sagging skin question (to put it delicately)

[IamLoved]

Hi

I am not sure if this is where I should post this question. If it is in the wrong spot I'm sorry!

Here is my question:
I read on Storm's website about how after his wife (is it Jinjee?) had her baby her belly just rebounded and was flat. I saw the pictures of her 8 days postpartum looking like she had never been pregnant. I remember reading that eating raw strengthens your skin and brings back the elasticity. So I am wondering if anyone else has any experience with this? As you may have noticed from my signature I have 5 children and I have nursed the last 4. As a matter of fact I have been either nursing or pregnant continously since Nov. 1999. I am sorry to bring up this subject but I am really curious about it, so please forgive me for asking. Is it possible that my breasts could regain their elasticity after losing so much weight (65 pounds to date) and nursing 4 children in close succession?
Thanks for your input and again sorry for the delicate subject matter.

[Doe]

missionarymamato5, in Shazzie's journals (http://www.shazzie.com/) on her website she speaks about being saggy prior to raw. Although she had no children at that time. When she had been raw for a while she was very pleased that her breasts became perky. They had never been this way in her entire adult life. Also it has been discussed here maybe 6 mo back that when the body fat level gets below 10% the skin starts tightening up. If you can find that discussion there was a link to another sight where there was an article about it. At 12 % the skin is still saggy with no visible change but at 9% it suddenly shrinks. I personally have never gotten below 10% ... would really like to.

Teri S

[Revvell]

Hi missionarymamato,

What was stated on the website is most probably accurate. I saw Jinjee exactly one month after she had her 4 child. Her belly was flatter than mine. You might wish to purchase her ebook as her whole story is there. Actually, for another $10 you can receive all the ebooks. LOTS of good information there.

Now, what will or wont happen with your skin is yet to be determined. Be the experiment and let us know! :)

Revvell

[Doe]

missionarymamato5, here is that link: http://www.bodyfatguide.com/LooseSkin.htm (http://www.bodyfatguide.com/LooseSkin.htm) It is really talking about saggy skin anywhere, usually on the belly, but skin is skin and that's what covers our breasts as well as our belly.

Hope this helps,
Teri S

[Dandelion Girl]

I'm glad you posted this, because that is something I am really hoping for too. I have read raw fooders saying this has happened just with the raw foods. Also, on the T-Tapp site, there is a thread about skin brushing that helps. It is discussed at: http://forum.t-tapp.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=39105

[truthseeker]

I have been pregnant and/or nursing since 1996, my youngest just weaned himself a few months ago :( .....................
YES that is right 4 years old.

I had GREAT breast. Firm and up there. Now they are empty and do droop. It is because my skin was stretched from engorgement several times and the weight gain and such.

I had small 34B breasts...I'm small, always have been. My body fat (besides being pregnant) has never been above 5%. I've mostly had 3%. My skin has NOT regained it's elasticity.

My stomach does look good. VERY flat. But when I bend at the waist it is obvious the skin has been streatched do to pregnancy.


I too am on the search for an answer.

[Doe]

truthseeker, if you will read the info on the body fat link he discusses that. We can be the proper size and weight and have too little lean flesh and too much body fat. It's not a thing of weight needing to be lost but more a conversion of what we have. The good news is raw and reasonable exercise will do that. We don't have to be body builders.

Nora (http://www.rawschool.com/) totally quit the exercise program she had been on for years while SAD. Now Janie (http://www.ringlet.org/) does exercise more than average I believe, however she was heavy and had streached skin. Jinjee (http://www.thegardendiet.com/) is a mom of 4 and does still breastfeed yet if there was no loose skin within days of giving birth. She exercises each morning, also gets other recreational exercise. . Shazzie (http://www.shazzie.com/) is the only one I know of that spicifically mentions the condition of her breasts changing. Then there is Shelly (http://www.rawandjuicy.com/).

All of these have before and after pics that of course do not show uncovered breasts but do show that there is no loose skin and what they have is not just small but lean flesh. Keep with it truthseeker and you will have a pleasant surprise.

Teri S

[Boysenberry]

missionarymommato5

Me too, I have been pregnant or nursing since 1999 as well. I have six children the last four born in the last five years. I have just recently incorporated green smoothies in my raw diet. Greens (kale, spinach, romaine lettuce..) a little fruit to sweeten and water to blend. I can't wait to see how this experiment turns out. I am hoping for better skin elasticity as well. Keep us posted!

[IamLoved]

Thank you so much all of you for your input! I really appreciate. I will check out those websites and wait and see what happens with me. I still need to lose a good 40 pounds or so (maybe 30.) After that maybe they will perk up. It can't hurt to hope right and I'm eating raw regardless.
Thanks again!

[truthseeker]

AHHHHH....Thank you Doe, I'm off to re-read that site. My only issue with conversion is I look like G.I. Jane when I work out to tone/build muscle. I know, I know it's healthy. I've done it and been there before. Didn't much care for how cut I get. I mean after all, there's ONLY muscle on me at that point. I already do a little yoga and low impact aerobics.

Ok, CONVERSION. Off to re-read now, thanks again.

[RawTruth]

I'd love to look like G.I. Jane!! I can't see how that'd be a bad thing! Wow!

I am absolutely 100% behind the raw and living foods lifestyle and do believe that it can allow the body to heal itself and that miracles can, do, and have occurred as a result of it. However, I do think that there are factors involved that should at least be considered before totally unrealistic expectations perhaps cause disappointment.

For instance, Jinjee was raw during her pregnancies and also very very active. Someone who was neither can't really compare herself to Jinjee in that respect. Same thing with some of the others mentioned. They either have no children, exercise strenuously, or have been raw for a long time.

Also, there is a wide variance in pregnancy-nursing weight gain/saggy body even among people who aren't raw. During my first pregnancy, I wasn't even vegetarian and my stomach was totally flat by the 5th day after giving birth. Of course, I was 22 at the time, and gained 20 pounds during the pregnancy. But, 15 years later, after my second pregnancy and after being a vegetarian for 6 years, I again had a flat stomach soon after delivery. I don't know what I gained then because I wouldn't let them tell me, but the semi-nude pics I have show no excess fat at 9 months. Regardless, breast tissue changes with pregnancy and lactation -- mine sure did -- and that's normal.

I think the more important question is why we expect to have flat stomachs and perky breasts when we're not 14 years old. Really. Rejecting the advertising world's depiction of physical beauty (skin tone and firmness that can only live on young teens -- seriously) is a profound and important act that, if we all truly internalize, can radically change our self-image and self confidence, and can then allow our true beauty to be recognized.

Being raw can absolutely allow our bodies to heal from the torment and tortue we've inflicted on them, but -- we'll still be whatever age we are. What we can be is the very best 25 or 35 or 55 or 60 or 75 that we can be! Realistically, raw and living foods may not turn back the hands of time. It is not the fountain of youth. It is a fountain that flows with energy, healing, peacefulness, alignment with nature, and hope.

Even if our breasts sag a bit and our bellies are rounded, we can be filled with vitality and radiate the unmistakable glow of women who are living in harmony with nature and with ourselves.

Not such a bad thing?

[LeanGreenMachine]

Use pure Vitamin E oil on your skin every day. You can find it in grocery stores or pharmacies. It works! It also helps with stretch marks.

Also, cocoa butter. Vitamin E oil is the best though!

[mrobinbird]

Great forum!!!! Thanks Doe for all the testimonies!!!!!!!!! Will cherish reading them all - an of course everyone elses here too. :p