General novice raw food questions

[ahj]

Hello all, this is my first posting. There is a deficiency of rigorous scientific literature on raw food, fasting, and green smoothies so I think this is the best source of information and I am hoping to get some input from more experienced raw foodists.

I have been vegetarian, mostly vegan, for most of my life. Three months ago I did an 8 day water fast and began a 100% raw food diet. The diet is totally erratic, really, with usually juice or smoothies all day, then a variable dinner (usually quite heavy with raw treats!). Some days I have done juice all day. Some days I have eaten heavier foods all day. Here are the problems I am having and I would love to hear any suggestions you may have.

1. Hair loss for the past week. I have read that this is common and some say a good sign while others not so much. Given the natural cycle of the hair, I think the fact that this is starting 3 months after my fast may be a sign that it is related to the stress of fasting. I had some steady hair loss before, but this week it's pretty intense. Any thoughts?

2. Constipation and bloating. After my fast, my GI system was working better than ever--one to two good BMs per day. Gradually I have gotten more constipated and sometimes go a day or two without a BM, then occasionally have to use a water enema (which I really hate to do, because I want my colon to regulate itself). I try increasing water intake and greens, to no avail, any thoughts?

3. Too many treats. I am borderline underweight right now, though still with some areas of fat around the abdomen and upper arms that need to be reduced. I find myself going crazy with raw treats, because they taste so good! Could it be because of my low weight that I crave more calories? I am 5'8" and 116 lbs.

I feel a bit discouraged and could use any advice available.

Thank you!

[Revvell]

Have you gotten/read Alissa's book? Many of your questions will be answered there.

What are you calling "raw treats"?

Basically, just from the little you said, I'd say if what you're doing is not working, do something different. To me, a raw treat would be a huge green salad with chopped red/orange and/or yellow bell peppers; chopped cukes; sliced avocados; chopped tomatoes, shredded carrots and maybe even some jicama. If that's not what you're doing in the evening, give it a shot and see what, if anything changes, 'k? :)

[ahj]

By raw treats, I meant lots of dessert-type foods: nuts, sweet flax crackers, nut spreads, and lots of raw chocolate with cacao (my husband discovered a talent for making raw desserts!). I read Alissa's book and in a way her message seemed to be eat what you want, as long as it is raw, and I think I took that overboard! Thank you for your advice, I think my tastes are slowly changing.

[Revvell]

She was saying that yet, what I'm seeing/hearing is that people tend to overdue the chocolate/cacao stuff. Personally, I don't think it's as good for people as many are saying.

If you would, just give it a shot to eat a LARGE salad, then, if you want the desserts, have at 'em. Please keep us updated. I'd love to hear what happens.

Revvell

[AngelLove]

~hey ahj:) ~

~i would cut out all nuts and fats (including seeds/avacadoes)~and i know this is gonna hurt but you need to lose the cacao~it is a sacred food not a superfood and will do more harm than good if used for any other purpose~

~try sticking to just whole fruits and vegetables~and make it a habit to have at LEAST one green smoothie a day~read GREEN FOR LIFE by Victoria Boutenko it will tell you all about how adding green smoothies daily to her raw food lifestyle changed her life~

~make sure your is comprised of more fruits than veggies though~just try it and you will see the difference!~keep a journal of what you eat and how you feel too~this will help you more than anything else as this will be a reflection of YOUR experience and you will slowly see patterns in your journal of which foods irritate you and how you feel and so on.......~

~i would also recommend drinking E3live on a daily basis too~this is pure organic algae which arrives frozen to your doorstep within days of being extracted from klamath lake in oregon~check it out at www.e3live.com~

~the fact that you aware of your own body and the power of food is beautiful~ ~ blessings and good luck~

~humbly and lovingly always~ ME!~:p

[dreamrawalwz]

Nuts can be difficult for some to digest and can make some constipated. What does your typical day consist of (food and water)?

[ahj]

Thank you so much!

This is really helpful. I agree with the cacao/nut/fat hypothesis. I really went overboard on all of these things and that's when the problems started. I also wasn't drinking much water because I was confused about the dilution of stomach acids. There is a lot of information out there and it's hard to get it straight.

I guess I have the answers and will continue experimenting. The hair loss has been pretty scary so I am hoping the claims about green smoothies helping your hair are true! In the end, though, its just vanity and I would rather have peace of mind independent of any external conditions.

What are the benefits of the live algae? I know Dr. Cousens is a fan.