Fifth Day Raw, Sort Of...

OK.

So five days ago I decided to begin my raw journey again. I've started before, but I've always gone back to old eating habits, and feeling lousy again.
The first time I began to eat raw I lasted one month. I honestly don't know why I stopped. Maybe it was because of the preparation time to make sprouts, and recipes requiring sprouts. I don't know. It wasn't because I didn't feel good because I felt amazing. In fact, within three days of starting a mostly raw diet I was running as if I'd been running for months, and by the end of the month I had dropped 13 pounds, all without really trying and doing that much exercise. Yes, I wanted and needed to lose that weight. I should have been sold, but for some reason I wasn't. Who knows?
The next attempt I began mainly because I remembered how good I had felt before. However, this time I was starting after being really really really bad as far as eating goes. Sugar which I promised my husband I wouldn't eat (long story), chips, junk food - you name it - I was full of junk. Within seven days of eating 100% raw (to my knowledge) I started going through detox like you wouldn't believe. I was sick to my stomach, and quite literally couldn't stand the smell of any raw food - and definitely NOT onions. It was horrible, and even though it would have lasted maybe three days after one and a half days of laying on my sofa I broke. I had some wonderful lamb, rice, hummus, and tabouli at a local Middle Eastern restaurant and immediately felt better so I stopped the raw.
But I've put on ten pounds since I stopped the raw and I've just been feeling really run down lately. So, about a month and a half ago I borrowed my sister's P90X system for getting in shape (and losing weight) and started working out and eating non fat, limited carbs, limited veggies - mostly protein (this was only supposed to last a month- then I would have switched to less protein, and more veggies). In order to do this I had to get up at 4 am every morning and go to sleep around 8 or 8:30 every night. Well, I'm more of a night person than I am a morning person and even though I was making myself stick to a very strict schedule I didn't lose but maybe three pounds and the energy level didn't increase all that much either. Also, after a month of eating non fat the skin on my arms and legs was so dry it felt like sand paper when I ran my hands across my arms. Needless to say, I was not pleased and decided that I needed to change something. Actually I was pretty alarmed since I know that skin problems represent an inner, bodily problem and I felt very desperate. Now, there is nothing wrong with the P90X system. It is a great system! I am still doing it. Before starting I couldn't even do one pull up by myself, and maybe a few (5?) with the help of a chair. Today I can do ten to fifteen with the help of a chair! But my body wasn't responding well to the non fat. I needed a change. Then I remembered how I felt when I was raw for a month. My skin glowed, my hair glowed, I had an amazing amount of energy and G-d I felt great! And that is what has prompted me to return to eating raw. However, I am going to include raw goat's milk, and goat's cheese, and maybe some of Mary's Gluten Free Crackers occasionally. I love cheese, and goat's cheese is very beneficial. Sorry to any vegans out there - please don't be offended.

So now I've been at least 90% raw for five days. I've had some cheese, and I've had some of Mary's crackers on the way and had a bowl of awesome gumbo with a great smoky flavor that I made for last Shabbat dinner. We had leftovers. YAY!
On day three I felt incredibly wiped out and knew that I was experiencing some detox symptoms. Yesterday, day four I felt pretty good. Today? Day five? I went for a walk with the twin boys that I watch during the day and within five minutes of walking my calves began to ache, and within fifteen minutes my lower back was hurting. Then my head began to pound just a little and a muscle in my right shoulder blade began to ache. Definitely detoxing some more today. Now, it is 2:32 in the afternoon and I just want to go home and sleep. There is a bottle of water staring me in the face which I know I need to drink to help remove the toxins that have accumulated in my body over the last year because of my poor food choices, junk food, coffee, sugar, non fat foods etc.
I've lost three to four pounds these last five days. I feel lighter. I've been enjoying marinated and dehydrated mushrooms almost daily. I've had Sarma Margalis' (sp?) cilantro shake every morning except this morning (I ran out of grapefruit and limes - phooey - the shake is amazing!) I'm going to be radiant soon, I just know it.
Here's to drinking water!
L'chaim! To life!