QuestionQUESTION: I have been on the Primal Diet (PD) for about two years. I follow the PD to 80% as I still get cravings to eat cooked food, is this a problem? I have had significant problems with fear, anxiety and stress almost all my life (probably born with it). The first improvement I noticed in regards to my ailments was when I had two root canal filled teeth taken out. Since and the fact that I am on the PD has improved my life. I would say the improvement vs previous in the last 3 years or so is probably around 30-40%, so still a bit to go. Since I have been on the PD I have gained probably 13-15 kilos. I do not eat a lot, normally start with veggie juice (with raw creme fraiche) in the morning, and then an hour or so later I snack on dates, avocado, a bit of fish, raw cheese and honey. Then lunch will be raw chicken or fish with honey, raw butter and raw cheese. I do not seem to be able to reduce my weight, any suggestions. Also, I still feel pretty sluggish, lethargic and slow in "getting things". I have started to develop a dizziness, I believe this could be related to a clogged up lymphatic system as I frequently cough up flem, specially since I have started to take hot baths (and using my infrared lamp sauna). About three years ago, I got chronic fatigue and simply could not get out of bed. Since taken the teeth out and being on the PD, I feel better. In particular my digestion and bowel movements are fantastic. I also laugh more than before but as stated still have problems with energy and concentration.
Thanks
ANSWER: Well, the raw diet gurus view 85%+ raw as being necessary for recovery to occur at a reasonable rate.
I should also mention that problems with dairy feature very prominently in cases of chronic fatigue and related conditions. It would be a really good idea for you to ditch the raw dairy completely from your diet.
As for your diet, I should mention that problems with veggie-juice are the 2nd-most reported issue on the Primal Diet(raw dairy allergies being no#1 by far).Fortunately, you don't eat a lot, so that's good. For proper healing one should allow the body to rest from constant digestion as digestion diverts away resources otherwise used for healing. 2 meals a day should be enough, not the 3 meals a day or the frequent, daily small meals that AV recommends.
I'm a bit concerned re your mention of raw chicken and raw fish. Chicken is almost always very heavily grainfed nowadays(often 100%) so even if it's organic, it should be avoided. If you can find genuine pastured(ie grassfed) chicken, then that's fine. The fish is, I trust, not farmed, as farmed fish(like most salmon, for example) is very unhealthy, even when raw. Get wildcaught seafood instead.
I'm also concerned re your not mentioning eating any raw (100% grassfed) meats. A large proportion of RVAFers attribute their success on a raw diet to including plenty of raw meats(ie raw beef, raw mutton, raw lamb, raw venison etc. etc.) Many RVAFers(myself included) also have noted that adding in a variety of raw organ-meats helped speed up health-recovery from past illness.
Lastly, since you've been 2 years doing the Primal Diet, I should add that there is a very effective way to enhance one's mood and energy-levels. That is the use of "high-meat", something which many long-term Primal Dieters have found to be very useful re health. It might take time to adapt to eating it, though. Here is a post describing how to store/make high-meat etc.
HTH
RPG
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Thanks much RPG,
If I ditch dairy, should I also refrain from eating raw butter and raw goat's cheese? In particular the raw goat's cheese appears to be good in cleaning up toxics and toxic metals, and I am full of copper and mercury (have done hair mineral tests so got this confirmed). I do eat raw red meat as well, but not a lot, will increase intake of this, as well as organ meats, any in particular you recommend?
I understand your point about high meat, and have just recently started taking it. I must also say that I have had a big improvement in my sex drive (am 52 years of age) which I am pleased about. This must mean that my body is reacting well to the diet, otherwise I do not think it would bother to improve in this area, any thoughts?
Thanks very much
Anders
AnswerI seem to have forgotten to include that high-meat link in that last post so I'll put it in now:-
http://www.rawpaleoforum.com/display-your-culinary-creations/high-meat-recipe-pr
I would recommend starting off with easily available raw organ-meats such as raw tongue/heart/liver/kidney. It would also help to get hold of raw marrow or raw suet(more people prefer the marrow - the raw marrow comes in 2 types, soft and creamy or the less tasty dry version).If you can get hold of rarer things such as raw thyroid or raw adrenals or raw brains, then that's fine. But make sure they're all from 100% grassfed sources. Aajonus claims that animals fed on unhealthy diets(ie grainfed) store most of their toxins in their organs so that it's a bad idea to eat raw organs from grainfed animals.
The boost in one's sex-drive and fertility is a very, very common initial improvement reported by RVAFers, often occurring well before one recovers from more serious health-problems on a RVAF diet. It's a good sign, I'm just concerned re your current mentions of dizziness etc.
Well, I am not personally a believer in the heavy-metal-claims of Aajonus(I had mercury amalgams removed which did nothing for me at all and I have read numerous criticisms of the accuracy of hair-mineral analysis). If I were in your position, I would remove absolutely all raw dairy from the diet, as dairy is so heavily implicated in chronic fatigue.It's just too risky and the dairy is highly likely to be the cause of your current symptoms. If you feel you absolutely must have some raw dairy, then raw butter is supposed to be the "least worst" of all raw dairy. But make sure the raw butter comes from the best(ie 100% grassfed) sources.Similiarly, make sure to eat 100% grassfed meats.
HTH,
RPG.
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