Having trouble handling this PMS symptom that I get every month. SEVERE cravings and non-stop hunger. NOTHING seems to satisfy it and I am literally ravenous and will eat everything in sight!! I'm always relieved when my friend actually comes to visit finally, because the symptom immediately stops. I'm quite sure that is what caused me to crash the other day with the pizza..... extreme ravenous hunger and cravings.

Any thoughts or ideas?

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"Educate and inform the whole mass of the people... They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty."
—Thomas Jefferson

I get that sometimes as well and I eat everything in sight. It doesn't matter as long as it's raw.

Well....Id go ahead and give up the dairy, plainlydressed. That, after a few weeks should help a little bit...and if you have a steady cycle...plan ahead. Make some super nutritious foods ahead of time for those days. Especially lots of dark greens. Maybe make some yummy massaged kale salad with avocado and make it tasty with whatever seasonings you like...that way you get dark green nutritious and some extra fat to satisfy the cravings. Plus.....some coconut recipies would be good...and drinking some coconut water, from the young cocos. I hear theyre great at replenishing sexual fluids and whatnot...so I imagine they may help with pms as well (I could be wrong...but it might be worth a shot!)
Good luck!!!
Blessings
Shekinah Love

I can relate to those feelings. When SAD I used to crave refined sugar, now I am more raw, I found my cravings changed to fat, particularly nuts. I kept fighting it until one month I gave in and I felt better, cravings went and hunger went. After they finished I went back to my low fat plan. Now 9 months later I don't get those wild swings anymore, in fact my menses and PMS have improved significantly and as long as I am eating sufficient calories, the increase in fat is compensated.
This too shall pass

Those sort of cravings are a bit tricky to manage at first. With practice, it is possible to work through it.
This is what worked for me:
Just don't react. Take some control. Come out of the victim mode! Try it, it works!

You are in control of what goes into your mouth!
If you are determined enough, you will learn to manage this effectively. It may take some determination, as breaking old behavioural patterns does, but, stick with it. It does work.

I find it useful to stop and try to identify the craving. (Salty, sweet, crunchy etc)
I have acknowledged it, then i move on.
I take some deep breaths and maybe some water. I then change my activity to help take my mind off it.
If this does not work, I repeat the process. If you don't react, given time, even the most severe cravings can often disappear.

With time, you may be able to identify a link between activity triggers and cravings

Implement a preventative measure. Eating more fat and increasing green juices and smoothies prior to menstruation helps me.

The key is to learn to stop 'feeding' the craving on an energetic level.

You can do it. Don't make a big thing out of it. Just do it.
ffx

For me, the combination of balanced meals with enough of all major nutrients (and lots of greens), exercise, herbs (black cohosh, evening primrose oil and natural progesterone cream (I am turning 48 soon), and a little cacao and maca in my smoothies helps with the moods and other symptoms, which for me tend to be severe these days. I also drink a little wine if I am really out of sorts. I know that cacao, maca and wine are not things that everyone here feel are optimal to eat, but my symptoms can be intense, and for me, this works. If I eat well, do the herbs and exercise, I tend to need less of the other. The other suggestions sound great as well!

The Fruit Faery, how long have you been raw, exactly??????? And what percentage. Okay thanks.

The Fruit Faery Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Those sort of cravings are a bit tricky to manage
> at first. With practice, it is possible to work
> through it.
> This is what worked for me:
> Just don't react. Take some control. Come out of
> the victim mode! Try it, it works!
>
> You are in control of what goes into your mouth!
> If you are determined enough, you will learn to
> manage this effectively. It may take some
> determination, as breaking old behavioural
> patterns does, but, stick with it. It does work.
>
> I find it useful to stop and try to identify the
> craving. (Salty, sweet, crunchy etc)
> I have acknowledged it, then i move on.
> I take some deep breaths and maybe some water. I
> then change my activity to help take my mind off
> it.
> If this does not work, I repeat the process. If
> you don't react, given time, even the most severe
> cravings can often disappear.
>
> With time, you may be able to identify a link
> between activity triggers and cravings
>
> Implement a preventative measure. Eating more fat
> and increasing green juices and smoothies prior to
> menstruation helps me.
>
> The key is to learn to stop 'feeding' the craving
> on an energetic level.
>
> You can do it. Don't make a big thing out of it.
> Just do it.
> ffx

SuperInfinity Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The Fruit Faery, how long have you been raw,
> exactly??????? And what percentage. Okay thanks.

I am simply responding to this thread with things that have helped me.
Its for the enquirer to take it or leave it.

As regards your question, I started eating Raw in 2004. I have had periods when i have not eaten totally raw. I do eat a totally raw diet at present. I am currently juice feasting. I normally eat high fruit low fat.