greetings all... hope you are having a beautiful time... So I have an observation and wonder if anyone has any ideas about this. I have been dealing with metabolic acidosis, a large ovarian cyst, a thickened gallbladder and a screwy blood count and hormonal imbalance. So I was probably 90% raw when I went to the doc to find all this out... she suggested that maybe i should try adding some cooked foods back in... for variety... which i didn't really want to do... but i thought what could it hurt to try out some different things if I kept eating a highly raw diet...

ok ...on a side note... a big problem with me testing out cooked foods is being able to control my eating I would binge on snack things like roasted veggie chips, pretzels, roasted almonds, peanut butter, flat breads... instead of actually making some not so bad cooked foods like whole grains or simple steamed veggies... though i think that is another issue all together...

yesterday was the first day i had mostly raw with the exception of a cup of steamed green peas on my salad... today i was fully raw... this morning i noticed my legs starting to do the cramp thing again... and both arms and legs feeling very weak... I did feel a bit better after a bike ride... and between 2-4 in the afternoon I am so tired i could just lay down and sleep... but if i do that then i don't sleep at night. and my sleep has been very unrestful... and now that the leg thing is back it makes it even harder to sleep. Is there any explanation why my legs are cramping when i go raw??? and also why i would be feeling more acidic as well??? I got some liquid calcium/magnesium today to see if that will help...

love laugh and dream

ok turns out that i started my period today... so maybe this is why the leg cramps and weakness... though I am still curious why i cramp in my legs???? I begin juice fast until the cramps are gone...I will do lemon water with stevia during the day and some fresh veggie juice at night... very bad timing as we are moving this weekend... ah well a good time because it is the time to happen...

love laugh and dream

Not sure about the other stuff but I noticed that all your 'binge' cooked foods have the same texture - crunchy ... so maybe it's not cooked you want but something else? Just a thought
what is a typical day of raw like for you maybe if you list it someone can help?

luvyuu,

You may want to increase the amount of water you're drinking. Sometimes I get leg cramps from not drinking enough.


My favorite raw vegan

yes sweetp the bingeing has no judgement on cooked or raw... though i do tend to go a little crazier with cooked...I do notice that I like to binge on crunchy things...though I do have my moments with raisons... anyhow... what do you suppose this could mean... I read once that when craving crunchy things it is because of anger... and i suppose this is so...

Trive... I will pay attention to my water intake but I'm pretty sure I am pretty ok here... especially when i'm on my period because it is all I am taking in... well with lemon and stevia...

I have had leg issues in the past... i guess they dub it restless leg syndrome... but i'd like to understand it a bit better then just a label ya know... and why it has been more prevalent since I have been raw...

ok so what a typical eating day for me is basically I have two big salads...
in the morning i have lemon water with stevia and vit C

then I usually have a green salad consisting of 8-10 leaves romain a large handful spinach 1/3 jicama 1 small tomato 2-3 celery stalks 1 zucchini 2 tbs olive oil and lemon... this varies ... then later more lemon water stevia vit C some times I have a snack apple not so often... banana again not so often as they are quite acidic for me... this is the time when I might binge if there are bingy things around...

dinner consists of 1 grated beet 4-6 carrots, 2 large leaves chard and or a good handful beet greens, cucumber with olive oil and lemon or lime... lately i've been doing it with unfiltered vinegar... I do use a fair amount of real salt


I appreciate all of you so much...
love laugh and dream

Make sure you are getting enough magnesium, as this can cause "restless leg syndrome." Are you eating enough fruit?

I've been staying away from fruit because it is really acidic in my system... though i have been indulging lately... what foods specifically have magnesium...
I have started taking a liquid calcium magnesium zinc d3 potassium complex...I am also taking a raw vitamin for women... i know i don't want to be dependent on vitamins but i thought this might help my legs, my menstral pain and the acidosis as well... I just wonder if my body is having trouble absorbing the minerals from food

so far the menstrual and leg pain is still present and is better when i fast i'm on day 2... though this morning was rough... felt sick to my stomach had to have some orange juice and i'm feeling a bit better...i know i should take it easy but we are moving this weekend and i need to pack uhg... so i have pain if i eat or spacey sick feeling if it don't uhg... i'm opting for spacey... probably i will keep it short..

love laugh and dream

Are you getting enough protein, like nuts or seeds? (These also have a lot of minerals in them, ie calcium.)

Some bottled waters have natural calcium in them, try this, it can take away pain (maybe because of a deficiency), check the labels on some good waters, especially foreign ones, these seem to have the most mineral content.

Remember when all raw, the body detoxes pretty intensly. You may be having symptoms of this or a healing crisis, where stuff gets worse and then better.

How about fresh juices such as wheat grass or other veggies? Add things like raw seaweed, and maybe some sunshine on your sore legs.

I didn't think fruit could be acidic in the body, thought that they are only alcalizing in there effect, even things like Kiwi fruit and oranges which are acid fruits are alcalizing in the body.

I'd say eats lots more fruit, and plenty of fresh green veges and only a little fat like advocado, nuts and seeds every few days. Don't use any oil at all, its a fractioned food and not healthy. Eat very simply, mono meals are excellent, a meal of just bananas, or peaches etc for easy assimulation of vitimins and minerals. You'll also notice you have a lot more energy because you are not spending massive amounts of energy on digestion.

All fruits and veges have protein and you don't need very much anyway if you are an adult....you need to eat lots of plain fruit and vegs. Try a meal ( a large bowl is good) of just kiwifruit and mandarins equal portions, peel and chop up Kiwis, peel mandarins, break into segments and mix together...this is a totally lucious, satisfying meal for me.

Try sweet mandarins in your green salad, squeeze then put the bits in.

Nuts, seeds and cooked foods cause acidity.

The minerals in bottled waters are in-organic and are very hard to asimulate, distilled is best.

I used to find that too much fat in my diet caused my food to go through me way to slowly, this caused pain when I had my period. Now I go to the toilet 3 or 4 times every day...as many times as I eat basically.

Let us know how you go on this.

sadly fruit is on the acid forming list as well... and I not only go from the book I notice the more I eat the more acidic I am... it really is frustrating because the list of things I can eat grows smaller and smaller... and when I thought my leg stuff was only happening when I was on my moon... it is still happening... it's a feeling like ... well... ya know when aerobics instructors say to feel the burn... well that is sort of what it is like... only even when I am simply walking...

I am also noticing a co-relation to when I am feeling so tired and icky to my bingeing... at this time it seems all I want to do is eat...but then I can't stop myself until I am un comfortably full...

any how... I read in one of these posts that spinach and chard and beet greens all have oxalic acid which blocks calcium and I eat a lot of this... could this be part of my leg issues... I know they solve some of the symptoms of restless leg syndrome with calcium and magnesium... I started taking a liquid calcium complex but if I am eating these greens maybe it won't help at all... but what other greens can I eat... because due to gall bladder issues I can not have any of the brassica family including kale and cabbage and collards... is lettuce enough green... i have been adding kelp... should I use this completely instead of the spinach chard and beet greens...

I haven't been feeling very good lately any amount of exertion and I am wiped out which makes living life a little hard... especially when I have always been a person who loves doing strong work like gardening.. and running and biking and drumming... I feel like I am just growing weaker and weaker... and as if I am in between a rock and a hard place... I eat raw... and I don't feel good... I eat cooked and I don't feel good... I'm bored with what I am eating but I can't eat anything else... any and all suggestions are greatly appreciated...

love laugh and dream

luvyuu,

If you are consuming calcium in a greens-rich diet, you should not have a problem with oxalates. Spinach in large amounts may be the worst offender, so maybe replace it with lettuces and see if that helps.

I know I've asked you this before, and I know some people cannot tolerate fruit well, mostly because of fungal infections, but how do you determine that fruit makes you more acidic? Is your blood being tested regularly? Do you feel less energetic over time from fruit? When you binge, which is much harder on the gallbladder than any brassicas could be, what are you binging on? Not fats, hopefully, because that would make you ill.

Lastly, since the last time you posted queries of this kind, have you had a thorough evaluation by a doctor, including comprehensive bloodwork and scans to check for pathological disorders/infections? I think this would be beneficial, if only to rule out anything mysterious.

upon eating fruit I feel acidic like i'm burning inside... i also get really acidic in nature... grouchy and un able to sleep... bananas seem to bee the worst... oranges are not so great either is papaya.. grapes... haven't really had anything else... an occasional apple doesn't seem to be too bad... I have lemon or lime juice in water and on my salads and this is ok... I was indulging and having a bit of vinegar but have since stopped as it really felt like my insides were bubbling with acid... and things have gotten better...

yes i know the bingeing is bad on the entire system actually... it doesn't feel good when i am doing it... if i have too much carb or sugar including fruit... the left side of my abdomen hurts... if i have too much fat the right side hurts... and too much of everything makes it all hurt...

so yesterday what i had was a salad of lettuce spinach jicama celery tomato zucchini with lemon and olive oil... then i had about 4-5 carrots peeled into strips with olive oil lemon and sesame seed... later i had about 3 oz raw almonds.... then i had a salad of 4 carrots 1/2 beet grated 1/2 cup seaweed 1/2 cup steamed peas 1/2 cup steamed broad beans 1 cup chard with olive oil and lemon... then i started in on some corn chips and salsa probably 3 -4 hand fulls... then i made some flat bread made with corn meal, oat meal and wheat flour... I just couldn't stop myself even though it didn't feel so good... eating all together hasn't really felt very good... some times when i'm so tired and weak feeling something inside me thinks i should just eat more and i'll be better but i know this to not be true...

as far as testing... i did have some done back in december and january... they found a large ovarian cyst which i am managing with herbal tinctures... the walls to my gallbladder are thicker then they should be and i had low red and white blood cell count... i was testing my urine for ph very regularly ...but since all the tests and tinctures and being un employed i have gone broke... so i haven't had any tests since... though i could get some ph paper... but i've heard that urine isn't actually a very good judge for this anyhow...

i will try taking out the spinach and see if this helps with the legs...

thank you

love laugh and dream

luvyuu,

The only thing I notice that is a red flag to me is the olive oil. When, in the past, my liver or gallbladder acted up, cutting out all fat helped immediately--no oil, no fatty fruit, no starchy carbs. Just simple green juices with sour berries and wheatgrass.

If you cannot eat fruit, it would be difficult for you to keep your calories up, but constantly eating greens for a few days, especially liquified ones, wouldn't give you the opportunity to feel a calorie deficit. I know you occasionally water fast, but have you ever tried a very simple juice feast, you know, with simple combinations of things, not like the salads you describe, above? It could be beneficial.

luvyuu,

Maybe you're not using your legs as much as before but still use them a fair amount? Some complain of back or neck pain but yours is leg. Anyway this article speaks of female athletes and leg pain and the often complex causes and that "Rather, internal factors such as excessive foot pronation, menstrual function and bone mineral density have been found to be associated with this condition." [psychcentral.com]

I don't know what to say other than keep up the nutrient dense foods like you are doing.

peace to you

just a quick up date... I stopped eating spinach and less beet greens and less chard... though i still have the chard just not as much... and my leg cramps are better... I am taking a calcium magnesium supplement... but i was taking that before and i still had the cramps... i guess it's was the oxalic acid... i still have weakness but not nearly as bad... they aren't giving out on me like they were... it's worst during my period so we'll see what happens when auntie flow comes to visit next......

still having gallbladder pain... i've cut back on the oil... only allow myself 2-3 TBS a day and no nuts or seeds or any other fats... i've been allowing myself some bananas which for some strange reason aren't as acidic to me if i freeze them and make a yummy ice cream... with dates and raisins ... or maybe that's just what I want to believe... cause it's so tasty... cause i do feel better acidic wise without the fruit...

love laugh and dream

Hang in there, you are on a better road to health while eating the foods you are eating than eating the processed stuff.
I just got a notice that the tree of life has paying job openings. Not sure just how that would work for you though.
I have taken a magnesium powder drink called "calm" I keep forgetting to drink it so it has been hit and miss. It was not to outragous in expense. I also found some kelp pills that I take. I keep falling by the way side on my diet and I am suspecting I am lacking these nutrients. I have also been eating weeds and am finding them more satisfying. The vegetables in the store are lacking in nutrients.
I really hope you start feeling better.

luvyuu,

Glad you are doing better. Weird about the greens, but whatever works is what you should try. I do hope you feel totally better soon.

also not getting enough electrolytes can cause cramps among other things when it gets REALLY bad, as can a potassium deficiency...

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Oh, mirror in the sky
What is love?
Can the child within my heart rise above?
Can I sail through the changing ocean tides?
Can I handle the seasons of my life?

I had those leg cramps too! It would be so painful, I would end up waking up in the middle of the night from them. I told my dad this and He said that I was missing calcium, I don't have them anymore

When I made the leap to 100% raw I went through a period where I had a lot of muscle soreness and cramps, but they eventually went away completely. I guess all I can recommend is eating as much as you can of the fruit you can handle, and try to work in as much variety as possible. Bananas are great, and I feel bad that you can't eat them! Perhaps try them at different stages of ripeness, your body should adapt to them. Watermelon is in season, which is also high in potassium.

I add extra sodium to my diet with unrefined sea salts. Its great on watermelon, and especially avocado!

Plus all the nuts and seeds you can handle. At www.nutsonline.com you can get raw sunflower, pumpkin, and sesame seeds by the lb for super cheap. They can all make great milk alternatives in a blender.

Right now I'm amazed at how my body recovers from workouts and physical damage.

I guess my answer to everything is "EAT MORE!"

... no can do on the nuts and fats... gallbladder trouble... the more i eat them the more i hurt... and they also trigger me to binge...and bananas i've been eating them... but i notice the days i don't eat them hardly any acidic feelings... but they help when my roommate works nights and i feel it's better to eat my frozen banana date rasin treat then other cooked junk that he has lurking... i am taking a calcium supplement... so this is helping as well... the watermelon is a catch for me cause i love it... but it doesn't love me... it makes me feel weird like hard to breath suddenly and my chest just might explode... it's so sad... sometimes it happens sometimes it doesn't... doesn't matter if it's organic or not... thank you all for your wisdom... I really appreciate you!!!

love laugh and dream

Have you consulted a dr or nutritionist?

Have you ever taken antibiotics?

Digestion problems are terrible I know, but they should heal with time if you can keep your intake of nutrients up, and avoid the things that can compromise healthy digestion (refined foods, antibiotic tainted animal products)

I'd suggest taking steps to improve your intestinal microflora. Fermented foods, kombucha tea, and/or a good probiotic supplement (the best of them require refrigeration)

You might try digestive enzymes as well, although getting them from natural sources is probably best. If you can eat pineapple or papaya, those may help. Sprouts are the best source of enzymes apparently.

In your situation, with the ovarian cyst, digestion problems, low blood cell counts, and cramping muscles, I'd be all about maximizing phytonutrient intake.

Have you tried making smoothies with fruits and greens? The pre-digesting done by the blender might ease the load on your digestive system and let you get more nutrients in to help fix the problem that's causing poor digestion in the first place. You could even increase the amount of pre-digestion done by emptying some enzyme and probiotic capsules into the drink and letting it sit for a little bit.

That way, the friendly bacteria will have a chance to thrive in their little smoothie ecosystem, and the ones that are best at digesting fruits will prosper, and ultimately end up populating your gut

Watermelon hurts me too, but only if I eat it in close proximity to the wrong foods. If i've already filled up on fats, and drop a bunch of watermelon on top, I'll soon regret it!

I suffer leg, feet, hand and abdominal-muscle cramps worst when I sit in the sauna excessively--over 45 minutes daily.

I've tried other things that work, such as avocados sprinkled with potassium chloride, but the most surprising thing is lemon juice.

Yesterday I sat in the sauna for hours. I sweated for three hours, though, coming out to take breaks and re-entering. I wanted to get rid of excessive salt in my body.

I hadn't been to the sauna in a few months, so I was dreading the return of muscle cramps. But that day I'd happened to have begun a large uptake of lemon juice. And I didn't cramp that night. My hand cramped a little at the sauna, though, but quickly released.

Today I sweat another three hours with no cramping whatsoever. However, when I awoke from a 3-hour nap, my legs muscles were vibrating as if they wanted to cramp. I drank some more lemon juice, and they quit.

I'm talking many cups of lemon juice here, although I didn't measure. So as not to feel queasy after drinking the lemon juice, I topped it off with lemon/pineapple juice. Then, at the sauna, I drank 1&3/4 - 2 quarts of cucumber juice. When I lay down in the sauna and on the benches outside, I felt no burning in my esophagus from the lemon juice.

Anyway, I haven't cramped, and I don't know why.

I have been looking into the properties of celtic sea salt. I can go raw for a while then I start craving salty foods like salsa and olives. I go hog wild over them and eventually binge in other foods. I am tired of the binge effect. I always thought salt was bad but am looking into the celtic sea salt hoping to balance my body.

pampam Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have been looking into the properties of celtic
> sea salt. I can go raw for a while then I start
> craving salty foods like salsa and olives. I go
> hog wild over them and eventually binge in other
> foods. I am tired of the binge effect. I always
> thought salt was bad but am looking into the
> celtic sea salt hoping to balance my body.


When I occasionally make a raw salsa I throw in a whole sleeve of celery. Celery is high in sodium and that may help with the craving.

david

Probably adding some Magnesium citrate and MSN into your drinking water would help...also putting cabbage/kale in with your juicing regime...
Topical Magnesium oil (Swansons is cheapest) will stop the cramping fast.
Also sun your legs every day if possible, with chamomile tea infusion sprayed onto your legs; walk on the ground in barefeet.
Cramping and painful shins is a sign of kundalini increasing with active spiritual growth in a depleted body.

[biologyofkundalini.com]

I know this is old, but one issue you might encounter with a high raw diet, especially in hot climates where you drink a lot of water is hyponatremia. This means low blood sodium which is a result of sweating out the salt but consuming plenty of food and water with insufficient salt. I developed this recently and had cramps, low energy, a headache, etc. A small amount of salt caused an almost immediate effect in how I felt. Might be something to consider.