Geez your thoughtful Neet, i was only thinking just the other day how i should go on here and update, been so busy but, this time of year is crazy isnt it.

Im going really well, thanks so much for asking, hope everyone on here is also doing well.

Since last time i posted i got sicker again but then picked up stronger than ive been since i first got sick 3yrs ago. Have been able to do crazy things i thought id never do again, even gardening!

I cant honestly say i can attribute feeling so much better to the raw diet, because when i got really sick again i denounced it, rebelled even. Psychologically in a really good place, not depressed at all anymore, and am very motivated right now.

I think raw was wonderful and allowed me to do some very rapid healing in a short space of time, i dont think id be doing so well now if i hadnt done it. In truth its a relief not to be so strict anymore, i feel very free now and eat pretty much whatever i want, still staying gluten free. Im still eating probs 50-60% raw most days anyways, because after so long on the diet i love my salads and fruit and dont feel quite right if i go without them. Its been wonderful to be able to include back in some simple foods like soy milk, rice cakes, and the ability to order something cooked at a restaurant if i want to.

I still think raw is great, but for me at least im doing alot better eating a standard diet with a strong raw component.

Havent felt sure about coming back on here, a bit concerned i might get a bit overzealous about my diet again and i dont think that was healthy. But now that im posting it feels like im back in a comfy place, amongst people that care so much about their own bodies.

My uni semester is over, so ive been able to get stuck into working on an online business ive been intending to do for years now in various forms. Im now pretty settled on what its going to involve and am in the process of putting a site together, ill be getting some legal advice soonish, its very close to happening after all these years.

I really feel like im nearly 100% better now, i still have a high burn out factor, but i recover fast, and my limit is very high now.

Think i might have a bit of a look around while im here, see how your all going.

Hey Carm, thats great to hear the foam boxes have worked, is great eating produce straight from your garden isnt it.

Lol subtlety indeed, lemon dates do sound nice, and i love the idea of the ginger jen.

Neet, hit the nail on the head, emotional emptyness, exactly.

This is a sad post, but i have to do it. I need some time away from here, actually i need time away from anything related to health. Ive become severely depressed this week, i know how crazy my feelings are but cant stop feeling them, and im realising i just have to ride it out and feel them.

I know raw food isnt at fault, but right now im resenting my diet and just want to rebel. Im actually resenting everything but am having very bitter feelings about all the work ive done to get better only to be back to square one. Im just tired, tired of trying so hard to get better, and right now i just dont want to try, i want to give up.

Knowing me, ill get back on the wagon, but right now i just need to not think about my health at all for a while, and this is one of the places i do that.

So, going against all that i know im just going to eat whatever i feel like for a while, hopefully with my focus off my health i can deal with some emotional issues that clearly need addressing. Im considering therapy, never thought id need it but i guess i have just had too much thrown my way and its all gone on too long. Ill miss you all but i think its the right thing to do right now, get my head together, work out what i truly want, maybe somehow truly get ok with my illness, it seems here to stay and i dont know how to deal with that.

Baby steps.

Thankyou all for all your support and for providing such a wonderful environment for me to hang online. Will be back sometime in the future.

xoxo

I dont think its true hunger, could be boredom, lol.

Most days i eat plenty of greens, i get slack here and there but its never for more than a few days. I agree it does help hunger, and satisfies alot of nutritional needs in one hit. I also find while its bad food combining, adding some simple ground flax or some chia seeds to my fruit makes the meal alot more satisfying, and im satisfied longer. Im weighting up if i think food combining is right for me or not, atm, i think its not, at least im not ready for it yet.

I think most of my emotions with going raw are just transitioning, i dont think im lacking anything in calories or nutrients. Im fairly confident of this from my own food diaries ive done and nutritional analysis. Im good with greens, i enjoy them, but when i really dont feel like them i dont force them down either.

Im considering a little cooked again tonight, im really thinking this is just a severe detox making me so unwell, maybe, lol. The cold weather is also known to make me pretty sick.

Trying not to dwell too much on how sick i feel, although its hard, lol. Resting alot right now, lots of sleep, so not alot of time for on here. Will try and get back on here more when im feeling a bit better. Will return with positive vibes.

Probs about 7mths i think. Umm how raw, depends on my mood, lol. Im high raw, on average ill say 90%. My diet is high fruit, but i still eat fats, on average maybe 20%, some days more some days less. I allow room for the odd bit of steamed veges, and even sometimes cooked meat, eggs, or baked veg. I usually combine these foods with raw but when i feel the need for them. Im fairly careful with my sources of meat and eggs, but not so careful with fruit and veg simply because i cant afford to be.

I find 100% too restrictive and it makes me get neurotic, at 90% i enjoy it and am comfortable with my diet. I do better with raw on hot days then cold, and on better on well days than when i feel sick.

I still drink tea, and even the odd coffee (that one is rare but). I gave up alcohol altogether a while ago, was gluten free well before raw so that made the transition easier, otherwise i think i would be sitting at 70% rather than the 90% i seem most comfortable at. I love raw foods, has made a huge difference to my health.

Haha, attracting brocolli. Well, must be something in that, i enjoyed it all, lol.

Ooh that does sound delicious jen, hard to beat anything with dates in it isnt it.

Ok, so this is a positive journal, so im only going to touch on some negative feelings then move on. Im really feeling negative about my diet today, have had two days really unwell, have been pretty well useless, it hasnt been fun. To add to matters, ive had cramps this afternoon and its midcycle, this hasnt happened in a really long time, its freaked me out and upset me. So, in my emotional state i chose to numb how i felt with cooked food, and made a warm salad with sweet potato, and it was a mostly cooked salad. I loved it, was delicious, and it did make me feel a little better.

So, moving on. I've been higher fat last two days, going with it, feel like i need them, maybe i just want them. Hard to escape how good fat tastes isnt it.

Making progress on the tea front, although im still having it regularly, have noticed that some occasions when id usually have one, i dont want it and am just having water. I thought i wanted a tea tonight, but instead i made food, was still hungry, so i made more food, once i was finished i realised i didnt want it anymore and had some water.

Had some delicious raw food too. Blended some dates (soaked for maybe 20mins) with some strawberries, poured it over some sliced banana, and topped with ground flax, yum yum yum! Then my second dessert (warning, bad food combining, lol) was some more sliced banana with some tahini and honey, mmmm, really hit the spot too.

Last night for dessert i cut some dates in half and shoved some halved strawberries in them, mmmm, also really good. I think theres a pattern emerging, lol, turning into a sweets queen. Whats funny is preraw, i wasnt a big sweet eater, but raw food makes me huge on the sweets.

Hi Olof, welcome.

I understand completely where your coming from, i try and do high fruit low fat, but find im starting to fall off the wagon since i have and cant stick it out. Interesting about the constipation, ive only had that trying to go low fat, on high fat i have no problems at all, it makes me weight up if its the right diet for me.

Im still working out the kinks in my diet, takes time, but i guess whats important is that you enjoy it and do what feels right.

Well first up id want to know, and personally in my marriage, weve agreed from day 1 that we'd always be honest with each other, and thats what matters most, any problems that arise can then be dealt with. No marriage is a bed of roses, they all need some work at one time or another.

I guess im sorta wondering why she feels this way, its more of an issue i think that shes thinking this, because if she is whether he's having one or not something still isnt right. She's likely not feeling loved, so maybe rather than approaching him about the affair she could approach him about what she feels like shes missing. Is he paying enough attention to her? Does she feel safe and loved? If she isnt feeling these things, why not? Maybe its best she tells him exactly how shes feeling, sometimes partners have no idea that they are neglecting their loved one.

Saying exactly whats missing can bring things like that out into the open naturally if its happening. It can be confronting to be told by your loved one that you no longer make them feel loved, safe, cared for. Maybe a weekend away to sort through some issues? One on one time can be very therapeutic for a relationship.

Afternoon fellow rawbies, still doing well on raw. I had a small bowl of mince yesterday, made hubby a lasagne and really felt like having some of the mince, so i went with it, didnt fight it, and just had it. Otherwise with the exception of tea ive been all raw and fairly low fat.

I have been having fats, but its like a small plate of tahini on honey dip for apples (had that last night for dinner), or a little avo in a salad. Very rarely going to the olive oil bottle now, so thats an improvement, learning to make better use of natural juices from things like tomatoes, oranges, lemons.

Made a delicious almond milk on friday night, had it before bed. Really hit the spot and am pretty sure it helped me sleep better, weird hey. It was great because i had instead of tea. Im still drinking the tea, not trying to give it up, figure it will happen naturally, i am going to it less and less so it must be happening on its own. The egg cravings i was having has dissapeared completely.

Still detoxing, i can feel it alot in my head, very sniffly. Drinking loads of water. I think maybe thats why i had the mince, to slow the detox.

Made a delicious juice this morning of brocolli, lemon, and apple, mmm. Was a really fantastic green colour too, plus a great way to use up the brocolli. Ended up with heaps of it, coz i bought some, then the neighbours gave us some from his garden, then mum gave me some from hers. Haha, funny how that happens.

Favourite meal at the moment is a couple of bananas broken up into big chuncks with my hands, and some grapes. Yum.

Thats fantastic!  Well done, feel really proud of yourself. One small step towards a very big and great world 

All very valid points Brett, ive weighed up all these arguments myself, done alot of reading and i came to the same conclusion.

Yes i am concerned about b12, but i got to the doctors at least once a year anyway, its easy enough to monitor. But its also for this reason i dont beat myself up about occasionally having eggs, fish, or even red meat when i want it. Also, the jury isnt out on b12, it is an issue for vegans, but also remember when studies are done on vegans we dont know why that persons a vegan (eg. could be developed nation, not likely to be eating a suitable diet anyways), or if they are a junk food vegan (seen plenty of those too). Meat eaters get b12 deficient too, im more interested in what truly causes the deficiency, but am yet to find a definitive answer. It seems clear its more to do with absorption, but as im still unsure, i think consumption of some b12 in one form or another is probs safer, but not necessarily essential if monitoring status regularly.

The enzyme theory is just a theory, but does it really matter? Like you said, so what? With all the other benefits gained on raw, does it really matter if one theory is wrong. The fact that more nutrients are gained with raw food should be reason enough to do it. All nutritionist, and diet guidelines promote raw food to some degree, its for a reason. Think about the folate issue, is that likely to be an issue for raw vegans? No, we eat so much fruit and greens we get it in abundance. Do people discredit the standard diet because folate is an issue? No, its just recommended to take a supplement, all women of childbearing age are actually recommended to do this, yet the standard diet is ok?

So if its ok to take a folate supplement because the diet is inadequate, why isnt it ok to take a b12 supplement?

Some foods do have more nutrients cooked, and are also more easily digested in some cases. But the raw foods that digest better than cooked and have more nutrients than cooked still outweigh those few cases. Plus, theres still the harmful factors of cooked food, like oxidised fats as an example, not the issue with steamed veges, but how many people predominantly eat steamed veges as their main source of nutrients?

What about how food needs to be 'fortified', im against fortification personally, i feel like it teaches people nothing about diets and makes them complacent, but the argument for it is prior to processing these foods naturally contained these nutrients.

Thats my thoughts on the matter, i actually consider a small amount of cooked still healthy, and possibly beneficial, although maybe less of a good idea depending on the health of the individual. But the types of foods that are cooked i consider healthy are very limited and few and far between, and there isnt really anything that can be gained from cooked that cant be gained from raw foods. But, steaming some veges that are difficult to digest can mean that individual can eat more of that vege, and thats positive while healing. Also, raw meat and eggs, can be eaten, if thats what a person wants to do.

Fruitbat, yes they are measured against people on a standard diet, because thats what most people are, its all we have to really go by. Its for this reason any findings are meant to be used in the context of that individual. However, its really all the docs know, its considered at lower levels that there are risks for diseases and health problems. Any finding does need to be assessed for that individual situation, but anaemia is anaemia as an example, in some cases needs are the same across the board.

As far as intakes go, ive been thinking on it alot, as an example the calcium recommendations. Our actual needs are far below the recommendation because its based on 25% absorption, so if we are absorbing alot of our intake our needs may be lower. Also consider factors that make us lose calcium have alot to do with cooked diets, such as excessive protein intake, and too much salt.

I agree fruitbat, we dont know that vegans are truly deficient, especially in regards to b12. Its interesting that the levels often stabilise around 100, and alot of the time its just a low level and the person is asymptomatic from what ive read anyway. Thinking bout b12, one of its roles is in lowering homeocysteine levels, folate does this too, and we get that in abundance, so maybe our b12 needs are lower with adequate folate.

Thats my thoughts anyways, to put it simply, if it feels right do it seems a good way to live. Fact is i feel better on a raw diet, if it wasnt for raw id still be alot sicker than i am, and its my diet that enables me to be studying and to go out sometimes these days, its a long way from where i was. So even if it leaves me deficient in something, who cares, its working, id sooner take a supplement than go back to my old diet and be really sick again.

Jen, ive heard that too. Maybe we have higher needs as we detox too, would make sense.

I feel bad, but that story made me laugh. Its scary that people actually think these things, but its still just so funny. I swear some people put no real thought into anything they do. I know that sounds harsh, but seriously a cheese sauce for calcium? Its as funny as when people tell me a maccas burger has all 5 food groups, but at least they are just mucking around when they say that.

People wonder why they 'cant' obtain all their nutrients from their diet, and take multivitamins because of it. All they need to do is look at how many empty calories they eat in a day. When people eat like that, and try to justify it, all i say is its calories, it will fill you up, but your otherwise gaining nothing from it.

im the same, cant handle too many nuts, have many times in the past overindulged in nuts and felt sick for a while afterwards. Im better now, and am satisfied after a handful.

When i was first learning bout raw i came across this exact article, and many others like it, it is just an opinion piece, thats all.

Im currently studying nutrition and from my knowledge, i consider a raw diet healthy. The only nutrient im undecided on is b12, and with all ive read, no one really understands that. Fact is if you feel better go with it, if your worried about certain nutrients like b12, get tested regularly.

Also, im not 100%, i still eat meat occasionally, and i feel at home here. In fact just today i ate a bowl of mince because i felt like it. I really enjoyed it and dont regret it. Remember tomorrow is another raw day 

Thanks Neet. I do feel like im making real progress now. Very settled into my diet. Im still not completely comfortable with it, i still get a little uncomfortable in certain situations, like gatherings where i have to bring my own food, but getting better at that too.

Going really well today, havent felt tired till this afternoon, and woke up at a semireasonable hour, woke up with energy too.

So i did a few minutes on the minitramp. Have otherwise gotten a fair bit done, a bit of study, dishes (lots of them too), a massive fruit shop (yeah i got excited bout being in a fruit shop again rather than ordering online, went a bit crazy, lol), and am now relaxing coz im going out tonight.

Today ive eaten:
bout 800mls of orange carrot and ginger juice, i didnt dilute this, but had about 3 glasses of water before i had this.
handful of dried goji berries (distracted me from having a morning cuppa)
leftover orange, pineapple and date salad (was only a small container, but it tied me over)
a heap of grapes (nearly choked on one too, lol, need to learn to eat them slower)
a couple of dates (mmm, such a good snack)

Currently having a cuppa, but have had enough after half a cup, so i wont finish it

For dinner planning a mango, banana, and lettuce (from the garden) smoothie, mmmmm. Decided to spoil myself buying mangoes, normally cant afford them.

I havent eaten alot today, not sure if i havent been as hungry because i started the day with so much juice, or if it was eating fat last night in the smoked trout. Drinking alot of water today, likely the heat.

Seem to be still detoxing, at a comfortable rate though today.

Ive bought some almonds and am going to bring some with me tonight, that way ill be prepared for getting hungry with no food available.

I tried doing them a little while ago. Think it was too soon for me for my energy levels, plus i hurt my back a little, i had some good days and thought i was up for it, i wasnt.

I still do the spinning one some mornings but, a few spins is energising.