Hi All,

First of all I have to say what a great forum. I found it on Google in the sponsored links section and am so grateful to Cheryl and Piers (? I hope I have the right people here!) for advertising there.

I came across this site about two months ago and decided right there and then to 'go raw'. I've heard about raw foodism before but never really taken it seriously until seeing this site.

I bought myself a good quality juicer (oscar vitalmax) and went really well for the first month! I love my food. Absolutely addicted to fatty, high sugar stuff! So it's been difficult for me. I usually go raw and healthy until about 4 in the afternoon when sugar cravings set in... and then I go nuts! For the first month I managed to go past it though and just chill out with a date or two or some sultanas. Usally by 7 I'm a mess... would do anything to get some sugar. Literally. One night I decided to have some tomatoes with mayo for a snack. I know that it has eggs and is unhealthy but as an option tomatoes with mayo looked like a great choice beside chocolate, ice-cream, cows milk-shakes. And anyhow I couldn't work out why I felt so great after the tomato snack... the mayo is LOADED with sugar! Heaps of it. I felt so betrayed by my body. But I guess I've betrayed it for so long that it's payback time.

Anyhow, I was still optimistic that eventually the sugar cravings would die down and I would enjoy the raw lifestyle that I find so attractive. Until I awoke one morning with massive pain in my left breast (sorry to mention my breasts here but they are really a major part of the story). Upon examination I found several lumps some as large as golf balls that went way up into my armpit. After many tests the doctor could find no reason for them to be there and found them to be not cancerous. In fact he said I may be starting menopause which I don't really believe to be true because in my family the women seem to get their menopause late (mid to late 50's). During this time I went wild with food. I ate anything I could get my hands on. I really thought I was going to die! Lumps that size generally don't bode well.

Any how, I'm back to mainly raw food again and I'm wondering what the cleanout effects of the body could be. It turns out that two of the mum's at school are rawists and they said the whole lump drama could have been a glandular cleanout. Especially with my love of cows milk and milk products.

Since going back to raw (about three weeks) I've developed dry skin on my elbows, LOADS of pimples, my hair looks disgusting, my tummy feels like it's burning and I have zero energy. I wake up exhausted and stay that way all day.

If anyone out there could let me know if this is normal please let me know. That way it won't phase me at all. If I know what it is no problem.

I'm still having small cooked portions of food at night because I just can't help myself at this stage and my hubby and children just won't have a bar of raw food all the time. It's a vast improvement on all 'cooked' every night and 'cooked' most lunches also! I also have vegetable juice every day. I soak almonds and sesame seeds before I eat them and like them so much more that way! (I make close to a litre every morning). I've been following the suggestions that I found in a book called the ph miracle. About the acid/alkaline factors of our food and body.

Thanks for reading. I'm sorry if it's a bit disjointed. I'm slightly flaky at the best of times and my daughter has been in here reading as I type and asking all sorts of questions!

If you've read all of this thanks again.

I'm headed in the right direction I know it! 

Love Jennie xoxo

Hey Jennie, good on you for choosing the raw lifestyle. It certainly doesn't sound like you've had an easy few months but just think, it can only get better from here! I would say that what you're experiencing at the moment is extreme detox so I wouldn't worry too much, but if it keeps up you might want to consult a health professional, preferably one who supports the raw lifestyle (eg a naturopath) rather than a traditional doctor.
It doesn't matter if you transition to raw slowly, the more raw you eat the better you'll feel.
Best of luck and remember we'll all here to support you!
Freedom  

Hi jennie,

how did it go today?  i agree with both harley and freedom.  i have a feeling that your skin problems could be a result of too much fats as well as general detox.  if you have a blender, you can try to satisfy your hunger for sweets with the green smoothies.  you can make them sweeter and then make them more green as you get used to them. 

and drink lots of water.  that's one thing that i have a problem with.  exercising would be helpful too.  just do what you can little by little.  as freedom said, we're here to support one another. 

go for it!

sandy

welcome Jennie...

Thank you! It's good to know that what I feel is related to this. Not that I want eveyone else to suffer for me to feel ok... but it's comforting.

Have a great night.

xoxo

well done Jennie,that is a fantastic day for you....

YUM, that sounds like a great day and all round very good food combining! Keep going like that and you'll be a shining beacon of good health very soon! 

Hi Jennie,

If you need a raw 'sugar' high, try to make yourself a smoothie with ingredients like banana, dates or raisins (very sweet - I love them!), nuts (for even more energy - almonds are yummy) and any other fruit you can think of. I make this for my resistant 13 year old son and often sneek in some leafy green vegies into it. He does drink it and is actually very energetic and healthy. The green and vegie juices will make you feel good too.

I'm about to order a terrific looking recipe book by Alissa Cohen called 'Living on Raw'. The photos in it are fantastic and look similar to the 'normal' food in most recipe books. And she gives fantastic advice on how to get the most out of being raw - energy tips etc.

Good luck!

Eve