Hello everyone -
Im hoping you can help. Im sorry if the post is long but I am looking for some guidance!
Im new to the raw food lifestyle, about 6-7 weeks now. Im about 75% to 80% raw. Im doing ALOT of green smoothies, about 2 quarts a day, spread out through the day and at night, I eat alot of greens with a small amount of cooked food.
I am having a really rough time physically. I *think* this is detox but I just dont know. I felt great for the first 2 weeks or so, tons of energy and all of my normal "symptoms" ( fibromyalgia, fatigue, etc... ) just went away. Then at about week 4 I had a bad stretch of fatigue and gastro type symptoms for a day or two, which resolved itself and I went back to feeling great.
Now, at about week 6 - For the last 7 days, Ive had a TERRIBLE sore throat. The worst. I went to the Dr and its not strep so that has been ruled out. I had the sore throat for about 2-3 days, then some cold symptoms and now, the sore throat/cold is easing up but I have really painful bumps on my tongue and the back of my throat along with a generally nasty looking dirty white coated tongue. My whole mouth is just very painful. Ouch. At night, my whole mouth gets super dry and I can barely swallow.
Ive had no fever and have felt "ok" during this time, some bouts of fatigue and "sick" type of feeling but overall, Ive felt way healthier than normal, except for the throat/cold/tongue thing.
My GP said "detox isnt like that and anyway, you dont detox from a healthy diet". My naturopath is on vacation so I cant ask him, although I suspect he would say it is a "healing crisis" as he calls them. We already know that I am EXTREMELY toxic and hyper sensitive to even the mildest forms of detoxifiying. MSM, for instance - put me over the edge. I was sick as a dog taking!
All I know is, I feel miserable! I can stick it out if it is detox but Im wondering how long it lasts and does it really get this bad? I know it is different for everyone of course but anyone else out there have similiar experiences?
Thanks so much for taking the time to read this!
Any advise anyone
Comments
I am curious why you started a 100% raw food diet if you are sensitive to detoxing? the detox can be very fast this way. A slower approach might be wise.
If it is detox, then you can choose to slow it down by eating cooked foods (even some cooked quinoa plain). Or get a colonic or at least an enema. If you detox too fast and aren't cleaning the colon, you will end up retoxing again which is quite awful.
Good luck!
My guess would be detox too, especially if you know you're really sensitive to it. It's funny, my first Master Cleanse went along the same lines only sped up over the course of 10 days. lol Days 1-5 I felt great, Days 6 & 7 I had extreme fatigue and brain fog (MS symptom), felt good days 8 and 9. Then at the end, I got a headache and felt bad and thought I'd have to prolong the cleanse but it ended up passing before the end of day 10. Anyways, it's a juice fast and I definitely wouldn't recommend it because you would probably have really bad detox symptoms right now, I just thought the parallel was interesting.
If you're 75-80% raw now, maybe cut back to 50% for a week or so, then slowly go back up.
Oh, I just thought of something else. Are you only having green smoothies during the day, then solid food in the evening? If so, that means you're in a fasting state most of the time, maybe 22 hours out of the day? Even though it's less drastic of a detox than a water fast, that could still be making it a little worse for you. Maybe a little more solids during the day would help.
This, too, shall pass! :)
Bitt,
Thanks for your reply. I am not 100% raw. I am about 75- 80 % raw. but to answer your question anyway, I decided on a raw food diet for the health benefits. They are undeniable. I realize I will have to got through detox and I can do that, I just didnt expect it to be quite to severe and lengthy
Free-
Thanks for your response.
Interesting thought about the smoothies during the day. Is that really fasting though? I mean, I am eating the entire vegtable/fruit- just not in its solid form. I will try a few more solids and see how that goes.
My past Master Cleanse was a rough one.
I was detoxing from cigarettes, 4 cups of coffee a day, energy drinks, fried foods and junk foods.
I had a sore throat for some of it, but mostly I was full of body aches and spent my detox in bed.
Maybe starting slower is better, like just eating a really clean soy-free vegan diet for while?
Also, you might be eating something you have an allergy to.
I know mangos cause bad reactions with some people.
One thing that is bothering me is an injury I had in August, since I have been raw I have been having terrible pain in the spot of that injury.
just kim, yep you are still in a fasting state. It's not quite the same as a water fast, but because the smoothie is all blended up, your body is not having to work much to digest it. That means it takes the energy it's saving and goes out to find other (healing) work to do in your body, resulting in detox effects. Eating some solids may slow down the process a bit for you.
Isis, I think you've posted before about your MC, but just want to say congrats again. ;) Isn't it amazing how we can break habits & addictions with the MC?! Have you read about why old injuries can start hurting again? I knew it was a general "healing crisis" but I didn't really know the details until last year during one of my MC's. It's really fascinating the way the lymphocytes are sent in to clean up the area, removing scar tissue and such. But it can cause inflammation, which we end up feeling as pain and soreness. I think the reason I find it so interesting is that it proves, in my mind, Dr. Robert O. Young's theory that MS is not auto-immune. Those lymphocytes aren't actually attacking my brain, they are going in to clean up damage that something else caused in the first place!
Freewitheft- Thank you! I always love your posts! You understand where other posters are coming from.
i have had similar experiences of detox - VERY sore throat - painful bumps on back of tongue and throat - lots of snot and mucus - a little more fatigued than normal.
this has happened 2-3 times in the past year and it usually lasts 3-4 days. and has happened at times when ive been eating super pure diet, mostly blended. so i'd say it has to be a detox.
eating clay can be helpful in pulling toxins out of the blood into the intestine so they can leave your body that way instead of through the skin, mouth, gums, mucus excretion.
healthforce nutritionals intestinal drawing formula is a good product.
*blush* Thanks Isis, I enjoy your posts too!!!
Dream Brother
Thanks so much for the info. Im going to check it out. Im on day 9 of these nasty detox symptoms so Im ready to try anything!
what is MS and MSM?
IsisDC....
You said you were detoxing to come off caffeine etc. I have been abit of a caffeine junkie in the past and I fear this is going to be my biggest struggle. I have cut down alot, with Diet Coke being my biggest vice. I can do a couple of days without it but I find it very difficult not to fall off the wagon. Do you have any tips to make things a little easier? Or is it just reducing the caffeine over time gets easier the longer you go?
Paris :)
That's awesome that your epilepsy episodes are calming down! What we eat, breath, wash our clothes with, and so much more really does make the difference between a healthy and a toxic life.