Raw Food Diet & Detox Symptoms

A raw food diet is a nutrition program in which less than 25 percent of the food that you consume is processed or cooked. The remaining 75 percent is eaten raw. Vegetarians and vegans prefer raw food diets, but others do it because they believe that a raw food diet will cleanse the body of toxins and will result in weight loss, higher energy and better overall health. If you undergo a raw food diet, you may experience detoxifying symptoms while your body adjusts to eating primarily raw food. If you experience severe symptoms that last longer than a few days, consult a doctor immediately. Always speak to a doctor prior to beginning a nutrition program.

Upset Stomach

When you follow a raw food diet for the first time, it is common to experience nausea and an upset stomach. This is due in part to the body working harder to digest food that is in a raw, unprocessed state. Try chewing your food slowly and drinking plenty of fluids.

Cravings

When you switch from a mainstream diet to one that only includes only raw and unprocessed foods, it is common to experience cravings, due in part to insufficient calorie intake, which can be addressed by adding more food to your diet. In addition, use approved raw foods to supplement the cravings, such as dried fruit for a sugar craving, tomatoes for salty cravings and avocados for a fatty food craving.

Low Body Temperature

When you follow a raw food diet, you often experience a drop in body temperature. This is a detox sign that typically passes as the body adjusts to the new lifestyle. It can be caused by the body using extra energy to digest the raw food, causing an overall drop in temperature to the rest of the body. Vigorous exercise, warm oil massages, warm showers and layers of clothing can help during the transition.

Headaches

Headaches are a common symptom when starting a raw food diet. This can be caused by eliminating stimulants such as caffeine or alcohol from the system, as well as the process of the body removing toxins and byproducts. The headaches should lessen in severity after a couple of days.