Sick of feeling lousy for years

[NicoleF]

Hello everyone. I became a vegetarian about 2 years ago and a vegan about a year ago and have been experimenting with raw food for almost a year. Been about 80-90% raw for about three months with a couple slip ups but still vegan. I have felt pretty much lousy ever since I can remember. It really went downhill since my first child was born 5 years ago. I also have a 2 year old. I just feel fatigued, weak, neauseos, sore muscles and have acne too. I thought I'd feel better after cutting out meat, and when that didn't do any good, I cut out all animal products (with the exception of honey) and I STILL feel lousy. I never take medication, I never use toxic cleaners in my home, I use all natural cosmetics and body care products, I excercise, drink lots of green juices (freshly squeezed, of course) I eat lots of organic veggies and fruits. I don't know what else to do! I am PASSIONATE about healthy living, and raw foods, but I telll you, I am definately NOT the poster-child for health. It's sort of embarassing because my husband is a meat eater and he seems more healthy than me! I know most of you aren't doctors, but I don't know what to do! I know it takes years to detoxify all the crap we've ingested throughout our lives, but this just doesn't seem right. I keep hearing about all these people who "FEEL GREAT" even when they only do a FRACTION of the healthy things I do. It seems unfair! Sorry to rant and rave so long. Does anyone have any suggestions? I'm at my wits end! Thank you. Nicole

[Rawkinlocs]

Hi Nicole,

Sorry to hear you've been not feeling well. What are you eating on a regular basis?

What foods do you eat that aren't raw? What are you eating that is raw?

Give us a typical day to a few days of your eating regimen so we can have an idea. Also, keep in mind that while 2 years of vegetarianism is great and 3 months of eating raw is great, it's still not a very long time to not expect your body to be going through some changes depending on what your diet was like prior to becoming veg and even during the time you were veg. Some vegetarians are the most unhealthiest people I know because they eat a lot of soy meat analogues, tons of grains and junk foods.

Not saying that's what YOU ate, but...well we just need a general idea of your eating history and your current eating habits to really be able to give you any suggestions at all.

[misslinda]

I am definately NOT the poster-child for health. It's sort of embarassing because my husband is a meat eater and he seems more healthy than me! I know most of you aren't doctors, but I don't know what to do! I know it takes years to detoxify all the crap we've ingested throughout our lives, but this just doesn't seem right. I keep hearing about all these people who "FEEL GREAT" even when they only do a FRACTION of the healthy things I do. It seems unfair! Sorry to rant and rave so long. Does anyone have any suggestions? I'm at my wits end! Thank you. Nicole


Wow, I can relate to those feelings.....I've been there myself. My sis use to eat fast food 3x times a day and didn't have even half the problems I have. Mind you, there are "silent" problems that can't be seen on the surface that may be preying on the bodies of for example meat eaters. It's now catching up with my sis---she works at a hospital and sees what appears to be health men---come in with sudden health issues/concerns.

I know in the past, what I thought was healthy, like soy this and soy that, was actually weakening my body. My emotional mental state also was depleted.

I'm excited that you will be exploring this lifestyle----as you deserve to feel good--it's hard enough you are a mother,wife and person.

Cherie brought up a great idea---please do share a sample of your intake with us. :)

"To your health."

[Pailani]

Nicole, your story sounds a lot like mine! Well, everything except the neauseous part. My health was at its worst after the birth of my third child, I had gestational diabetes with that pregnancy.

I'm thinking that maybe I've had an underlying yeast problem all these years. I feel a lot better after giving up bread and most starchy carbs, and I feel like I'm very slowly feeling better on a raw diet. Might candida/yeast be something for you to consider?

[RawTruth]

Does anyone have any suggestions? I'm at my wits end! Thank you. NicoleHi Nicole. I'm wondering if you found this site because you have Alissa's book. If you do, you might want to read through the testimonials. I found them so inspiring when I read them, and they really helped inspire me to go 100% raw. I was a vegetarian and/or vegan for over 20 years, which I thought was making me as healthy as I possibly could be. But, I wasn't. What has made a universe of difference was going 100% raw. Are you willing to do that? I'm thinkin that you probably are since you've come to a site that is designed to support the 100% raw lifestyle! :p As Alissa has said on this forum and in her book, the difference between 99% and 100% is remarkable -- it's exponentially way more than a mere 1%. I hope you'll consider it ... because ... that's my suggestion to you.

[Sweet lips]

Good Morning Nicole,

I hope you are feeling better today. I can understand you - feeling lousy that is. We are the sum total of our emotions, spirituallity, mental and physical body and if we are out of line with one, the others will try to compensate and they too become out of balance and stressed.

Close your eyes in a quiet dark room, breathe deeply and ask your body and its componets what is going on and where - take the time to listen to your body, learn all of its channels. As you do this, decide to be healthy, and know that progress follows intention.

As you write what it is that you eat, be mindful that as your body heals, food allergies may come to the surface so that they may leave if you are intune with your body and are able to listen to its messages to you

[AubreyG]

Hi, Nicole!

I can relate to how you feel. I am recovering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Complex Migraines, and possible MS...just to name a few! Eating raw and live makes me feel GREAT!

However, this lifestyle requires a little extra care on my part, as anemia runs rampant on my mother's side of the family. I have to take B-12 and vitamin D (for neurological reasons) to supplement my food. Anemia requires B-12 to treat; B-12 is very difficult to find in a vegan diet. That's why I take it. Anemia would cause all of the symptoms you are having, as well. You might want to check with a doctor and see if that is what might be bothering you, or you could take a B-12 supplement in the mornings for a week or two and see if it helps. If it does, its probably anemia.

Also, do you drink purified water? Things in your tap water can be harmful to you, especially once your system starts getting used to high quility raw food. You might become more sensitive to the water that you drink or bathe in. Just something you may wish to consider. I know that I am hypersensitive to chemicals, period. So I make sure that it is filtered before I go near it.

Get to feeling better!
Aubrey

[PixieGreen]

You might become more sensitive to the water that you drink or bathe in. Just something you may wish to consider. I know that I am hypersensitive to chemicals, period. So I make sure that it is filtered before I go near it.

Aubrey, do you have a filter on your showerhead/ bath tap? I have been looking into getting one but would appreciate any recommendations.

Nicole, I do hope you start to feel better soon. Have you read G Cousens' Rainbow Green book? It is a wonderful place to start for people who are so depleted and/ or toxic that eating fruits and veggies just isn't enough. I'm glad to hear you are drinking a lot of green juices in addition to fruits and veggies. I understand Dr Cousens offers blood tests so you can see just what nutrients your body may be missing, perhaps that would be helpful. Wishing you well.

Christa

[Ariella]

I would wonder if you are eating enough?? what do you eat on a typical day? on the days Idont get enough calories i can feel similar.

When I first started my raw journey i had chronic fatigue syndrome, asthma, endometriosis, acne, underactive thyroid just to name a few..... I was definitely NOT the picture of health. Thankfully all of that stuff has gone away now. when I first got into raw I was follownig the Hallelujah diet (www.hacres.com) I did that for about 2 years and then switched to a more whole food approach and not really juicing. I do think that the juicing is important at first in helping your body to heal.

well anyway! please post what a typical day is like for you. I would really wonder if you aren't getting enough calories.

Ariella


JUICE PLUS+
www.juiceplus.com/+dj73561
MELALEUCA
www.themomteam.com/cgi-bin/mom.cgi?id=ar444907&action=show

[AubreyG]

Yep, I have a water filter on my shower head! It is actually a filter with a detachable shower head, and it is fabulous. No more dry, itchy skin! I've had it for 3 years. I got it from TrekAlliance, which I think was actually one of those horrible pyramid scam companies, but I love the shower head. I dunno if they are in business anymore, though. I was looking for a job four years ago, and stumbled upon one of those "seminars". I didn't "invest" in their network marketing scheme, but I did buy the shower head!!!!! I love it. I bought like 10 filters for it, and haven't run out of replacements yet, but I am worried that they might not be around anymore, and I may not be able to find replacement filters...and will have to buy a new one altogether. Let me dig around on the internet and see what I come up with. it would be good for me to know, too!

[RawTruth]

I have a shower head filter, also. I bought it locally from The Living Temple, though I've since seen them at our local market, Mother's Market. It was about $40 and is made by New WAve Enviro Products, Inc. Englewood, CO 80155. It doesn't have the shower head; it is screwed on between the shower arm and the shower head. The website is www.newwaveenviro.com

[Pailani]

when I first got into raw I was follownig the Hallelujah diet (www.hacres.com) I did that for about 2 years and then switched to a more whole food approach and not really juicing. I do think that the juicing is important at first in helping your body to heal.

You do?

So maybe I should start juicing? I'm concerned about carrot juice (or beets) because of the sugar and my candida. Where would be a good site to find some juice suggestions? Would the hacres site be a good place to start?

[NicoleF]

Thanks for all your replies. A typical day for me is always fruit in the morning. Either a smoothie with some hemp seeds thrown in and coconut oil, or just some whole fruit. I usually have a salad and some dehydrated crackers or something for lunch. Yesterday I had some raw hummus with the crackers and today I had salsa instead. For snacks I have a handful of nuts and/or seeds or some crackers or something. (Maybe I'm not eating enough!) For dinner sometimes I have some cooked food like a baked potato with veggies or sometimes I have a raw "gourmet" meal or I just have 16 oz of green juice with some barley green mixed in. The green juice consists of (usually) a pound of carrots, some celery, an apple, some greens (swiss chard, beet greens, spinach etc.) and maybe some parsey too. I do have Alissa's book and DVD and I love them and have made A LOT of the recipes in it. But anyway, that's a typical day for me.

[Alissa]

For dinner sometimes I have some cooked food like a baked potato with veggies
Here is your problem.

pailani, you also, ive read your post. Your always wondering if you should cut this out, add more of this, go this rout but your still not 100% raw.
Why are you going to go and restrict yourself or make these 'rules' for yourself when the answer is that you need to go 100 percent raw to allow your body to detox and cleanse to the point where it eliminates everything it needs to in order to self heal. Why are so many on here looking to 'heal' their bodies but expecting it to happen while putting the same crap inside it??

Nothing is wrong with a baked potatoes, steamed veggies, etc...eat it, its fine, but don’t expect to have healing revelations while your doing it, some may, but usually not. you can go back to that after you give yourself the time it needs to clean out but you will not clean and detox and heal if you don’t allow it!!!

This keeps coming up... if you feel good on 80 percent, etc.. that’s great, but when your wondering why your not healing, this is it people!!!! i guarantee you, this is it!

The body is self healing, but this is food we are talking about, not drugs and medicine that are so potent that they work in a couple of days. food and herbs and natural medicine take longer, so give yourself time and allow your body to become a self healing machine. it wont happen when your still consuming the same foods that made you sick!

Best,
Alissa

Pailani, I don’t mean to come across harsh, I just reread what I wrote. I just wanted o write to you before and in other post and others beet me to it and then I didn’t have time… just wanting to point this out to you as you are so dedicated and searching with such determination, its beautiful and I would love for you to see the results you deserve!

[Pailani]

you can go back to that after you give yourself the time it needs to clean out but you will not clean and detox and heal if you don’t allow it!!!

Thanks, Alissa, I can give it more time. You didn't sound harsh, I appreciate your concern!! Eating less, and eating simpler has helped, so I'll continue that as long as it's working, and just watch my cravings and stay 100 percent raw until I see some changes.

I suppose that, if I have a need to add something a few months down the line, I can make that decision later, after I've given 100 percent some time to work.