Hair & energy questions

Hello everyone I´m raw since around 1 month, before that I was vegetarian and my diet was rather healthy. So, I didn´t have heavy detox symptoms, just a bunch of pimples, and I felt quite tired all of the time. Now things have stabilised themselves a bit, and I don´t feel so tired anymore… but I´m not bursting with energy either. I still need to sleep 9-10 hours each night, and I already start feeling sleepy early in the evening; and it´s not like I do a lot of physical effort (my lifestyle is rather sedentary). I don´t feel very energetic during the day either. So, when will that promised energy burst come ? I also would love to sleep less ! I think I´m a Pitta type, maybe I´m not meant to have high energy levels ? I also suspect that my blood pressure is a bit on the low side. I´ve also noticed that my hair has started to fall out… is this a normal part of detox ? BTW am I still detoxing, or should the detox be over by now (how long does it last anyway ?)

I´m 25, female, and 53 kg. So, my typical food looks like this: In the morning I try to have a green smoothie, or at least some green + carrots + apple, since I still have to find a green smoothie that I like. I add flax and sesame seeds to this. Later on I have a fruit smoothie, usually bananas. For lunch it´s a vegetable salad with olive oil dressing. Later on I may snack on nuts. In the evening I may have more fruit smoothies, or a vegetable salad again, and offen some cooked stuff as well (the result of eating with a non-raw spouse). Usually it´s some cooked veggies, grains or beans.

I have a hard time downing all those veggies, since I´m a fruit person. I manage to make fruits and veggies 50-50 most of the time, but sometimes fruits win.

So, are there some lacks in my diet ? Or is this all just a phase, and one fine day I will wake up with boundless energy and my hair will stop falling out ?

Thanks to those who have actually gone through all that rambling :-)

Comments

  • I found that the more I pushed myself to exercise, the more I had in energy, it is like a universal exchange for me. The more sedentary I stay, the less energy I have, the more I move, the more I can move lol. You should check around, I know there is another posting that covers hair falling out, oh, here it is http://www.goneraw.com/forums/7/topics/7242 and be sure you are getting all the necessary vitamin and mineral requirements even if it means eating more. The Vitamin B family, vitamin C and things like Biotin found in MSM are all integral for healthy scalp, skin and hair. Hope that helps a bit, I will keep asking around though.

  • ajchanterajchanter Raw Newbie

    just a tip!: I read that if you eat a big raw salad before you eat something cooked, your body prepares itself and the cooked damage is less. :)

    Also maybe you could soak your nuts and seeds (if you dont already), as it boosts nutritional content. Plus, i would try to add and kind of SEAWEEDs to your DAILY diet.. theyve helped my hair SHINE and grow!!! (such as nori wraps, kelp, wakame ect…)

    Hope this helps!

  • ajchanterajchanter Raw Newbie

    Oh, and having a cold shower (as stange at this may seem) helps hair AND energy!!!! it really wakes me up in the morning and makes my hair glow!! :D

  • From what I read, it doesn’t sound like you are getting far that amount of protein that you should. I see a lot of people go raw without nutritional guidance as to how to balance their nutrient intake. The diet must be balanced and it can effectively be balanced in a raw food diet if done properly.

    I would highly recommend you start adding some hemp protein powder, for example, to your smoothies. I am also a BIG fan of sea algaes, spirulina and chlorella are what I buy, and seaweeds… kelp, nori, dulse, etc.

    Avocados and coconuts are great “beauty” helpers. When hair falls out for nutritional related reasons, it’s due to malnutrition. I am quite concerned about your protein intake. Have you ever done a daily log and tracked your intakes? I was using: www.thedailyplate.com

    and it was helping me bigtime when I was using it to makes ure I was getting ENOUGH calories/etc. through my raw meals.

  • Branwyn32Branwyn32 Raw Newbie

    RawDance, how do you get your sea algaes? I know I’ve heard mention of noodles I think made of them? Do you find the refrigerated in health food stores or Asian markets? What about spirulina and chlorella?

  • I used nutridiary and I average between 6% to 10% protein each day. Is that bad ? I´ve been hearing that we don´t really need so much protein as is propagated everywhere. So, I´m quite confused. I don´t eat much avocados, they are too oily for me… same with coconut. Maybe it´s because I used to have liver problems, so my body has a hard time with the fat. I do love coconut and avocado on my face and hair though ;-)

    ajchanter many thanks for the tip !!!

  • troublesjustabubbletroublesjustabubble Raw Newbie

    the_eternal_voyageur-I wouldn’t worry about all the protein. Just get plenty of greens and you’ll be fine. You don’t need as much protein as they say out there but you do need it and it’s easy to get without nuts and avocados.

  • Slosh-uhSlosh-uh Raw Newbie

    I agree with harmonylia, exercise is key to keeping your energy levels up. Exercise boosts your endorphins, so you feel happier and more energetic. Always seems to work for me, even if its not real heavy exercise.

  • Hello, everyone! I am new as well, but as I am studying to be a dietician, I feel I can help here. The only protein in your diet, voyageur, was the: “Later on I may snack on nuts”. You will want to increase that and I think Dance provided some great resources for you to use. According to the WHO, humans need to get between 5-10% protein in their daily diet, minimum. Its true that most people eat way more than they need, but you are dangerously close to the minimum there. Also, the fact that you were tracking your diet may have made a difference- generally those who track their diets eat better than those who don’t. The problem is that if you track one day out of every five, you will only eat right that often. I suggest following some of Dance’s suggestions while tracking your diet everyday. Increase your protein to 15-20%. That may help the hair issue. Also, you might want to experiment with some of the delicious recipes on this site and get off the 5-smoothie/day kick. You might be getting bored :)

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