Soooo hungry - Raw Food Chat

krizzy · 09-26-2006

I've been eating mainly raw now for just over a week, and I am soo unbelievably hungry all the time. I use to eat an absolute heap of cooked vegetables and soups before but since switching to raw I am ravenous, is this usual? Also have a very dull, throbbing headache which Im putting down to detoxing. Should I just graze all day on vegetables, I'm so use to the three meals a day and nothing in between. Also can someone please tell me how they get adequate protein and also would absolutely love recommendations on any great raw books. Thanks heaps x

greenbunny · 09-28-2006

Congratulations on going raw Krizzy.

Every single time I have gone raw (way too many times instead of just staying raw I am ashamed to say) I have felt exactly like you do.... constantly hungry.....and every single time it stops. At this point I sometimes have to remind myself to eat. When I first went raw I had to eat every hour to satisfy myself. I don't know exactly why that is.... but it seems to just come with the territory.

As for protein - ah - you might be one of the poor people that have been brainwashed about protein. Almost all foods have protein. In America we eat so much dense protein that our bodies get addicted to it. It will take some time to wean yourself off that need but eventually it will not be an issue at all. If you are concerned about protein starting out you can soak and eat nuts, seeds, grains and beans. This is high-powered protein and may help you to be less hungry all the time too since it is denser than most live-food fare. You also could supplement your diet with Sun Chlorella which is a perfect protein from which all life on earth has come. It also has just about everything else you need to live.

As for your headache - are you coming off caffeine? If you are standing on your head helps a lot - or putting your head below your heart by putting yourself upside down on a sofa or the like. If you aren't coming off caffeine and it's just a detox - you can stick it out if it doesn't bother you much and you are really into going cold turkey off cooked food - or you can just pull back a little bit to get rid of the headache and go slower. I used to go on and off all the time until I learned to go slower with myself. I think that I am one of the few proponents of going slow and integrating raw and making it fun and easy that I've come across.... so I'm a little biased towards you feeling good so you want to stay with it for the long run.... but that's me.

Best of Luck!
Greenbunny

krizzy · 09-28-2006

Thanks heaps green bunny, and yes, I am coming off caffeine so your advice is really helpful, and I am also glad to say that the hunger monster is slowly starting to stay in his cave, but boy, was I hungry, just never felt satisfied. And how silly is this, in the past didnt think twice about putting something like chocolate in my mouth, but put an almond in and its "Oh my god, but theyre full of fat" lol. The brainwashing is slowly subsiding. Thankyou again green bunny.

technoshaman71 · 10-01-2006

Hi....

I had a few things that worked for me(for some reason) that helped
my big time raw cravings.

Bee Pollen...2 tablespoons a day

Raw almond butter

Raw Seasame Tahini

Organic Spirulina

Raw, Unradiated Hemp seed

That seemed to work for me.....in fact it gave me too MUCH
protein...it made me want to take a nap.

Soooo...remember..eating raw is VERY different when eating cooked foods vegan...or a meat eater.

Best to stick with raw organic.

Eventually you'll need to eat less.

I'm definately finding this to be the case for me.

krizzy · 10-01-2006

Thankyou technoshaman71, I really do appreciate the advice. I have been taking organic spirulina but have just increased the amount. Have to say the cravings have abated, but would so love to be rid of the headache!

i_likebanana · 01-08-2007

one word- bananas they totally fill ya the best is a big banana smoothie, and you can add berries too or my fav believe or not is banana and celery and blend yumm kind of reminds me of cornflakes and bananas when i was a kid

taylor · 01-26-2007

also-i just read somewhere that there is a difference between hunger and appetite.hunger is when u will eat anything allowed with in your food plan but appetite is when u have a hankering for something...like say pizza or some certain thing.but too-there is the fact that u may be craving it cause your body needs it.if u are craving sweets-u may need chromium.ice cravings may mean u are anemic.if u crave peanuts-u may be low in copper.well-just some thoughts...some feedback.have a wodnerful day-taylor