Am I doing something wrong ?

[Rawnewbie9]

Hi everyone....today is day 8 of my trying to go raw. I'm hoping somebody here at 'rawfoodtalk' can enlighten me and give me some input on just what I do eat in a day and am I on the right track here......so here goes.....and thanks everyone in advance.......

Every day I start with some kind of fruit, I don't mix my fruits. I also drink green tea in the morning sweetened with a small bit of stevia. Once I am hungry, usually within a few hours of eating my fruit and having my tea, I juice carrots, celery, kale, cilantro, parsley, ginger, (sometimes a beet) and usually some lettuce. I try to be organic but am unable to purchase everything that way. I do soak nuts (pecans and walnuts), then dehydrate them and have about 10 or so per day when I'm feeling peckish. For dinner, I have more of my vegetable juice (so about 28 to 30 oz of juice per day) and some salad (usually no dressing). In the evening, I do have a small cup of coffee with a bit of stevia and a bit of cream.

In almost 8 days, I have released 4 lbs (expected more)....and I am constipated (hard stools, (sorry for the graphics))...am I doing something wrong, where could I improve and/or am I just being too impatient.
Looking forward to hearing from you !!!......thanks again........PEACE !!

[modernmonkey]

How much water do you consume?

[Rawnewbie9]

Ah, yes, not the biggest water consumer. I probably drink about 16 to 24 oz of water per day.....figured there was plenty in my tea and juice ??

[EscapeArtist]

Well, for each glass of tea and coffee, you are actually reducing your water intake by 1 cup because they're both diuretics. So, you should actually be adding 1 cup of water for each glass of tea or coffee that you drink.

Also, that small bit of cream could be doing some of the damage. Dairy is extremely hard on the body... The way raw sensitizes your body to harmful foods, I would think that even that small bit of cream could be doing you in for constipation and markedly reduced progress.

Best wishes!

[Rawnewbie9]

Very interesting information EscapeArtist....thanks !!!.....it's hard to believe that a teaspoon of cream (or less) could sabotage my efforts to go raw.....when people say they are 85% raw or 90% raw, what is the other 10 or 15% consist of (thought maybe it was the cream in the coffee or something like that ??).....

[Mrs. Papaya]

Aside from the whole coffee/cream/tea issue, it doesn't sound like you are eating enough food overall. And do you just not like salad dressing, or are you trying to be low fat? The thought of trying to eat my huge salads without any sort of dressing (I use olive oil and apple cider vinegar or lemon juice) makes me want to gag! I say eat more fruits and don't be afraid to add a little cold-pressed oil to your food. Maybe try to combat the coffee cravings with lots of bananas or something. :)

[Friend]

If you are constipated it could be from all that juicing, as you are leaving out all the beneficial fiber. Some who juice find themselves doing more colonics and enemas. You need the whole fruits and veggies including the fiber for regulation. Ever try doing smoothies?

[kaleboy]

I would just cut out the green tea for the caffine content and keep what you're doing. Eventually it will all come out. You are getting plenty of natural bio water from the raw fruits and veges...I would also suggest going for a couple of colonics to start to move all the old waste.

What may be happening is your bowel may have narrowed from all the junk and you are now trying to move through a lot of fibre through a small hole or an area where it is restricted.

[ShelShel]

I totally agree with the not eating enough thought. When I started raw, I could eat the house empty...I was ravenous! :D Then as the weeks went by, my hunger slowed and I felt much more peaceful with less. Do you have any fat to speak of besides the few nuts? I have to be honest, I eat tons of stuff others seem to shy away from and the weight drops off my body. Avocados, raw nuts, coconut oil and olive oil. When you said you have a plain salad, I winced. I mean, I know my sister-in-law actually enjoys her salads with salt and pepper, but I am no such raw foodie! I love my raw dressings and there are tons of recipes...search with the banana up above, Alissa has a bunch of ideas in her book. Changing the dressings make veggies seem new and inspired from day to day.
I adore avocado/spinach dip! Wow! Makes for some great snacking on raw veggies.
Now, as to what do others eat when not 100%, it varies, but everything that isn't raw is just a drag on the system. So. If what you need to be happy right now is the cream...that one cup of coffee, don't beat yourself up over it. This is your journey and it sounds like you are doing great.
My suggestions above are just to encourage you to try and experiment...enjoy all the different items you can eat so that you don't get bored and so that your body gets all the vitamins and minerals that it needs from the variety!
(Also, juicing removes all the lovely fiber from those foods which might help with the elimination issues.;))
You are doing great! Keep it up! :cheer:

[Aleesha Sattva]

If you are constipated it could be from all that juicing, as you are leaving out all the beneficial fiber. Some who juice find themselves doing more colonics and enemas. You need the whole fruits and veggies including the fiber for regulation. Ever try doing smoothies?

Not all people who juice do colonics or enemas. I never have and I had regular bowel movements during my ENTIRE 209 day fast last year. ;)


Very interesting information EscapeArtist....thanks !!!.....it's hard to believe that a teaspoon of cream (or less) could sabotage my efforts to go raw.....when people say they are 85% raw or 90% raw, what is the other 10 or 15% consist of (thought maybe it was the cream in the coffee or something like that ??).....

As Alissa has shared many times before... it's not the raw foods you are eating... it's what you are eating that isn't raw. The coffee and cream can definitely cause issues. I know that back when I consumed those... it wasn't doing my body any favours.

As for what people who are 85% eat that isn't raw? It depends. Some are healthier SAD choices while others are not. It doesn't really matter what others are doing... the real question is... what does YOUR body want/need?

I'm not concerned about your fluid intake since you are juicing and that's all liquid but adding water certainly won't hurt. :wuv

Here's Alissa talking about this very subject: http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/showthread.php?t=53430

[Hopandskip]

I agree with Aleesha....and of course she has so much more experience at this than me...so who am I to talk? :0) But juicing is often the fastest way to get nutrients into the system and for me it has always resulted in better bowel movements..and so colorful! :0)

Actually, the smoothies I am finding for me are a bit constipating with the massive amount of fiber...and me just coming off a fast. Even with lots of water. (And that has rarely been an issue for me) I think I get fuller on the smoothies and then don't want to eat anything else...and if you read my blog...I need the calories! :0)

I find in my health group here at home, that as people begin consuming raw fruits and vegi's...if they have been a little constipated before, they get more constipated and gasey. We have them get those bowels moving quickly (2 to 3 times/day) by more water, herbal bowel stimulators, probiotic/cultured vegi's and sometimes enzymes...I think Aleesha has a good bowel mover she recommends... and then the higher fiber foods begin to move through much quicker.

It was interesting that I did a scan on a gal who was eating 70% raw and taking a fruit/vegi pill of some kind that she said had lots of enzymes in it...but what came up on her scan was...enzymes...ones that break down plant food and are good for vegitarians. So for her constipation was an issue also and her body was calling for help processing all that wonderful food she was eating.

Basil is sometimes a bowel stimulator also, so if you like Basil, you might try finding a great basil juicing recipe as well. Ginger, tarragon, fennel, peppermint, lemongrass, and anise all help with either gas/bloating and/or constipation issues to one extent or another. There may be others as well. We use them in essential oil form (only from Young Living) which are a site more potent, but the adding the fresh herbs may be helpful as well.

And lastly, there are enzyme inhibitors in some foods that need to be unlocked. If you consume a lot of spinich, in order to unlock the iron it is helpful to put something either acidic or with Vitamin C with it (like lemon). Anyone remember Grandma putting vinegar on her spinich? She had it right! We've always used lemon juice. :0) Let me quote from Harvard's site:

"On the flip side, other food substances—oxalic acid in spinach and chocolate; phytic acid in wheat bran and legumes; tannins in tea; and polyphenols in coffee—seem to inhibit non-heme iron absorption. Again, consuming vitamin C or iron from meat, fish, or poultry at the same time helps to overcome these “inhibitors.”

Of course you can disregard the meat comment part for the purposes of this discussion, I just wanted to quote them in whole.

From this site:http://huhs.harvard.edu/Resources/HealthInformationByTopic/Nutrition/IronNutrition.aspx

Note here...the polyphenols in coffee may be having an effect of slowing down or inhibiting absorbtion of nutrients. I love coffee too...even the smell. Herb teas like Peppermint have been such a life save for me. :0)

[Aleesha Sattva]

think Aleesha has a good bowel mover she recommends...



i looove triphala... it's ayervedic and soooo gentle!

[Aleesha Sattva]

i was just thinking... are you taking probiotics? that can assist you as well.

i take a probiotic (garden of life), triphala and a b12 supplement daily. have been for about 6 weeks now and i plan on continuing.

the probiotic and triphala assist my insides to do what they need to do - getting the nutrition out of my food and getting the waste out of my body!

[Raw Angel Mom]

You need more fiber

You should drop the coffee and cream, it compromise the maximum cleansing. Coffee eats up your calcium and store fat, not talking what the cream does. You can give a try with a teccino (herbal coffee) when you crave for coffee. If you search even in this forum, you will find a raw vegan coffee recipe (simulate coffee)


I had constipation problem but it was due that i was sick and i was shock that it didn't work much even during my detox program. Anyway, i am adding Slippery elm bark powder with whole vanilla bean powder in my green smoothie, and i have been able to have a few bowl movement a day.

Drink half your weight in oz of water.

Don't deprive yourself with food and eat. You are probably not much hungry after a vegetable juice because they are very filling and pack with nice protein. This is great that you do this, but seriously ditch the coffee. Your body will reset the craving, just drink green smoothie instead. It heals addiction.

Best wishes on your journey!

[Rawnewbie9]

First off, thanks everyone for taking the time to provide me with your input...I truly do value all of your knowledge...:hug...keep it coming !!

..and a special thanks to Aleesha......that link you sent me (for those of you interested, address is a few posts ago) I have listened to and found it totally inspiring......has given me a new attitude and certainly made me think about a new approach towards eating raw, what my expectations are, how to handle my disappointments, etc........and, of course, I just love anything to do with the 'positive' stuff !!!...so big huge thanks to you !!!!!!!! :hug

....and to refer back to a previous post Aleesha, yes, I do take a probiotic daily....10 billion active cells......and yesterday, I started to eat a few tablespoons of hemp hearts as I understand them to aid in constipation also...:heart:

[Rawnewbie9]

Oh yea, and forgot to mention, have not had a coffee or cream since my first post on this forum....soooo, coffee and cream free for going on 3 days !!!..and not really missing it either !!!......YAY !!!...:excited: