My Mom

[ViolinCyndee]

My Mom just wrote to tell me that her blood pressure is 190/98 and that she has a 'dangerous' heartbeat! She is now on BP meds and is still awaiting more test results.

I wrote back to her, suggesting raw, and here is her reply:

"I know a lot of people swear by this eating raw, but I have a real physical problem. My digestive system is a complete mess with chronic gastritis, Barret's in my esophagus, and the remnants of a very huge ulcer. In other words I am a mess and falling apart at the seams. Since I have all these problems I am very limited in what I can eat without
having a lot of pain and other problems. I love raw vegetables, salad and fruit for instance but can't tolerate them anymore. The discomfort I experience after I eat anything raw is not worth it to me. So, I am not sure what I will do about everything. Tell you the truth, I feel best
when I hardly eat anything at all."

Anyone have any advice about how I should reply to this? If she is having major pain every time she eats raw, how can I convince her to switch to raw, and will it actually help in this case? :confused:

[Raine]

Has she tried juicing?

About 4 years ago my blood pressure was around 140/110 and my resting heart rate was 100. I knew I was going to have to do something - either drugs or natural. And since I don't care much for doctors, I opted for natural and started a 30 day juice fast.

I simply juiced whatever I felt like and was in season. After juicing, I would often blend with a banana and a sprinkle of cinnamon and/or spirulina powder. ALSO, I would juice one clove of garlic as that's good for high blood pressure.

About 7 days into it, I was lying down about to begin a pilates routine and I realized my heart felt to be beating very slowly. I took my pulse and it was 60! It had dropped 40 beats in 1 week. I went to 3 different pharmacies to take the blood pressure and it was 110/70.

Needless to say, drugs were never needed and the 30 day juice fast was definitely one of the most amazing experiences of my life. My raw intake is about 70% and if it's not salads than it's juicing. The balance 30% will be things like granola, steamed vegs, some fish on occasion because I like it. I don't own a dehydrator, etc., - just a juicer and blender has worked great for me for several years.

.

[ViolinCyndee]

WOW that is fascinating! I am sure my Mom has not tried juicing, and would prefer eating less, so maybe she'd be into this idea. I will definitely forward your story to her..

<keeping fingers crossed that she will be open to this!>

Thanks for your input, too!

[Raine]

She's in my prayers.

Juicing "recipe" books can be found at almost any bookstore with the paperbacks in the $6 range. Also, keep in mind that vegs are high nutrition / low calorie whereas fruit is the opposite.

Should she decide to this, ask her to read through sites on juicing so that she will know what to expect as her body will start detoxing and that is a very good thing.

The human body spends about 1/3 of it's energy digesting food. Juicing does not require digestion so that frees up so much energy for the body to start cleaning house!


www.FreedomYou.com
www.JuiceFasting.org

[ViolinCyndee]

Thank you SO much for the info and links! I really, really hope my Mom will be into such a drastic change of lifestyle. I am trying...

[juliebove]

If she has Barrett's Esophogus, there may well be some foods she can not eat. I know people who can not eat tomatoes, onions or peppers for this reason. I have it but don't have a problem with those things.

I do have gastroparesis and that means I can't eat a lot of salads. I can't eat broccoli or other foods. But there are some raw foods I can eat, so that's what I do eat.

[ViolinCyndee]

If she has Barrett's Esophogus, there may well be some foods she can not eat. I know people who can not eat tomatoes, onions or peppers for this reason. I have it but don't have a problem with those things.

I do have gastroparesis and that means I can't eat a lot of salads. I can't eat broccoli or other foods. But there are some raw foods I can eat, so that's what I do eat.

Thanks for this info.. Are you able to drink veggie juice? Though... I would be surprised if my Mom will go raw.. I wish she would. She has more health problems than she originally thought, including scar tissue, and leaking from a valve in her heart. Hopefully she will not have to have surgery, but I fear that she may.. :(

[annavon]

What's Barretts Esophogus?

I have (had) a hiatal hernia which causes acid reflux, a gastric ulcer and lymphocytic colitis. In other words my digestive tract was a mess before I went raw.

I found juicing very helpful and green smoothies. The green smoothies are great for consuming veggies in a way that is easy to digest.

Also, remind her that is is very important (espicially when eating raw) to chew food very throughly. I am guilty of now chewing properly and it doesn't help the digestion issues.

Since I have been eating raw, most of my problems have cleared up. I still have to be careful what I eat in the evening and to not eat too late or I get some reflux.

I wish her the best.

[Ilse W.]

My son had high blood pressure (175/95). He is treating his with 1000 mg Vitamin C and 500mg Garlic Extract per day, which is what my naturopath suggested. It worked really well.

[ViolinCyndee]

My son had high blood pressure (175/95). He is treating his with 1000 mg Vitamin C and 500mg Garlic Extract per day, which is what my naturopath suggested. It worked really well.


Interesting! I will let my Mom know about this..

[carolg]

I don't know about her condition, not talking BP, but my daughter was diagnosed with Crohn's and IBD which I wrote here about. She had a heck of a time doing raw foods which she loves. She is finally introducing it slowly. She is seeing a practioner who does NAET, an allergy elimination program through acupuncture. Not all practioners are sadly the same. People travel from different states here. My daughter went on a 3 day juice fast and it almost killed here as her intestines are so fragile/tender and was too much for her. She is also taking probiotics and I have heard heavy doses to begin and then can cut back. I'm not expert in this area so may get help here for this talk.

I can understand the pain your mother is going through as my my daughter felt that same way--she hardly could eat and ended up being skinnier than before down 25 pounds.

She's doing much better now.

I will ask my daughter about the special board she's on and perhaps your mom may be interested. It's about support and different people choose different paths.

My prayers are with her. She's hurting so bad and can sense that in her note. Pain is horrible! I know about dental pain only, but still it is pain that finally is gone.

carolg

[ViolinCyndee]

Thank you Carol.. I do appreciate your thoughts..