My diet & detox journal

Ok, I have resigned myself…I can’t go back to the way it was before…

Well, since November, when I first started talking to the Chinese herbalist and TCM, I have had to decrease my consumption of raw foods. Now, mind you, I don’t think that her suggestion /prescription of cutting ALL the raw out was necessarily the best thing LONG term, but I had to do something to allow myself to stop getting the severe IBS symtoms I was experiencing. This way of thought lasted till the end of December. However, since the new year, I have begun experimenting.

Based on my own experiences, I had cut out dairy, even of the raw type, as well as all wheat and wheat like plants. Even the sprouted type. After seeing the TCM, I was surviving mostly on steamed soft veggies, brown rice, protein, and rice protein powder drinks. Fruit juice was out of the question, as was green juice as well. I was eating low glycemic, and bland food…

Now, it is late January 2006, and since the worst of my problems are in ‘remission’, I have been able to add back several of the foods I really enjoy, and cut back on the amount of animal products that I feel were beginning to just ‘weigh me down’. This is good news, because about a month ago I was REALLY feeling awful brain wise, (not body wise, cause actually my digestion and body felt pretty good) and had even come to the point of blaming a bunch of really healthy foods for all of my issues. Again, as always, it is about finding the right balance in all things. I knew I would find my way, only it is a bummer when one’s stomach and intestines don’t agree with the brain!

For instance, I have passed the apple test, meaning apples (peeled) are going down well. Berries, well, they are still a bit of an issue, especially the strawberries. Blueberries on the other hand, they seem to go down ok. As does marinated italian style salad, but light on the tomatoes. I am thinking that highly acidic things are triggers. I have stayed away from all wheat, and yet, I have been able to tolerate millet, which means I can eat the rice/millet flax bread and lavash I buy locally. I have been able to consume nuts once again, which is a thrill, and have been eating some raw bars, and have once again bought raw cracker and treats from the RAW BAKERY. (THey sell them at my local health food store.) Only a little at a time, however, and always in moderation, sitting and listening to my belly for “back talk!”

I would say that I am once again getting more enzymes from my food than from supplements. I am still trying to do as my TCM suggested, and lightly ‘cook’ all food, at least heat it up energetically, (such as pouring a bit of hot water over my salads to wilt them), I will not say that I am RAW to any stretch of the word. I don’t figure I am cooking them over 118 however, so at any rate, I still feel many of the enzymes are intact. Again, I have always pretty much upheld that my own vision of raw is HIGH RAW, with sprints of mostly raw thrown in for cleansing and detox. I think the Bragg Healthy Lifestyle is back in full swing.

So, I hope I am not alienating my friends from Alissa’s site, or elsewhere. But I know that we are all on a path, it is a journey of course, and we will all find our way. Perhaps my path is a little rocky. And, I also admit that one of my greatest problems is the particular types of raw foods I like. Eating all the raw or frozen berries I did, was NOT agood idea for my stomach, since they tend to nutralize stomach acid, and I have a preexisting problem with low HCl anyway. Also, I tend to overeat large salads, instead of balancing my fruit with green juices which are less fiberous, and therefore less of a stress on my intestines. Part of it is my own fault, based on poor raw choices…BUt at least things are turning around.

I am thinking also of getting my B12 levels checked. A good friend of mine discovered recently that hers were way below normal, and she eats similar to how I did before I went on RAW. I am thinking perhaps that my MASSIVE stress and nerve issues are due to that. Makes sense, especially with my low HCl. Without proper stomach acid the body has trouble liberating the b12 from foods. This is why -IMHO- so many meat eaters have problems with low b12. It is not that they don’t eat the foods which contain it, it is just that they can’t absorb what it is that they are eating.

And so it all goes back to impaired digestion…

I am working on a book idea, folks. As soon as I have something concrete I will mention it here. I certainly like to write, and I do have lots to say… I guess time will tell if others still want to listen! LOL!

Caio for now, this Florida girl is going to turn in early! I spent two hours sunbathing today, and it made me sleepy…

Cassy