Hello all,

Since I started eating raw(not 100% but around 80-70%), I have been suffering from constipation.

About a month or so, I decided to go 80 % raw. And since then, I eat fruits around 10 to 11 oclock (I don't do breakfast) and a nice big salad for lunch. Eat nuts and fruits as snack. I make salad and some steamed veggies together with a small portion of brown rice, buckwheat noddles, or wholewheat pasta.

Also, since I went raw, I have stopped taking herbal tea to ease my constipation, which I took occasionally for about a year before I started raw. I wonder if this is one of the reasons why I am more contipated more than ever!

As I read in many books and rawfood sites on the internet, an enema is supposed to be good for you, but I just wonder, why do we have to do something like that? Isn't out body supposed to have a natural healing power and function to get rid of the wastes naturally?

Since I started raw, I have gained weight and my body has been puffy. I feel pretty low because of the constipation... Can anybody give me some advice on this topic?

Thank you very much!

Emi

how much water are you drinking every day? I'd try the tea again if it helped you before. I wonder too about the steamed veggies and rice. I don't cook any of my foods, and constipation isn't a problem, but then it never has been for me. You could try the tea again, though. I'd also try drinking more water durring the day.

Many of us, as we detoxify, experience constipation as the toxins come out. Lots of water, as Luna points out, is important. I have also found colonics, ground flax seeds in water, and Oxy Powder (oxypowder.com) helpful. There are differing opinions on using any kind of intervention, but I believe you do what works for your own experience. I've had to do alot of experimentation on my own body and this is what works for me. Good luck to you.

Thank you so much for your advice, both of you!

The reason I stopped drinking the herbal tea was because it always comes with the pain. It hurt so much one time that I decided to go without it and trust in the power of raw food but then I got more constipated ;-(

How much water is appropriate? I normally drink a 1 to 1.5 L a day.
I also heard when I was doing macrobiotic diet before that drinking a lot of water will make your kidney overwork and therefore the water remains in your body and makes you puffy. How much water does a raw foodist drink?

Can raw food be an optimal solution for constipation?

Best of luck to you with this. I would say my experience with raw would be very different from yours in terms of the #2 department. Something you should think about would be having smaller meals spread throughout the day so that you have time to digest each one -- I don't know how you are combining at all, but it sounds like you are doing a fairly good job of it. Plenty of greens in your salad should help you out in a jiffy, and don't have too many nuts (they tend to bind, if you know what I mean). Same goes for bananas -- if you are already having problems, they are generally a binding fruit, so go easy.

I don't know what the effect of the steamed vegetables and the pasta or rice is (though generally those don't sound like binding foods). They aren't really raw, but more macrobiotic. Have you tried not steaming the veggies?

Raw Daddy -- livin' raw and lovin' it

When I adopted this lifestyle, I found just the opposite of constipation. But I started right in 100% raw, with juices and then just veggies and fruits, with few nuts and no grains whatsoever. Unless they're sprouted.

In fact, I had to increase my intake of avocados and bananas to slow it all down, if you get my drift.

Everything worked out just fine, I'm still loving the way I feel on this lifestyle, and will continue with it.

In my experience, eating juicy fruits and fruits we call veggies like tomatoes, cucumber, etc are beneficial, as well as lots of fresh greens (don't stop at the romaine lettuce, try fresh beet greens, watercress, turnip greens - be daring!). Right now, pineapple and watermelon are very poplular at my house!

I also agree with the daily water intake, I drink at least 3-4 quarts daily. Well, it's HOT, gosh, and it makes me feel better than not drinking it!

Personally, I do not believe in enemas or any such invasive procedures, I figure, with about 60 grams of fiber daily, I'm really not needing anything like that! Hahaha!

I hope you feel better. It is such an easy, happy, "feel good" lifestyle, I hope you can enjoy it more than you have to this point.

as for your water question, I drink around 2 gallons every day. Something else you can try is mono-meals. one type fruit or one type of veggie for your meals. I don't know if that will help, but it's worth a try. You can try drinking more water(not necessarily 2 gallons) with some lemon sliced in it.

If the tea you drank to prevent constipation was strong enough to cause you some pain, it probably contained herbs (like senna) that your body can become dependent on for continued bowel function. Most laxatives should not be used too often (if indeed at all), and that includes herbal laxatives in any form including some teas. After a while, if you stay away from the tea, your body should begin to perform again as long as you are getting enough water, exercise, and fiber in your diet.

While you're waiting to get on track, in addition to drinking more water as mentioned above, you could add some extra fiber in the form of psyllium seed. Psyllium seed is not addicting and will not cause pain. You can get the unflavored, "natural" phyllium seed at the health food store.

Acupressure: In the morning before you get up, spend 15 minutes or so lying on your stomach and poke your thumb into your lower abdomen. Since you're lying on your stomach, your body weight will add pressure.

When you get up, as soon as possible, drink a cup or so of warm water or warm water mixed with lemon juice.

If you're not already doing it, and you're into a possibly life-altering experience, one of the most effective preventives for constipation is a regular yoga routine, especially the inverted yoga poses. Sirsasana (head stand: if you need support, use a wall), Sarvangasana (shoulder stand: legs and butt in the air, support your back with your hands, and have your chin pressed against your chest), and Halasana if you can (the plow: if you can't get your feet all the way to the ground, pile up some pillows to rest your feet on). Check the internet for pictures of each of these poses. The first 2 poses should be done for 5 - 10 minutes, the last pose for 5 minutes. Breathe in and out through your nose if you can, 5 seconds in, 5 seconds out.

If I stop my regular yoga practice for more than a few days, I always get constipated. When I start it up again, the constipation goes away.

According to BKS Iyengar (Yoga master), when you get up in the morning, you should always spend some time on the toilet whether you feel like going or not. Then begin your yoga routine. Your body will eventually get the picture and you will begin to go in the morning upon rising (I tried that and it worked! It's still working almost 20 years later)

Best wishes, Ally

Dear all,

Thank you so much for your advice!!

I have tried to drink more water and it seems like it is slowly working! I will also follow your advice to see what will happen.

I did further reseach on the constipation issue and I have found out that there are actually three kinds of it. The one I seem to have is caused by the autonomic imbalance, which I have had for a while. So maybe going on raw has little to do with my #2 situation. I don't know...

But anyways, I feel better thanks to you all, and I would like to discover more about the wonder of raw food and enjoy life with it!

Some other things you might try:

-adding flax seed to your regular diet if haven't already.

-cutting down on salt

-walking (or running) at least 2 miles a day. 4 or more is better, but 2 is good. Walking strengthens the appropriate muscles.

-try going oriental style (or native american, african, etc.). Instead of sitting down when you go, try squatting if you're light enough not to break the seat! Or, if you don't squat, try placing a low stool in front of the seat to prop up your feet. The squat position is more natural for promoting those internal movements!

-Ally

i found aloe vera juice helps .

Dear Ally,

Yes, my herbal tea contained senna and I was aware of it, but I was so scared of stopping taking it because I didn't want to get constipated again! (It really influenced my whole day, how I felt about myself and how I saw the world and everything!)

I started running again(I used to run before I hurt my ankle) and it really works! I will try some yoga as well.

I don't know how using less salf helps to prevent constipation but I think what you have suggested is worth trying!

Thank you so much for your support, Ally!

Dear Rosemary,

Thank you for your tips! Can I just make juice out of aloe vera in a mixer or juicer? That will be nice! I will try it!