Hi!! heres my story

[SmileySmurf]

Hello, glad to be here. My name is Jesse. I am new to this forum and really for the most part new to living a healthy lifestyle. Forgive me for being blatantly honest and open in every way, I need to be transparent so please be gentle with me!

I've never really been overweight, so I never really thought I had a reason to be healthy. Im pretty much a constant partyer- eat drink and be merry has long been my motto. Im 33 years old, and have been a smoker since age 11. yess. I quit buying packs of smokes 10/01/10 and went from smoking 20 cigs a day to 5 or so per week for the next few months. That wasnt enough tho, and I ended up in the hospital for six days from untreated asthma. I am now on my 77th day without smoking.

During my hospital stay, I was pumped full of steroids and put on steroid inhalers. I gained about 25lbs in less than two weeks. I had been the same weight since high school, so when I looked in the mirror I saw a different person.

My diet? not so great. I grew up on hot dogs and bologna sandwiches and white bread. At around 17 or 18 I started eating vegetables for the first time ever- although only when drenched in chinese food sauces. Although I've been (mostly) vegetarian for over 10 years, I mainly survived on coca cola, pizza, pasta, bread, avocados and ice cream. Oh, and daily doses of beer. The only raw veggies I ever ate were avocados and baby carrots, and hummus, if thats considered a veggie. I started every day with a huge mug or two of coffee. I barely drank any water. I've been living like this for years. The first thing I did upon getting released from the hospital was to research what foods caused mucous and which ones didnt, so this was the start to my new diet, which has much improved over the last few months.

Fast forward to now, Im on day 9 of a partial juice fast. I've been juicing carrots, kale, spinach, chard, apples, cucumber, beets celery, oranges, ginger and grapes. After doing much internet research, Im totally confused on whether or not enemas are necessary. I just wanna say that there is no way on earth Im giving myself a freakin enema. So I decided to eat a little bit every day to keep something moving through my digestive tract. Because I loved pesto pasta so much, once a day I've been mixing fresh chopped basil, 2 cloves chopped garlic, a few pine nuts and a tiny sprinkle of freshly grated parmesan in with one mashed avocado and spreading that over half of an ezekial sprouted grain tortilla. I've also been drinking mass water and also cayenne lemon water throughout the day. So far I have lost 10 of the 25 lbs just in the last 9 days. Is this still considered fasting? Although Im certain Im getting way more nutrients than I think I ever have in my entire life, am I missing any vital nutrients from this?

I really wanna go raw and change my lifestyle forever, Im just a little overwhelmed by all the information I've read. Is it necessary to do the enema on the fast in your opinion? Or will eating a little fiber make it ok to not use one? Also, I should mention that while I am now off of the asthma medication and having no symptoms, I am still on medication (adderall) for ADHD. Sometimes I would like to stop taking it, but when I do I really cannot function. I've been on it for many years, (taken on weekdays only) and I know it really helps me, but I know alot of people really really frown upon it. But I have to wonder if maybe it was my bad eating habits that caused lack of energy in the first place? Also while cutting out the beer completely, I have been drinking between 4-8 oz of organic red wine daily while on this fast. I've cut the coffee down from unlimited cups to 6-8oz black coffee a day, ocassionally skipping some days.

So as you see, I havent been the strictest. But its a start. I would like to fully admit that I hate eating and chewing vegetables. But juicing them is really tasty, and Im starting to prefer veggie juices to fruit ones. I feel amazing, and Im actually sweating for the first time in my life so Im pretty sure I mustve been super dehydrated.

Sorry for the long spiel, and thanks for giving me a place to vent my dietary woes (and victories, really) i look forward to reading more and becoming as close to a raw food eater as I can. I have heard so many great things about raw food diet and it of course makes perfect sense. I need this change not only for my own health but for my 9 year old son, (who has been guzzling down the juices- I've been making them for him too!) I am of course open to any input and suggestions....

cheers :-) :throwhearts:

[Mary Kay]

Smiley Smurf,

I admire your honesty, and well, if you want to get advice/or truly introduce who you WERE, then I think it's great you have filled us in.

I have done juice fasts where I've done enemas, however, it is not ABSOLUTELY necessary IMO.

Just eating raw food --even munching on salads or grabbing a cucumber - which you say you don't like to do ---even doing that is cleansing your body.

You know in your heart that the coffee is not good, nor the wine, but hey, that's where you are right now in your life and it's 100X better than where you WERE.

Many people differ on opinions as to whether fruit is good, natural fat is good etc etc, and personally, I believe your prior circumstances and your body determine what is best for you.

I also believe that to begin a cleanse it is best to NOT do any overt fats like pine nuts or avocados --or to do any overt protein like nuts, so that your body goes into autolysis, where cells are "seeking" protein and fat, and get it from other cells. In your body's wisdom, it doesn't go for the cells of the liver, or heart etc, but for the crappiest ones it can find. Supposedly this takes 4 - 5 days for your body to begin to do this.

So I believe in doing a cleanse, whether it be incorporating smoothies here and there, or two days of juices only followed by a day of smoothies, or whether it's taking some bentonite and psyllium every third day to clean out your colon ---whatever you choose --I believe in not doing the fat or protein for about two weeks.

I also believe in cutting back on the sugars while doing a cleanse --keeping fruit just for flavor, and not too much, but you'll also get different opinions on this.

Then it is my opinion that you should begin adding in the essential fatty acids --avocados, flax oil --or even other non-vegan oils ----But that's just me--and continue to "cleanse for another period of time that you determine. Maybe another two weeks.

Many here have done juice f(e)asts without any enemas or pooping --or very little pooping. The old timers have done it this way, and many believe this to be fine. Me. I believe you want to get the toxins out. I believe you need to poop or else it's reabsorbed through your intestines.

I think adding in E3 Live and sea veggies and sprouts would also be beneficial and provide some good "superfood" nutrition while cleansing.

You do what you feel. After research.

I'm of the mind that you should also get blood tests when you are again eating after a cleanse to see if your new way of eating isn't leaving something out.

Just my opinions. You'll get others, and you'll have to decide for yourself.

Good for you.

Mary Kay

[SmileySmurf]

Mary Kay,
Thankyou very much for the thoughtful and helpful response. Thanks for being knowledgable because I desperately need it. This morning I had dandelion root tea intsead of coffee, and I think I can definately make this change, although typically I like it better with honey, I think my tastebuds are already starting to adjust to craving less sweets. I should be able to cut out wine, the challenge is when a bunch of people come to my house with thier fancy delicious beers and ciggarettes, it helps to have the glass of wine to sip on to avert disaster. I will try to build my will power tho, at least for a few weeks till I start eating again. I did it with smokes so I know I can do it with alcohol too.

As for the fats, I had no idea. Thats good info. Cutting this out is definately not a problem, I forgot to mention I really dont have any issues with hunger, in the past I have had to force myself to eat at times. I've just been worried about fasting without an enema, and also taking medication without food. Despite the whole chewing thing I really like the flavor of raw spinach especially with dried cranberries so I'll probably eat that instead today. I know deep inside I've gotta retrain my brain to like this Im feeling pretty fantastic right now, and completely motivated to continue.

Just thought of this, as for pooping toxins out, is it possible that you start peeing them out if you have nothing to poop? hmmm...

thanks dearly!!! :woot:

[soulvibe]

I really wanna go raw and change my lifestyle forever, Im just a little overwhelmed by all the information I've read.

Man, I sure know what you mean there! Haha! Try to move past that feeling though - I know there is TONS of conflicting information on raw foods out there, but I've learned through my own experience the key to eating healthy is 1) Keeping things simple, and 2) Listening to your body. From what you have written, I wouldn't say you are truly fasting, but rather, making a very commendable transition from the SAD diet to food that is aligned with nature, and for that alone, you should be very proud of yourself! :) Fasting is a great healing modality, but it can be very intense and taxing on the body during the detoxification process, especially when you have been on the type of diet you mention for so many years. For now, I would recommend that you continue focusing on the dietary transition and cultivating health. That's awesome you're a fan of juicing, as it is one of the very best cleansing tools for your body... Drink as much green juice as you feel comfortable with! :D

As for using enemas, I did a 10-day water fast last August and didn't do them once. Again, this is an issue which holds many conflicting opinions/beliefs on whether it is necessary to do them during a fast, but my advice, is again, to listen to your body. I didn't feel that I needed to do them, and just made sure that I ate clean, fiber-rich foods in the weeks after the fast. Anyway, victory to you in changing your eating ways! And make sure you keep drinking plenty of water! Continue alkalizing your body and watch the amazing transformations!

Hope this helps :)

[MysticTree]

enemas are not essential. We are the only animal that does them.

[Mary Kay]

I think that regularly on a day-to-day basis, if you eat right, enemas are absolutely unnecessary. I have to agree with you MysticTree.

But I disagree while doing a cleanse --a liquid only cleanse.

While doing a juice fast in the past, I have done enemas and I would do a colonic once-a-week. Inevitably little poops came out in the enema and in the colonic.

One time I did an enema before going to do a colonic, and lo and behold, still got a little poop in the colonic. That's why I did them once-a-week while fasting. the longest I did a liquid fast was for eleven weeks. (With a two week semi-break in the middle)

That poop would've sat there for who knows how long! You still make a little poop when you're fasting, and there's nothing to make it come out.

Sorry MysticTree --LOL, not trying to get the last word!

Mary Kay

[MysticTree]

lol Mary Kay that's ok ... it is this factor that makes me wary of liquid only fasts. Enemas are not natural so if they ARE necessary on a liquid fast then I feel myself shying away from liquid fasts.

Babies that have only milk still have dirty nappies ... confusing!

[Mary Kay]

Makes sense, MysticTree.

Mary Kay