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HORRIBLE stomach/digestion

Hi!

Just a little background: I was raw for almost a year before I had to start college and stop :[ It was hard maintaining a completely raw diet here, but I've still managed to partially be raw and definitely vegan. However, over the past couple months I've been experiencing progressively worse stomach aches, but more specifically in my intestines. I had to go to the hospital a few times because my intestines were completely blocked (sorry for the explicitness). Basically had to get an enema and drink a few bottles of magnesium citrate and clear out my system.

Now I feel like those problems are happening again and I don't want to have to go through the ordeal of all these unnatural methods that don't even solve my problems. I need and want to be raw again, but really want to know the root of this problem.

I guess what I'm asking is if anyone has any knowledge of what's going on and any suggestions as to what I can do. I've tried pretty much every natural method, except for the obvious: just be completely raw again. Starting today I'm focusing on eating mostly fruits and plenttyyy of liquids to help cleanse. Otherwise I'm open to new ideas.

Thank you!!

Comments

  • susan121susan121 Raw Newbie

    food combining is your friend when it comes to digestion!

    it's pretty simple if you don't get down to all the subcategories:

    fresh fruits with other fresh fruits (~1 hour digestion time)

    dried fruits with dried fruits/nuts/bananas (~4-6 hours digestion time)

    veggies with other veggies, and either starch or protein (never starch and protein at the same time) (veggies and starch ~4 hours digestion time, veggies and protein ~4-8 hours digestion time)

    greens go with everything!

    a few things combine weirdly, ie an avocado combines as a starch so don't mix it with nuts!

    most sweeteners combine as starches

    that's a very basic description, and it works with your cooked or raw diet

    :) hope it helps

  • ambiguousambiguous Raw Newbie

    I am not a health professional, but I would *guess* that your problem is either not enough water or not enough soluble fiber--or both. I think that upping your water and fruit intake for a while is very likely to help. And of course getting enough water and enough fresh fruit and vegetables in general is a good idea.

    Besides that, I agree with Susan that proper food combining can help a lot with digestion.

    As a side note, I am gluten intolerant, and I went through a lot of pain before I realized what was causing the problem. You could try being gluten-free for a week and see if it helps . . .

  • Thanks so muchh for the advice! I'll be sure to be more conscious when it comes to food combining. And I've definitely been making note to drink even moreee fluids.

    Thanks!

  • Butterfly3588Butterfly3588 Raw Newbie

    I just read that book Fit For Life and it basically goes over the natural body cycles and how to maintain and regulate them. I am benefting digestion wise by only eating fruit during the "Elimination process" because fruit is the easiest to digest(mainly melons, they pass through the quickest i feel). Elimination takes place from 4am to 12noon and the fruit definitely helps eliminate.

    Besides that, i would also suggest eating mainly high water content foods (fruits and veggies) The water in these foods contain the enzymes that help digest them (as opposed to cooking). I feel the more i eat high water content foods the less thirsty i am for water also.

    And yes, food combining is an absolute MUST, good luck!

  • camiheartsrawcamiheartsraw Raw Newbie

    Do you eat Dairy or Soy or Corn? Have you been allergy tested?

    I've had a lot of digestive issues in the past. Most of them resolved after getting allergy tested and avoiding the foods I have problem with. Keeping a food diary was helpful - I would keep track of what I ate and how I felt after. Some digestive issues were related to parasites or bacteria - those usually don't cause constipation though.

    Ideally, pure raw for a period of time should help with allergies, but I haven't been brave enough to try anything I've been severely allergic to.

  • the_chumanathe_chumana Raw Newbie

    The answer is simple! Go Raw! This is goneraw.com, isn't it? Lets not beat around the bush. Smart food combining and high raw (or all raw!) will change your life. Why beat around the bush looking for the magic potion or someone's answer. The answer is right in front of you. GO RAW.

    You need to incorporate a green smoothie every day. Snack only on fruits, take them to class with you! Put your smoothies in mason jars and BRING raw with you. Quit coffee if you drink it. Stay hydrated and eat blueberries for the all-night studying! This is the easiet thing you will ever do: Eat raw.

  • Thanks everyone for the advice, I've been doing it all!

    This entire week I did a fruit cleanse and completely eliminating coffee (substituting with yerba mate if i reallyyyy needed the boost) and JUST reintroduced some simple veggies. ALL raw too! I recorded everything I ate this week and am feeling great so far!. I'm going start the day tomorrow and a green smoothie. I'm at home right now studying for finals and will be raw all weekend and am making it my ultimate goal to bring those ethics back to school. I definitely believed all of those cooked to death veggies were NOT what I needed. I'm going to read up on food combining more so i can make sure I get it right. Thanks everybody!

  • erinerin Raw Superstar

    Check out rawfoodexplained.com. There are tons of good "lessons" on there and here's one on food combining rules: http://www.rawfoodexplained.com/digestive-physiology-and-food-combining/food-combining-rules.html

    Here's one with a food classification chart:

    http://www.rawfoodexplained.com/application-of-food-combining-principles/food-classification-charts.html

    The main rule to follow to make sure you don't get gas is don't eat sweet fruit with fats.

    You are on the right track with eating only fruit. It does wonders for your digestion. Get plenty water, but make sure not to drink right after a meal.

    Also, if you want to stay raw make sure you get enough calories from fruit. I'm 5'3" 120lbs and eat from about 2500 calories a day if I'm not exercising much. This is the only way to stay happily raw. If you undereat on fruit, you're body is going to be starved for carbs (the body's fuel) and you will turn to more dense cooked food.

    I struggled with staying raw and digestion for a long time until I made sure to get enough fruit calories. Now I'm not even tempted by cooked.

  • thank you erin, even though this was not directed towards me, it sure was something I needed to know! This is day 6 for me, and I am still learning!

    I had no idea that food combining was so important! I will make a note to watch what I am eating with what now!

  • Hi erin

    I was just reading what foods are classified as protein, starch and so on, on the site you recomended, and saw this:

    Use seldom if at all

  • erinerin Raw Superstar

    crazydoglady (I love your name!)

    This is the opinion of the natural hygienist way of eating. I've researched it a little, but not much, as I don't really crave these things.

    I'd say, eat them for a while if you want to and see how they work for you. And also, do more research on it and decide.

    I feel that the more pure our diet becomes the more we will naturally gravitate towards the foods we are supposed to eat and away from those which we aren't. Also, we can't take everything that people recommend as truth. We all know that we are supposed to eat our meat for protein and drink our milk for calcium...right?

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