Hiya, new here. :3

I've been vegan for about two years. I became vegetarian trying to cope with rapid gastric emptying, or "dumping syndrome", after having my gallbladder removed (the alternative was medication with some really awful side effects). After some re-education, I can't ever look back. (Funny how things change.)

Recently I looked at my diet, and while my condition is mostly under control, I realized I'm still eating a ton of processed foods, preservatives, pesticides, and my energy is waning. I really just want to feel energized, vital, to rediscover the energy I had when I was a more athletic teen. Based in what I know now, I feel raw food is the logical conclusion.

However due to my dumping, liquids become really complicated. I can, and do, drink a ton of purified water and green tea. Up to a half hour before meals and a half an hour following them. I can't have soups, smoothies, shakes, etc. Juices are really hit or miss. (I never know if it'll make me sick, and what works one day won't the next.) I want to try to get the most out of a raw lifestyle, but I worry that without juices, smoothies, etc, I'll find myself missing out. It seems like a huge amount of my raw recipes are very smoothie/juice centric.

Any thoughts?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/10/2008 12:31AM by estrid.

Does your system handle whole fresh fruits and vegetables well? Those are the healthiest part of any raw food diet. If not, how about lower moisture items like bananas, zucchini?

I haven't had too many problems with veggies and fruit. Tomatoes have even been well tolerated.

My suggestion then would be to start by trying to incorporate more fresh fruits and veggies. Take into account what you know you will and will not digest well. While some raw foodists eat nothing but whole fruits and veggies, it's something you'd probably want to work toward slowly and that isn't for everyone. Follow your tastes. How about fruit salad for breakfast? Or just some apples, oranges and/or bananas? Salads can be creative outlets for lunch. Experiment and have fun!

good luck estrid, i know you are going to feel great! i promise, raw food only has to be as complex as you want it to be... smoothies and juices are certainly not required. i personally find that most of the time when i have juices, smoothies or blended soups, those things ARE my meals, and so wouldn't interfere with a meal half an hour on either side. i don't have a juicer, just a manual citrus juicer, so i don't juice too much. mostly blending. but if someone took away my blender, i could and would still eat raw, no problem. if someone took away my cutting board and my knife, i could and would still eat raw, no problem! you CAN get the most out of this lifestyle, on your terms. have fun with it!

I often tend to over-think things and focus a lot on complete and total overhaul. Thanks for the input. :3

I think you can still have them but you might have to have a lot less in each sitting than what you have previously tried. Try 1/4 the usual amount of smoothie or juice and see how it goes. Maybe you can slowly work your way up with these amounts.

But to be honest I think you can have a 100% satisfying and nutritious diet without either juice or smoothies.