Starting Diet...with a very weak immune system

[gracie]

Hey everyone,

I've read through the book, all the articles, and am so impressed with all the research. I am currently on Day 10 of the diet.

About me: I am a 26-year-old female. I'm used to eating strictly organic food (vegetables, kefir, so-called "health foods") and I go hiking every other day. Because I have a naturally athletic bone structure and am slender, I look very healthy. But, in fact, I am currently very, very unhealthy: I have a totally compromised digestive system. It has been freaking out on me for years. This is what brought me to the diet.

Background (feel free to skip over this part): I was a very strong child, breast fed for two years. I got skinny after that, because I refused to eat most of the food that was served to me. This natural response went away at age 13, when I moved to the U.S. Due to social pressure, I started eating lots of dairy and wheat. I developed insomnia and acne. As a teenager, I had a chronically swollen belly (people said it "looked cute"). In college, I would wake up bloated almost every the morning, though I got good sleep and rarely drank alcohol.
After college, I started getting bad cramps and finding blood in my stool. Scary! My dad, a retired doctor, suspected ulcerative colitis and insisted I have a colonoscopy done (at age 23!); luckily, the symptoms disappeared and I was able to back out of it. The doctor also ran tests and everything looked fine.
Soon, I was throwing up involuntarily; after every big meal, I would have these gross little hiccups. It happened every day. I went to the doctor, but he just prescribed me antacids. I NEVER touched junk food and wasn't an ounce overweight, so why was this happening? He didn't seem to know.
About a month ago, my stomach completely shut down; it refused to digest anything. I got uncomfortably bloated. I was constipated and in pain. I had had enough: I realized that my body was obviously protesting against something, and unless I did something, I would die an early death.

So I definitely have incredible motivation to do this diet. I did some research and realized that I probably have a gluten intolerance (a.k.a. Celiac Disease) which doesn't show up on tests. I've also had an allergic reaction to dairy in the past (which I cleverly side-stepped by slowly introducing it back into my diet). Either way, my body obviously hates the stuff, and has always known it.

I have made a lot of progress on the diet. Enough to know that my problems are certainly food related. It's been exhilarating, really.

My questions: because my digestive/immune system is so fragile right now--I am hardly absorbing anything--will raw fish or yolk be too much to handle? I am craving B12 like crazy (I keep seeing chicken legs dancing around in my dreams), but I do not want to put any stress on my system.

Question 2: Would vitamins, such as in "Vitamin Water," be acceptible, given my lack of proper absorption? I realize that synthetic vitamins have an oxidative effect, but it might be necessary right now. (by the way, please don't hesitate to answer this; I am nowhere close to needing an IV drip, ha ha)

General question: What foods would you recommend for someone who is "healing"? Juices are the easiest to digest, correct?

Thank you all

[RRM]

Welcome gracie!

because my digestive/immune system is so fragile right now--I am hardly absorbing anything--will raw fish or yolk be too much to handle?

Im not sure your digestive system is fragile.
Its simply refusing to do the work.
I dont think your immune system is weak either,
as it does not allow viruses / bacteria to make you sick.
Regarding digestion; raw egg yolk is VERY easy to digest.
Thats also why its given to sick people and animals in many cultures,
as it rapidly increases your strength. (cocktail of good fats & cholesterol, and vitamins & minerals).
Just start like anybody else: one teaspoon of raw egg yolk daily for the first 3 days.
Actually, in your case you better try that twice or even 3 times a day,
if your body responds well.

I am craving B12 like crazy (I keep seeing chicken legs dancing around in my dreams), but I do not want to put any stress on my system.

Listen to your body; you need that B12 (and omega 3)

Question 2: Would vitamins, such as in "Vitamin Water," be acceptible, given my lack of proper absorption?

Egg yolk is much better, as your body will recognize 'the package',
and prevents the (unwanted) direct effects of vitamins on your bowels. (often loose stool)

What foods would you recommend for someone who is "healing"? Juices are the easiest to digest, correct?

Please start with the egg yolk.
And banana. (make sure they are fully ripe; better too much ripe than a little unripe).
Thoroughly mash the banana with a fork, and when you eat it,
let it mix with your saliva very well before swallowing it.
Regarding juices; start with apple (or pear or peach) juice, as its milder than OJ.

[gracie]

Thanks for your reply!

Please start with the egg yolk.

I did this immediately. As it turns out, I really needed that yolk! I had a tiny bit at first...and then I just wanted more and more. I ended up eating the whole yolk because it just felt right. I can see now why other cultures use it to heal their sick. It was like a yellow ball of energy, vitamins, minerals, everything. I felt very refreshed and content afterwards.

And this morning I had two yolk stirred in orange juice. No more funny gurgling sounds in my stomach, totally healthy BM, and I feel much stronger.

Possibly a miracle food. It also tastes creamy/vanilla/delicious to me.

And banana. (make sure they are fully ripe; better too much ripe than a little unripe).
Thoroughly mash the banana with a fork, and when you eat it,
let it mix with your saliva very well before swallowing it.

This was helpful. Slowly chewing like this works very well and feels "gentle" on my stomach. (And banana tastes much more nutritious than any oatmeal, toast, cooked applesauce, or whatever doctors usually recommend)

Regarding juices; start with apple (or pear or peach) juice, as its milder than OJ.

It's interesting you say apples because, of all the fruits, I crave apples (and bananas) the most. I eat several a day and keep wanting more!

In general, I'm doing very well on this diet and my body feels happy. For the first time, I feel like I'm not burdening it when I eat. Before the diet, I even considered fasting in order to recover. I've noticed for a while that the less I ate, the better I felt (not necessarily healthy!) It was very confusing.
Now it seems like the foods I eat are only helping me heal more quickly.

I'm even thankful that my digestion was causing problems (and RRM, you're right, neither it nor my immune system are fragile. I'm not sure why I thought that). Now I am forced to listen--really listen--to my body. As a former "health nut", I was very bossy and kept forcing down all this health food. Now I let my body choose what it wants, without my mind interfering so much.
And I naturally gravitate towards the most nutritious/easy to digest foods (all of which just happen to be on this diet! It's almost like the diet is just telling my mind what my body already knows.) It's great!

I will be sure to update my progress soon.

By the way, I have read through this forum and, RRM, you are so helpful and patient. It's very admirable and I really appreciate it. The book, the articles, and this forum are such a great source of information. Thank you!

[RRM]

Thank you for your very kind words, Gracie...

As it turns out, I really needed that yolk!

Thats what i thought, and hoped.
Im glad it worked.

Slowly chewing like this works very well and feels "gentle" on my stomach.

Yes, it pre-digests the starch into simple sugars,
so that the stomach does not have to deal with the starch.

In general, I'm doing very well on this diet and my body feels happy.

Good, could you please keep us updated?

I'm even thankful that my digestion was causing problems

I totally understand; as im thankful for being extremely susceptible to acne.
Without it, there is so much that i would not have learned about my body,
and about life (dealing with acne, and learning about whats really important)

[Oscar]

Good to read things are going well
Egg yolks are indeed really amazing.

[gracie]

Yes, they are

Going strong on the diet...will post my experience soon (I want to be very detailed)!