for!

[veganman]

I personally have more energy when I eat more fat and more calories. Make sure you are getting enough calories.

[Sunshine9]

Other factors in addition to detox-- are you drinking a lot of water? You'll need more to assist in detoxification. What are you eating? Perhaps too much fruit, too much fat, or eating late at night might not be agreeing with you. Just to think about, and see what is in fact working for your body. Getting enough sleep? Emotions?

I think it is completely normal to still be feeling detox now.. Raw nora really hit the nail on the head with her post.

If you're tired, rest as much as you can, drink a lot of water, and eat raw!! :)

[NFrawRUNNER]

AKH and LAY-LAY.....Can I just say you are both inspirational....I know this thread is about "not feeling good" but reading your "stats" on the weight you've lost is AWESOME!!! You are both doing fantastic and in such a short period of time...Think of what your body (inside) is going through! The demons are saying "where's the cheeseburgers???" Let's wear her out and she'll come back to them!!! Detox takes its own sweet time...I've decided it's a 2 steps forward, 1 step back kind of thing!!! I started raw August, 2005 and sometimes I still just get WIPED OUT...then you just hit the hay early and start a new day the next morning! Good luck girls! You are doing great! ;)