Hi Fiona,

Welcome to this list. This is a GREAT list - totally great. Nice people,
good common sense, helpful intelligent discussions, honesty, lots of
good information, years of experience, lotsa great stuff.

  Since then, after travelling etc, I've slipped back
> into mainstream eating, except that I don't feel good at all, I feel tired,
> drained and moody.

Just a few thoughts -
Lots of factors have to do with how you feel. How old are you? How many
years has it been since the diet change? Are you active or more
sedentary than you were? Has your sleeping changed at all? Is stress
different in any way? Relationship things going on, or different than
they were? Has your memory changed history in your mind? (sometimes
people think things were better in the past than they actually were).

 I'm trying to get back into the raw thing again, but
> it's not so easy this time - there's a part of me which is almost afraid of
> giving up the junk, and of feeling energetic and clear-headed again.
Most people are afraid of this, especially in countries like the US
where we're so heavily addicted to mind-numbing substances and habits
and distractions. Don't worry - you're in good company!! :-) (if that's
any consolation. At least you can benefit from the experience from loads
and loads of other people who face the identical problems).

> The hardest thing is doing without carbohydrates, which I read
> somewhere is something your body craves when it needs a seratonin hit.  Can
> anyone recommend ways of avoiding carbo cravings, or suggest a raw food
> which placates them?

Go slow - no urgency. Cut back slowly - cut out one item at a time, for
a week or two weeks, then the next, etc. If you need the full-belly
feeling, try starchy vegetables to feel filled, as you're 'weaning'
yourself from bread or rolls or noodles or whatever you're trying to
avoid (I'm assuming you're meaning wheat things) (like sweet potatoes,
regular potatoes, peas, lentils, rice, squashes, stuff like that, that
is more what we used to call 'rib-sticking' food - heavier food) - to
help get over the hump.

Anyway - lots of good info available on this list. Have you looked over
the archives? They're great.

Love, Liza

[log in to unmask] (Liza May)