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Strange dryness under eyes ???

Good evening, all...

Let me preface this by thanking you for reading my thread.

I've been raw for three weeks now (90%--depends on how you define it though, I'm learning...I have had raw agave at times, e.g. My weakness seems to be unfiltered, organic sake...go figure...and then there is the "nuts" controversy which I'm learning about online...)

In any case, I'm not sure if detox is a real "thing" or not, but I was sick my second week with a fever, chills, the whole nine, and (to get graphic) never ceasing mucus (blech!) The fever recurred several times. I realize that this could simply be a virus, but I mention it only because of the other bizarre change, which is intense dryness under my eyes. When I wake up in the morning it's as if I am severely dehydrated or something (btw...this is just a guess...because I don't see how I can't be hydrated with all the vegetables & fruits I consume). The only thing that seems to provide me relief is vitamin e oil. I'm afraid of this being an ongoing occurrence, however. I look unusually young (and I like that!) but I'm afraid I'm all of a sudden going to get wrinkles & bags under my eyes. Any thoughts?

I am eating avocados, young coconut, and as aforementioned some raw/non-raw products such as "raw" cashews, "raw" sunflower seeds, "raw" macadamia nuts (not in bulk or anything, but just within some dishes).

My questions are: 1) has anyone experienced anything similar?, 2) What are your thoughts on "raw" vs. raw, 3) do you think "detox" is a real thing (because I've read that some people believe detox is simply feeling cravings for SAD or cooked vegan food. I've been transitioning from a SAD diet, I guess...not really...I never ate McDonalds. I ate "healthy". I've gone back and forth between veganism and eating a primarily vegetarian diet (with occasional fish) for the past three years. After seeing the movie, "Earthlings" I'll never, ever go back...it is impossible.

I am rambling. Forgive me... :)

Thanks again for considering my post.

Comments

  • Oh, god, I've had the same problem for years. My doctor told me I have eczema and I've tried both cortisone cream and elocom lotion and neither will make it go away for more than a few days. Sometimes the skin around my eyes get so dry and cracked that my eyelids start bleeding, which is thoroughly unpleasant. I'll give the vitamin E oil idea a try and see if it helps me...

  • ambiguousambiguous Raw Newbie

    The only time I've experienced this is when I applied a moisturizer that I use without problem on the rest of my body, but for some reason it makes the skin under my eyes dry and scaly. It took a few days after I stopped using it to see an improvement. But there were a few weeks there where I also thought, "am I just going to look older now?" Maybe the Vitamin E oil is causing a cycle, where it moisturizes the skin at first, but then your skin has a reaction? I don't think the nuts would cause this particular reaction, unless you have an allergy, but I have no formal health care training.

    As for the "raw" debates, I think that most people do quite well when nuts or agave are part of the diet, and I think it's best to approach a new diet with moderation, and not change your diet too much too fast. However, there are plenty of people here and elsewhere who will tell you otherwise. And it's important to drink water in addition to eating juicy raw foods--really. IMO, detox is quite real--ask a recovering addict. Just because you weren't doing hard drugs doesn't mean your body doesn't have some stuff it would like to get rid of when given the chance--mine certainly did, and I was vegan for more than 10 years before going raw. Lots of mucous and dry skin are classic detox symptoms, as are headaches and lethargy.

    I wish both of you luck in finding a solution.

  • Then I must be going through some major detox! The mucus seems never ending.

    Today, I almost gave up on raw foods. (I did...well, like for an hour...) My ayurvedic constitution is Vata, which is not supposed to do well on raw foods (rather warm foods, etc).

    Today, my mom came over for mother's day and said my face looked yellow-ish/jaundice-like...which completely freaked me out (especially after the dry, sore, red eye thing...) I am going in to see my doctor tomorrow, but am considering seeing a new acupuncturist. I am really worried. I don't have the "raw foods glow" going on AT ALL. :(

    Thanks for your responses. Ambiguous: How long did your "Detox" last?

    Argh. Could it be a vitamin B12 deficiency? ?? I've read that it's ridiculously rare though.

  • LittleRawGirl

    Quick troubleshooting tip: Look at the whites of your eyes. Are they yellowish? If so, then you do have jaundice, which indicates a problem with your either your liver, gallbladder, or blood. This is a serious condition which warrants a trip to a doctor and I am glad to see that you have made an appointment for tomorrow regardless :)

    If the whites of your eyes are not yellowish, then there is a possibility that the yellowish tint to your skin could be due to another cause. Your doctor will probably test your serum bilirubin to assess whether or not you have jaundice.

    If you eat a lot of orange fruits and vegetables, the yellow skin pidgment could happen. (My friend's son turned yellow when he was introduced to solid food because he was primarily eating carrots, butternut squash, and sweet potato. Eek! She added some peas to his diet and he went back to normal). The skin tint could also occur if you go tanning, particularly if you use tanning lotions and such.

    As for B12 deficiency, it's uncommon but it does happen. Symptoms include fatigue and neurological problems such as depression and tingling or numb extremities. Vegans and raw vegans need to keep a close eye on their b12 intake because b12 is not commonly found in vegetable foods and b12 deficiency is pretty serious stuff. At your appointment tomorrow, tell your doctor about your concerns and ask for a b12 assay. Also, if I were you, I'd look into supplementing b12 in the diet, either with sublingual tablets or fortified nutritional yeast.

    And, disclaimer time: I'm not a doctor :) Just a college student who has been taking courses about blood and clinical chemistry, etc.

    Good luck at your doctor's appointment :)

  • I had this problem after being raw for 4 mnths... my eyelids were inflamed, dry, & very sore. They were like this for 6 weeks until I went to a doctor who said I had blepharitis & gave me steroid cream.

    I still don't know what caused this. Maybe it was detox symptoms or I was lacking in something (although I was being careful to eat a variety for my vits, minerals, oils etc) My symptoms went when I started introducing back a little cooked food =( & I haven't gone back to being 100% raw =(

    Sorry I can't help in anyway, I would also love an answer to what caused it. Blepharitis is often a persistent condition which I have never suffered before or since this incident.

    Wishing you well

    Love & Blessings x

  • SuasoriaSuasoria Raw Newbie

    I think detox is very real. I also think it gets blamed for symptoms quite liberally when there may be other reasons for them.

    It is not uncommon for detox "experiences" to recur on and off for years.

  • I think three weeks is nowhere near enough time for a glow.

    I have eczema and I often get that dryness around the eyes. It would come and go with no pattern. The skin would get all crepe papery and peel and flake. vitamine E alone would not help it. I found that it was really important to mist pure water on the area first to get water back into the skin, THEN put on a light moisture or oil, then a heavy butter/oil to seal it all in.

    I have been high raw (with many falls and stumbles) for 7 months now, and now that I think about it, I have not had the eye dryness flare up for quite some time now! I still would get it for several months into the raw.

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