low energy, help!

[YogaJo]

i've been on raw for 12 days now. my energy seems to be getting lower and lower and i am so sleepy. intuitively, i don't feel it is a result of detox. am i just adjusting? am i missing one or more key nutrients?

[Rawkinlocs]

The body often reacts with feelings of lethargy and low energy as it tries to reserve energy for healing and cleansing purposes. Do you happen to drink green smoothies as well? (Fruit smoothies with greens blended in) If not, try incorporating those as well as perhaps looking into some ways to aid the detox process - saunas, epsom salt baths, enemas (if you don't mind those) and skin brushing are among some things many do to aid the body as it removes the old gunk and junk. But most of all, when you can, REST! We heal and cleanse the best/most during the resting state. I went through this for a few months when I first went raw and then BAM! The energy picked up!

When it's time, you'll get your energy back and THEN some!

Remember, you've eaten cooked foods for a loooong time compared to how long you've eaten raw! Try to be patient with your body as it does it's job!

[Veganforlife]

Yes, detoxing, yes adjusting and not sure about missing any key elements. That's your call. Are you 100% raw? How about green smoothies. I push these babies because they are wonderful MAGICAL drinks! They will you up. They curb cravings. They are already broken down so your body will assimilate them quicker. Amazing drinks.
Do yourself a favor. Either purchase or check out from the library Victoria Boutenko's book, "Green for Life". I've read it a half a dozen times and each times learned something else of the benefits of GS's.

[dustandbreath]

Yes, detoxing, yes adjusting and not sure about missing any key elements. That's your call. Are you 100% raw? How about green smoothies. I push these babies because they are wonderful MAGICAL drinks! They will you up. They curb cravings. They are already broken down so your body will assimilate them quicker. Amazing drinks.
Do yourself a favor. Either purchase or check out from the library Victoria Boutenko's book, "Green for Life". I've read it a half a dozen times and each times learned something else of the benefits of GS's.

you posted in another location about vita mix working fine for green smoothies. Will you be able to do one okay in a lesser (kitchenaid) blender? Or what? Oh, and I see she posted essentially what I did right after her. Sorry for the double post (sort of). Thanks!

[YogaJo]

thank you both of you. yes green smoothies are a staple for me. and i have been drinking them for about a year before going competely raw (yes 100%). green for life has been on my must reads for a while but i think you both just gave me the push to go and get it today, lol. so a few months (rawkinlocs) you went through this for? did you sleep long nights and need naps as well? i did do colon hydrotherapy and will be attending bikram yoga as much as possible. do you think a green smoothy cleanse for a couple of days would be beneficial? also, d you think taking enzymes would help at all?

[Veganforlife]

It will, but a VM really breaks it down. But if all you have is a regular blender, which I did at first, then sprung for the VM which I use daily, sometimes two times a day, it is so worth it.

[Rawkinlocs]

Yeah, I used to own the Hamilton Beach model and it worked fine for making the green smoothies (and regular smoothies, etc.) but you may have to do little things like add the greens and a little water first and blend that all down and then add your fruit or blend longer and if it gets a little warm, add ice near the end of the blending process...stuff like that. I now have a Vitamix and it blends them up really nicely in a shorter time...but as Veganforlife said, use what you got!