Depressed about my health and I have a question

[Crissy Snow]

Hello I am new here my name is Crystal. I have been trying the Raw Food diet but I am always getting derailed off the diet because I am too poor to buy enough good healthy food to last me a week. Yeah It does suck.

But anywho I was wondering is it possible to lose weight with the raw diet if I just ate raw minus the exercise? I know exercise is the key to losing alot of weight but I can't do it. I can't do it because I have severe asthma I can barely run for 5 mins. I can't run like I use to at the gym. My asthma makes me really depressed. So I was just wondering if it's possible to lose the weight only on raw food. My diet consist of fruits and vegetables no oils or salts and occasional fish or tuna to help aid with fatty acid absorption such as Omega-3.

[DavidZaneMason]

Don't think all or nothing....or some arbitrary standard of raw. There is always SOMETHING better you can do....along the lines of YOUR goals. There is always SOME better level of activity/exercise that you CAN be involved in...that is right for you. Don't you think? Only the arbitrary comparison to some one else or some fixed standard can yield a feeling of non-success.

-David Z. Mason

[ShelShel]

Ok, both our girls have asthma. It's exercised induced. :rolleyes: But they are the most active kids! I would recommend light weights, lots of reps. Not so much moving to get the lungs worked up, but definitely good for the muscles.

As for only raw...yes, I don't work out the way that I used to and if I'm 100% the weight still falls off.

Even if you have very little money you can find loop holes that make raw possible. For instance, our grocery store...once a week, makes up bags of bananas. Instead of a per pound price (because they already very ripe) they sell them two bags for $3.00. This is one way, I save money. I purchase them knowing I will only get to eat 1/2 a bag and the rest will get sliced up and put in the freezer for later use. (Smoothies...raw ice cream and such.)

Learn what's in season...only buy what is on sale. And definitely get some fats in you! If you don't you will be hungry all the time! Your skin will dry out majorly and your brain won't be able to think clearly. Eat an avocado every once in a while, or olive oil...or coconut oil. Flax seeds are full of a very healthy oil like found in fish. ;)

Study up and learn what your body needs and you can make this work for you. Even with asthma! :)

[shashibala]

Hi Crystal, I can totally relate to a couple of your points. Good raw food is expensive. I just buy what i can afford and see how long it lasts me. That way I don't waste any of the precious stuff! I am retraining myself to buy better food and basically, since I don't have much money right now, not much else. Oh, I like smoothies cuz they fill me up without lots of ingredients. I like banana and almond milk, or frozen fruit combos.I am saving money by not buying junk food treats like pie, which I love, and I can't really eat out at this point. I try to eat greens as much as possible. I think they help my asthma.
I also have asthma. It is a terrible feeling not to be breathing well. I know that for me dairy products make it much worse. Breads and pastas make it worse if I over eat them. I am really hoping that as I lose weight my asthma will get better. As for exercise, walking is super, and light weights like Shel Shel suggested. I personally use a large adult sized hula hoop to get a gentle bit of exercise.
Just do what you can!!! Best wishes!!!!!!!

[northernstars]

I used to have asthma so severely that I was on 6 prescription drugs each day! I was intoduced to kombucha tea and drank that daily for a while and got rid of the asthma and off all the medications. It stayed gone for several years until this year when I had a massive stroke from sleep apnea and they put me on a bunch of meds! Now, I am down to only one med (which I hope to be off of soon) and drink a glass full of the tea every morning.

I really think that eating only raw fruits and veggies with occasional nuts and sprouted grains should enable the asthma to leave forever! Asthma doesn't have to be a lifelong ailment! God sent Jesus as a remedy for sin, why wouldn't HE also provide a way for us to overcome disease and other ailments? Seems that much asthma is a very acidic body crying out for relief! Eating raw also keep the body from becoming acidic so long as we can keep our stress level down too.

[angelulu]

Flax seeds do give a great source of omega-3 fatty acids.

Also, you could try doing some yoga, stretching, and breathing exercises. All of these activities will really help you to strengthen your diaphram and intercostal muscles and are a good way to work your body creating strength and flexibility in all your muscles while improving your respiratory system. As a yoga teacher, I have seen first hand many people drastically improve their asthmatic conditions with a regular yoga practice. :)

I am a Bikram yoga teacher, but I know that you could find some information for free that you could do at home either off the internet or from a book at your library. If you would like to ask me any questions, I would be more than happy to help you and give you more information.

Even though you will probably still loose weight by just eating raw, exercise is very important for physical, mental, and physiological health.

[kiki_louis]

i lost 58 pounds on the raw food diet without exercising.

[apower2me408]

Does walking cause youre asthma to act up? Walking is a great exercise. You dont have to run.

[Crissy Snow]

everyone is giving such good advice here, you guys are raw pros lol. Well basically my asthma is triggered when I am doing heavy cardio. I like walking but when I am doing heavy cardio it feels good for some reason like a rush but then when I have an asthma attack the fun is over and I lose that rush. So I guess I do have to resort to walking instead for 1hr a day 7 days a week.

I don't buy expensive raw like organics from like Whole Foods INC or this other store that sells organic pure raw stuff. I go to the grocery store and my typical veggies are cucumber, bag of salad, bag of spinach, broccoli, carrots, watermelon, apples, mangoes, kiwi, bananas, canteloupe, and that's all the veggies and fruits I will eat. But I don't think I am 100% because I use salad dressing but not much and when I am eating carrots I have to have ranch with it.

By the way I haven't been eating raw that much mostly 20% raw because I eat rice and meat which I shouldn't. So starting tomorrow no fats just pure raw. The only fats I am getting are from Omega-3 supplements and occasionally eating fish. It's the only meat I like but I shouldn't eat it if I am going raw.

I really want to thank everyone here for their support.

[carolg]

Does gym have many types of cardio equipment? I do the Stairmaster which is super tough workout but you may find a stationery bike to help with cardio which may be easier Northern. My trainer told me these machines help tons for weight loss including squats/lunges. At least for my body design he told me this is my key plus water, water, water. I don't do hardly any nuts and very, very little grains.

Feel well and keep coming back here. Yes I believe in the power of HIS healing for all.

Oh, I love yoga too but not per se a cardio workout. I sure have gotten more flexible, but am faithful to show up at my classes too. I love the instructors who are all gentle humans. Angel, never did Bikram here but very popular in CO too. Thanks for your wisdom here. Even on vacation here in TX going to find gym where I can get in my workouts including Yoga.

carolg

[raweater]

Asthma is normally due to dairy allergies or dehydration (you need 8 glasses of water per day and absolutely no diuretics like sugar, caffeine, alcohol), eliminate those and drink 8 glasses of water/day and the asthma should go away. You can learn more from www.newstarget.com

[raweater]

By the way, what foods have you been buying to manage to get your cost up? A raw diet can easily and significantly REDUCE your grocery cost, so I'm curious as how you maneged to spend more on raw food?

[Crissy Snow]

By the way, what foods have you been buying to manage to get your cost up? A raw diet can easily and significantly REDUCE your grocery cost, so I'm curious as how you maneged to spend more on raw food?

Because I have no car and the closest grocery store is Kroger and they are very expensive when it comes to fruit. The only time I can reduce the price is when I have my Kroger card but still it's expensive.

[northernstars]

in 1961 and have not been able to use them for much climbing type exercises since then. Then with the weight problem it made it nearly impossible to do anything but walk. Even though I do have a mini trampoine I have not used it since I got out of the hospital after the stroke.

[FloridaPatty]

Look into sprouting. You can get a lot of veggies for cheap.

[justinesmith]

Look into sprouting. You can get a lot of veggies for cheap.

GREAT IDEA!!! Sprouts are FULL of nutrients ~ you can usually sprout something within 24 hours (the quinoa on my counter took less than 12) and you can get a big bags of buckwheat, qunioa, wheat berries for CHEAP. I mean like $2.00 a pound. Good luck!

[domestic goddess]

Green Smoothies. Cheap, and healthy. Also, I agree with the oils. You need oils for proper brain function. Lack of enough good oils can lead to depression, amongst other things. I am also on a limitted budget and you just do the best you can. You will still get the benefits. Any amount of raw is better than a SAD diet!

As far as exercise, how about yoga or Pilates? Both great workouts that can be as hard as you want and you can still get your rush (believe it or don't) and not get asthma'd out.

I also have asthma. Made worse with dairy, sugar and wheat. Made almost non-existant with raw food diet, and I am not even 100%! I do yoga, Pilates, and Tae-Bo. Fine with all of them. Running I can do, knees permitting but usually have to use my inhaler, but I can do it now that I am doing Raw. Before...I would need my inhaler before, during and after a run. Not fun.

Hang in there and give it a try, you will certianly be pleasantly surprised! :D

[Crissy Snow]

You guys are giving really good advice. I love it I am being enlightened here. Today I have changed drastically with my fasting. I am letting my body and my digestive system take a break for two days. I have been drinking water and preparing more of my raw food like peeling and chopping and keeping it ready to serve whenever. I am getting this feeling of excitement it's kinda weird. It's like the excitement you get when you wake up Christmas morning and you are looking for something under the tree. Or like you know when somebody throws a surprise birthday party. It's that kind of excitement. I can't really explain it but I am sure others know what I mean.