First day raw... is this normal???

[jennyfedei]

I'm on my first day of the raw diet. Tonight I made a HUGE salad with lots of raw veggies in it along with a bit of sesame, pumpkin & sunflower seeds and a bit of Red Star nutritional yeast sprinkled on top with lemon juice and flax seed oil. It made a big salad and it was quite filling. I also had a peach and two apricots for dessert. I ate it all around 5:30 pm and it's now after 11:00 pm and I'm feeling very bloated. For some reason I thought I would be hungry only eating vegetables and fruits, but I have a bit of gas and bloat. I started drinking green smoothies a couple of days ago too. Is it normal to feel bloated when starting out? Does it eventually go away? What "other" side effects might I expect to encounter eating a raw food diet?

I am determined to do this for at least 30 days at which point I will re-evaluate my progress... my goal is to loose weight as my doctor is on my case to lower my blood sugars. He is on the verge of putting me on diabetic medications and I don't want to go there so I am taking matters into my own hands to see if I can heal myself. I just feel so bloated and wonder if I will really be able to lose any weight on this?

[Revvell]

Is it normal to feel bloated when starting out?

Yes


Does it eventually go away?

No, we all walk around bloated ~ always. O.k., yes. ;)


What "other" side effects might I expect to encounter eating a raw food diet?


Pooping and lots of it.

[Queen Bean]

jennyfedei

fruit should really be eaten before, not after other food. it digests very quickly. if you eat it after a denser, or more complex raw meal, it can cause fermentation and bloating. just a tip...

[MysticTree]

it may be because you mixed the pumpkin and sunflower seeds in with the fruits and the greens. Were the seeds soaked/sprouted? If you soak/sprout them they do seem to digest more easily.

But generally, if your body isn't used to a large volume of fruits and greens then you do feel a bit bloated at first. It gets better.

[James Carmichael]

jennyfedei

fruit should really be eaten before, not after other food. it digests very quickly. if you eat it after a denser, or more complex raw meal, it can cause fermentation and bloating. just a tip...

I must agree. I read this so often now even in non-alternative nutritional articles. I don't even eat fruit anymore really unless its ripe, organic and I eat it alone with water only.

[jennyfedei]

Interesting... didn't know that... but then that causes another dilemma because I've been doing green smoothies in the morning mixed with fruit (berries and bananas). The think is I like the fruit in my smoothie because it takes the edge off, otherwise it's too bitter for my taste buds. What are some other breakfast alternatives then?

[MysticTree]

fruits and leaves are usually ok together. Take a look in Alissa's book for a list that shows what does and doesn't go well together.

[jennyfedei]

fruits and leaves are usually ok together. Take a look in Alissa's book for a list that shows what does and doesn't go well together.

I have to get my hands on that book!! :drool:

[MysticTree]

It's really a very useful tool and you'll read it over and over.

It shows you how to be a raw vegan on both simple and gourmet levels.

I eat very few nut-based pates for example but I do like them stuffed in tomatoes. Occasionally I will have this even though I know it will maybe make me bloat a little. It's working out a path that works for you and really it is much more freeing and empowering than any other way of eating ... for me.

[BeingK8]

Jennyfedei, there are other places you can get simple food combining charts. I think I learned some of that years ago in Marlilou henner's cookbook or Suzanne Somers or soemthing. One of them had a simple chart that was circles, like a Venn diagram. and it showed what things could be combined with what. Google something like "basic food combining guidelines" or something and see what you can find.
It all has to do with the necessary conditions in the stomach for digestion. Some foods need more acid, some less, and when one that needs way more is combined with one that needs way less, your body can't handle it efficiently and the food ferments and other unpleasant stuff and you have bloating and gas and sometimes severe indigestion, cramping, etc. It's funny, because I'd guess all people have had that stuff, but until you really get into these kinds of things, you never realize that it's because you ate fruit salad with roast beef or whatever, you know? Or dairy and fruit. I mean, cottage cheese and fruit or low fat yogurt and fruit were always touted as "great" diet food. LOL! For that matter, so is whole grain pasta and lean chicken dishes. But from raw food perspective, this is just junk that will rot and provide little to no nutrition relative to the amount of work your body has to do to deal with it and extract what nutrition it can.

[jennyfedei]

Thanks! I just ran a search on Google and found something interesting. So much to learn here!

:woot:

[karenisraw]

gets better.:excited:

[PeterinBrussels]

A plate loaded as you have will send signals to the brain that everthing is on the way and all digestive chemical will be secreted. Chemistry often produces gasses and you will get bloated. No surprise there. Better to just have one item like for example a head of brocolli or a pineapple and then your system can digest it properly.

[Nad]

Green smoothies are great, don't axe them out of your diet just yet!
Are you drinking water mid-meal? I've found that since being raw I get seriously bloated if I drink water in the middle of a meal or straight after, I usually wait about 45 mins-1 hour after a meal before I have anything to drink. Personally it just helps my digestion but everyone is different. Just listen to what your body is telling you and you'll do fine. That's the great thing about being raw - it's so simple!

Keep us updated - I'm curious to see what other detox symptoms (if any) you experience. Happy rawking :excited:

[Raw Angel Mom]

I also had a peach and two apricots for dessert.

Eat your fruits in the morning or make sure that you digest fully before eating a fruit.

This will give you gas because fruit digest quicker.


Chew well also, if you don't you won't digest properly and it will ferment in you guts.

Many go through different phase when going on this journey of raw food. You will figure out what works for you.

All the best!

[November Blue]

Yep, it's somewhat normal at first, but it WILL get better - especially if you follow the tips listed in this thread.

Keep it up! And yes, you WILL lose weight if you stick to it.