Trying to eat RAW and my problems.

[harleyjo]

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I am going to start this by saying that I tried to post this on another site and it got closed. If you need to remove it here also, do it. I am just trying to get some help until I can get to a higher state of RAW. I just want some help. Please!



I have tried to eat RAW I did the best I could do with it for several weeks(3-4). I know some of you are going to say I didn't give it a chance.

Folks I did, I was in pain, my bladder from my IC.....What is IC/PBS?
Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a condition that results in recurring discomfort or pain in the bladder and the surrounding pelvic region. The symptoms vary from case to case and even in the same individual. People may experience mild discomfort, pressure, tenderness, or intense pain in the bladder and pelvic area. Symptoms may include an urgent need to urinate, a frequent need to urinate, or a combination of these symptoms. Pain may change in intensity as the bladder fills with urine or as it empties. Women’s symptoms often get worse during menstruation. They may sometimes experience pain during vaginal intercourse.

Because IC varies so much in symptoms and severity, most researchers believe it is not one, but several diseases. In recent years, scientists have started to use the term painful bladder syndrome (PBS) to describe cases with painful urinary symptoms that may not meet the strictest definition of IC. The term IC/PBS includes all cases of urinary pain that can’t be attributed to other causes, such as infection or urinary stones. The term interstitial cystitis, or IC, is used alone when describing cases that meet all of the IC criteria established by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

In IC/PBS, the bladder wall may be irritated and become scarred or stiff. Glomerulations—pinpoint bleeding caused by recurrent irritation—often appear on the bladder wall. Hunner’s ulcers are present in 10 percent of people with IC. Some people with IC/PBS find that their bladder cannot hold much urine, which increases the frequency of urination. Frequency, however, is not always specifically related to bladder size; many people with severe frequency have normal bladder capacity. People with severe cases of IC/PBS may urinate as many as 60 times a day, including frequent nighttime urination, also called nocturia.



was on fire. It felt like I had razor cuts and was pouring salt into them. I felt like I had to go pee constantly. I would be ok for a day and them bam, it was a nightmare for several.

I couldn't get enough variety and right now I am even having trouble getting my blueberry, spinach, banana smoothies down. I don't like the taste of just a "green" smoothie. I can't spice it with the "hotter" tangier stuff so I have to add some fruit. The only fruits I can eat are pears, gala apples(low acid), blueberries and banana's. I tried some strawberries, even just a few in my smoothies to change the taste was making me flare.

I have some raw P/A frozen in the freezer. I tried a couple of pieces of them and instant pain.

I can't get enough variety. I am still trying to eat as much raw as I can but I am really struggleing with this. I WANT TO EAT HEALTHY!

So if you were faced with my situation and had to eat a little bit of sad food, what would you eat. Sometimes for protein I will eat an egg white.

I just want you to think about the kind of pain I was dealing with and knowing that it is being caused by what I was eating and drinking.

I need some suggestions here. I know this goes against what many of you believe in and maybe someday I can get my bladder healed a bit more so that I can tolerate a bit more but right now I can't.

[daisycolors65]

There are many variations of what people consider to be raw. We eat 80/20, but we focus on eating alkaline foods. I learned of the importance of alkalanizing the body when my daughter was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. She has been following Robert O. Young's, "The pH Miracle for diabetes", for over a year. She is not on any medication. I have learned so much from his blog, "Articles of Health".
Maybe some of the raw choices you are making are not helping your condition and actually making it worse.
You mentioned craving sugar. I have learned that when we think our bodies are craving sugar it is actually salt that it needs. I mean proper salt. Any questions let me know. I hope you get better soon.

[michiganrawfood]

Hm, well I'm not a doctor and I have never had your particular problem, and every body is different!

I see a lot of people jump into raw foods though and experience problems. Most of us do not have the luxury of taking the time to just lounge around while we go through painful detox symptoms, or in your case, recover from a very serious and painful illness!

So, why not try to gradually transition? There is no race to becoming 100% raw. I've said it before and I will say it again-some can do 100% cold turkey, but not everyone! Try to do it gradually, add raw food in slowly and see what doesn't give you problems. For the ones that do, eventually add them in but in small amounts. Maybe once your body has healed a little more, you can handle more raw and more raw foods? Even the ones that gave you a problem? Have you tried adding digestive enzymes like sunfood nutrition's Sun is Shining? Maybe that will help you digest raw food better? I know it helped me a lot. Years of cooked food may have depleted your enzymes. I know my grandma gets horrible digestive problems now from raw food-maybe because she is 90 and has lost her enzymes? There is some debate that body produces raw food and does not need it from food, and others say we have limited stores-whenever the medical community can't agree, I take what makes the most sense for me-and from personal experience, I can tell you a lot of people have seemed to deplete their enzyme stores because they can't digest the most natural of all foods-raw! How is it we can eat processed, man-made crap and digest it ok, but not stuff that grows naturally if we have not depleted some type of digestion aide??

Anyways, also try to avoid irritators such as nuts, broccoli, cauliflower, and other "gassy" foods! Those definitely can't help your situation!

Best of luck, and listen to your body-do raw slowly, and despite what some people might say-not all raw foodists have to do 100% Especially not in the beginning! I think I even read somewhere that raw foodists who are 80% raw have the same benefits of those that are 100% raw?

[michiganrawfood]

oh, and as for your question on what to eat-anything from a health food store that is organic, and has no gmo's-and that does not need to be microwaved.

other things to avoid-look for no carageean, soy (way too genetically modified, even organic!) or other additives. yes, even health food stores have health food with bad ingredients. Just read the labels carefully.

I can't suggest anything because I haven't bought non-raw in awhile-but if you go to a good health food store, look around and read the ingredients carefully and pick and try some things out! Ask for advice too on what taste most like regular, non-health food store stuff (I dont' know about you, but I hate diet tasting stuff)

If I'm going to eat meat, I think mercury-free, organic fish is a good choice!

Sushi, also. You can get wheat rice too some places. Sushi has been a life saver for me when I have felt the need to cheat. It's only a tiny amount of rice, and the rest can be raw. But it is variety, and that helps me!

[livinglove]

I knew a girl who had urinary problems of extreme since a baby. By age 3-4 she had had "exploratory" surgeries done on her. All her later life she lived very fragiley. She also wore eyeglasses for most of her life. I met her at 19 years old. Up until then she had always (in the back of her mind) wanted to be vegetarian but didn't really know anyone else who was. I turned her on to the world of veganism in it's simplicity (no super gourmet spicy stuff). She had never been in a health food store before even. I am live foods and educated her here and there about the concepts and etc. of raw foods. In less than a month, she chose to go to live foods. This lasted for over two years. She did some shorter fasts periodically during this time also.(3 to 7 day water fasts) Living communally where we didn't budget for gourmet or fancy anything, meals were basically sprouts and salads and fruit in season. We ate salad and sprouts towards the evening. Snack of fruit or liquids during day, lots of busyness working the land in the meantime. Anyway, her urinary pain and difficulty ceased quickly, better than she had ever known in her life. Sexual activity was active and comfortable (that had also been a problem for her), and she no longer felt the need to wear glasses. Staying physically fit with exercise and working outdoors in nature helped alot also I am sure. She stuck around for 2 or 3 years healthier than most anyone, then I never saw her again. Moved near parents and I heard from someone that she wears glasses again.
That was a case in point. My thoughts are, simple nonfancy, live diet especially sprouts and salad. Simple dressings, oil, light spicing, maybe no vinegars, salts (shoyu, tamari, etc.), or hot spices.
Second, eat less. Skipping breakfast alone has done wonders for many people. Maybe 1 or 1 and 1/2 meals a day, with lots of water between meals (never with or near meals).
Third, some exercise.
Fourth, periodic small fasts.
Fifth, lots of herbal tea.
Finally, a positive, affirmative mentality as well as cultivating meditational habits.
These basics would probably work for you.
Other transitional steps would be fine but some of same above mentioned basics would still be key. Tastebuds adapt and one can go a few days without gourmet quality high spice fanciness (which can affect the urinary system the most) and the taste for simple raw food begins to be quite satisfying and nonboring.

[sonalshawn]

i actually have no advice but i just wanted to say that i have been having the same problem as you for about six months now . i just recently started eating 80/20 raw and it completly went away for a month or so and now it is back but nothing like it was before. it would take an hour or two to even fall asleep because of the discomfort of feeling as though i had to urinate now it is there but not enough to keep me up all night like before. i honestly think it is coming back for me because i am eating something that irritates it. so i guess we should both try to watch what we eat even when it is raw.