Newbie Questions

[cattail]

I have achieved 15 days raw and have some questions.

My starting point:
Overweight (could lose about 110 lbs)
High blood pressure (2 meds)*
Sleep apnea (mild)*
Anemic (with 3 counts of bad blood cells - too sparse, irregularly shaped, stacked)
PCOS
Painful leg swelling
Acne
Bad knees
1 nearsighted eye, 1 farsighted eye
SAD (minus sodas)

* The point of trying a raw diet was to fix these.

1. My blood pressure has been stable under the meds until starting this diet, and now it seems to be jumping around quite dramatically - yes, I am still taking the meds. My heart rate is very skippy in the evenings (this is what it was like before we found blood pressure meds that didn't have an allergic reaction). Is this normal for body-adjustment? It's very scary.

I know my body is changing, because I've lost 10 lbs (likely a lot of water weight, as the leg swelling disappeared in the first 7 days), and my fingernails are growing faster, and I'm having some issues with my glasses (the prescription seems too strong), and my overall balance and posture have improved.

Could it be too-little salt? I've never been much on adding salt to things, and the stray recipes that called for sea salt, I've been halving. No doubt I had way too much salt on the SAD (cute acronym, I hate acronyms).

2. What should I be doing to compensate for the anemia? I'm not a big raw spinach person, though spinach juice with carrot juice is ok, but I'm not a big fan of doing dishes either (cleaning out my champion juicer daily just seems too much). I'm likely not getting enough greens (just found a place that sold kale last night).

Usually, my test to see if I ought to have a nice rare steak for dinner is to get off the elevator and see if the hallway spins. :) I can tell I'm currently a bit under-iron'd just now (but would iron supplements count as raw?).

3. Had a stomach cramp the night before last - typical muscle cramp, across my stomach. Thoughts on what I ought to do to make sure I get a good balance of nutrients? I've been munching quite a few nuts, avocados, varied fruits, and some vegies - pretty much whatever I want (I don't feel starved or over-full).

4. Are string beans ok to eat raw? This seems rather an odd question, but it's a fundamental one. I'm sure they are (because I've eaten some off the plant in the garden in the past), but I see a lot of recipes, and "eat lots of raw stuff". But are there fruits/vegies that should *not* be eaten raw? Not that I mind leaving them off the diet if they can't, it's just that in wandering around the produce section, I see lots of my favorite things for cooking and sometimes I wonder if they can be eaten raw.

- T

[Lay-Lay]

First of all: Welcome to the forum and to raw foods! Congrats on 15 days raw.

I have personally already improved and or cured some of the conditions you listed. I am on NO medications anymore.

I eat what I want too. If it is raw and a edible fruits, vegetable, herb, grain,bean, nut, seed, then if you want it then eat it.

I have learned of one thing that is toxic to some and I didn't know it until on this board: black beans. They don't effect me but they do others. Most any fruit or veggie you can cook and eat you can also eat raw and most taste much better raw.

I had anemia prior to going raw, but I am not. Maybe soon yours will too.

[cattail]

Thanks for the reply. I had a longish talk last night while floating around the pool with my Dad. He seems to think I ought not be stressing my body so harshly so quickly. He didn't say don't progress to all raw; he said not to jar my system with feeding it completely different stuffs so suddenly, as the system does not have time to adjust.

To which I thought maybe I'd go get Pho soup (I miss that) today, but didn't. I'm most of the way to the 30 days raw? (16 now!). To which I conclude that I shouldn't argue with myself over food things, because I always win? Or I always lose? Easier just to say, "No." and not court the thought. Besides, I have way too much food in the house to consider eating out.

Meanwhile, my legs tried to cramp swimming around the pool, so something's still definitely off. Tried a green smoothie with kale, spinach, parsley, and fresh pineapple. It was a bit odd, but I need the greens.

Oh, and I forgot to include that I'm missing my gall bladder (death by Atkins). I'm not convinced that all raw food will cure me of all my woes, but it makes for a good amusement/hobby at the moment.

[Graciebeliever]

well hobby or no :) Hang out and read a lot and ask questions. Chances are that others are going through what you have in some form or another.
For some it is a gradual change over to raw, For me? Both feet in and up to my neck and I LOVE IT. 33 days with no slipping back to anything not Raw and whole. Think I was ready? Oh Heck yeah I was. I have a LOT of weight to lose and losing it I am. But better than that? no aches and pains and more energy! That alone is worth it. Best of all? Being here with Great people who are walking the journey with you and a place to go with questions, comments and concerns :) Not everyone answers right away but people will get around to reading what you ask or write.

[bunnyspice]

Cattail asked some interesting questions, which made me want to speak up. I'm new here (hi!) and have been doing (mostly) raw for the last month or so. Problem is I'm GAINING weight & this is NOT a good thing. I'm thinking it may have to do w/ all the nuts & oils & tropical, hi -gylcemic fruits promoted in my few uncook-books (Raw Food Real World, Living Cuisine, A Raw Foods Primer). A bit about me- I'm 44, a p/t holistic health counselor, been ovo-lacto veg for 22 yrs, have given up caffeine, refined sugar, hard booze..and exercise 6x a week (yoga, spinning, weights etc)
Any suggestions to help me LOSE would be appreciated! Ideally I'd like to drop 10 lbs. Am getting frustrated, I don't need my Buddha-belly! :mad:
thanks!
bunnyspice

[juliebove]

As for the anemia, I think this is something you need to discuss with your Dr. Sounds as if there is some real cause for it and not just what you are or are not eating. I take supplements. I'm sure they are not raw, but at this point I do need them. You need to take vitamin C into account as well, because that helps with the absorption of whatever iron you are taking in. So be sure you are getting enough of that.

Green beans can be eaten raw. Pretty much all fruits and vegetables can. The leaves of rhubarb are poison. You don't want to eat those. But the stalks are fine. Whether you want to eat these raw is another matter. I don't like raw potaotes. I tried slicing them for chips and putting them in the dehydrater after soaking in salt water, then vinegar water and several rinsings. At one point during the dehydration process they were nice and warm and soft and tasted to me like mashed potatoes. I liked them then. But not at any other point. My mom and daughter eat them out of hand like an apple, with salt on them. Ick! Not for me. I can eat a green bean or two, but they taste rather starchy to me, unless they are picked when very young. Haricort Verts are another matter. They're an especially tender type of green bean and are excellent raw.

[Graciebeliever]

Cattail asked some interesting questions, which made me want to speak up. I'm new here (hi!) and have been doing (mostly) raw for the last month or so. Problem is I'm GAINING weight & this is NOT a good thing. I'm thinking it may have to do w/ all the nuts & oils & tropical, hi -gylcemic fruits promoted in my few uncook-books (Raw Food Real World, Living Cuisine, A Raw Foods Primer). A bit about me- I'm 44, a p/t holistic health counselor, been ovo-lacto veg for 22 yrs, have given up caffeine, refined sugar, hard booze..and exercise 6x a week (yoga, spinning, weights etc)
Any suggestions to help me LOSE would be appreciated! Ideally I'd like to drop 10 lbs. Am getting frustrated, I don't need my Buddha-belly! :mad:
thanks!
bunnyspice

Hey Bunny :)

Sounds like you are already making some great improvements :)
My only suggestion to you would be to read a lot and go diggin in the threads here to find some answers. some of what I was looking for I had to ask or I used the banana tab and really dug for it.
I am convinced that RawVegan eating is right for almost everyone but it is the truth that all people respond differently and you have to listen to what your body is telling you and be patient and let your body heal.
Stick with it :)
I started for the weightloss and now I doing it because it makes me feel fabulous!!!
How awesome is it to be able to come and talk about it :)

[cattail]

Hello! Thanks again for the responses! It's good to know I can eat green beans. I'll avoid the black beans and rubarb leaves.

Do I have to buy raw black olives, or are the "normal grocery ones" Ok?

The anemia question comes up at the doctors' offices every time they peer at my bloodwork. Only ever had one comment about finding the cause, and he ran a couple very expensive tests, had no comment, and wanted to schedule yet another very expensive test (which I declined, because neither the doctor nor me felt that would show the problem). The rest invariably say 3x325mg per day. With one, I am unable to go to the bathroom for 3 days. It's not a winning situation. I'll have a doctor visit in the next couple weeks for more blood pressure meds anyway, so I plan to ask for yet more bloodwork (curiousity on how the raw diet is affecting all my stats).

My blood pressure continues to jump around wildly. Sometimes high, sometimes normal-low. Before, it was completely stable at normal-mid. Is this typical before steadying off (low, I'm guessing, so the doctor knows I can come off the meds)? I'm continuing to take the meds as normal, so the jumping around is a bit unnerving.

I made a green smoothie (kale, spinach, parsley, pineapple, water). It was kinda gruesome. I'll have to adjust the recipe.

Local raw, organic nuts are incredibly expensive. Is there an recommended online place to buy? How about those coconuts (can't find those at all)?

- T

[Graciebeliever]

It's ALL a learning process and you will find your balance!

You can't be expected to know right off the bat what is an exceptable food or not so ask away. Be willing to change what you can. Adapt as best as you can or eliminate it till you can find a better replacment.

Old threads and different sites hold Lots of information

Hang in there!