genetic disorders

[mershwista]

I do find a lot of truth in mood relating to diet. When I can be raw in a healthy way, I am fine....but if I start to feel apathetic, I'll just downward spiral from there. Raw or not. And on the bottom of that spiral, I feel anything but inspired to continue, and my apathy kicks in...for everything, and then I just don't care about anything for a period, sometimes short and sometimes months and months. I have a terrible time with willpower, and it's really hard for me to do the things that help, even a little bit, because I find I have quite the tendency to just stop caring anymore way too often.

[Pailani]

Having just read over Rawkinloc's reminder that comments on this board should not reflect negatively on Alyssa's approach to raw foods, I'm thinking that it would be best if we take this conversation elsewhere, like perhaps my discussion list or private email.

But, please come back to keep us updated!

>> Some people receive that burst of energy right away while people like Pailani went through a long period of being very tired all the time despite the many people who said raw gave them more energy and they weren't tired. But after a while of going and going and doing other things such as tweaking her raw diet by eating a higher fruit/lower fat diet, she has stated she has been feeling better!

Thanks, Rawkinlocs! You just gave me some added incentive to keep plugging away, I feel a new obligation to see this to the end!

[mershwista]

Oh, I will, if it's ok w/ Rawnora

[alex]

mershwista:

If you really want to 'reboot' as you put it and really want to be healthy then try the following - sounds like you don't have much to lose anymore:

1) go to the doctor and get checked out to make sure that you dont' have anything major - cancer, heart disease, diabetes etc

2) Find somebody who has done or is knowledgeable about fasting

3) Fast for 30 - 40 days (complete fast) - water only

4) refeed extremely slowly with raw organic plant based food

I've done this (unfortunately I didn't know about raw at the time) but I still felt like a new person afterwards and every ailment, pain etc disappeared.

Hope you find the answer you seek


alex

[mershwista]

Well, here's the reply that I know some of you have been waiting for. Nora advised me on a few dietary changes I can make that overtime will help clean toxins from my system. I will be trying the following for at least the next 30 days (so encouragement is welcome, welcome, welcome, as I don't have a very strong will at the moment...blah):

Eat only fruits in the morning, because these are easy to digest. I asked about greens, and if they were ok, too, for the morning, so my breakfast will be a smoothie with greens in it, like spinach and romaine lettuce.

I will be cutting out garlic and also fermented foods like nut cheese. My afternoon food will consist mainly of salads...digestable greens, fruits, and soaked nuts.

I'm going to try this...hopefully since I don't have the willpower to fast I will have the willpower to do this. It's just so hard for me because I haven't a shred of support from any tangible, visible in-person person in my area. But at least with this plan I shouldn't get hungry. Cravings? I know I will get them, because I always crave savory things when I eat fruit...

How do all of you deal with cravings? For cooked food....for things you know you shouldn't have?

Wish me luck...we'll see how this works!

[Sharon in Colorado]

Thanks for updating this thread Mer! I wish you the best!

[Rawkinlocs]

Merwishta,

I, too, wish you the VERY best healing and success! I think this will help you greatly. There are members here who are from your neck of the woods. I'm sure if you put it out there, someone would be willing to (physically) buddy-up with you and be that in-person support system that you need!

Also, check with www.rawfood.meetup.com and see if there are any meet-ups in your area for added support.

Keep us posted on your progress and results!

[lily]

Thank you for updating us, Merwishta. Like many others on this board I have been following your discussion with much interest and quiet support for you and wishes for your good health...

I love the sound of your new diet plan, and wish you the best of luck with it. Personally when I've been eating lots of fruit and 'crave savory things' as you say, I find some lovely crunchy celery heart often hits the spot for me; sometimes I eat this with soaked almonds. If you're allowed avocado, that's helpful then, too.

Anyway, the best of luck, and look forward to hearing how you get on. You can do it!

lily

[mershwista]

Hmmm...well, so far I feel like absolute ****, extremely apathetic, and about ready to cry again.

I hope this condition does improve eventually...

[rawnora]

Radical dietary improvement in people who have degenerative disease seems to sometimes occasion a period of more intense suffering as healing kicks in. Other times, people feel immediate relief. Personally, I didn't have any diagnosable diseases going in but I went through the worst menstrual pain I've ever felt in my life *after* going raw. I didn't question whether I was doing the right thing. I knew that I was because those trying times were infrequent and most of the time I was feeling better than I'd ever felt in my life. I think the practice of taking remedies or drugs and getting instant relief sets us up for an unreasonable kind of consumerism where we expect our bodies to fall in line as soon as we drop the quarter in.

Facing chronic disease isn't easy no matter which way a person decides to go. Picking the way that will eventually resolve the problem makes the most sense, however. We just have to trust that if we align ourselves with nature, we will be rewarded. Nature doesn't do anything quickly.

How is the diet going, Mershwista? If you have specific questions about anything we talked about, please feel free to ask. Did you find some recipes for green smoothies? I know this board is all raw but I hope I can get away with mentioning another thought I had, which was to try steamed veggies like broccoli and cauliflower for dinner when you want something 'savory'. These are much healthier and easier to digest than complicated gourmet raw foods. Remember, the idea is to decrease the eliminative load on your body such that your body can focus on healing rather than garbage disposal. Eating foods that are easily digestible (and therefore create less waste) is extremely important.

Hang in there.

Warm wishes,
Nora
www.RawSchool.com

[mershwista]

Oh, I'm not about to give up yet....I know it's only been what, 4 days? And I need longer than that to feel the effects.

I sent you an email about how things are going....I don't know....I have such zero willpower that I worry that after a while, I won't be able to keep this up, for long enough to heal. I'm working on it though...don't know really what else to do.

[VeryBerry]

Mershwista,

I feel so sad about the fact that the raw food diet has not helped you.
You did, however mentioned that you felt a bit better. It might make sence to continue a little longer sinse you already invested 5 months into it. Did you try eating a diet high in greens or mostly greens for a while, it is supposed to be very cleansing. Also speding time outdoors and light exercise supposed to help depression. I would accept Rawnoras offer to help you, there is a chance it migh work.

Wishing you healing,
Nicole.

[mershwista]

I'm sure I would eat more greens if I didn't hate them so much...back in the normal eating days, I could eat a salad no problem...with tofu, chick peas, balsamic viniagrette, etc. Now that all those are no-nos...(sprouted chick peas are not very good and totally different than cooked ones) I can't stomach a salad, and I feel like I am eating grass or something. But I did end up taking Rawnora's advice, and the last few posts were describing my current troubles with implementing it.

[mershwista]

Here's my progress so far:

(I sent this to Rawnora, but I'd appreciate anyone else's thoughts on this:)

I've been feeling sicker and sicker...I honestly don't see how this is
good for me. This morning (around 4 or 5) I woke up and vomitted all
the contents of my stomach. There was blood in the vomit. It's been
only a week since my last period and I seem to be on another one now.
I'm also bleeding from the anal region.

I wonder how many side effects like this I should endure before
deciding that this is not what will work for me.....I feel like
absolute ****....tired....couldn't get up all morning until 11 (I'm
usually a morning person, and 11 is the latest I've slept in years),
weak, weak, weak, bleeding from every orifice of my body, or so it
seems...common sense tells me to stop this NOW.

[mershwista]

Hmmm...the smiley created itself. That wasn't supposed to be there. I meant just a : and a ).