Raw Food Diet - Day 22 (Blog)

[Savage]

Use this thread to discuss the following entry from Steve Pavlina's blog:

Raw Food Diet - Day 22

[escapee]

Dry skin

Fat deficiency (Like Omega 6 & a little bit of 3, saturated fats increase absorption of omegas)

Zinc deficiency ( Zinc is required to break down fatty acids , High phytic acids/fiber in raw diet blocks the absorption of Zinc, copper and iron )

Vitamin A deficiency ( due to ultra low fat diet )

B Vitamins deficiency


Coldness in lower extremies and poor circulation

Iron deficiency

B12

Copper and Zinc deficiency ( Copper is required for proper Iron metabolism )

Fat deficiency ( Omega 6 & 3 , act as oxygen magnet for trillion of cells)

The faster you abandon the diet, the better it is for your long term health.


Weight loss

Sure , it's a deficient diet low in calories

Yes, i have experienced all these problems during my 2-3 months ultra low fat vegan diet . You have simulated the exact problems that i faced.

[alexander.kharlamov]

I think one of the problems with this is that you started on such a high level of fitness before. You were already eating vegan, which is while not as healthy as raw food diet, much healthier than a way 90% of people eat. Also, you were exercising regularly, and not overweight.

If you were eating cheeseburgers and pizza for years (never going to the gym), and then went on a 30 day raw food trial, you would lose at least 20 lbs by now, and would feel an incredible burst of energy, compared to your previous levels. When I did (only for 5 days though), it felt incredible.. Then I switched to a vegan diet, and lost 40 lbs in 4 months.

So, don't get discouraged by your results - they mostly look so unimpressive because you've set such a high standard before starting :-)

[escapee]

Iron deficiency - Cold hands and feets

Cold hands and feet: The sign of iron deficiency? >> Medical Questions, Weight Loss, Pregnancy, Drugs, Health Insurance

Iron Bioavailability and Prevention of Anemia via Spirulina ( vegetarian )
SpirulinaSource.com | Spirulina Scientific Health Library

Extensive training processes are very often followed by changes in blood composition. There is evidence of the high correlation between the training rate and intensity of exercise and the athlete's hipochromy. In athletes we found a characteristic non-anemic iron deficit. Our goal was to monitor the hematological parameters in athletes with hipochromy and to examine the period of correction using iron supplementation. 20 male and 20 female athletes ages 18-22 years took part in the study. Blood samples were collected and the total number of erythrocytes, hemoglobin, serum iron and the staining index were calculated. All athletes received Earthrise Spirulina tablets, containing 1.5 mg Fe2+, 3 times a day for 2 months. Monitoring was done for 3 months. Significant changes were found in the female group for hemoglobin level, as well as increase of the serum iron and staining index. Distinct rise of the serum iron was observed in both male and female athletes. The clinical symptoms such as exhaustion, muscle fatigue and somnolence disappeared after the correction of the iron deficit. Addition of spirulina improves the prevention of non-anemic iron deficiency in athletes expecially females. Improvement of the iron reserves is a simple dietary modification that can optimize athletes health and physical capacity.

[mncz]

Hmm, I switched to vegan diet / regular exercise exactly because I have had the cold feet / dry skin problem for years. I resent taking any pills, so I want to make it better by changing my lifestyle, and I figured that exercise would boost my metabolism and a better diet would allow my body to clean up and make my skin better. I am not doing the raw variety though so I still hope for good results. There is no way I could have iron/fat/zinc deficiency since I have been feeding off quality steaks/fish/salad with olive oil for years now. However, I am only one week into my new lifestyle, so I have yet to see any real improvements.

Any other ideas about these symptoms? I would really appreciate any help.

[greyman]

escapee, Steve's current diet isn't low on calories nor is it low on minerals. Take the statistics of what he ate and compute the numbers yourself. Moreover, do you really think that for example zinc deficiency symptoms would show up after just 22 days?

I will not comment on the diet itself, but what I feel is, that to jump fully to this kind of eating, maybe the "30 days trial" form is not the most suitable for it. It could be better to go there gradually, like eating more fruit and vegetables, and less cooked food over a longer period of time, like 1 or 2 years. This seems to be a too radical change happening too quickly.

[Vantage72]

Cold hand and feet + feeling chilly could be caused by candida.

Considering the high sugar levels of the diet it is a possibility.

[impaul99]

Originally Posted by Vantage72

Cold hand and feet + feeling chilly could be caused by candida.

Considering the high sugar levels of the diet it is a possibility.

I too think the diet is too high on sugar, not enough good fats, and too acidic.

I had dry skin on my elbows for like 20+ years. When I started taking Udo's Omega 3-6-9 capsules for 30 days, they got way better from the inside out.

[escapee]

Steve's current diet isn't low on calories nor is it low on minerals.

A Vegan diet is always low in bio available Zinc, Iron and copper. A raw vegan diet is worse in Bioavailable iron zinc and copper because it has high fiber and Phytic acids that impede the absorption of the said minerals.

This is why vegan diet is such an ideal diet for certain people with genetic diseases such as Wilson disease ( Abnormal copper metabolism ) and etc. However, it would not be so ideal for people with normal metabolism.

Any other ideas about these symptoms? I would really appreciate any help.

I have listed the the most common causes of dry skin on my previous post. One of the most common causes of dry skin is Essential fatty acids ( omega - 6 and 3) deficiency.

The SAD deep fried diet is full of damaged EFAs that competes with the good EFAs which you consume from diet. This is why SAD dieters are proned to deficient in EFAs even though they eat a bunch of animal foods rich in (damaged )fats caused by wrong cooking method. Instead of producing good PG1 and PG3, The good EFAs in our body simply has no choice but to release apro-inflammotry PG2 to counter the bad fats we consume from sad diet.

Changing to raw vegan will not necessary improve your conditio n if what you eat is mostly green vege and fruits. EFAs is found abundantly in high protein Nuts and seeds. (Sorry , not in OLIVE OIL )

Moreover, do you really think that for example zinc deficiency symptoms would show up after just 22 days?

After 22 days ? It;s more like 15 + years ( veganism )+ the current 22 days of raw diet (trigger ).

Like i said, Zinc is just one of the causes. We have to also look at Iron, copper, essential fatty acids, Proteins and etc. There are all interconnected if you have done enough research.

[escapee]

I had dry skin on my elbows for like 20+ years. When I started taking Udo's Omega 3-6-9 capsules for 30 days, they got way better from the inside out.

I found that the YES-EFAs works a lot better than the UDOs brand in treating dry skin. This is probably due to higher ratio of N-6 to 3 in the Yes -brand ( Note : Our skin contains 99% of Omega 6 ).I wish more health conscious people would understand the importance of unadulterated omega 6 fatty acid in promoting optimal health.

Yes - Dietary Supplement

[kpollock]

been meaning to say this for days.

IIRC dry flaky skin can be due to

lack of fat in the diet
overly high Omega3:Omega6 ratio over a longish period (happens to people who go for having no fat *but* flax oil, for example).


Itchy could just be due to the dry skin, but I also seem to recall that excess fructose consumption ( > 50g/day, I think) can't easily be processed by the liver - and liver malfunction can lead to itchy skin (it is one of the symptoms of chirrosis, for example)

[ChefSalad]

Another symptom of zinc deficiency is white horizontal lines on the fingernails. While they can also be caused by trauma to the nail, if you see someone with that, then they need more zinc.

[MasterD]

Originally Posted by Vantage72

Cold hand and feet + feeling chilly could be caused by candida.

Considering the high sugar levels of the diet it is a possibility.

That's what I was thinking. Especially combined with the itchy skin. You may not want to answer this in public :-D; but is your genital area more itchy than the rest? If so; I would recommend to cut out the fat completely for the remaining days of the trial; this will give the candida a chance to subside (if you have any).

You can do a simple candida test: put a glass of water next to your bed and spit in it first thing in the morning. If the spit stays floating, you are fine; if it sinks and forms strings to the bottom, you may have a candida problem.

[escapee]

The cause of Candida ? People with compromised immune system . Ask a full blown AIDS patient what are some of the infections he/she contracts ? chances are one of the infections is candida.

The best way to boost one's immunce system is not to avoid fats completely, but to eat essential type of fats ( not trans fats ), good essential amino acids ( not the burnt one ) , good trace minerals ( especially food rich in Selenium,zinc iron and copper ), good complex carbs rich in essential vitamins & minerals and etc. Of course, good hygiene will always minimize the change of infection.

It's saddening to see that ppl continue to equate all fats as evil that would make you sick for sure. You have to thanks that to the mass media influenced by certain health authors.

NEXUS: AIDS: The Seleno-Enzyme Solution - Pt 1/2

[gettingskinny]

I'm starting to realize too that eating an all raw diet w/o more variety (good fats, oils, etc) is not the best way to go. It's one thing to eat mostly fruit for a week or two to "clean out", but for long term, our bodies need more than just fruit in my opinion. I admire raw foodists that are good at this. They eat sprouted grains, lentils, etc. They make sure to get good fats, etc.

In reading Steve's blog today I couldn't help but thinking it's reversing on him. All the good things he was experience or may have wanted to are gone. His body is showing signs that it is not getting what it needs. I don't know that it's a good example of a healthy raw diet.

[ArthurHung]

I think it's time to stop the diet. If on an intuitive level the diet seems so wrong and externally your body seems to be deteriorating on a day-to-day basis, there seems to be no point in continuing the diet.

Self-discipline is one thing but self-flagellation is not personal development.

[PrimaryErn]

self-flagellation is not personal development.

Well, if things get much worse maybe, but its still fascinating. Google the stinky feet project if you want an example.

When I was in college I did an experiment once to see how long I could wear the same pear of underpants (without washing it). The answer: 22 days. The 23rd morning I woke up and grabbed the waistband (from where it was lying on the floor) the underpants literally fell apart in my hands. the last few days were awful (the underpants were greasy and cold), but how else do you learn such a fascinating fact?

I'd be curious to know the fat content of the diet beforehand - Steve may have mentioned it - just to compare. I know personally if my diet drops below 20% I start to dry out as well. I'm italian though - maybe my system needs it more. I originally thought it was the fruit as well, until the forehead itch started, unless Steve is bashing open clementines with his head.

Given that we're nearing the end of the trial, and I guess Steve isn't going to vary the diet, what I'd really strongly suggest is for Steve to at least get a blood test and look for zinc and vitamin levels to put all this speculation to rest. Everybody is different and only a test will tell.

[Cat Dancer]

Steve, I wonder if you're not getting enough calories? (Despite the 400 bananas ) You're losing two and a half pounds a week, which would be pushing it even if you were overweight and the loss was coming primarily from fat reserves. Maybe your body is saying "Oh no! Famine!", your metabolism slows down to conserve energy... and you feel cold.

[Joeschmoe]

If his blood sugar is sitting around 90 which he says it is, he is not suffering from Candida overgrowth, Candida needs sustained high blood sugar levels to overgrow. Also I agree from trying to go this whole "hog" that this is a drastic lifestyle change and I've decided to make it my goal over the next year or two. I have no doubt, despite the naysayers, that this is the optimum human diet.

[Savage]

I should be getting plenty of calories. I'm averaging more calories per day than I was before this trial, and I haven't changed my activity level.

I don't have any more itchiness in the genitals vs. anywhere else. The itchiness is pretty evenly distributed all over. I'd say the genitals are the least itchy part of my body, perhaps because the skin in that area isn't as dry. This morning I noticed the skin on my face is beginning to flake and peel.

My fingernails don't have any horizontal lines on them, white or otherwise. They seem strong and healthy to me.

I had iron deficiency symptoms many years ago when I was doing distance running. It's called runner's anemia, supposedly caused by smashing too many red blood cells in the soles of my feet when running so much. I felt constantly fatigued. I took an iron supplement for a little while, and the problem went away practically overnight. I'm sure there are other symptoms of iron deficiency, but I'm not feeling fatigued at all.

I still plan to continue until the end of the 30 days. Some changes are still occurring, and I'm curious to see what happens during the final week. My physical and mental energy are still good.

[cnwoods]

I thought it was interesting the Omega comment above considering how much you seemed to enjoy the avocados, when you had them.

I also wondered why you seem to have fixed almost entirely on bananas when you originally were going to have bananas AND mangos. They don't seem to have shown up as much. I'm just thinking that too much of anything is usually not a good thing, and the daily lists are pretty exclusive to bananas, berries and greens, so maybe adding in some variety like a few nuts and mangos might make a difference? I'm not a nutritionist, just sharing my own intuition. The other thought I had is that the body stores a lot of toxins in fat cells - maybe going to such a low fat level means some of those are being released? I agree with PrimaryErn, it's fascinating to read. Thank you.

Maybe it's time to put a call through to the same advisors you spoke to before starting and check what they think of your symptoms?

[Inquisitive Raven]

Just because you're ingesting plenty of calories doesn't mean you're absorbing them. From your description of your stool on Day 6, I'm guessing that you aren't. Seeds passing through undigested is nothing unusual, in fact some seeds won't germinate until they've passed through a digestive tract, but identifiable bits of leaf indicates that your food isn't being fully digested. You don't absorb nutrients from undigested food.

[Brien]

I am surprised no one has mentioned the low amount of protein Steve is getting in this diet.

I have always been told that anyone who exercises regularly needs to get plenty of protein, as much as 1 gram per pound of body weight.

Also, if Steve was in good shape before this trial and had low body fat - shouldn't loss in body weight be worrisome? If you aren't losing fat, wouldn't be muscle that's wasting away?

[standgale]

Originally Posted by Brien

I am surprised no one has mentioned the low amount of protein Steve is getting in this diet.

Probably because it was mentioned so many times in the initial stages of the experiment

[Persona]

I found it very interesting that Steve started a 100% raw food diet around the same time I did. I'm on day 29 right now and I'm feeling great and have no intention of stopping any time soon. I tend to eat more non-sweet fruit than Steve does in the form of salads or things like nori rolls. I really disliked most of the raw gourmet recipes I tried that were heavy on nuts, and I don't think that someone should eat an unlimited amount of overt fats on a raw diet. However I usually eat some avocado every day, I frequently put a small amount of Udo's oil on my salads and often have a small amount of seeds or nuts in a recipe or as a snack, so obviously I'm eating more fat than 80/10/10 calls for. As a result of this, I don't have to eat NEARLY the amount of food that Steve does to feel satisfied. I've also noticed that over the course of my own raw food experiment that I don't feel like I need to eat as much to stay satisfied as when I first started. Which is not to say that I don't eat insanely huge salads anymore, just that I don't feel like I have to snack all the time, and I can be satisfied on a smaller portion.

I personally think it was a mistake on Steve's part to try to strictly follow the 80/10/10 diet right off the bat. I know several long-term raw foodists who follow 80/10/10 and most of them say it took them a few years to get to that point, and when they did, it seemed practically effortless. If you suddenly cut back your dietary fat intake to half of its previous levels, your body will likely react in ways like dry skin and feeling cold, especially in the winter. I'd be curious to see if Steve felt better (and didn't feel the need to eat as much) if he were to up his fat to the 20-30% range for awhile. I'm curious as to whether he is actually craving fat at all, and if that's part of the reason he's finding the fruit unappetizing?

On the topic of dry skin, I recently moved to a climate that is much drier than I was used to, and my skin was horrendously dry no matter what I used (especially on my face). Since going raw, I have been occasionally doing dry skin brushing as well as using a loofah in the shower to exfoliate and using plain coconut oil/butter to moisturize my face. It's working great and in combination with 100% raw, has almost entirely eliminated acne breakouts and the dry peeling skin on my face. Coconut oil is solid at room temperature but melts on your skin, and absorbs very well and won't leave your skin feeling greasy unless you use way too much of it.

[Brien]

Originally Posted by standgale

Probably because it was mentioned so many times in the initial stages of the experiment

Heheh, hint taken - I'll look up the forum threads from the early days of the trial. Thanks.

[Billy Freezer]

Perhaps Steve could continue this experiment for a further week after the 30 days, where he ups slightly his fat intake to see whether or not that alleviates the problems he's having.

[Jacko Green]

Originally Posted by ArthurHung

I think it's time to stop the diet. If on an intuitive level the diet seems so wrong and externally your body seems to be deteriorating on a day-to-day basis, there seems to be no point in continuing the diet.

Self-discipline is one thing but self-flagellation is not personal development.

Good advice. Time to pull the plug and stop destroying yourself to prove a point. You made it 22 days. Now break out the vegan pancakes and get your health back.

Cheers!

[dennisgorelik]

Steve, you may consider stopping eating bananas.
I know -- they are cheap, but they may be the cause of your discomfort.
I remember eating lots of bananas few years ago, but then my body told me that it's a wrong idea. Now bananas don't seem to be appealing to me.

If you still feel uncomfortable about eating bananas -- it would be a good reason to stop eating them.
You may consider eating more avocado instead of bananas. Or just exclude bananas without replacement -- 1 week with limited calories won't kill you.

[Savage]

Originally Posted by Jacko Green

Good advice. Time to pull the plug and stop destroying yourself to prove a point. You made it 22 days. Now break out the vegan pancakes and get your health back.

Cheers!

Never! I will cross the 30-day mark a scaly bald man if necessary. Robble.