I'm baaack and need support

[ShantiDass]

Hello all,

I've been on and off raw foods for a few years now and have been off for almost a year. I've been vegan for about 20 years but I'm a fat vegan. Raw helps me to lose weight but I always get so bored and miss my cooked food.

Well, here's where I am now as of last week. I'm fatter, have high cholesterol, hypertension and was also diagnosed with diabetes. My doc put me on meds for my blood pressure and meds for my cholesterol and gave me a month to deal with my diabetes. I didn't want to start on the other meds but caved and I won't start on meds for the diabetes. I know I can beat this. I am also really fatigued and can barely do anything without shortness of breath.

But, I am so confused. I've been reading about the raw programs to get rid of diabetes and as with everything, there's such conflicting advice. I was told one program is mostly greens and lots of fats from avocados and how that would raise cholesterol. Then I read, it lowers cholesterol. I don't know what to believe.

I'm not a green smoothie lover and need to get past that. I like fruit! :) But fruit doesn't always like me and I often feel sick after eating it.

Lately, I am feeling sick after eating - raw or cooked - and am not sure how to deal with the sugars - including fruit. This weekend, I ended up really sick after eating at a raw restaurant and was shaking, sweating, clammy, nauseated, felt like I was going to pass out and was unable to drive.

I pulled out Alissa's book and will go shopping tomorrow or the next day and start back on raw full time again. I'm just feeling confused and a tad scared. But, I'm glad to be back and see some familiar faces that have always been so helpful with advice.

[tanishamarshall]

Welcome back to the board. I know what you are mean about being confused by all of the different views everyone has. I think it is best to find someone who you trust and feel deep within that what they suggest will work for you. I think after you follow someone's advice, someone you trust of course your body will start telling you what works best, but that might take some time. Have you looked into Gabriel Cousins work? Alissa's book is a great way to start but I know Gabriel specifically works with people who have Diabetes. You can do it.

[Revvell]

Welcome home, ShantiDass. :)

[ShantiDass]

Thanks for the welcome. I ordered the video to cure diabetes today along with Gabriel's book. But, I've also read that he advocates a diet too high in fat. I don't know if that's possible with raw or not. I do know the last time I was 100% raw, I didn't lose weight until I knocked way down on nuts and avocados.

I am going to find some of my fav recipes from Alissa and start from there along with really working on making some green smoothies and actually drinking them!

I'll check out Gabriel's book and the video and see what I think. I'm hoping just being raw will do the trick.

I'm so happy to be back. Everyone here has always been so wondeful.

[iluvmangos]

A low-fat, high-fruit diet has only done good things for my blood sugar as a diabetic, so that may be an option for you as well. You could try it and see if it works for you.

[Katie P]

good to have you back! A few words of advice....DON'T BEAT YOURSELF UP!!! Don't call yourself fat!!!! Tell yourself you are getting healthy & that you are healthy! I believe words of affirmation are SOOOO important!

Listen to your body! I eat a moderate amount of fruit/veggies & fat throughout the day, but everybody's body is different! Listen to yours & it will tell you what it wants ;)

[StarFire]

Welcome back http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s43/FireStar_830/hug-1.gif... I don't know much about diabetes but I can relate to your reactions to fruit. I suffered from dizziness, sleepiness to the point that my husband had difficulty waking me up and when I did wake up I was confused and headachy.

The RAWbies that have been on this journey longer than I had kept telling me that my body would heal and readjust and eventually I would be able to add fruit in again.

2 years later... I am now able to enjoy frozen red grapes, an occasional banana, orange and a few slices of apple! EXCELLENT news since I wasn't able to consume any of that before and I absolutely looove fruit.

I think regardless of which direction you go - you will be able to see how your body is reacting. Going on a RAW LIFEstyle can only benefit you ... so yes... we'll be here to support you!

normally I would've said to follow the 30 day plan in Alissa's book -- that's what really helped me get started on my path to healing. But then as I read thru the blogs - I thought... you will get so many different opinions... all I want to do is let you know that ...
well.... we're here when you need us!
RAWk on!

[klomasius]

SUPPORT! :p

Don't get stressed by all the different aproaches to raw, just eat raw for the time being and see which direction you want to head in.

The problem with jumping into a strict narrow type of diet (low fat/high fruit, high fat/veg based etc) is that it limits your options when you need to have as many healthy options in order to stick with it.

Many people launch right into the strictest of raw diets and wonder why it all goes to poo and failure so quickly.

We need to give ourselves TIME, we are NOT perfect and we need to ease ourselves into things.

So just take a deep breath and eat raw, eat what you want, but try if you can, to focus on great things like greens (juice, salads smoothies etc.) and simpler foods. But if you want raw gourmet, just eat it and enjoy!

And watch your blood sugar levels and any other diabetic indicators, these will tell you more truth than any book or expert can. Check what your BSLs do when you eat certain things and try to avoid things that make it spike, at least in the beginning.

GO YOU!