Went raw - odd side effects

[oBakasan]

I went raw about a week or two ago, and the first few days I felt horrible. My sinuses got blocked, I felt lethargic and had a constant head ache.

After a few days all of that went away and right now I feel much much better than I felt when I ate cooked food. However, now I have another problem: First of all, my stool became a greenish colour and is very pasty and gushy. Secondly, I feel an incredible craving for cashews, and I eat about 200g-300g of them every day.

The latter of which may not seem like a real problem, but because of their very high fat content I end up eating a LOT more fat and calories than I want to and my diet is very high in fat.

Any suggestions or ideas on where this comes from?

[Savage]

Very normal. Lots of new raw foodists crave heavier foods like nuts, avocado, and seeds. I used to eat tons of sprouted pumpkin seeds. Some people get really into raw almond butter, eating as much as a jar of it per day.

These cravings generally subside over time. IMO it's not a big deal to indulge in them if it keeps you going. You are doing great.

FYI I highly recommend Matt Monarch's books Raw Spirit and Raw Success. He does a great job of explaining the progression people experience after going raw.

I've learned a lot about how going 100% raw is just one of many steps. There are many more steps to take after that.

I am currently making a transition to eating less quantity of food on this diet. I'm just not as hungry as I used to be, so I can get by with less food. Sometimes I'll have lunch at noon and won't even be hungry again for 9-10 hours later. I learned this is actually quite normal. People who've been 100% raw for years usually eat much less food than I do.

[Fullcrum]

The interesting thing I garner from long-term raw-foodists is that the calorie equation falls by the wayside.

I wonder why. Is it the ultra-efficiency of digestion reducing daily caloric requirments? How about efficiency of a mostly toxin-free body reducing DCI? Maybe it's the stronger stomach acid that allows more nutrients to be absorbed, including calories.

Matt Monarch advocates breatharianism on his blog as the ultimate step to freedom. I'm not sure how believeable that is. Nonetheless I'll keep an open mind and read his books. Sounds quite educational.

[Rose of Cairo]

Listen to your body. If it wants fat, give it fat. Two weeks is nothing, over time your diet will change naturally. Don't worry