advice requested... here's my story (well the short version :

i have been ill for nearly two years. i threw up a lot and the cause hasn't been clear - i was diagnosed with gall bladder disease. i chose to heal the natural way, with mostly raw foods, no overt fats and plenty of juice and fruit days. i have done this for 6 months now and the throwing up has stopped i can eat a good amount of raw fats without getting nauseous.

my other problem which has persisted for over a year has to do with my intestines. certain foods seem to cause terrible pains in my abdomen. i have an appointment with a specialist at the hospital in a few weeks to get this investigated, but there is a related problem that i don't think they will be very understanding of: i often eat foods that cause this pain!!! i get an uncontrollable urge and then consume them - nuts, seeds and legumes are the cause (sprouted seeds are ok, but i'm not completely sure about bean sprouts - certainly better though). i know that they make me feel bad, i am often sick in bed waiting til they leave my system. this problem is only of late as i used to not be able to keep them down- the root of the problem though is obviously the consumption.

i have approached this in a psychological manner - thinking i was being self destructive, however i am an otherwise happy, stable and proactive person and feel like i have faced my demons so to speak. i do think that my eating has become distored from being ill, but i don't expect psychological perfection. i like myself and my life.

i have also looked into the cause possibly being a need for protein or fat and tried alternative sources, but these either cause the same symptoms or don't seem to remove the addiction - which is really what this feels like.

i was taking vitamineral green as a supplement and i think that i am pretty close to relieving any vitamin or mineral deficiencies i may have built up over the years - none are registered on blood tests anyways. i now have a healthy weight and look pretty healthy - so what is going on??!!

i have read about the possibility of food intolerences and allergies being paired with an addiction to the food. is there anyone here with a similar experience? i am also wondering if anyone has any idea of how i can kick thisaddiction? i would really appreciate any advice!

I hear you cherie. Well, if I combine nuts with fruit or some other bad combo I usually get bad stomach pain.

So let me see if I understand this correctly. You've identified the foods that make you feel miserable, but you enjoy them so much that they are worth the pain?

Actually, this is a common problem for new raw fooders. As you make progress with your dietary improvements, the foods that cause suffering will lose their appeal. It may take several years; it did for me. I was eating a cup or more of nuts everyday until about month 30 or so, and then I finally had to face giving them up. Once I did without them for a couple weeks, I was off them and didn't eat them again for 6 months. Every winter I still have the same desire for fat but with each passing year I get better at reading my body's subtle signals and decreasing my consumption.

It also helps to understand the phenomenon of food addiction. Everyone in our culture is afflicted, with very few exceptions. So, none of us need beat ourselves up over it. I wrote an article for my website on this topic, if you're interested. Click on "Philosophy and Other Articles".

Doctors can't help you. It is unfortunate that people have come to expect doctors to know about health. They are not trained in the principles of health. The only people who truly know about that are self-taught, even if they call themselves "Dr." That title is indicative of having been trained by a confused and economically-driven system.

For reasons too numerous to mention here, it's practically impossible for you to be deficient in any nutrients. If by some stretch of probability you were deficient, it would be because your body isn't making proper use of the nutrients you're eating. If that's the case, eating more nutrients won't help, especially those in the dubious form of powdered 'superfoods'. What will help is for you to remove the cause of the dysfunction, which you're presumably already in the process of doing. The only thing that would help more would be fasting, which would allow your body to heal quicker. I always find it interesting that fasting produces such an effective resolution to so-called deficiency symptoms, since obviously during a fast NO nutrients whatsoever are consumed. I wrote an article about raw fooders and nutrient deficiency as well, on the same page as the above-referenced one.

How about if you spend the money you're spending on co-pays to hire someone who can really help you? A qualified raw coach can identify the foods you're eating that are causing your problems, and then you can go to work decreasing your consumption of them. A coach can also inspire you to have confidence that you are doing the best by your body. Doubt and fear are your biggest enemies.

Warm wishes,
Nora
www.RawSchool.com

thank you both very much for your advice! nora i have turned to your website before but i am going to check out those particular articles right away i am glad to know that more raw fooders camp with the problem of eating something that doesn't feel right and that this disappears with time.

>it's practically impossible for you to be deficient in any nutrients

And people wonder why Nora gets a lot of flak.

You know, Cherie, I could be wrong but much of what you talk about is so indicative of heavy metal toxicity. This is something I am personally going through, so I have made myself well versed on the subject. Have you ever had vaccinations, flu shots, amalgam silver fillings, eaten fish (especially tuna), and/or lived/worked near a coal burning plant? To rule heavy metals out, you may want to consider doing a 24 hour urine test or a blood test to see what your heavy metal levels are. Don't let anyone talk you into using DMPS to chelate metals. Diet is the best approach and proper food combining is a necessity. A good book to check out is "It's All In Your Head" by Dr. Hal Huggins. The sensitivites, intestinal distress, and addictive behavior strongly spell heavy metals to me. That said, getting this stuff out of your body is one of the most difficult things you will ever do. It is so highly toxic which makes it an incredible challenge. If you have any questions, let me know.
Best wishes,
Jody

"
don't let anyone talk you into using DMPS?

jody i appreciate your recommendation! i read some about heavy metal toxicity. i don't think its the case though: i had my amalgam fillings removed 2 years ago and i haven't eaten a whole lot of fish - especially not tuna - in my lifetime nor i lived near a coal plant. i have had vaccinations and my problems did start soon after i had one, but makes it less probable. it does sound like you are going through a difficult time health wise! i really hope you are able to heal quickly with this approach. please let us know what you are doing and how its going.

piano gal: DMPS and DMSA (prescription drugs) are used by alternative doctors for challenge testing (determining the body content of metals), and for treatment. In many cases, a detoxifying regimen using supportive natural chelators and a modified diet is recommended. (from [www.diagnose-me.com])

i am thinking food intolerences as the reactions clearly take place after eating and i feel great when i don't eat. this is a link where i also found similar descriptions of what i'm going through: [www.alternative-doctor.com].

i have decided to try a short water fast and see if the symptoms go away and then slowly reintroduce foods (and avoid nuts!). if its an intolerence then i most likely won't have the cravings after a week. if i still have them then i'll put this theory on the backburner.

Piano Gal, too many people seem to be highly sensitive to the DMPS. I had a few consultations wiith Dr. Huggins, the mercury guru, who told me not to touch the stuff and, if I did, he wanted to take a life insurance policy out on me first - ha! Not so funny really. Anyway, after talking to him, I connected with 2 people who had ended up in the hospital from it and had been quite ill. As sensitive as I am, I know for sure that stuff ain't for me.

Cherie. I had my fillings out 6 years and am just now learning the proper protocol to get the metal out. As I said, it is extremely difficult and most spend years working on it. I feel I'm evolving though and maybe this is the year to make the difference.

they were a blessing. That is why I wondered at Jody's strong statement anti-them. I wondered if she were speaking from personal experience, science, or simply raw-opinion. thanks, Cherie!

Piano Gal

the more green juice and wheatgrass i drink, the less likely i am to overindulge.

Hi Cherie,

I'm sorry to hear you are suffering! I know it can be very difficult to stay away from foods that we know are bad for us. The key is to work on your emotional attachment to food. It can be a difficult process, but it is very rewarding and will serve you well in the long run. I specialize in helping people with emotional eating and raw diets if you'd like to contact me for a session.

All the best,

Audrey
www.rawhealing.com

send you love to heal

If you love nuts, and seeds, and they are the culprits in giving you pain, then why not blend them into nut and seed butters. You also could have what I think is called Pica..the uncontrollable urge to eat things we know is not good or us. I don't know if food items count though..but you did say it was an uncontrollable urge.

You could try taking chewable enzyme tabs..like papaya ones to help with digestion.

It may take years to rebuild your body on the inside. Keep with the raw foods..I know from experience how good the lifestyle is for us.

Love,
Prism