Hi Rob and all,
i also have symptoms of ulcerative colitis and just started the raw meats from yesterday (Sunday), after reading an interview on AV, after which i immediately purchased his e-books and drank some raw kefir that had been in my fridge for a few months. i had been too afraid to drink it since getting the symptoms of colitis (blood and mucous in stools..weakness, fatigue). Let me tell you it felt SO good to have the kefir, which i mixed with some raw honey, virgin coconut oil and some banana. FINALLY something of substance! i would have added raw egg if i had some. For the past several weeks I was on a "colitis" diet which included mostly cooked (steamed) veggies, with virgin coconut oil or ghee, avocado (for some kind of substance) and very small amount of whole grain (either sprouted brown rice or manna/essene bread, -i stopped white sourdough bread but i dont' know if i needed to even). i felt like i was wasting away. and always hungry. always. then last week i read about vitamin D and started adding egg yolk, sardines and mackarel (eagerly, as i missed meat!) I'm brown-skinned so apparently my sunbathing for 20 min or so is not enough..and it's too hot to stay out longer. well guess what? although it felt so good to have some meat for a change..i became incredibly weak. i also took cod liver oil. on saturday (just two days back) i was so weak i could barely walk. i was out (should'nt have been) and had to lay down in the back of my car for a couple hours and then felt a little better. but i was at a loss as to what more i could do. i sleep early and get good rest.. i drink sun-charged water daily, sunbathe, no medication, caffeine/alcohol, supplements included l-glutamine, bromelain, ashwagandha, turmeric, and newly added vitamin D and cod liver oil (i hate supplemetns) and..... i was making freshly cooked veggies for every meal. hmmm. oh and i'd have squash baby food. that hadn't helped, and adding some mackarel or sardines hadn't helped either but made the situation worse! and.. i was eating sequentially, as per dr. bass's recommendations (natural hygenist). the next day, yesterday, i saw Aajanus's interview (in Dr. Bass's booklet). after having the kefir and feeling so good, i immediately went for lunch to the nearest sushi place (didn't care if the fish was not wild-caught..i needed to try this out). i could actually feel my body healing just from the kefir i had earlier. sounds strange but i think it was more phycological because i knew this was it..and i was doing what i needed to. at the sushi place i had sashimi (tuna/crab and mackarel) plus miso soup. no rice or seaweed. i loved it..didn't feel any distention/bloating afterwards (for the first time in a long time). then for dinner i found a french place that makes steak tartar. my husband and I couldn't make it..so went to japanese place and I had sashimi again. and i went to the health food store in between and bought some local grass-fed meats (ground buffalo, turkey, and wild-caught mackarel). The two biggest things I noticed yesterday is that 1) i didn't feel bloated,tired,pain or tummy sticking out after my meals, and 2) My energy. it was actually quite "normal", which is dramatically better than it had been the day before (and for that whole week of having cooked/canned mackarel/sardines). But also, my bowel movement, though not much, had hardly any blood in it. and no mucous! this is after weeks of having these symptoms! i prepared the raw mackarel yesterday for making ceviche..which i had today for lunch (it "cooked" in the lime juice for 18 hrs), along with more kefir. For breakfast i had fresh pressed celery/squash juice, and an hour later green smoothie (velvety lettuce, cucumber flesh, little avocado, mixed with olive-oil/Raw ACV dressing, and touch of cayenne). So nice and smooth going down my throat. i think esp good for colitis because no "roughage"
So..i'm sharing this with you and anyone who has colitis..who may get some ideas from the things I ate (haven't even read AV's books yet.. about to though right now). I got some ideas for what I can prepare in next few days by looking up recipes in Nourishing Traditions, by Sally Fallon (Weston Price teachings). The only supplement i took yesterday and today was a little liquid probiotic. Today i had a small BM (hardly any blood), and after eating the ceviche..had some rumbling and then a big and easy BM..was sure there would be blood (thought parasites from ceviche were attacking), but no blood, and feeling of relief and lightness in my belly. amazing. i mean i can't believe all this started just yesterday!. i can also get up (yesterday and today) without feeling like i'm going to faint and fall..another symptom i was experiencing, especially since i added the cooked meat the week before.
Rob, you mentioned that you only have red meat. What about fish, turkey, lamb, and other meats? Do they not help you as much? Did you have a similar experience to me in going raw? I just can't believe i'm noticing results so quickly.. Maybe it's because after reading AV's interview yesterday..the light bulb went on and i knew this is what i had to do. and i wanted so much to do it. (i've already read about raw meats on mercola.com..just wasn't ready for it before). having the tuna/crab sashimi and mackerel sashimi was the first time i was eating food in such a long time that was sooo delectable. Also..i finally feel satiated.. I only feel hungry at the proper meal times. i found a fig cake at the health food store (made of fig, almonds, and raw honey). i have a little bit with some coconut oil for a once a day snack and i'm good (well again, this is just since yesterday). figs are sweet, but a small amount is probably a great alternative to other desert..figs are loaded with nutrients. the only other thing i know is banana and apple sauce for me. which is what i was having before to satisfy my intense cravings..plust a raw food cookie of sesame seeds, shredded coconut, and dates..but i'd bleed afterwards. Maybe i'll be able to tolerate. it seems many things/rules change when you start eating raw meat.
I will post again in a week to let everyone know my progress. I feel my body is healing.
Jayce, I hope that something I said here may give you an idea.. not sure what your diet is..so i put mine out so you know. Each person is so different. i also was diagnosed with colitis 10 years back (the disease starts much earlier than when it's diagnosed and symptoms show up)..took medication for 6 yrs straight (Asacol), and then found weston price website and a local farm and started feeling better and weaned myself off medication and stayed off for 3 years. it just came back a couple months ago. i guess i wasn't eating as well..and there was some stress in my life..who knows.