I have been on the RT4 lifesytle for over a month now and this entire week I have hardly ate any thing. I make a smoothie for breakfast and bring a ton of bananas for lunch and hardly eat any of it. I am not really sure what to do. Eating bananas raw is just awful. It's something about the texture of them that I don't like. I definitely don't ever want to go back to eating animal products.
I am also an American citizen living in Canada waiting for my Permanent Residence papers to be processed. I have been here for 3 years now with no health care at all and have been having a lot of health problems I can't get treatment for. One of the issues is what I believe to be stomach ulcers. I am a bit of a worry wart and my stress levels are through the roof. On top of that I take Ibuprofen like its my job because of back/hip issues I was born with. Because I have no way of getting treated that is really the only option to help dull the pain.
I brought that all up because when I don't eat I feel like my stomach is on fire the entire day until I get home to eat a filling meal of rice/beans and stuff like that. It makes it really hard to focus on my job and life in general.
I just don't know what to do.
Replies
I live in Canada too mate and the bananas are fucked.
1) Stop taking pain killers (as much as possible idk the pain you're in)
2) Go starch solution if that is what you have to do! You will still get great results.
3) Try dates, or bring your blender or pre-made smoothies to work. Just eat as much fruit as you can but do mostly starch solution if that is what you need. When you get to Merica you can try changing it up as I suspect the fruit will be a lot better.
4) No hand bags, wear proper foot wear and sleep on your back. Don't do any running, weight lifting etc.
5) Sleep by 7-8 or as early as possible. Rest in the dark if you can't sleep
Hi Rita, I can't say I identify with your being repulsed by fruit: I absolutely love fruit. (I didn't eat it for 3 years, because I was on a low carb diet, even though my body was craving it. I'd be happy literally eating 30 bananas a day.) I can give you some tips though.
Eating enough during the day:
Stomach ulcer(?):
Thank you all for your responses. I have tried to reply to them all over the last few days with no luck. Any time I clicked "Add Reply" It would take forever loading and never post. I had some great responses too. lol. I am taking all of your suggestions and doing what works best for me. Thanks again!! :D
"Also It sounds like you're not sleeping enough." How did you come to this conclusion? - (Just trying to learn) @VeganS***
HELLO! I HAVE BEEN THROUGH WHAT YOU ARE GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW AND I HAVE SOME GREAT ADVICE TO HELP YOU OUT.
1. TRY EATING FRUITS THAT ARE MORE APPEALING TO YOU. I LEARNED THAT I WOULD GAG A LOT WITH EATING BANANA SMOOTHIES BUT FELL IN LOVE WITH A LIGHT SWEET WATERMELON SMOOTHIE (ADD SOME COCONUT SUGAR)!
2. YOU DON'T HAVE TO EAT THAT MUCH. 2,000-2,500 CALORIES IS JUST FINE DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH YOU EXERCISE. 2,500-3,000 CALORIES IS ONLY RECOMMENDED BY FREELEE BECAUSE IT HELPS AVOID NUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCIES. TRY EXERCISING MORE TO THE POINT THAT YOU COULD CONSUME 2,000 CALORIES AND FEEL GREAT! THAT WILL KEEP YOUR HEALTHY EXERCISE REGIMEN ON CHECK. IF YOU DO ONLY EAT 2,000 CALORIES I RECOMMEND THAT YOU CONSUME 1-2 (DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH YOU NEED) WHOLE FOODS ORGANIC FOOD DERIVED RAW MULTIVITAMINS DAILY WHILE NOT FORGETTING ABOUT YOUR NECESSARY B12, D3 AND PROBIOTICS (IF YOU WANT).
3. AS OF RIGHT NOW, TRY EATING ALL YOUR FRUITS IN THE FORM OF A SMOOTH BLENDED SMOOTHIE. IT IS EASIER TO DIGEST AND ALLOWS YOUR BODY TO ABSORB THE NUTRIENTS BETTER PLUS IT IS EASIER TO CONSUME. ALSO, IT SAVES YOU A LOT OF TIME BECAUSE YOU ARE WORKING. YOU MIGHT STILL GAG BUT REMEMBER THAT IT IS ALL MENTAL AND TRY TO STICK IT OUT. PEACE.
PLUS DON'T STRESS! YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE SO LIVE YOUR LIFE TO THE FULLEST WITH NO REGRETS. RAW FOOD WILL HELP YOU WITH YOUR HAPPINESS BUT IT IS UP TO YOU. PEACE OUT
I gagged a lot with bananas because they weren't ripe enough
Have you thought about paying to see the doctor - like a concierge Doctor? They are less expensive than you think and you don't need medical insurance to see them (in USA and Australia - not sure on Canada).
Maybe transcendental meditation to help with stress? Maybe changing your life to involve less stress? Increasing your exercise?
Sorry, there are so many variables it is really hard to nail it down, your going to be the best person for that. Better to heal the cause of the problem though, rather than the symptom.
Usually taste buds change within 10 days. You eat fruit for 10 days and your taste buds will like eating fruit. Maybe try something different? If your sick of bananas, how about mango, or pineapple or apples, berries, etc. Make smoothies and add some spinach to them to balance out the sugar a little. I buy frozen packets of fruit from the store and blend them into smoothies.
Nini has a good point on the savory foods. I sometimes eat rice with greens at lunch. Rice and cucumber might seem boring but it tastes amazing. i have found white rice digests better. Oh, and cook it properly (I undercooked brown rice a few times and had stomach pain).
The best thing about RT4 is that you can eat any type of ripe fruit you want. So don't try to restrict yourself. It was hard for me to get my head around at first, but I just kept doing it and it is so freeing.
Hope you get your residency soon. I am not sure why your stressed, but I'm Australian living in the USA and I know that change can be tough. My advice on getting through that is making the effort to find some close friends who share your passion for this lifestyle. Also to focus on gratitude every day, and where you want to be in 1 year, versus the negatives now.
I cannot relate with your health problems, but when i first went vegan and raw til 4 (at the same time) i never ated fruit before and didnt enjoy it. bananas were my least favourite. i ate one maybe once a year before. my taste buds have adjusted and now the only sweetness i crave is from a good fruit bowl or a delicious bananas packed high cal smoothie... You only just went raw til 4 that may be your problem. Nowadays I munch on bananas and dates all day (couldnt even do that at all before).
For me I just kept at it and now I thoroughly enjoy the raw til 4 diet. Stick to it. Take a few days off to give your body what it craves - maybe youre just craving savoury dishes and thats okay. Try having a savoury cooked high carb meal for breakfast and or lunch instead of a raw fruit bowl