Since becoming raw I have been eating tons of avocados- at times up to 3 in a day. I lost 15 lbs and have stayed @ 108 lbs- so it's not making me gain weight- but can eating this many avocados be harmful?

Also are there any raw foods that cause phlegm or congestion that I should know of?


www.inaia.com

no I ate 6 today, I feel fine.

Avocados are yummy. You will be ok, at first you will lose weight, but you will gain it all back, and maybe more, so be happy now

I don't think it will hurt you to eat a lot of avocados, but I found for me that when the ONLY oil-containing food I ate was avocados, I became deficient in iron. Now I eat sprouted seeds. They're delicious, and 1 avocado a day satisfies me completely.

Thanks for that. On the weight: It has been months and I've pretty much stabilized here. I intend to stay here but not lose any more. This is a pretty normal weight for me. I was heavier than usual when I first started out.

Anyway, I have been a little congested which is NOT good when you sing 6 night a week. I'm wondering if something I'm eating is causing it or if it's my dry & sometimes smoky environment- and if it IS the environment- is there something i can do to clear up my sinuses again. I had gotten VERY clear so I'm not sure what is causing the congestion now. It is VERY dry where I sing. I did start washing out my sinuses yesterday and it has been helping.


www.inaia.com

Thanks, suncloud. I think we were posting @ the same time. I do eat some nuts and maybe once in a while I will have sprouted chickpeas or lentils. I also eat young coconuts. I'm still quite new. Doest that seem varied enough as far as fats go?


www.inaia.com

Hi Inaia,

I think your diet might be varied enough, but if you start feeling hungry more often than you would like, or if you find you are eating more than what's comfortable for you, and especially if you have a sensation of still being hungry even though your stomach feels full, it may be that you really do need more variety. You can try some other varieties of nuts and seeds. Also make sure you are getting a good variety of fruits and greens.

My favorite seeds are sesame seeds (brown) and sunflower seeds, sprouted. I soak, drain, and sprout them for about 36 hours. They're very high in iron, calcium, and vitamin E.

I'm hoping you can get out of that dry, smoky environment. It's not good for you! But as long as that's where you are, it's definitely a good thing that you're eating raw.

OH, and PS: Just thought I'd note that I gave you my own most honest opinion, based on over 30 years experience with a raw food diet (the first 10 years not so successful), but if you're somewhat new here, you may find that there are almost as many honest opinions as there are people on this web site!



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/11/2007 04:45AM by suncloud.

Suncloud, thank you so much for this! I find it really helpful. I do get a large variety of greens & fruit but I haven't had sesamee seeds and I adore them I really love sunflower seeds too so I;ll see where I can find them here in Tokyo. Thanks for sharing your experience.


www.inaia.com

hey love...you are doing so amazing!!! i hope your sinuses clear up soon...proably the smokey environment is a big cause...oh and i posted on your journal about the salt stuff so make sure to check it haha..
love ya
earthangel
xoxoxoxoxoxox

Much peace and love!!!
EarthAngel
Xoxo

Hey, you! Thanks for that. Going to check now- and yours too.


www.inaia.com

Hey hun...glad to help out a friend
love ya
earthangel
xoxoxoxoxo

Much peace and love!!!
EarthAngel
Xoxo

Avocados are reported to be mucus forming by some (although I've not really found that myself).

Rob

--
Rob Hull - Funky Raw
My blog: [www.rawrob.com]

Thanks for that Rob.

EA- Love you toooooo!


www.inaia.com

Of course there are different opinions, but from what I've read, way too many avocados (way too much fat). I only eat about two to three a week. I follow the high fruit, low fat, with lots of greens way of eating or as better known 80-10-10.

Suncloud, after 30 years of experimenting with raw food, what is your typical daily diet, if I may ask. Thanks!

_________________________________________

Proverbs 15:17 (New International Version) "Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened calf with hatred."

suncloud Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hi Inaia,
>
> I think your diet might be varied enough, but if
> you start feeling hungry more often than you would
> like, or if you find you are eating more than
> what's comfortable for you, and especially if you
> have a sensation of still being hungry even though
> your stomach feels full, it may be that you really
> do need more variety. You can try some other
> varieties of nuts and seeds. Also make sure you
> are getting a good variety of fruits and greens.
>
>



Wow! That is what has been happening to me lately! I eat, and I know theres food in my stomach, but I still have the hungry feeling, and it almost girgles and grumbles for food still! I don't eat all raw food, so I don't think it has to do with transition. This just started happening. Maybe I need more variety. I think I do get variety. Or maybe my body just wants even more of what I am feeding it.

On the avocado subject; are avocados considered a fat? What I mean is, it seems like people don't count them as fat. Are they better for you then nuts, seeds, oil, etc?

Suncloud, I would like to know what you eat in a day too! Thank you!

Love to all!

love

Suncloud, I am also VERY interested in hearing more about what you typically eat.

I think the congestion I was feeling could've been due to the fact that my cycle was coming on. It happens sometimes but I didn't have the usual intense cramps so I wasn't putting 2 & 2 together. I also feel like I've lost more weight. I haven't weighed myself but I can see my ribs more now, even from the front. I think I was just bloated and congested from my cycle coming on.

This is what I usually eat. I eat lots of greens & cabbage, I usually have a large fruit salad for dinner. Since I've been having doing the fruit for dinner I've been feeling even better. I have lots of variety of fruit like kiwis, figs, oranges, bananas, mangoes, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, apples... I also eat lots of bell peppers, carrots, avocados, maybe 1-3 coconuts a week, I eat lots of zucchini lately (which I use to make "noodles" out of with some fresh raw tomato sauce that Earthangel gave me the recipe to). I also may sometimes include broccoli & asparagus & always put sprouts in my salads. I put fresh basil & rosemary & Italian parsley in my recipes and I occasionally sprout chickpeas & red lentils to eat & make hummus or salads. I think that's IT! Whew!


www.inaia.com



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/12/2007 03:46AM by Inaia.

PS
I also occasionally include macadamia nuts, almonds, pine nuts and cashews ( even though I know cashews aren't raw).


www.inaia.com

Inaia, you could try Apple cider vinager. 1-2 ounces 1-3 times a day, in water or alone. I would at least put it into a little water. It really clears mucus. I am a singer too, so this really helps.

Do you only eat dinner and a snack before dinner?

Have fun!

Love to all!

love

Hi Inaia; I read recently that rhubarb can be really great for getting rid of mucus. Maybe dip it in agave (similar to what I used to do as a kid, except I used white sugar: bite, dip, bite, dip...Mmmm...)?

Love, Thanks so much! I actually have apple cider vinegar and did just what you are saying last week one day. I'll start doing it in the mornings now. Great tip thanks a bunch. Oh- and, btw, I eat around 4 x a day.

Enchantress, that sounds good too, I never heard it before. I'll see if I can find some.


www.inaia.com

Hi Inaia, Felix, love,...,

I eat fruits (including avocados), greens (including seaweed), sprouted seeds, nuts (though not recently), a little bit of sprouted wheat mixed with my salad, raw wheat germ when I don't have sprouted wheat, and a little bit of cold pressed organic olive oil. I don't eat any frozen food. I don't eat dried or dehydrated food except for dried dulse and sometimes dried goji berries.

I'm joining Khale's challenge called "7 Weeks All Raw" starting Monday, and I'll try to log in my daily menus there. I still have issues to work on, like a sensitivity to greens. I'd also like to replace some of my seeds with fresh macadamia nuts and coconuts, and I might try sprouting some other grains in addition to wheat. I feel my recent change to sprouted seeds from dried seeds has been a very progressive step.

It seems to me Inaia like you're following a really good diet (although watch out for those sneaky little cashews). Three things I can think of that might be causing your mucous are: lack of good strenuous exercise, transition (transition can last a while),and the smoky atmosphere.

Even a really good diet is not good enough without exercise. All foods - even raw vegan - will leave some wastes in your body that need to be eliminated to avoid toxic buildup in your body, and exercise is a great way to help your body in all it's eliminating processes.

When you are in transition, you are eliminating wastes from what you eat everyday plus the buildup in toxic waste from your former diet. This is a lot of work for your body, so there may be times when you're somewhat tired just from working on your transition. But, past a certain point, if you are eating a nutritious raw food diet - which it seems you are - you should be able to start a good exercise program, and that will help your transition along, and keep you in good health moving past your transition.

Being in smoky rooms is worrisome though, so I definitely wish you the best on that one. Maybe there's an alternative for you that will allow you to do what you're doing without jeopardizing your health. I hope that opportunity will come soon.



Edited 6 time(s). Last edit at 05/12/2007 10:21PM by suncloud.

You are so right! I usually work out a lot! and have not been working out lately. Am starting TODAY! Thanks for that.


www.inaia.com

I don't think 2-3/day is harmful but 1 per day is probably enough. I don't have a desire for more than 1/2 per day, but I am also using a little bit of virgin olive oil, walnuts, a brazil nut, and flax. I like variety.

Thanks for this.

I am starting to feel better. Did the apple cider vinegar this morning and went for a 2 hr power walk around Tokyo. The more I move & breathe the better I feel. DUH! I mean, I'm an ex-dancer & ex-personal trainer. Sometimes it is the most obvious thing that eludes you. LOL


www.inaia.com

2 or 3 avocados might be fine place to start with your fat consumption. You need to do it for a while to see if it really works for you. If you experience symptoms (say like catching colds, mucus, dark circles under the eyes, sugar issues like candida, yeast, etc), you might want to back off from the quantity of avos and eat fewer avocados. When I started raw, I would eat 2 a day. Nowdays I eat 1 a week or even less.

Thanks Bryan. I am already backing off a little bit. I'm having 1 per day and sometimes 2 but mostly 1 and never 3. You've been doing this for a really long time, right?


www.inaia.com

So I finally started reading the Ann Wigmore e-book I have and one of the first things she talks about in the book is how many avocados she used to eat and what is appropriate. I am REALLY enjoying the book and feel it is answering exactly the questions that have started coming up for me.

So now I definitely am going to eat from now on one avocado per day @ most.


www.inaia.com

Thanks suncloud for the response. And all the best on your allraw venture.

__________________________________________

Proverbs 15:17 (New International Version) "Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened calf with hatred."

Inaia,

I've been 100% raw for about 5.5 years. For the last 5 years, I've been doing the 80/10/10 diet.

Don't worry about dropping your fat consumption more than is comfortable for you. There can be as many problems going low fat too fast as there can be from eating too much fat. By that I mean that if transitioning too fast causes you to give up on the diet, this can be detrimental to your raw process.

When I first started raw, I was eating in excess of 60% fat. For me, this was a great place to start. At some point I realized how much fat I was eating, and instantly tried to bring it down to 10%. While I could control my fat consumption, it didn't feel good to exert that much control. So I eased up to 20% fat, and that was easy for me. It took me about 2 years before eating 10% fat felt natural and effortless.

Bryan, thanks for that. I've been finding I feel just that. I am thin and I felt SO thin tonight that I wasn't sure what was the best way to go. I also was getting hungry yesterday, today I was a little hungry though not significantly by any means but ended up eating some cashews @ work not sure if I was concerned about how thin I felt or if I was just stressed or if I was being rebellious or what.

Thanks for that.


www.inaia.com