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Login Here Signup Here Signup using FacebookHey everyone,
Sorry I haven’t been around and posting this past week – the last few weeks of school are kicking my butt and my students are keeping me hopping day and night.
Well, I made it one full month on 100 percent raw plant-based foods. I’d say “vegan,” but I haven’t tossed my tooled leather bracelet…
I have had some amazing results, as well as some dismaying side effects, and I’m not sure what’s “detox” and what’s coincidence. My back pain is gone, after having three years of chronic 24/7 discomfort. Yay! But my skin is peeling and dry, dry, dry. Boo! I’m assuming the skin bit is detox. What do you think? I’m getting plenty of fatty acids (flax, hemp, avocado) and drinking TONS of water. I’m getting enough calories, but also managed to somehow loose 15 pounds I didn’t realize I needed to lose. All of my clothes are loose!
Any tips on my skin troubles? I never had dry skin in my life – I’m usually oily – and my legs honestly look like lizard limbs. Even my two boys are grossed out. The weather is heating up here in Northern New Mexico, and I can’t wear shorts until the flaking stops, ha ha.
Lots of love to all, Birdie
Comments
You know, my skin got dry even though I eat plenty of avocado and flax seed, but I also pee a lot more from the lack of salt! So I think that’s why my skin is so dry. I could be wrong, but I notice that I just don’t hold onto moisture much anymore because I don’t eat salt. It surprised me to see my skin go dry because I never had that problem before. Maybe it’s just a coincidence . . .
I had exactly the same problem….looked like I was having a bad reaction to something – especially around my eyes. I chalked it up to 2 things: First, detox and second, I was taking MSM. I stopped the MSM temporarily, started using coconut oil on my face (fantastic stuff) and increased my water intact. My skin settled down but it took a couple of weeks. Stick with it – radiant skin is in your future. :)
If you put your moisturizer/lotion of choice on in the shower, as in after you’ve turned the water off but before you towel off, your skin will trap the moisture in longer. Also, are you showering more because of your detox phases? the tap might just be drying out your skin?
I always say this, but Cuccumbers and aloe! I mean it. Cuccumbers are wonderous.
I heart cucumbers : ) I’ve been having at least one a day, usually in my morning smoothie.
I’m heartened to know that others have gone through this – makes me feel less weird. I’m not taking MSM or any other supplement, just eating a lot of fruits and veggies and seeds, not so many nuts as they tend to upset my stomach if I eat too many.
I will try the moisturizer in the shower idea tonight. I’m bathing the same amount as Before Raw. The lack of salt is an interesting idea – I’m not adding much if any salt to my diet, so perhaps I should think about adding a wee bit here and there?
Thanks for all the help!!! Birdie
another for skin: pears!
good for you: one whole month! I am close, a little over 3 weeks. I’m a teacher too.
Now that I read this I have been having really dry hands. around my nuckles the skin is cracking and even bled a little yesterday. haha and I thought it was just the dry Arizona air getting hot latley.
i just posted a HELP request in the health forum for my dry skin/eczema on my hands and legs. ouch! it’s SO frustrating. my hands are so dry that i can’t even open them all the way because the skin cracks open everywhere… :( waaaah! i protest!
I too suffer from chronic dry and cracking hands, and excessive dry legs…they get a white dust on them – which I brush off daily. My hands on the otherhand (no pun intended) are so dry, especially around the finger tips and knuckles. They crack and look like they bleed (but that’s real dry too). I put lots of lotion, and I too eat lots of flax seed, and I have been eating plenty of avocados lately. I think I will try the moisturizer in the shower too. I’m sure a lot of this is caused from detoxification…I’m always up for great suggestions. Thanks for starting this post. :)
i want to add that for me, my problem hasn’t so much been the dry skin (although it IS dry), but it’s the itchyness, which doesn’t go away with moisturizer. The only way I can describe it to other people is that it feel slike it’s itching from this inside-out, and sometimes moisturizers make it worse because it’s like my skin is sweating underneath or something. that’s not really right either, i’m not sweating, but i don’t know how else to desribe the ezcema itch sensation. it’s awful! and it’s happening right now on my fingers! aaaugh!
I had a real short phase of the dry skin flaking and looking lizardly; barely a week. My husband had the same itching sensation for a while but only in his calves, kayo. I think that too has passed. The one thing we do religiously that I didn’t see mentioned in this threat that is different is dry skin brushing. It helps your body rid itself of toxins via the skin through exfoliation and stimulating your lymphatic system. Once you get used to it, it also feels great. At first it just feels odd and maybe uncomfortable while you learn the right form and pressure. I use a yerba prima brush from the local health food store.
Here is a link on the why’s and how’s of dry skin brushing: http://healingtools.tripod.com/skinbrush.html
Here are some links at gone raw that are about dry skin brushing: http://www.goneraw.com/forums/7/topics/4374
http://www.goneraw.com/forums/7/topics/4115
http://www.goneraw.com/forums/3/topics/1971
Best wishes to you!
You detox out of your skin too, and all those toxins coming out of your pores makes your skin dry and itchy. It should pass soon though. You might have to start using raw vegan skin products, like home made moisturiser and cleanser. I have found that the longer I am raw the more sensitive my skin is to products. I have had to continually go more and more natural and pure. Skin brushing is such a good idea, if only I would remember to actually do it!!
I had the same problem with dry skin.Expecially around the knuckles.It went away after a while.I was eating plenty of good fats and drinking enough water.It must be a detox thing because i havent changed a thing and its gone.From memory I think this lasted for 2 or 3 months.
I second the flax seed, or flax seed oil that Alix1962 recommends for internal supplementing, as well as cucumbers and celery.
Also, for super bad dry areas, I put raw honey, that has been watered down to a very thin liquid, on the areas for about 30 minutes (more if you have time, less if you don’t), then gently wash off. Raw honey heals so many things! Have a cut? Put raw honey on it and cover it, heals super fast! Rashes, try raw honey :)
Alix mentioned salt – I have had problems with this a lot! I used to just use flax, avo, etc. and drank lots of water, but lately I have been guzzling young Thai coconut water like crazy, and I realized I must need the electrolytes. I use sea salt, celery has naturally occurring organic sodium, and young Thai coconut water has lots of electrolytes. Yum!