Feeling Ill

[CHK91]

Sorry guys. I know that it is bad etiquette to make threads close together, but I have some concerns that worry me.

I been eating RAF diet for about 3 days. I have eaten cooked food almost every day before that. Starting about last night I started to feel ill. I had this terrible eczema flare that made me feel like stabbing my rashes. I also have been feeling flu-ish, inflamed, and old. Is this normal and has this happened to any of you? Or is this some other problem like food poisoning?

[ys]

some will say this is normal "detox effects".  i personally do not buy that kind of explanation.

if it goes away in a few days, great.
if this condition continues i would go back to the previous diet and maybe try paleo principles again later.

there are at least 3 people on this forum who had mild to very severe side effect form this diet: yuri (rawlion), mrbbq, forthehunt

[kurite]

I know that ys could be completely correct but at the same time your symptoms are like the definition of detox. Anyways to better help you please give us a daily menu plan of what you have been eating so far. I personally felt like crap and had my eczema flare up when I first went paleo.

[CHK91]

The eczema and the itching is so bad that I'm swearing like a maniac. My feet are in a baking soda bath as I write this. Glad my family left for vacation yesterday. 

The first day

Breakfast
3 raw eggs
1tbsp coconut oil
raw ground beef -I ate it like sashimi and used wasabi and wrapped it in lettuce

Lunch
raw milk kefir
1tbsp coconut oil
1 avocado
raw beef liver - eaten like sashimi

Dinner
raw ground beef - Same way but used balsalmic vinegar
1tbsp coconut oil

2nd Day

Breakfast
3 raw eggs
raw ground beef - ate it the same way
1tbsp coconut oil

Lunch
Raw milk kefir
1tbsp coconut oil
avocado

Dinner
raw ground beef - same way
raw salmon
1tbsp coconut oil

Today

Breakfast
3 raw eggs
1/2 avocado
1tbsp coconut oil
raw ground beef

Lunch
Raw milk kefir
raw beef liver - eaten like sashimi
1tbsp coconut oil

I have also been eating some lard. I know it's not exactly raw but I figured I needed more animal fat. I don't have animal fat or suet yet.

[ys]

it looks ok.
but it sounds like you have some kind of allergic reaction to something.
it this issue continues, i would go back to my last good known diet and start introducing new items one at a time.
some reported negative reactions to eggs and milk products.

[CHK91]

Hmmm... I've been drinking raw milk and eating eggs before this. I haven't changed my milk source either. I have never reacted violently to my current milk source. I avoid other cow dairy products containing casein like the plague like raw cheese. Raw cow cheese from all other breeds besides guernsey is like poison for me. Butter is usually fine no matter where it comes from. Could I have become allergic over such a short time to the milk I have been drinking?

[TylerDurden]

Yes, it could be due to an allergic reaction. Raw coconut oil causes a lot of problems for some people as does raw dairy and raw eggs. Still others have issues with all raw carbs. All depends on an individual's genetics, personal health-problems prior to the diet and so on.

Try elimination diets to see if you improve by excluding 1 type of food at a time.


As for detoxes, they do indeed exist and are common (and necessary) on any truly healthy diet, in order for toxins to leave the body properly. When I first started the diet  I got 2-3 days of near-constant green diarrhea, then, every 2 to 4 months I would get mild flu-like symptoms(eg:- fatigue, hot forehead, runny nose), lasting from 2 to 7 days; each time these detox episodes lessened in terms of severity, duration and frequency, until they disappeared altogether after 2 or 3 years.


As for the other comment on various people not doing well on the diet, call me a sceptic, but I suspect that a large proportion(though certainly not all) of those continually reporting ever-increasing and new health-problems are actually suffering from hypochondria rather than anything serious.

[CHK91]

So it should last for about 2-3 days?

What should I do in the meantime to reduce detox symptoms? Is drinking a lot of water a good thing?

[achillezzz]

Why do you eat that much? Didn't you heard about the 1 meal a day plan try it maybe you eat too much raw when your body is not really used to it(you said its your third day).

Do You feel hunger when you eat? Perhaps try eating only when feeling hungry,exclude the diary from the diet, try one meal a day, do some fasting.

And start slow your body has to change the way its digests/assimilates/eliminates food because raw is just different.

[CHK91]

Why do you eat that much? Didn't you heard about the 1 meal a day plan try it maybe you eat too much raw when your body is not really used to it(you said its your third day).

Do You feel hunger when you eat? Perhaps try eating only when feeling hungry,exclude the diary from the diet, try one meal a day, do some fasting.

And start slow your body has to change the way its digests/assimilates/eliminates food because raw is just different.

I didn't eat that much, and I did eat when I was hungry. I eat smaller portions usually. I will eliminate the dairy and see what happens.

Is it possible to live on just one meal? It's a relatively new concept to me. Is it possible to eat a day's worth of calories in one sitting without feeling great digestive discomfort? I spread out my meals in smaller portions because my digestion is very weak.

[ForTheHunt]

The eczema and the itching is so bad that I'm swearing like a maniac. My feet are in a baking soda bath as I write this. Glad my family left for vacation yesterday. 

The first day

Breakfast
3 raw eggs
1tbsp coconut oil
raw ground beef -I ate it like sashimi and used wasabi and wrapped it in lettuce

Lunch
raw milk kefir
1tbsp coconut oil
1 avocado
raw beef liver - eaten like sashimi

Dinner
raw ground beef - Same way but used balsalmic vinegar
1tbsp coconut oil

2nd Day

Breakfast
3 raw eggs
raw ground beef - ate it the same way
1tbsp coconut oil

Lunch
Raw milk kefir
1tbsp coconut oil
avocado

Dinner
raw ground beef - same way
raw salmon
1tbsp coconut oil

Today

Breakfast
3 raw eggs
1/2 avocado
1tbsp coconut oil
raw ground beef

Lunch
Raw milk kefir
raw beef liver - eaten like sashimi
1tbsp coconut oil

I have also been eating some lard. I know it's not exactly raw but I figured I needed more animal fat. I don't have animal fat or suet yet.

I would stop. I started getting eczema and ended up with a big patch on my neck. Fucking blows.

It is fading now - but I didn't stop and the patch got bigger and bigger.

[CHK91]

Man... I don't know what to do. I do like what I have been doing so far because my digestive system doesn't seem as stressed. I feel good after eating. I used to get some minor soreness around my abdomen. That's gone now. Eczema and feeling sick is a bummer though.

I have changed my diet drastically in the last 5-6 weeks or so. I did try a gradual transition. I started with dairy then eggs then all the other meats. There was a period of fatigue because my body had to get used to using fats for fuel and I slashed my carbs close to zero. I probably transitioned too fast. I am willing to weather this storm as long as I feel better. I wasn't sure whether the reaction I had was safe or "natural" so I had some concerns.

[TylerDurden]

So it should last for about 2-3 days?

What should I do in the meantime to reduce detox symptoms? Is drinking a lot of water a good thing?

  Either ride it out, or eat a little cooked foods to slow down the detox. But try elimination diets first to see if it is something other than detox, first.

[CHK91]

Just curious,

Is a RAF diet more effective for eliminating candida than a cooked no/low carb diet?

If so what is the mechanism behind this?

[sabertooth]

You definitely need to get a good source of grassfed fat, I consider it an essential element in my diet. I eat at least a quarter pound or more each day, usually lamb fat, but I also eat fatty cuts of meat along with it.

Try to replace dairy with some raw grassfed fats an at least reduce your coconut oil intake, I also eat coconut butter its more expensive but I think its much better than plain oil. I will eat about a jar every five days.

I have a love hate issue with eggs as well, most store bought eggs are questionable in quality, There are some pasture eggs available at the health food store but they are expensive, most of the lower quality eggs have a bad taste and I will only tolerate them if I have a particular craving and am short on money.

[sabertooth]

I used to get some minor soreness around my abdomen. That's gone now. Eczema and feeling sick is a bummer though.

I used to suffer from pain in my abdomen, I think it was from a conjested liver, you are probably clogged up as well and cant eliminate properly. It does suck I was there about a year ago, I got great improvement on this diet,


The good Samaritan has experience with helping eczema, perhaps he can give some advice.

Just curious,

Is a RAF diet more effective for eliminating candida than a cooked no/low carb diet?

If so what is the mechanism behind this?

I have a more holistic approach to dealing with candida, I think that you have to first, nourish your body with the optimal foods and build up the strength of the mitochondria within the cells(with plenty of grassfed fat) once your body becomes properly nourished then it will begin the function of clearing out the fungus naturally. There is no way to flush it out until the body is nourished enough to handle the dieoff. I think a body that is so poisoned with candida that it cant handle elimination of metabolic waste and becomes congested, doesn't need to add the extra burden of the toxins created by cooking. Raw foods being free from these toxins provide a more option. Raw animal fats are extremely cleansing.

[goodsamaritan]

I wouldn't bet on raw GROUND beef.
Did you grind it yourself?
Buy whole slabs / chunks.

Is your coconut oil Virgin Coconut Oil?
You might be allergic to it.

Have you done any other detox protocols as described in http://www.curemanual.com/detox-protocols-and-treatments/ ?

If not, then you might look into doing those detox protocols so you don't suffer the detoxing / healing crisis you are getting now.

[CHK91]

I wouldn't bet on raw GROUND beef.
Did you grind it yourself?
Buy whole slabs / chunks.

Is your coconut oil Virgin Coconut Oil?
You might be allergic to it.

Have you done any other detox protocols as described in http://www.curemanual.com/detox-protocols-and-treatments/ ?

If not, then you might look into doing those detox protocols so you don't suffer the detoxing / healing crisis you are getting now.

Not from 100% grass fed sources either? I do plan on getting steaks/roasts from now on though. I have a chuck roast(not going to actually roast it XD) in the fridge thawing. Will have it tomorrow.

Is it bad if it is Virgin Coconut Oil? I've been taking coconut oil like this even before I started this diet to help with the candida problem. I never thought that coconut could be allergenic. 

Thanks for the site link. I will read through it.

[Nation]

I know many people swears on coconut oil but my body does not like it at all, same with any other plant oil.

[riy freeman]

Two things:

Raw salmon breaks me out- its the omega 3s for some strange reason. (Happens for me with omega-3 supplements as well) So maybe test avoiding that.

Also, kefir contains casein. The bacteria feast on the lactose sugar in the milk and not the casein, so the protein remains still in solution.

[TylerDurden]

Two things:

Raw salmon breaks me out- its the omega 3s for some strange reason. (Happens for me with omega-3 supplements as well) So maybe test avoiding that.

Also, kefir contains casein. The bacteria feast on the lactose sugar in the milk and not the casein, so the protein remains still in solution.

While omega-3s might well be an issue, I would think another option was more likely:- that you find certain processed foods unhealthy for you - salmon is almost always farmed ad the farmed version contains hefty amounts of toxic stuff such as cabnthaxanthin etc. And all supplements these days have some form of preservative/chemical which can cause side-effects for some people.

[CHK91]

Before my phase with veganism, I loved eating raw fish. It was a food that invigorated me. The salmon that I ate was also wild, so I doubt toxins are a issue.

I feel a little better today. I have that "hangover" sick feeling. My eczema isn't flaring; the spots are just sore. I have been sleeping a lot more the last few days. I guess my body is trying to recover.

[miles]

I know that ys could be completely correct but at the same time your symptoms are like the definition of detox. Anyways to better help you please give us a daily menu plan of what you have been eating so far. I personally felt like crap and had my eczema flare up when I first went paleo.

Yes it's clearly detox... But the difference is whether it's detoxing from the new foods, or whether new foods are helping one detox from past stuff.

[CHK91]

My appetite has been weak last night and today. My weight is actually going down a bit which may not necessarily be a bad thing since I'm skinnyfat.

Today, I ate about 1000 calories yet I don't feel hungry at all. I actually feel satiated. Has anyone had this experience? Sick people don't tend to have good appetites but I'm just curious.

I am not really a big guy in any sense so 1000 isn't really too shocking to me.

[Hannibal]

Eating the whole eggs is IMO not good.
Throw away the whites and eat only the yolk.