Trying very hard

[elainaf]

Hello!

I just joined this site today but have been trying to go raw for about 3 weeks now. I REALLY want to do this but I'm struggling with some things. Maybe someone has some advice. I've read skinny bi$ch and Crazy Sexy Diet as well as some books on raw from the library.

I have IBS-C so I struggle with constipation as it is. But since going raw it has gotten very bad and I don't go to the bathroom at all. I've read on here people say it works itself out..but mine is not. My stomach is bloated and sore everyday.

Also, I get my period's every two weeks. Refuse to go on birth control. So I am iron deficient and have anemia. Around my periods I feel like I'm dying and end up eating clams..which makes me feel better because of the high iron content. I am not sure what else to do .... I try to combine high iron veg. food with Vit.C to increase absorption but it doesn't seem to be enough to make me feel better.

Third thing...I'm hoping the raw diet will heal whatever is wrong with my body. I got some kind of bladder infection 1 1/2 years ago that never went away and that doctors could never find. It used to cause horrific pain in my bladder area and lower back and has affected my sleeping ever since. Whenever something is off in my body I get insomnia and the insomnia never went away since this strange bladder infection started. I am chronically sleep deprived-exhausted everyday. The doctors cannot find infection or 'anything wrong'. So I live with it. It is up to me to heal myself I guess .. and I have no faith in doctors whatsoever anymore. I've read testimonies of the raw diet curing disease and illness so I'm hoping and praying this happens for me. I'm willing to endure constipation if it means this 'thing' in my bladder goes away.

I am getting married soon and although I am so happy about that .. I am sad and so tired everyday from this health issue I can't seem to resolve. I NEED this diet to work and heal my body.

[snapdragon1010]

I highly recommend you read "Clean: The Revolutionary Program to Restore the Body's Natural Ability to Heal Itself" by Alejandro Junger

There are hundreds of thousands of people who have healed themselves with ideas and practices from this book. MANY of them had the same symptoms you have described here.

Gook luck to you! Don't give up! I have no doubt you are on the right track, just maybe not on the right train, yet!

:-)

[ReneeH]

I had bought Crazy Sexy Diet and ended up throwing it away because of all the bad language in it! My goodness...she says God in one breath then a curse word in the next!

With Alissa's books you don't have to worry about that. Her 30 day plan is fabulous. Why not invest in Living on Live Food and give it a try? It's not expensive and she makes sense. With 300 recipes you're bound to find ones you love. I've been eating food from LOLF since 2007 and still love that book!

[Living Food]

If you think you can manage it, I think a juice fast is definitely in order. Also do a colon cleanse - The herbal formulas by Dr. Richard Schulze seem to work very well. After that I would recommend a liver cleanse. Preferably you would do both of these while still juice fasting. After the colon and liver cleanse, you might want to consider a parasite or candida cleanse; they not only cause constipation, but also thrive if it is present. I think that thoroughly detoxing will probably help you a lot.

As for iron, beet root is supposed to be a very good blood builder, as is the weed stinging nettles. 2 brands of algae, chlorella and spirulina, are both extremely high in iron. They also have many other health benefits that may help you.

Grow your own wheatgrass, microgreens (pea shoots, sunflower greens) and green sprouts and juice them; great for healing all kinds of things.

[ReneeH]

It ironic...I actually had the same problem with my periods!!!! I didn't get it for 6 months, then got it for a month and 1/2 straight!!! Then, every 2 weeks!!!!! I just had a procedure done called Thermachoice. Google it and talk with your Doctor. It may help you!

If you have any questions about my experience with the surgery, feel free to email me (see signature line).

Oh, and try to let go of those clams!

[elainaf]

Thank-you for the replies! Wow!

Yes I didn't like both of those books because of the language. I thought being a raw vegan meant being some foul-mouthed, atheist rebel at first because the authors of both those books seem to be ... ;)
But I've been praying for God to show me what to do .. for my health, my weight, etc. I believe in miracles but also that God gives us the knowledge and tools and direction so we can do things ourselves too. And every time I am led to the vegan diet. I just KNOW that if I can figure it out and make it work for me, it will be a huge lifesaver.

I will try in the next few weeks to order both those books! I need some new recipes anyways. I used to love salad but can't seem to find a salad dressing I like..hence..I'm not really eating salads anymore. Just blended veggies. But the salads are more portable and people don't give me weird looks at work like they do when I'm 'drinking' my dinner =)

Living Food-I do want to juice fast!!! I don't think it's possible with my job at the moment. I plan on taking a week or two off in the summer for last minute wedding stuff .. and also a %100 juice fast! I also need a good juicer as mine is like, 1920's version. I'm waiting to see what I get for wedding presents because a good juicer is on the list! ;)

You know Renee...I actually regulated my periods through diet about 6 years ago. True story! It wasn't vegan or raw .. but it was whole foods, no sugar, no grains, no preservatives, etc. I did it because I was getting all kinds of auto-immune symptoms. One in particular I could have gone blind. The diet worked except it didn't fix my IBS constipation/bloating issue and I never liked meat and cooked food so I couldn't stick with it. My my periods regulated during that time and even went from 7 days of heavy bleeding to 4 days of light bleeding. I still remember that....I think it was because my hormones were 're-set'. I think our hormones are all out of whack on SAD which causes all kinds of nasty diseases and sickness. If I eat all whole foods (raw vegan of course) I hope my hormones will work themselves out again. But i know it takes no cheating at all!