Need some help...or something!

[domestic goddess]

I am not sure where to put this, so if it needs to be moved, etc please let me know!

Please bear with me, this may be long.
I am fairly new to raw, I have only been on this raw path since the end of Feb/begining of March. I was vegetarian/vegan before that. I have been drawn to raw for a long time, and finally decided to take the plunge after reading Alissa's book which was the first book on raw I ever read that made raw seem do-able, even though on a spiritual level I knew this was where I needed to be. Any other books I read seemed to me very difficult to follow.

So, I have done the recipes to 'transition' but find I don't much care for alot of them. I think the key for me will be 'easy is best' mentality.

Now here is where I am struggling. I have been diagnosed with Candidia and Lyme disease. I also have hypothyroidism (thyroiditis, which is an autoimmune 'issue') I knew about the Candidia before I went raw, which is another reason I went raw. Right now, I have to be on some medications for the Candidia/Lyme/thyroid and I am not loving this. I feel like I am trying so hard to be 'clean' and now I have MORE chemicals to put into my body! (I do have a holistic Doc, so I would not be on meds if he did not think it was completely necessary) I also have multiple food alergies, which makes even a raw diet difficult (I am allergic to corn, soy, wheat, gluten intolerant, apples...to name a few, I am still being tested but am also suspicious of tomatoes, peppers, grapes, berries, almonds...)I truely want to heal my body once and for all, and I do believe this(raw) is the way to do it.

I am committed to being raw. I feel this on a deep spiritual/emotional level, that this is what I need to be doing, basically for the rest of my life. I have prayed about it and I know this is part of my path. I am struggling with the eating, though. I guess I have questions...

If I am unable to eat many of the sprouted grains, am I still getting enough carbs?

Can I really be healthy with fruit before noon, veggies after and have enough energy for my life? (I run, have small kids, am going back to school, etc)

I cannot do green drinks. I love greens in salads, etc but I have read that that isn't enough. I try the powders, and the smell is enough to put me over the edge. Can I get enough supplementation in pill form? Like spirulina, wheat grass, etc?

I don't really know what I am looking for here...advice, ideas, whatever you want to throw at me. I guess I am feeling a bit disheveled at the moment.

This is my journal here, if it helps to read it.
http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/blogs/blog-11497/
I don't know how to do one of those nice links in my sig....:o
Thanks in advance for any advice!

[Rawmommie]

If I am unable to eat many of the sprouted grains, am I still getting enough carbs? Absolutely! I don't eat sprouted grains at all, haven't for the past 2 1/2 years.

Can I really be healthy with fruit before noon, veggies after and have enough energy for my life? (I run, have small kids, am going back to school, etc) Yes! Many of us do not need or care for the complicated recipes after transitioning to raw. Alissa gives lots of options for recipes b/c many people find it easier to transition, but they are not necessary for being raw. She even mentions that eventually, most raw foodists grow tired of the recipes and prefer to eat a more simple diet.

I cannot do green drinks. I love greens in salads, etc but I have read that that isn't enough. Where did you read this? I don't drink green drinks, I eat lots of salad with many different greens.

I try the powders, and the smell is enough to put me over the edge. Can I get enough supplementation in pill form? Like spirulina, wheat grass, etc? I wouldn't worry about supplementation right now. What's important is detoxing your body and getting used to eating raw. Some people supplement, others don't. It's going to depend on your body's needs, but right now I think it's too soon to figure that out. Your body needs to clean out and heal first!

[Revvell]

I cannot do green drinks.

Why not? How are you making them?

Revvell

[tvillemom]

I take it when you refer to green drinks you mean like wheatgrass juice??? Have you tried smoothies? I make one even my kids drink. Basically it's:
a whole blender full of spinach BLEND with alittle water to liquify the spinach and then add:
2 bananas (frozen)
1 cup of another type frozen fruit (peaches, blueberries, strawberries, are my kids favorites...but they only pick one at a time)
small squirt of honey or agave if needed (mostly my kids need it alittle sweeter if I use fruit like strawberries...taste before adding!)

I hope this helps. We love our smoothies!

Wendi

[hypnocmt]

Immunity begins in the gut. Everything you mentioned is deeply affected by gut health. Raw is one of he finest things you can do to give your body the resources it needs to be healthy.

The gut is also like our second brain. Stress affects it profoundly. When you stress out, digestion slows, and compromises immunity further. Work on figuring out what triggers stress for you, how you handle it- rage, withdrawl, repression, ec- and get someone or something to help you cope.

As for green smoothies, you can certainly play with your percenage of fruit vs. greens until you can barely taste them in there. You can experiement with so many different kinds until you find some that are neutral tasting to you.

With your dietary limitations greens are essential to helping you get the balance of nutriens you need for healing and vitality.

I have found that with time, foods that used to make me retch, now inspire cravings!

Good luck and keep on a-trying.

[domestic goddess]

tvillemom, that is actually what I do! I made a smoothie with spinach, raspberries and bananas and BLECH! Even my hubby, who has more tolerance for that 'taste' said it was hard to get down. I just cannot force myself to drink it! I'll eat a whole bowl of spinach raw, but blended? Ugh. Is it a flavor that grows on you?

Rawmommie, I think I read the greens en masse thing here...maybe I'm mistaken, though...

hypnocmt...thanks for the encouragement!!!:D

[Beckla]

Hey, I'll be honest - despite all the advice and support around it here, I just can't get into green drinks. Don't force yourself to eat something you don't like - that'll just stunt your progress here and turn you off!

Best advice: eat what you LIKE and incorporate as much raw as you can and as works for [/COLOR]lack"]YOU!

[Revvell]

The way to begin drinking green smoothies if one can't tolerate them is to add the greens slowly. For some, a whole bunch of spinach at one time is too much. How about a few leaves at a time per blenderfull?

If you don't like spinach, use kale, collards, spring greens or whatever you have.

Personally, I fill the blender with o.j., mixed fruits, a couple of bananas, then top that off with the greens.

The worst thing to do is add so many you hate it. Add a leave or two. Add more as your body/tastebuds adjust. KISS and easssssy!

Revvell

[domestic goddess]

OK, I don't know if it was writing it all out or the change I made but today was good! I did the fruit in the morning, veggies in the afternoon and started my day with a smoothie (1/4scoop green powder so I could barely taste it) and what a difference! THIS I can do! I was positively GIDDY this afternoon while playing with my kids, and I didn't get my mid-afternoon coma-feeling! :D I am hoping to keep this up as today was the best I have felt since starting raw. Yay!

[magglepie]

It's nice to hear that you were able to find a smoothie that worked for you! It sounds like you are starting to get a little more comfortable and into the groove.

[Tinacampy]

I feel exactly the same about green smoothies. I tried one that I got from the book Green for Life and I almost yakked... :) But, I do what Revell does - banana, 1 big cup berries or tropical frozen fruit, some grapes, then put in one handful of fresh spinach, add water and blend away. Sometimes I add a stevia or some honey to taste if the berries aren't real sweet or the banana isn't super ripe. I'm hoping that my taste buds change a little b/c just the thought of drinking a smoothie w/ blue green algae = ewww. :)

[Pierre]

I don't put greens in my smoothies. I make them out of various fruits: banana, marañón, maracuyá, strawberry, blueberry, etc. I find they come out best if 3/4 of the fruit is frozen, especially if I put a piece of pineapple (with core) in them.

Since you have a thyroid problem, I suggest adding some seaweed to your salad. I've been eating dulse pretty steadily, but I got some Alaria recently and I like that too. Alaria takes longer to prepare: I soak it, then peel it apart and look for snail shells and tiny crustaceans.

Do you eat avocados or olives? I like both, but don't eat olives that often, because to get raw olives, I have to mail-order them.

[domestic goddess]

I do eat olives (though, I am guessing they aren't raw...:( ) and I LOVE avocados! Seaweed...hmmm, like for sushi wraps? I have seen dulce, but not the other one you mentioned...I"ll have to pick some up. I do tend to crave salty things, so that would be perfect. Thanks Pierre!