Prep time, bowels and mood question

[orryally]

Hi there,
This is my second attempt at going raw, last time didn't last long, but we're starting again with a renewed motivation! We are on day 7 and doing pretty well, mostly raw (prob. around 90%) and feeling better. Except for a couple things:
Does anyone else feel like they're spending hours and hours on food prep time at the beginning? I'm exhausted and my kitchen is constantly a mess! I want to eat more simply but still have cravings for the traditional things we eat, plus I want to make sure my husband and toddler (doing the diet with me) are full and happy.
How long did it take your bowels to "regulate?" (sorry if too detailed, but is this normal?) I'm having some good quick clean ones and some sludgy slow digestion going on.. and I'm wondering how long it will take to be all clean.
I'm also feeling discouraged, down, and just generally "yucky" in terms of my mood and emotions. I think it was this time last attempt when I gave up, probably due to being overwhelmed and frustrated! How can I push through this?
Thanks for any insights you have.

[Aleesha Sattva]

doing a short fast always help speed things up... otherwise... adding some green smoothies to your daily diet will help you with your bowels and with your detox.

congrats on attempt two! you can do it if you want to... we are here for ya!

[orryally]

Thanks for the tip.. we're adding greens to our smoothies but will try to keep upping them!
I can't fast as I'm nursing a baby, but the smoothie idea is great.


doing a short fast always help speed things up... otherwise... adding some green smoothies to your daily diet will help you with your bowels and with your detox.

congrats on attempt two! you can do it if you want to... we are here for ya!

[EZ rider]

This is my second attempt at going raw, last time didn't last long, but we're starting again with a renewed motivation! We are on day 7 and doing pretty well, mostly raw (prob. around 90%) and feeling better.I found that going all raw reduced cravings because what you feed stays alive.



Does anyone else feel like they're spending hours and hours on food prep time at the beginning? I'm exhausted and my kitchen is constantly a mess! I want to eat more simply but still have cravings for the traditional things we eat, plus I want to make sure my husband and toddler (doing the diet with me) are full and happy.Living raw can be as easy or hard as you make it. It can be simple, fast, and easy like eating grapes or a banana. Or it can be hard and complicated and involve processes and equipment to clean and take hours to make even a single meal. Its your choice. The closer to natural you get the easier it is.



How long did it take your bowels to "regulate?" (sorry if too detailed, but is this normal?) I'm having some good quick clean ones and some sludgy slowCooked foods have poor quality fiber. For example a raw carrot has great quality fiber but once cooked the fiber turns to mush. When you eat cooked food you get sluggish. The more natural the food you eat is the better the quality of the fiber and the more regular you become.



How can I push through this?Give it your best effort to get as close to 100% raw as possible and as natural as possible and as fresh as possible. That approach has worked well for me and I am now on my 228th day of eating 100% all raw, vegan, natural, fresh foods. :)
Note: I do take a B12 supplement that is not raw, all else is raw, vegan, natural, fresh foods.

[RawHeaven]

Suggestions: Purchase a vegan brand of digestive enzymes and probiotics to get you over the hump. Added to this drink plenty of good, pure water = to 1/2 your body weight. If you weigh 140 lbs, drink 70 ounces daily minimum. Especially first thing in the morning before eating anything. Go to bed early & get plenty of rest - take naps. Don't eat late at night or right before going to bed. Eat more bowel moving & bowel cleansing foods.

Carrots
Cabbage
Apples
Lemons, Lemons, Lemons
Dates
Raisins
Green Smoothies
Carrot, Apple, Fresh Ginger Juice - Amazing bowel cleanser
Juice more of your foods initially - easier on the digestive system
Bananas
Nut milks (hempseed milk works wonders)
Flaxseeds
Flax crackers
Anything with Flax
Did I say Flax?

[Revvell]

Alissa and I talk about this on our very first Rawkin Radio show. (http://rawkinradio.com/) Eating raw is not necessarily easy, yet it doesn't have to be complicated. Storm and Jinjee are feeding 5 children raw (http://www.thegardendiet.com/). They've got great tips. Might check with them.

Revvell