Confused!

[SoulSong]

There is so much out there about what to eat and what not to eat, that I am thoroughly confused.

Gluten Free, Paleo, Metabolic, etc, etc.
I have Type 2 Diabetes and have been on the raw food diet, again, for about a month. Not completely this time because I am going slower this round. I have been doing juice every morning and afternoon and am feeling great. Blood sugar is slow to come down but I figure I am going to give it time. I've also had some thyroid problems(a nodule about the size of a golf ball that I healed).

Basically, I have just come to the conclusion that I am tired of reading and trying every diet out there and just feel that the high raw diet is the best route. I just keep coming back to this diet. I love it and it feels good! I figure my body will do what it needs to in time.

Yesterday was listening to a naturopathic doctor that mainly deals with gluten free issues. She said she doesn't agree with people over 35 doing green smoothies or doing any type of brassica greens uncooked. Well this puts me in a spot already since I juice kale and spinach everyday.

I know this is lengthy but can someone just enlighten me a bit and give me a little of your two sense about this subject.

Thank you for your time in this subject!

[Revvell]

I don't really care what some "doctor" says ... I'm 63 and I do green smoothies and whatever else I want ~ uncooked. Question for you is, how do YOU feel after eating and/or drinking?

[MysticTree]

If the ND had made her restriction for people over the age of 135 then I would have more time for the point of view. 35 is young and the ND doesn't know what she's talking about.

[green goddess]

Maybe the doctor is thinking that with 'regular' people (standard SAD eaters), the older they get, the less able their stomachs are able to handle 'harder to digest' foods like broccoli and dark greens because of the poor amount of acid in the stomach. As I understand it, the healthier the body, the more optimal the level of acid in the stomach with which to digest foods. Cooking these foods, such as steamed broccoli, is supposed to be easier on the acid-depleted digestive system. I have an elderly friend whose doctor recommended taking acid tablets (could be wrong here, but I'm thinking it's hydroclauric acid? Well, anyway, whatever acid is taken to increase stomach levels!) to help with digestion, and staying away from 'difficult' foods like beans, cruciferous vegetables, and greens. Seems so counter-intuitive, doesn't it?

I agree with Revvell. The most important thing is how you feel. You say you're having kale and spinach everyday and feel great, so hooray! And juicing them seems to make them very easy on the stomach, digestion-wise. Keep doing what you're doing!

[walnutty]

Yesterday was listening to a naturopathic doctor that mainly deals with gluten free issues. She said she doesn't agree with people over 35 doing green smoothies or doing any type of brassica greens uncooked.


What was her reason???

[Raw Angel Mom]

About experimenting?

Stay away from green smoothie for a while to see if you get better. If you continue your smoothie, see if you feel better or worst.

You will have to be the one to make this decision.

I am way over that age and i didn't feel any down side doing green smoothie or brassica greens. If anything, green smoothie is what helped to go back on raw food journey and gave me energy.

All the best!

[SoulSong]

What was her reason???

Her reason was mostly the thyroid issue. I just figure if you're eating right and your body feels good all the issues should eventually take care of themselves. That's the confusing part of all this I guess.

[Raw Angel Mom]

Some greens like spinach could have a negative impact on thyroid but as you feel, the issues will take care of themselves with raw food.

Eat tone of semi acid fruits, use parsley in your smoothie, do dandelion, do plantain (wild weed) or any herbs. This will help to rejuvenate you glands if you have any issue with them.

It is a journey to be on raw food. Greens does help to rejuvenate your blood stream but you need to consider your organ/glands and other system in your body with detoxification.

All the best!

[Bormaley]

Yes, you are right!

[Living Food]

do plantain (wild weed)

I juice plantain and occasionally sprout the seeds...is there anything special about it that made you mention it by name? If it's especially nutritious/beneficial in some way I'm sure I could be motivated to hunt down more of it :)

[Bananna]

Cruciferous vegetables can potentially be goitrogenic (inducing goiter formation). They contain enzymes that interfere with the formation of thyroid hormone in people with iodine deficiency.[2][3] Cooking for 30 minutes significantly reduces the amount of goitrogens and nitriles. At high intake of crucifers, the goitrogens inhibit the incorporation of iodine into thyroid hormone and also the transfer of iodine into milk by the mammary gland.[4] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cruciferous_vegetables

Severe hypothyroidism can cause symptoms similar to Alzheimer's disease: memory loss, confusion, slowness, paranoid depression, and in extreme stages, hallucinations. Thyroid disease is one of the many treatable diseases that must be ruled out before arriving at the diagnosis of Alzheimer's, which is incurable and cannot be definitely diagnosed until after death. Risk of hypothyroidism increases with age; by age 60, 17% of women and 9% of men have symptoms of thyroid disease1 . http://www.csa.com/discoveryguides/thyroid/overview.php

...that's why she said that.

[Juicerguy]

Hmmm note it says "in people with iodine deficiency". I also wonder what "high intake" means. It seems anything at all under the sun eaten at "high intake" would have some kind of ill effect. I am pretty sure I could find something wrong inside of everything on earth. There are also lots of beneficial compounds and nutrients in cruciferous vegetables. "Cooking for 30 minutes" would destroy a lot of these beneficial components...LOL. Anyone know anything more about this? It is still interesting. I just haven't heard this side of cruciferous veggies yet.

[Cruditas]

Hello Soulsong. You said you cured yourself of a golfball sized nodule. I too have nodules that are much much smaller since going raw in February. How did you cure yourself?