Didn't sleep much again last night b/c I was up late visiting the porcelean throne. Is my digestion finally starting to become more regular? Twice in one day is a record for me!
I woke up very anxious, fretting over the fact that my bananas are not organic. Stupid, I know, but it is a concern for me, considering my own body's toxic load...I don't want to ADD to it. However, money is tight....but we're only talking a matter of a few bucks more for organic. I guess it's worth the investment. But, I have 2 conventional cases at home that are ripening, and I doubt I can return them. Do I just waste them or eat them? Not sure what to do....I found a store that will order organic bananas for me for $30 a case, which is $10 cheaper than whole foods (but $11 more than conventional ones, which are $19). It's probably worth the money, especially since I'm not spending money on supplements anymore.
My dilemma now is that Whole Foods has a "ripe" case for me that I can pick up tomorrow and another store that will have non-ripe ones ready on Tues. Do I buy both and try to exhaust my Conventional supply until these ripen...or just continue with the conventional (I know I won't finish two cases of conventional by the time the Whole Foods case ripens...I know they aren't 811-ripe-worthy and will probably take a few days....ugh, I'll probably buy them. Better safe/healthy/ecological than cheap/contaminated/uneco-friendly).
I can try to sell the case to a friend, I guess... but chances are they won't buy it. I feel like all I'm doing is wasting money since starting 811...I'm either buying too much, buying out-of-season fruits (thus buying expensive fruits), buying from the wrong stores, buying poor quality fruits, eating the fruits wrong (example: pineapple and pears that weren't ripe enough), fruits ripening too quickly or at the same time (thus having to throw them out), etc. I have NO extra money to spare, thus this is getting frustrating. I know this will eventually become second nature, but right now, it's a pain.
Did some apartment shopping with my mom today. The current place I live is ghetto and dangerous, plus it harbors bad juju, is too expensive, and probably is moldy....a change in environment would definitely be something that would enhance my healing journey.
The first one we visited had a wonderful landlord and a pool. However, the hallway smelled like cigarettes (odd, for a non-smoking building, lol), and the apt itself smelled like cat urine and must. It was a fairly nice apt, but didn't feel like "home."
The second one we went to is next to a grocery store that has AWESOME fruit (conventional, but they will order organic and are trying to expand their produce to include a good variety of organics). Their produce is CHEAP too: 1 pineapple is $1.99! They had a lot of varieties and the quality looked good...but again, it was conventional. I talked to the mananager, and he said he can order me cases of bananas for $30 ($10 cheaper than WFs). Not too shabby.
There were 2 apts we saw. They were pretty much the same layout, but flipped around and on different floors. I think I like the 1st floor one better because they are really going to re-do a lot in that unit. They discovered a water leakage problem near the A/C, which caused some mold to build up, thus they are fixing the entire wall and irradictating any change of mold growing. I like that, for even though there is mold now, they ID'd the problem and are fixing it, thus preventing it from happening again. There's not a lot of mold....very small amount, but I'm glad they aren't turning a blind eye to it. They are also redoing some doors, the carpets, cabinets, and kitchen counters. The kitchen has hardwood floors too! It is 2beds, 1 bath. I'm not thrilled with the bathroom, but a little paint would do it good. I LOVE the kitchen---it has a window! I've always wanted a window in my kitchen (good for ripening fruit too). The fridge is not too shabby. It's a bright place and faces north/south. I'm a little worried about security on the 1st floor, but it's in a nice area, so hopefully there won't be issues (it's definitely safer than where I live currently). Plus, a patio is better for my dog than a balcony: I can hook Simon up to a leash so he can be outside. 3 flights of stairs in the other apt might be hard for him to climb up and down several times a day, for he is starting to get up there in age (8.5 years). Also, it feels more "grounded/earthy" to be on the same level as the grass. The patio is surrounded by bushes, which is nice. However, privacy and noise might be an issue.... not really sure what to do.
BANANA ISLAND:
As far as my symptoms today, the anxiety was bad since awakening. i didn't feel very refreshed and the FMS/CFS were present, which was the first time in over a week. I was able to have a BM again upon awakening (obviously a lot less came out, but glad I went, for my peristalsis is starting to move again). I was really hungry, too.
I felt like a walking Whoopie Cushion, which got really bad in the afternoon. Cramps were bad as well. :-( Bloating and water rentention in the abd area was noticable. :-( Not cool.
The spicy/burning tongue was also present, but not quite as bad as yesterday. Coated tongue and halitosis was bothersome.
Mood was good (despite anxiety), for I was excited about the apt, spending time with my mom, and seeing a movie. I was not really kind to myself after dinner, though, and engaged in some bad habit behaviors again. Gotta stop that.
Skin is very inflammed and cyst-like. I feel like i have tumors under my skin. :-( face looks gaunt. My wt decreased a bit.
I'm having a REALLY HARD TIME getting enough cals in on BI. I feel like I'm eating a ton, but crono-meter says otherwise. I've been trying to do 3 meals a day, but perhaps my digestion works best by making my smoothies smaller so that I can do 4 smoothies a day? IDK.... this is confusing.
610am: 105g whole banana pre workout (93 cals)
815am: 630g banana smoothie (560 cals)
12:00: 634g banana smoothie (564 cals)
4:30pm: 65g banana smoothie (578 cals)
Totals:
Cals: 1796 (FAIL!)
Pro: 22g (4%)
Carbs: 461g (93%)
Fat: 6g (3%)
Fiber: 52g
Vitamins: 61%
Minerals: 58%
EXERCISE: abds, 12min elliptical, lame leg workout
Any thoughts on if I should try to keep increasing the size of my 3 smoothies... or decrease the size and do 4 smoothies?
Also, should I be adding celery or celery juice yet?
Thanks guys.. sorry this was so long!
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Comments from 30BaD:
Comment by Ksenia on Monday
I wish I had everything in order. I don’t work; I am international student so I am not allowed to work right now. My family supports me and I am very thankful for that.
Fresh dates are super healthy but they are low in fat and protein. So it is important to eat a lot of greens with them, also it is important to track which nutrients are missing and replenish them with other fruits and add a little bit of fat.
Comment by xShelbyx on MondayI agree...meds and supps are insanely pricey. What do u do for work, if I may ask? U really seem to have your life in order, which is awesome!
Good idea to make dates your staple. They last so much longer, too. Bananas are really annoying b/c they dont ripen predictably! But, are dates as healthy?
Comment by Ksenia on MondayI am just a lucky girl :) Considering how much I spent on medications I would rather spend the same money on fruits and veggies and stay healthy.
I decided to make dates my staple instead of buying all different fruits at once. That would significantly reduce the price that I pay for food. Also my goal is to eat local seasonal fruits.
Comment by xShelbyx on MondayThere are no famers markets in the winter in IL. :-(
13-15 oranges for 1 liter?! That's some majorly expensive oj! How do u afford that?
I have Easy to be Raw! Thanks for the recipe!
Comment by Ksenia on MondayFor Dateorade i use 1 liter
Comment by xShelbyx on Mondayforgot to ask about ur datorade: how much water do u add to it?
Comment by Ksenia on MondayYes, I know. It cause me that much because I am buying everything in a regular store. But if u go to farmers market you can find everything way cheaper!
Comment by xShelbyx on MondayWhat was super expensive, your previous diet plan? That cost u $30-50 per day?!
I hope the alcat gives u answers! Just be aware that it only accounts for that particular day.... but the time u get ur results in, your body already has undergone changes, thus those results may not be accurate.
Comment by Ksenia on MondayAround 13-15 oranges makes 1 liter. I like Valencia oranges, they are so juicy and sweet. Navel are a little bit sour and not that juicy. I use simple electronic hand juicer.
Dressing is from Megan Elizabeth book "Easy to be Raw", she has so many good recipes. I usually use 1 orange, 1 date, small piece of ginger and juice of half lemon (a little bit less than half actually).
I will definitely read your next blog :)
Comment by Ksenia on MondayIt is super expensive too. I spend around 30-50$ each day :) Sometimes instead of grapes I made smoothy with bananas, mangoes and berries. But I was definetely allergic to something, that is why I started DI and planned to do ALCAT to figure out which fruit caused my allergy. I think I would slowly reintroduce new fruits after DI to find out how I react to each of them.
I am drinking 2-3 liters of water.
Comment by xShelbyx on December 5, 2011 at 12:12pmHow many oranges makes a liter of OJ and what oranges are best (sweetest)? Do u use the citrus juicer?
Your dressing sounds awesome! Do u have a recipe for it?
If u have a chance, read my new blog...I'd love ur advice...
Comment by xShelbyx on December 5, 2011 at 12:03pmThat meal plan looks awesome! Banana-free too! Did u feel good on it and was that what u are every day? Will u go back to eating that same plan after DI? It's nice to see someone spread their cals over more than just 2-3 meals...IDK how people fit that into their tummies!
Ur story sounds similar to mine with the meds and antibiotics, wt lifting, pro powders, diet...
Glad DI is working so well! How much are u drinking on DI?
Comment by Ksenia on December 5, 2011 at 11:57amThank you, I really appreciate it. Before 811 I took a lot of serious medications and antibiotics, Two years ago I was all about heavy lifting and gym and followed high protein diet (ate tons of protein powders and took fitness supplements), then I was on a HFRV diet for almost 6 month. So yes, I am detoxing like crazy now. But I don’t have the same symptoms on DI as I had on BI. I still can feel a little bit of acid in my throat but it is not the same as with bananas, and I don’t feel tired at all.
Before DI my usual day was like:
Morning: Half watermelon
2 hours later: 2 papayas
Lunch: 2 liters of fresh orange juice
Snack: 2 cups grapes + 5 dates
Dinner: 2 cups grapes + huge salad with zucchinis, tomatoes, herbs, baby spring mix and usually dressing made from orange, ginger, date and lemon.
Comment by xShelbyx on December 5, 2011 at 11:38amWhat was a typical day like for u before DI, Ksenia?
Comment by xShelbyx on December 5, 2011 at 11:30amThen do u think ur reaction to bananas was a detox reaction? Are u getting any detox reactions from dates?
Glad u were able to heal from EDs and drinking! That takes a lot of strength and courage to combat those. I really admire you for that!
Comment by Ksenia on December 5, 2011 at 11:24amWow, thanx for telling me. I heard it is like 85% accurate.
Acidic taste could be due to acid reflex/GERD; also some people mentioned that they had the same thing during their detox period. I have a history of acid reflex in my previous lifestyle: ED + heavy alcohol drinking (I was a hardcore party girl :)) So I was not surprized when I got this. I have the same thing with mangoes.
Comment by xShelbyx on December 5, 2011 at 10:57amYeah, whats up with the acidic taste to bananas? I get a heavy feeling from them too.
I did the ALCAT test...very expensive and very unreliable. I would save my money, IMO (this is coming from someone who has had nearly every test done known to man). The results are not stable or accurate. In fact, one scientist sent 3 of his blood samples to ALCAT at the same time and ALL 3 produced different results, even though it was the same person's blood drawn on the same day.
U r better off getting muscle tested. Still not 100% accurate, but it is much more reliable than ALCAT. I've yet to meet a healthcare professional (alternative/holistic) who holds much value in ALCAT, unless they are the ones ordering the test (the Doc receives a HUGE commission for each patient who gets the test done).
Just FYI... I dont want u to waste ur money like I did.
Comment by Ksenia on December 5, 2011 at 10:51amIf I eat more than 7-8 I feel heavy and want to sleep :) I don't avoid them, I still use them as a base for smoothies, or I just mash them with fork and add some raisins or berries. If I eat just a few at a time I am fine. I am not really sure why. Oh, and I also used to have acidic taste it my mouth on the 3rd day of BI. Tomorrow I am doing ALCAT food allergy test to see if I have any fruit allergies. I will tell you my results after, who knows maybe bananas are in the "avoid list" for me, maybe not.
Comment by xShelbyx on December 5, 2011 at 10:36amLOL... Luckily, none so far for me. Ask me in the summer though! I hate those buggers!
What symptoms/reactions/issues do u get with bananas? and what do u think it is linked to? Do u completely avoid them? I wonder if it is the same as me...
Comment by Ksenia on December 5, 2011 at 10:32amBoth. Plus the whole process of ripening bananas. I had so many fruit flies :)
What made it difficult: the craving for other fruits or symptoms...?
Comment by Ksenia on December 5, 2011 at 9:59amI did BI for 3 days and stopped because it was difficult. It was too early to see any particular results.
Comment by xShelbyx on December 5, 2011 at 9:21amI forgot...how long did u do BI? DId it help u?
Comment by Ksenia on December 5, 2011 at 8:56amI ordered 30lbs (140$), but I will order another 5-10lbs. (45-65$) next week. Actually 40-50 Mejool Dates are around 2600-3300 according to Chronometer. And again if you feel like you can eat more - good for u! That is why I am going to buy another 5-10lbs because I feel I can eat more and that is a good thing. It is better to buy scales and weight everything you eat if you want to know how many cal. you are consuming. I always eat at least 2500.
When I was on BI I was craving other juicy fruit so bad! Now i don't.
Maybe switching to DI is a good idea for you. Especially if you like dates so much :)
Comment by xShelbyx on December 5, 2011 at 7:55amThat's SO great, Ksenia!!!!
How many pounds of dates did u have to order for your date island? What was the price?
I'm not happy with BI....I'm considering trying a different island.
watermelon is so great for the body! I miss my morning watermelon! It filled me up fast, but it felt really healing (and made me pee a lot, lol). I liked the hydration it gave me.
If u are doing 4 meals a day, then u are only eating 10 medjool dates per meal? that would not fill me up at all! Are u doing 2000cals?
Comment by Ksenia on December 5, 2011 at 5:07amI order from http://www.7hotdates.com Bautista Family. My favorite: Mejool, Honey, Halawy and Khadrawy. I eat around 130-150 dates a day (Mejool 40-50). I usually soak them in water overnight and I blend them into Dateorade. My plan is to stay on DI until December 16 after I am going to keep eating dates as a staple and I am also going to add one fruit at a time (I think papaya or watermelon). Like for example, on the first day after DI I will eat watermelon for breakfast and dates for the rest of the day and I will also reintroduce greens (I will blend or juice them). I will keep eating watermelon + dates + greens in the evening for another week, after I will try to add different fruit and see how my body reacts.
It is only my 3rd day and it would be a miracle to see any significant differences. Anyway some positive changes:
- It is easy to eat just dates. I don’t need to think anymore about what to eat
- I have problems digesting greens so now it is a perfect break from it.
- I don’t feel super full/bloated after eating
- I spend less money on food :)
- I had a headache last week (lasted around 3-4 days). No more headache!
Comment by xShelbyx on December 5, 2011 at 4:02amHey robyn!
Im sorry u struggle with trich too. But its nice to know im not alone! I totally appreciate the tips u gave me. I tried eft in the past, but i didnt feel it helped. Maybe i didnt stick with it long enough. How long did u do it before u felt it started to help?
Have u heard of The Healing Codes? It is supposed to work extremely well to heal nearly everything by healing the source of the issue, which is usually issues of the heart. Check it out and let me know what u think
Im trying to meditate, but it is not easy! Visualization is also a great tool...i need to incorporate those into my bedtime routine for sure!
How long have u been lfrv? What made u decide to do this lifestyle? How have things been going for u? Any challenges u are encountering and successes u've achieve thus far?
Thanks for the kindness!
Im sorry u struggle with trich too. But its nice to know im not alone! I totally appreciate the tips u gave me. I tried eft in the past, but i didnt feel it helped. Maybe i didnt stick with it long enough. How long did u do it before u felt it started to help?
Have u heard of The Healing Codes? It is supposed to work extremely well to heal nearly everything by healing the source of the issue, which is usually issues of the heart. Check it out and let me know what u think
Im trying to meditate, but it is not easy! Visualization is also a great tool...i need to incorporate those into my bedtime routine for sure!
How long have u been lfrv? What made u decide to do this lifestyle? How have things been going for u? Any challenges u are encountering and successes u've achieve thus far?
Thanks for the kindness!
Comment by xShelbyx on December 5, 2011 at 3:56amWhere did u get ur dates from? I might switch to this...bananas make ya a lot fuller than dates! How many cals are u eating per day? What difference (positive and negative) have u noticed thus far?
How much longer are u on date island and how to u plan to transition off?
What kinds of dates do u have and which are ur fav? Ive only tried medjool. Are u soaking them?
How much longer are u on date island and how to u plan to transition off?
What kinds of dates do u have and which are ur fav? Ive only tried medjool. Are u soaking them?
Comment by Ksenia on December 5, 2011 at 3:13amI love it so far. I have 6 varieties of dates (I use one type per day) so every time it is a different taste. I usually have 4 meals as well. And I don’t crave any other fruit which is really surprising.
Comment by Robyn Campbell on December 5, 2011 at 2:40amHi Shelby. Just wanted to say it is wonderful how determined you are to live a healthy happier life. The desire to change is the first step of recovery from the damage we've done to our body's for so long. I am new to the raw lifestyle but understand your skin/hair picking problems. I've been doing it for years due to anxiety as well. Mostly related to food I've come to realize. I usually have triggers that start me on a cycle. If let's say I am feeling guilty or anxious about the foods I didn't eat or did eat, if I feel overly full or bloated, or if I seem to lose control of what I'm eating the skin picking comes out. I do find the raw vegan lifestyle is helping with my anxiety and skin harming habits. Some things I do as well to relieve anxiety are EFT - it stands for emotional freedom technique and it really helps with built up negative emotions. If you just Youtube EFT......my favorite videos are by Brad Yates, but I am sure there are plenty other good ones as well. I have also got into the habit of every morning and every night before I go to bed I calm myself into a meditative state (meditation videos on youtube as well) and I simply imagine myself in perfect health - my skin is clear and soft and my hair is shiny, my body is fit and healthy, I am smiling and usually running or dancing. You could even do a Banana Island mediation where you are imagining yourself healthy and happy eating heaps of bananas haha and feeling great!!! I always do this. I imagine myself eating tons of raw foods mostly fruit and LOVING IT and feeling awesome. Anyhow I wish you the best and hope that some of what I said helps you on your journey.
Comment by xShelbyx on December 5, 2011 at 2:15am
Thanks Danielle, for the kind words. It's hard in the beginning, and it takes time to reach the point of the seasoned 811ers who are able to stuff in loads of produce in one sitting. I need to remember to be gentle and to myself and to acknowledge that my body doesn't adjust to quick changes well. If it takes me some time to work up to my "adequate calorie level" (whatever that is!), the so be it. But by forcing it, I will only be doing more harm than good. I need to be patient and take it as it is. Hard to do, though!
Ksneia: Thanks! I hope to find a better living situation too, for I know how important that is relating to health. I'm definitely going to spread my cals over more meals thru-out the day. I'll post how this works tonight. How many meals are u doing? How is date island going for u? I miss dates badly!!!!!!
Comment by Ksenia on December 5, 2011 at 2:02amGood luck to find a good apartment, honey!
I understand that it is hard right now for you to eat the right amount of calories, but If you wake up hungry it definitely means that you were undereating the previous day. I think it is better to have 4 meals instead of 3 and this way you can add more calories in.
Comment by Danielle on December 4, 2011 at 4:23pmIt sounds like you're really listening to, and know your body. Follow your heart! No one knows what's best for you, if you can get more carbs in, then great,if you can't, you can hope what you get is enough. You're doing fantastic!
Comment by xShelbyx on December 4, 2011 at 1:38pmI AM trying to get more cals in. IDK if u have been following my saga, but I have SEVERE digestive issues, thus gorging myself on 3000+ cals would be extremely harmful/overwhelming to my body. I'm eating more cals now since starting 811 than I have on my old anti-candida diet. So, I've made major progress in the last week. My body is going thru a HUGE adjustment, so these symptoms I'm getting are to be expected...but they aren't fun!
I've been "undercarbed" for years..so, I'm not AT ALL undercarbed now! Before I was getting 15% of my cals from carbs MAX per day. Now, I'm getting OVER 90% carbs. Thus, that's a HUGE difference, and one to which my body is not accustomed. I've always had anxiety issues...but they are lightyears better since 811. But due to detox, they are exacerbated at times. My bad habit (which I hold a lot of shame/embarrassment/guilt about) is picking/hair pulling (brows/lashes, face), which IDK how to stop, but is related to anxiety and inflammation/pain and a skin condition I have that makes the hair follicles inflame/sensitive, thus I pick to relieve the pressure/pain, but it only causes a vicious cycle.
I will not binge and put my fragile digestive system in possible danger in order to get 3000cals. That is not a magical number for everyone, especially for those who are small and with health concerns. I have gastroparesis, intestinal/colon nerve damage, malabsorption, gut infections, and other GI issues (as well as being underweight, thyroid, adrenal, etc) that would make overburdening my body with too much food a detrimental thing to do. It is best to slowly increase calories and to get the body used to it.
I've never had cravings for cooked foods or fats. I've been so fruit-deprived for years that all I crave are fruits! In fact, I just had more bananas a few minutes ago b/c I was hungry. Thus, my cal count is higher. Yay, go me. :-)
And I have no desire to "prove u wrong" or prove anyone wrong. That is not why I am doing this diet. I am doing it to reverse severe health issues and to become vegan once again (animal rights, environment, etc).
I am changing a lot of things at once. It is very overwhelming, physically and mentally and spiritually....but well worth it in the long run.
I didn't start with BI. I started with 811. I probably SHOULD have started with BI, as it would have been a much better transition. BI is a great way to ease the digestion burden and heal GI issues, as well as detox and give the body a break!
Thanks for the reassurance on the conventional bananas! You're right... the amount of ickiness in them doesn't compare to the crapola my body had to deal with during the anti-candida diet.
Comment by AnarchoFembot on December 4, 2011 at 1:16pmWhy are you doing BI can if are not going to eat enough calories? I dont mean that to sound rude, but some of your anxiety issues and what not are only going to be exacerbated and created if you undereat on carbs. Doing exercise after that, I am pretty sure that whatever you did later in the day that you described as "bad habits" relates to being undercarbed. I also suspect that unless you are able to get in 3000 calories or more tomorrow on BI you will be heading to cooked food or fatty raw food any day now. If you dont want that to be the case I suggest you prove me wrong by aiming for 4000 cals tomorrow, so somewhat under that will be suffice (maybe). Add celery if you are craving salt or a new flavor.
I dont really know why people do BI to start with, instead of just focusing on fruit in generally. Mono islands are nice for 2 or 3 days, but I think way to hard when you are just trying to stay raw and vegan in general.
Also dont worry about the conventional bananas. your kidneys have been processing all kinds of crap since before you switched to fruit, what makes you thin they cant take a bit more pesticides (not even too much on bananas cause of the peel)? Just use them up and switch to organic, and get the conventional when you cant afford it. Dont be too paranoid!!! Quality fruit is important, but so is variety throughout the year and mostly importantly eating enough. Focus on one thing at a time, and for christsake be easy on yourself!!! Congrats on 2 days!
Comment by Brian on December 4, 2011 at 1:04pminteresting to hear about your journey
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