Question for the High Raw LADIES!

[Green_Woman]

My fiance mentioned an article someone had written stating that 50% of female raw eaters ceased natural menstruation and experienced severe protein depletion.

I'd like to get an idea of how many, IF ANY, FEMALE raw eaters on this board have experienced a complete disruption of their menstruation cycle.

I know that I certainly have not... in fact, my cycles are HEAVIER when I am 100% RAW than when I'm eating cooked... heavier, and more painful, which is most likely my body going through a healing process with the endometriosis.


(Sometimes, I almost WISH I would stop menstruating. :)

But then, I like the natural balance of my body, and if she wants to continue menstruating, then I want her to do so in a HEALTHY, mostly RAW fashion. :))

So tell me.... has anyone actually experienced this "reportedly common occurrence"?

[contessa20]

Nope, not I. My periods are pretty much the same as before.

[Rhapsody]

Hello

Hope this can help you!

"When you first go raw, your periods may actually become more intense and heavier. This is generally considered normal among raw foods people. It’s what happened to me. This unpleasantness lasted only a few months. After that, my periods became very light. If you don’t mind a very personal observation, note that I’ve never (since the end of that early period of heavy cycles) needed pads; ordinary toilet paper has always been sufficient.

Expect that your going raw will take as much as six months to fully impact your system. In the meantime, the effects of detoxing may alter your periods in several ways. They may become shorter, lighter, even quite pain-free."
(found on http://www.beautifulonraw.com/raw-food-blog/raw-food-lifestyle/raw-foods-and-menstruation/)

So just trust your body, the healing process takes time! :)

[Aleesha Sattva]

my periods actually became regular for the first time in my life. (i'm 46)... so nope, didn't stop mine!

[tzip]

Although never was regular (I am 38). my periods since going raw are definitely more regular than ever before and lighter too.

[green jeanie]

my periods are finally returning since staying raw.

and returning pain free.....drama free.....and joyfully

best gj

[soulstar]

When I was 100% raw for almost 12 months, awhile back, I stopped menstruating completely. I had no pain or any menstrual-related sensations. At that time I was eating a low fat raw vegan diet,
I never felt better, actually!:)
I'm back on the road again, after falling off the raw wagon.;)

[bsqmurphy]

Nope - mine are more consistent & less painful.

[coco]

No change for me. Pregnancy affected my cycle a bit but foods don't really alter it much.

It's a fallacy that menstruation is a symptom of detox. Losing it completely should be checked out by a doctor, it could be due to not enough fat in the diet, hormone imbalance, etc. It would be considered fine if one is ovulating regularly without menstruating though.

[Green_Woman]

Interesting... only one of you stopped menstruating!!! I had a feeling it was a little weird for a "statistic"... especially since I've gone LONG periods of time 100% and never experienced it, myself... but then, I know everyone is different.

[alishia]

9 days into my raw foods diet, I started menstruating, but it was actually 2 weeks EARLY. Then at the time I was supposed to start my period, I started. SO I actually menstruated twice in one month. Thought I'd throw that into the mix of everyone's responses to this question. We'll see what happens next month.

[Green_Woman]

Alishia - Sounds like part of the detox, if it doesn't happen to you regularly... I, on the other hand, experience multiple periods pretty often.

[Dimond]

I completely stopped for several months and that's when I was healthier. Since I've been unhealthy (overeating 100% raw), I'm getting back to more regular cycles. I believe we're not meant to bleed at all or go through any period/pms symptoms. All we need is to ovulate. Once I'm consistently healthy, I'll likely have very little or no periods again.

[RawBabie]

Dimond, I'm curious, how long did it take for your periods to stop once you went raw?

Anyone else who has noticed any change in your period, how long did it take?

What level of raw are you? Meaning are you 100% with nothing like Nama Shoyu, nutritional yeast, spices, Bragg's Aminos, etc.? Or do you include these things on your otherwise raw diet?

Thanks!

[Dimond]

Couple years. I've always been 100%, using little of those items you've mentioned except spices. Mainly they were only in some pre-made foods I bought. Now eat much simpler, not using spices or salt as much.

[DopeRawAbundance]

High Raw Ladies? Where?

http://ourweed.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/Spongebob_500.jpg

[Clare]

haha

OK when I was lowfat 100% raw for several months I had no periods. I was eating tons of green smoothies and fruits and veg. Minimal avos, maybe 1-2 per week. At first I felt fantastic and had so much energy I was running again. My chiro tested my bodyfat (since he always does that at 1st appt) and said it was a little low (it was 16.?%). Also my saliva was always acidic. I still don't know why. Anyway I started catching every bug going around and the energy started to wane. I craved fat as winter came, made friends with some local lactating goats (bad I know), gained a few pounds and voila, the periods are back (40-45 days) and my saliva tests alkaline (I still do a ton of greens just less fruit and more veggie juice). I still don't understand it all. Tonight i had some raw pumpkin pie and am having yeast reactions like I haven't had in some time. ugh

[Nymue]

I find this to be such an interesting topic! I've been mostly raw after finishing up a Master Cleanse in July. I didn't have a period through ALL of August. That was really rare for me as my cycle is always like clockwork. I was a bit concerned at first, until I read that it is quite common for women who are raw to either stop menstruating (probably does not happen that way for most women, I think), or to have a longer cycle, which is what I experienced. I think my cycle ended up being about 6 weeks long, instead of 4.

I'm waiting to see if this is going to continue. If it's back to "normal", then I should be getting my period in the next couple of days. I eat a moderate fat raw diet, with some cooked food on the weekends (usually if going out to eat). There have been a lot of family get-togethers and vacation, etc. in the past few weeks, so I've had more cooked food than usual, so I have a hunch that I might be back on a 4 week cycle this time around.

[AmandaButBetter]

What about pregnancy--I would like to have a baby, but haven't had success after trying for several months. Today marks my one week milestone of being 90-95% raw, and changing my diet to raw is a means of getting my body more healthy in hopes of becoming pregnant (only one of my reasons for going raw, though). I don't want to have to take those fertility meds everyone raves about. Having read this thread, though, I'm worried now that my diet might interrupt my menstrual cycle even more. I have mild endometriosis, too, and am praying that my new diet will bring healing to my body. Do you gals have any thoughts on this?

[rawmiss]

I think raw helps people get pregnant, the dietary treatment for PCOS sounds similar to raw foods "A low GI diet in which a significant part of total carbohydrates are obtained from fruit, vegetables and whole grain sources." But I think raw mostly helps infertility because then we stop eating foods linked to infertility like transfats, I think dairy is also liked to infertility.

I found a link about that:
http://www.naturalnurse.com/infertility.htm
"Dietary emphasis on whole organic foods, high in dark green leafy vegetables and devoid of fried, processed, high sugar and ‘junk’ foods is an important step for increasing the chances for conception for both men and women. Organic foods are free of pesticides, xenoestrogenic substances that interfere with fertility. Food allergy testing(IGG) should be considered. Many women are sensitive to dairy products, and dairy consumption may decrease fertility, possibly due to incomplete breakdown of galactose, a lactose breakdown product."

[katchmoleen]

DRA, you make me laugh! WHAT does your user name mean? Dare I ask????

[Nymue]

What about pregnancy--I would like to have a baby, but haven't had success after trying for several months. Today marks my one week milestone of being 90-95% raw, and changing my diet to raw is a means of getting my body more healthy in hopes of becoming pregnant (only one of my reasons for going raw, though). I don't want to have to take those fertility meds everyone raves about. Having read this thread, though, I'm worried now that my diet might interrupt my menstrual cycle even more. I have mild endometriosis, too, and am praying that my new diet will bring healing to my body. Do you gals have any thoughts on this?

From what I understand, for those women who stop menstruating due to raw, they are still ovulating, but just not bleeding.
And as rawmiss said, if anything, raw should make it easier for you to get pregnant. I've also read that it helps increase the production of breast milk as well, so that's another added bonus if you're trying to conceive.

[coco]

It's worth it to check with an ovulation tracking device to ensure that you are actually Are ovulating.

[DopeRawAbundance]

DRA, you make me laugh! WHAT does your user name mean? Dare I ask????

Dope is being used as an adjective meaning "cool" or "fun" even, Raw is... well ya know raw... and Abundance refers to the abundance of life in general, such as how many foods there are to try and the fantastical combinations of said foods there are to sink my teeths into... and how much things there are to do and how much places there is to go and how much music there is to listen to and how much things I could list right now but I'll leave it at that.

[ReneeH]

For the past 2 months, I have had NO PMS AT ALL!!! And, my cycle has been VERY light...only for 2-3 Days.... It kinda snuck up on me!!! The 2nd month (this month) I was almost a week late!!! (was lookin' around the corner for that thing!!! :eek: