Can raw food detox affect the spleen?

[TNVicki]

I started eating high raw right after Christmas. Over the past couple of weeks I've noticed a dull ache in the upper left area of my abdomen. It's not so much an ache but an "awareness" of the area I've never had before. I've had a couple of episodes of detoxing where I have cold-type symptoms (congestion, sore throat, etc.). I've been out of work and in bed since Friday with what I think is the latest detox. This morning around 2am I woke up with a nauseous feeling and the "awareness" was more of an ache. At first I thought it was my gallbladder, but found out that was on the other side. :o I never got sick, but I wasn't able to get back to sleep until 6am. Needless to say, I wasn't up to dealing with 75 students today! :eek:

I've done a little research this morning on the Internet and in a medical book I have that suggests that this is the spleen area. Since it appears that the spleen is part of the lymphatic system, could detox be making it ache? I also get the detox symptoms if I work out everyday. I do yoga, walking, and T-Tapp, all of which are good for the lymphatic system. Could I be pushing my lymph system too much?

Also, what I researched said the spleen filtered blood. My last bloodwork (in December 06) showed I was slightly anemic, even though I had been eating red meat at that time. Other things I found this morning suggested that raw food wasn't good for the spleen. :(

My typical food intake is:

green smoothie with spinach, carrots, bananas, various fruits, sometimes raw honey or raw agave for breakfast
an apple or two for a snack
salad for lunch, sometimes with raw gardenburgers (homemade with cashews and carrots-yum!)
a Larabar for a snack
salad for dinner or some veggies with a raw tahini dressing

I'm eating high raw right now, not 100%. I've had some california rolls and my cooked food weakness would be chips and salsa, but I keep that to maybe once a week.

Any ideas? Anyone else ever experienced something like this? Any foods I should avoid/partake to help this?

Many thanks! :)

[luckitri]

I don't know the answer to your question. I am writing because I have done alot of suffering also and am very aware now of my lack of knowledge of the body parts, location and function. I do get discomfort in the area you are speaking of but I thought that it was my intestine - colon as the pain wraps around to the back and the doctor told me it is my colon. I don't know what is wrong to make it hurt. Anyway, maybe it is your colon trying to clean out old stuff and I hope you don't need to borrow trouble by thinking it is your spleen.

[rawpriestess]

I don't know where the spleen is, but I'm sure it has a specific use, since it is in our bodies.

I would sit quietly and mentally ask your body what it is trying to tell you with this pain.

and then wait for the answer,

this is how I found out that I had gallbladder issues.

after many years, I have finally been able to heal my gallbladder without any kind of medication, or cleanses.

I simply asked it what I needed to do to help it heal.

and then I did it.

no pain now, for 5 months, not one bit.

I am blessed.

[KatK]

I found this that might be interesting to you:

http://www.drbass.com/orthopathy/chapter12.html

Esp. the section on SPLENIC ANEMIA. Basically he says to fast.

[Amiri]

Hello,

I just read your posting as of 12/19/2007 and I have recently started to experience the exact same symptoms with my spleen area AND I recently have started to eat green smoothies almost everyday with lots of leafy greens and fruits in them; probably 32+ ounces a day and that is similar to what you stated. This is in addition to a veganish diet with a lot of raw.

Have you found out any more information?

[angelulu]

Hi,
I have experienced the same kind of sensation in my upper left abdomen. I first remember it happening when I was going through my yoga teacher training (3 years ago) and always wondered if it was my female organs. I asked the gyno a couple of years back and she did not feel or see anything unusual. But now that you mention that it could be related to detox I have a light bulb turning on over my head!
The yoga training was super intense and I was doing soooo much yoga. Definitely a time of detox... Occasionally I still feel it...like a slight pinching.
I will read the article that KatK posted...
Let me know what you find out.

[Nurse in the Raw]

I started eating high raw right after Christmas. Over the past couple of weeks I've noticed a dull ache in the upper left area of my abdomen. It's not so much an ache but an "awareness" of the area I've never had before.

I have the same dull "awareness" right under the ribs on the left side and I had it before going raw so I don't think raw has anything to do with it. As a matter of fact, when I eat cooked food, I really feel it and when I get back to raw, it goes away. It's like a warning sign for me that I ate something I was not suppose to. Can't quite put my finger on what it is but I have done a lot of research and lots of people on many med boards have reported pain in this same area but when they go for tests (CT scans, PET, Upper GI, etc) nothing appears out of the ordinary. Very strange.