I started the raw food journey Jan 08 in hopes of healing multiple health issues. I have not stayed 100%, in fact I ended up falling off the raw wagon well over a month ago and after several attempts to get back on it, I am finally making my way back. Have been doing pretty good for the past 2 weeks eating mainly raw with some cooked veggies, with the exception of consuming coffee on about three or four occasions (and only because I get so tired and sleepy at work). To night I ate some cooked lentils for dinner and got heartburn from it! Which brings me to my point; that although I have definitely experienced some healing eating raw (menopausal symptoms, a lot of aches and pains, dry mouth, acid reflux, to name a few) the main thing I long for is a healing of this terrible IBS. I read somewhere that in order for complete healing to take place one must maintain 100% raw all the time. So I wonder, am I hindering my healing because I cant seen to stick to it a 100%? My digestive tract seems to act up no matter how I eat! If I eat SAD I get stopped up and get severe abdominal pain, but on the other hand, eating raw presents it's on issues with my digestion, sometimes having the opposite effect. I feel like "darned if I do and darned if I don't." Know what I mean?

I would really like to know of or hear form anyone who has healed a bad case of IBS on raw food. I do believe that my addiction to caffeine is a hindrance as well as my inability to be able to go more than 2 weeks without wanting to have a couple glasses of wine. :-(

I am aware that stress is a huge factor in this disease and I have been working on that aspect ( at a snail's pace I think).

Thanks for letting me rant!

Denise

Yes, you can and will heal if you persist in your exploration of your healing. Eating all raw foods will get you there eventually. You might want to find a water fasting retreat where you can get a supervised water fast. A fast will allow your digestive system to heal itself, and then assuming you can eat an all raw diet afterward, you ought to be OK.

Here are some old posts about raw & IBS:

IBS and RAW
Need easy to digest foods -- ASAP
IBS and raw foods inquiry
eating raw with IBS
One year 100% raw, Fibro & Chronic Fatigue Healed

What version of Raw have you been on the normal "High Fat" one if yes than your results are not surprising.

Have you fasted and I don't mean a juice feast either.

Many bowl problems are also caused by ones worries and tensions.

Are you the worry type or stress easily?

No need to answer in public but if you are than excercise, meditate and deep breathing help with this.

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Big G. Wrote:
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> What version of Raw have you been on the normal
> "High Fat" one if yes than your results are not
> surprising.

I usually have 1/2 to one avocado per day, and one tablespoon of hemp oil with lemon in my large salad of spring mix & tomatoes. In addition, on the days I decide to have cooked veggies I will saute them in a little coconut oil. Is that considered high fat?
>
> Have you fasted and I don't mean a juice feast
> either.

Iv attempted fast's in the past. I have tried juice fasting prior to going raw, and found that if I don't eat solids I get plugged up :-(. A few years ago I had considered colonic's but am a little fearful, plus the one hydro therapist I consulted with would not do them on me without a doctors note because I have some diverticulosis. I could not provide the note as the doctor personally did not believe in colonic's.


>
> Many bowl problems are also caused by ones worries
> and tensions.
>
> Are you the worry type or stress easily?

Absolutely!! And this is something I am working on. I am 56 years old, have always been a worrier, and have had a lot of stress in life, so I figure its' going to take some time to break this life long habit.
>
> No need to answer in public but if you are than
> excercise, meditate and deep breathing help with
> this.

Actually these are things I know I need to be doing, but for some reason I procrastinate or don't stick to the routines. But hearing you say this now motivates me to start again. Thanks!!

Denise

Bryan,

Thanks for the great links for the IBS threads and I am very interested in learning about the water fast retreats. I suppose I can do a web search for info on that.

Denise

I also have IBS or a type of IBS called crohn's disease. I'm not 100% raw either, but I can tell you that when I eat only fruit and veggies and nuts, thats the only time that I feel good. I have noticed that caffeine makes everything soo much worse for me, and have so stopped drinking it.

I am still on medication for it, but only on one of them now instead of the many that i was on before. You are not the only one out there, and if you would like someone to talk to of to share some helpful tips with i'll be here!

I have not tried fasting or anything of that sort, my family limits what I can and can not do with this lifestyle.

My biggest advice to you is, if it makes your hurt don't eat it. Even if you crave it really bad, find something thats good for you that tastes even better.

I have never had IBS so I can't comment on that but I can say that I'm confident that living healthy and that includes diet will provide the conditions for good health. I have had health challenges that I have seen disappear since becoming a fresh raw food eater. I am sure that eating fresh raw vegan foods grown in the earth's soil is a lot more healthy then eating SAD. Good luck and keep trying.

I healed of IBS, High Blood Pressure....and my weight problems. I kind of tackled one thing at a time. I first quit my absolute worst habits one at a time: smoking, drinking, caffeine, etc. Without the stimulants and drugs....I found it a much more even keel to work on the diet....which is more long-term. I eventually found a method that worked for me: to set up eating well and living well during the week.....with a promise of 'free days' on the weekend. It worked because it removed the sense of mental deprivation.....while maintaining an over-all upward trend. And, as it turned out, I usually wanted to continue eating healthy on the weekend....after eating well all week! LOL.

-Power to you.

-David Z. Mason

WWW.RawFoodFarm.com

I have had digestive issues worse than most and it took a solid year just to get myself somewhat stable with raw foods. I still suffered then, and it has been a long journey and an extremely enlightening one. It can be done but you must want to get well at ALL costs. So few really do unfortunately. In addition, you must stick to something for a period of time and be very, very patient.

I had dealt with doctors, naturalistic doctors, 2 well known raw gurus with no help from any of them or clue to why I suffered as so. I finally went on my own, 100% raw eating ONLY the foods I could handle in SMALL quantities and improved from there. Forget all the eat this, eat that from everyone or the gurus and forums. Gather the info and digest it though and make it work your own way. The story is much, much more involved but the point is that it can be done but you have to do it.

If someone says they cured or overcame IBS/IBD within a few weeks or more, they never really had true IBS/IBD in my opinion. It takes time with any digestive issue. With me it went into years for example, but what other choice does one have?? Other digestives issues usually aren't cured either. They just aren't aggravated anymore once you find how to live with it better, hence raw foods is perfect to live a comfortable life if this state is all that can be reached.

Just some thoughts that I hope help or guide you.

good luck pippin

i never had IBS but i knew 2 people who did and it seemed like their lives were a living hell

the guy i know who has IBS keeps eating all this white starchy dead food and complaining ENDLESSLY of his IBS til i just got tired of hearing about it

yet he tells me he is on a very "spiritual" path and hoping that his spiritual path is going to heal him : i think that spiritual path entails respecting the physical vessel

the girl i know who has IBS ( or maybe it was crohns) had numerous expensive surgeries that her parents paid for and the entire family paid dearly for
and yet she also continues to eat white foods and when i tell her about fruits and veggies and putting the veggies in a blender, she says " no thanks, i can only eat junk foods. this is the only thing that seems to not cause me problems"
she said this with a weak little smile and i just felt sad about it but it was out of my realm to try and change her.

so... its true that the person really has to want to heal themselves
i think both of these people are really addicted to white foods
and that was the cause of the problem

the man i was talking about grew up on a steady diet of saltine crackers ( cuz his family was really poor and that is what they could mostly afford) and peanut butter plus white bread and more white bread. he says he is positive that the diet he grew up with plus the constant stress in his family was what caused his digestive problems but he doesnt seem to be interested in diet yet has spent YEARRSSSS seeking out "spiritual" solutions

the girl wants to be a dancer and yet she says the IBS is stopping her

once again

i don't tell others what to do
but i do observe how staying in their particular paradigm is destroying their lives

i hope you find the courage, support, information and perseverance

to continue to refine your diet, heal your mind, body and spirit in any way and every way that you deem is appropriate

it seems like its a tough battle for both these people i know
i hope you don't have yours drawn out for years and years because u think nothing can be done

take heed of what david mason and also dave klein ( publisher of Vibrance ( formerly Living Nutrition magazine) did

they got rid of their intestinal conditions

find out what to do from people who have succeeded in that realm
and modify it to your own mind body spirit reality

good luck

Several things contribute to your physical state. Food is one.

Your mind is another.

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Don't give up. Just keep doing the best you can. You will get there. Wherever "there" is for you.