How long after going 100% raw did it take for you to start noticing improvements in your period, cramping and breakouts? I've been 80% raw and 100% vegan for the past 9 months, 100% raw for the past 3 weeks. I became an ovo-lacto vegetarian age 10. I am so sick of crippling cramping, terrible bleeding and disgusting breakouts. I really haven't noticed that much change to be perfectly honest from when I was a ovo-lacto vegetarian to now (and I realize I haven't been 100% raw up until very recently, but no major improvement AT ALL?!). To be fair, my skin has been better the rest of the month, but still getting terrible breakouts around my period. Has it just not been enough time or not enough raw or what? Am I possibly eating too much fruit (the sugar)? Is it really the handful of nuts or single avocado I have a day (I don't feel good if I don't get any fat at all)? It's so disappointing to still be battling these things, especially the breaking out

To add: I was ovo-lacto veg before I started my first period, and had normal periods the first few years and NEVER had breakouts. It wasn't until my late teens I started having horrible problems. Had some improvement after switching to cloth pads a few years ago, and a little improvement since going vegan/raw, but nothing has had a major impact. I'm 26 now.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/30/2015 09:47PM by Kiwibird.

I have been vegan for 13 1/2 years and raw for 7 1/2. I get horrible cramps and sometimes breakouts (thought that improved with raw). I keep waiting for the day that I get this awesome effect that others have had. HA!

add: i don't think you should cut out all overt fats.

Acne:
McDougall advice:
[www.youtube.com]

Nina and Randa (Jeff Nelson's daughters)
The girls took McDougall's advice and cleared up their acne:

[www.youtube.com]
[www.youtube.com]
[www.youtube.com]

And wheatgrass juice is supposed to help. Have your tried that, Utopian?

Cramps:
Chinese herbs are excellent for cramps, but there are also western herbs for that. You can feel some relief within one hour of taking the herbs and even 30 minutes often. Yet, a protocol of herbs would be needed for some weeks. There has to be differentiation: early vs late, heavy vs. light, dark vs pale, presence of clots, etc.

p.s. regarding the low fat...purslane is well known for omega 3s. I found a variety that grows year round and is not seasonal. It is called Portulaca. Just saying you can get your omega 3s through greens. I found these plants from a local farmer at the farmer's market, who sells plants in pots. They had little small pretty flowers. He wasn't selling them to eat, just to grow for landscaping. I had a strong urge to eat them and they taste better than purslane. The only drawback is that they grow slow, so I had to buy several.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/01/2015 04:21AM by Tai.

How young is younger women.
My periods awesome, only one day I have to wear something if ever, and its watery, not globs like I used to.

coconutcream Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> How young is younger women.
> My periods awesome, only one day I have to wear
> something if ever, and its watery, not globs like
> I used to.


By "younger" I just meant women who aren't approaching menopause (I know your cycle can change as you get closer to that).

Tai Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Acne:
> McDougall advice:
> [www.youtube.com]
>
> Nina and Randa (Jeff Nelson's daughters)
> The girls took McDougall's advice and cleared up
> their acne:
>
> [www.youtube.com]
> [www.youtube.com]
> [www.youtube.com]
>
> And wheatgrass juice is supposed to help. Have
> your tried that, Utopian?
>
> Cramps:
> Chinese herbs are excellent for cramps, but there
> are also western herbs for that. You can feel
> some relief within one hour of taking the herbs
> and even 30 minutes often. Yet, a protocol of
> herbs would be needed for some weeks. There has to
> be differentiation: early vs late, heavy vs.
> light, dark vs pale, presence of clots, etc.
>
> p.s. regarding the low fat...purslane is well
> known for omega 3s. I found a variety that grows
> year round and is not seasonal. It is called
> Portulaca. Just saying you can get your omega 3s
> through greens. I found these plants from a local
> farmer at the farmer's market, who sells plants in
> pots. They had little small pretty flowers. He
> wasn't selling them to eat, just to grow for
> landscaping. I had a strong urge to eat them and
> they taste better than purslane. The only
> drawback is that they grow slow, so I had to buy
> several.

Interesting videos. I googled purslane, and it appears to be some kind of flowering plant? What parts of it would you eat? I am also about to start growing wheatgrass for the first time.

If you have any herbal suggestions for this mess of a situation, I'd be interested in trying: I get horrendous cramps and a major breakout the first day, then very heavy bleeding/clots for at least 3 days and then lighter bleeding for another 2 or 3 days. I also occasionally get terrible migraines the first day. I used to get mild-no cramping and maybe 4 days of light bleeding when I was younger. Then about 7 or 8 years ago, I took one of those "plan B" pills (only time I have EVER taken any form of hormonal birth control). My periods stopped for 6 months and came back heavy and painful with breakouts. They've never gone back to the way they were after that. I am convinced that pill screwed my body up royally and I've never really found a way to 'fix' it. I don't know if herbs could correct that and I sure as hell don't trust western medicine enough to care to see a doctor about it because I don't want their pharmaceutical poisons.

Kiwi wrote
If you have any herbal suggestions for this mess of a situation, I'd be interested in trying:

Tai:
Kiwibird, I have treated cases like yours. In my experience, it takes like 3 months of herbs before the cramping and migraines cease, although the herbs give immediate (but not complete) relief, as I said within an hour of taking them.
I have given at least three formulas: one for the migraines, one for the period and one for the cramping. These formulas are not fixed, because they get adjusted based on one's constitution, hence I couldn't give you the exact formulas. The acupuncture board really discourages us from long distance differential diagnosis to properly adjust formulas.

But at least I can tell you that herbs work and my only successes have been with Chinese herbal medicine, although I know there are some good western herbs and formulas to try. I can only tell you what is possible. It's better to work with a female herbalist who has experience in this regard.

My experience is that it is easier to treat the migraines and cramping and blood flow than the acne. BUT, I didn't have McDougall's no/low-fat tip at the time to try that out. I noticed that the Nelson girls used no-oil hummous but it still had tahini in it. THe purslane idea is just a green, low fat way of getting the omega 3s in versus flax or chia seed. Leaves, flowers and stems are fine.

We should focus not only the periods, but on the ovulation. That to me is way more memorable than the periods. I love ovulating, I count down the days. For me its about 10 days after last day of my period. For 3 days or so, I feel so amazing.





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/23/2015 01:32AM by suvine.