Has this Happened to You?

I have always loved fruits, salads & raw snacks & although not entirely Raw in my food choices, I can not remember ever being faced with digestive issues; a number of people have recently expressed to me their personal experiences & discomfort in trying to embrace more Raw Food into their Diet. I am told that digestive upsets can be an issue many people deal with on a regular basis and no one seems to want to talk about it, but it’s obviously very important. Digestion isn’t something any of us should be embarrassed about, nor is it apparently an uncommon issue. It’s essentially how our bodies turn food into fuel and how efficiently they do so. Digestive problems are apparently one of the top health problems in our society today with IBS being the number one gastrointestinal complaint.                                                                                                                       It would seem that a fair number of people deal with digestive struggles while transitioning to a plant-based diet, though most of the time these issues get better within a few weeks or months. Some people also transition perfectly and don’t struggle at all; everyone’s body is different & our emotions can play a vital role as well. As a sideline & perhaps "food for thought"....ask ourselves some poignant questions if we are having problems......one question could be..... what in our life are we having trouble accepting or in other words, digesting?                                                                       Gas and bloating may be due to eating too much fiber, while frequent bathroom trips are likely when the body is adapting to eating more fiber-rich, cleansing, natural foods versus animal foods. If you have bloating all the time, you may need to consider laying off the beans, legumes, and the fruits at first or simply minimise the amount of these foods you are eating at any given time.You may also consider eating more pseudograins (quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat or millet) versus typical grains. Although these foods are healthy, they can cause some bloating or fermentation in the digestive tract for many people, so see how they work for you. Smaller meals more frequently works for some so it may initially require some experimentation. Raw foods require more chewing & eating too quickly without adequate chewing can also add an extra burden for our digestive process. .
Be willing to make changes when necessary and give your body the support it needs. And remember that as the body is a cleaning house, it will take a little time to adjust. So allow yourself to find what foods work best for you initially and implement whatever you need. Emphasize easier-to-digest foods like lightly cooked vegetables and greens if necessary at first, smoothies, porridge, rice, coconut & avocado, root veggies & soups, and be sure you give your body enough healthy & natural fats, vitamins, and minerals. Probiotics & fermented foods are important for our digestive tract as they give the gut extra support, & I am aware that enzyme enriched green papaya has helped many with digestive issues. These challenges are fixable I believe, & need not be the excuse for returning to processed foods, meat & dairy.