Has anyone ever experienced dizziness and fatigue when transitioning from SAD to raw? I've been mostly raw for about a month, but now my energy level is crashing. This has happened to me before when I've tried vegan diets. I felt so great when I first switched to raw and I dont want to go back to SAD. What am I doing wrong?

raw_curious,

Sorry you are having problems, but it's not unusual a few weeks after one gets underway. Are you eating enough calories and a good variety of foods--not just fruit, not just greens, ect.? Resting enough? Hydrating enough? Unless we know more about your regimen, it's hard to say.

I've been raw for two months but haven't had problems so far, I'm thinking perhaps it is because my previous diet wasn't much different?

What was your diet like before the switch? If it was a drastic change perhaps your body is still adjusting.

>Banana ice-cream rocks!<

How much are you eating? You describe the symptoms of fasting.

Try a b12 vitamin skin patch

My diet prior to transition was about 50% meat and dairy, 30% grains, and 20% vegetables (mostly cooked). I was eating a descent variety of produce before, but not nearly enough.


Now I'm eating fresh fruit, raw veggies, nuts, salads, fresh juices, quinoa, and veggie sushi (that's my little cheat).Sometimes I'll still eat small portions of fish too. I think I'm getting enough calories because I'm loosing excess weight at a slow rate - about 2 lbs a week.

In previous vegan attempts I've always assumed my fatigue was because I needed more protein so I started eating meat again. Then it's a slippery slope right back to my old SAD ways. This time I want to figure out how to get past this obstacle and stick with it.

the raw food you mentioned (current diet) is not as calorie dense as in your prior diet. You would need to eat more volume to get the same calorie results. For example, raw vegetables are less calorie dense than their cooked version by volume (they shrink when cooked). Raw food does not pack as much calories.

Panchito - Thanks for the advice. I didn't have a B12 patch, but I just bought some sublingual B12 the other day. I tried one and it perked me up a bit and seemed to clear the brain fog also. Should I take B12 every day as long as I'm not eating meat?

I haven't really been thinking very much about calories, I just eat whenever I get hungry. I'll try an avacado - that's pretty calorically dense.

Thanks for the tips!

B12 helps. It could be the problem. but it is hard to pin point the real cause of things with theories. It is a process of hit, miss and elimination. Sometimes it is good to feel bad. For example, when toxins are released in to your blood (detox), you should feel bad for that time being so be patient. Or maybe you are transitioning.

You should feel the greatest with raw food. You have to figure out the obstacles.

Raw food is detoxifying and when you detox, you may feel lightheaded. I have fallen off track on several occasions and had to get back to raw all over again. I always go through an initial stage that may last from a few days to a few weeks when I just feel less energetic. Now though, I know what comes next and I am willing to go through the discomfort to get to the "other side" where there is no more fatigue, boundless energy, better sleep, a clearer mind and more. I am an all or nothing person so when I do raw, it's 100% but when I transition over, I may eat a little bit of cooked food for a day or two to get me over the initial cravings. But I stay focused on my objectives.

I have to say, raw_curious, that the worst time was the first time and about the only thing I could do was read and read and read because I didn't know what to expect. The books said I would eventually feeling great so I kept at it but I wasn't feeling great at all. But then it happened and when it did, it was incredible unlike anything I'd ever known before.

So don't quit and give yourself all the credit for the success you are having. It's a big step you make to go from 50% meat, 30% grains and 20 % vegetables to raw. You're doing a great thing and if you do it gradually, so be it but keep your eyes on your goal and you'll get there.

In a way, it's like climbing a mountain - the view from the top is worth the agony of the climb.

I am glad I heard that strangely ridiculed word: detox. It's like anything else: you get off coffee and you feel listless. Sugar--same. Your body has been artificially stimulated and now it is removing all the toxins. And here's something else to be on the alert for: the detox goes in stages. So you might initially detox, feel bad but then good, and detox some more! Of course it all depends on how pure you stay.

One reason that some raw food advocates recommend a gradual detox is because of this very reason. It may be better to transition and experience mild detox than go 100% overnight and have these dramatic cleansing events.