losing energy

[Azianbee]

Hi,

I have been on the raw diet for almost a month now. I must say that most of the time I feel great!! I never enjoyed my food like the way that I do now. But I must admit, my energy runs low very rapidly and I can regain it just as rapidly.

I am worried about this, not sure what to do. Today, I ran really low on energy and all I wanted to do was lie down. Other than that, I have also been losing weight, but I'm already really thin. I am 5'4 and 102 pounds. Right now I am more concern about my weakness more than the weight.

I've also don't really notice much change in my face. My impetus for starting the raw diet was b/c of my eyebags, but they are still there.. :(

Tina

[Pailani]

It sounds like detox. It's really common when you're still fairly new at it - a month is still fairly new and most people seem to have symptoms at that point.

[Coriander74]

Hi :)

I've also been a month raw (almost!) and I notice the same thing. I can be packed full of energy one minute then the next I'm on the couch falling asleep.
I'm sure that once our bodies become more used to this wonderful way of eating that we'll have more and more energy!

[spicyfull]

I am sure also that this is a part of detox. But when you get weak, eat something...........it worked for me. Try eating nuts and Avocodas.........

[rawnora]

Azianbee,
Your weight is not too low. I'm 5' 8" and 110 pounds and have hovered around this weight for a couple years now, except in the winter when I do tend to put on a few pounds (up to 117 or so).

Be wary of the advice you will get to eat more calories in order to get your weight up and keep you from feeling weak. Eating to resolve weakness guarantees a return of the weakness, like taking aspirin for a headache. Flagging energy is not something that is experienced by healthy people, unless they're doing strenuous work and their energy just runs out. When we first go raw, our bodies have to completely re-tool themselves in order to make energy from very dilute foods. For your whole life your body has been converting very concentrated foods to energy. It needs time to adjust. In the meantime, it won't be so good at creating energy, and periodic weakness is the result. It's completely normal and expected.

Cooked foods have toxic substances in them that the body must protect itself from. Over a lifetime, it thickens its membranes so that less of these substances get through to the bloodstream. The body is all set up for extremely concentrated foods with lots of nutrients (a good portion of which are denatured by cooking and processing) and along comes the new food which is 80-90% water! The combination of thickened, less permeable membranes and more dilute foods means much less actual food is making its way to the cells. Your cells have found a way to create energy from just the opposite scenario. Make no mistake -- the raw foods you're eating have all the nutrients you need. The body's just not very good at making use of them yet because it's had to protect itself from your previous eating habits.

After we start eating raw foods, the body begins discarding these protective tissues and starts absorbing more efficiently. This is why long term raw fooders can stay active eating very little. I know a couple very long term hygienic-style raw fooders who are extremely physically active on less than 1,500 calories per day. I'm now eating much less than I was a year ago, and when I try to eat as much as I was before, I get symptoms of overeating. My body simply needs less food because it's making use of everything that comes in.

Weakness is not a call from the body for food, it is a call for rest. This is almost universally misunderstood, even in the raw food community. It's fine to eat in response to weakness during transition, because we all have lives and we have to stay functional while we get healthier. Eating more calories, eating more often or higher fat foods or complex combinations are legitimate ways to stay functional in transition, and your body will still be healing and discarding its protective membranes while you do this. However, it will heal faster if you take advantage of opportunities to rest in response to weakness (rather than eating) whenever possible.

Hope this is helpful.

Regards,
Nora
www.RawSchool.com

[swingbolder]

I had the same experience when I first went raw. Was tired on and off for the first few weeks. This lasted probably a month and a half. Now, I feel fine and have a lot of energy.

Whenever I was tired, I would just rest (take naps, lie down or go to bed early that night). I knew the body was just doing its thing (healing, adjusting)