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Documenting my experience
On another thread I asked "is VA like oxalates in that when detox gets really overwhelming... can you increase the oxalates in the diet to calm down the rate of detox?" Is Michelle's post perhaps related to this question?
One of the differences between hubs and I is that hubs is a bear and I'm more of a string bean. It took him many more years than me to start having rosacea from a WAPF diet. Is that because he is better at storing VA away? Do most people become plump in middle age because their VA stores are just creeping up? Am I just not really able to be plump for some weird reason?
It also occurs to me that I'm suffering a bit less than some other posters here (on my lowish but not zero VA diet). Is that keeping my detox to a dull roar?
@ggenereux2014 I wish I could have posted something more positive about the low VA diet! You were so kind and supportive while I gave this a shot. I recall exchanging multiple emails with you, and I really appreciated your support and advice. I am very grateful to you, because up until finding your work, I had no hope that my body could heal itself. I just felt that I should share my experience in case others wanted to explore another path if they were not seeing results, especially since I took Accutane.
@wavygravygadzooks Thanks for your post! It does feel pretty amazing to have my life and health back. 🙂 I appreciate you being kind and curious in your response, as I was not sure how this info would be received on this site.
As far as why I believe this diet has worked for me... well, I no longer subscribe to the theory that Vitamin A is a toxin, especially not Vitamin A found in fresh fruits and vegetables. So it's a bit hard for me to answer your questions about "halting detox" and "nutrient deficiencies" as we have very different viewpoints. Very simply put, the conclusion I've come to over the last year and a half is that nutrition should be straightforward and intuitive. We are the only species on this earth that doesn't have a clue what our natural diet is! You shouldn't need a medical degree or the ability to dissect a scientific research paper to know what to put in your mouth.
That being said...the idea behind why this diet works is that I believe it is the natural diet for human beings. When properly nourished, the human body can detox and regenerate beautifully. Kind of like putting the proper gasoline in your car. If you really think about it, fruit is the only thing from nature that we can eat without any modifications or additives. Doesn't require cooking, seasoning, marinating, etc. Fruit is also extremely hydrating and full of structured, living water (remember, we are 70%+ water!). It digests quickly, provides plenty of calories (energy) and fiber, and leaves an alkaline ash in the body (our blood is slightly alkaline). The typical American diet (or even the low VA diet) is very cooked and "dead", and leaves the body acidic and dehydrated. On top of eating the wrong diet, we are fighting pharma drugs, pesticides, toxins in self-care products, vaccines...the list goes on and on...which just make the problem worse.
Another interesting thing I learned about on this lifestyle is the importance of the lymphatic system. If I remember correctly, I believe Grant was under the impression that the liver is the main organ of detoxification (I should remember this, as I read his books multiple times!). In any case, I no longer believe this to be true. The liver IS amazing - but it's more of a chemical processing factory. I believe the root of our detoxification system (aka immune system) is our lymphatic system. This is the third fluid in the human body, other than water and blood. You know that clear, thicker fluid you see when you pop a pimple? That's lymph fluid. We have 4x more lymph in our body than blood. It's an oil based system that essentially acts as our "sewer" system and takes out the trash. If you think about it, it doesn't make much sense that our blood would both feed and clean (detox) our cells. That would get pretty messy, no? I believe that the blood transports all of the nutrients to the cells from the foods we eat and the lymphatic system carries out the waste (both metabolic waste and toxins) - essentially, a 2-way highway. When your body get very dehydrated and acidic, this lymphatic system gets stagnant and toxins which should be eliminated get "stuck". In addition, the body produces mucus in response to foreign chemistry (foods) to protect itself - that mucus buildup also creates a sluggish lymphatic system. Enter disease, inflammation, degeneration, tumors, you name it. A fruit based diet essentially acts as an astringent - hydrating this lymph fluid and breaking up congested areas so that toxins can be flushed out (via the kidneys), all while feeding your blood all of the goodies your cells need.
I could go on and on but I know this is likely not the right audience... but you asked, so I'm answering. 🙂
To answer your question... on occasion I have "tested" myself and eaten something rather mellow like a bowl of rice and the reaction is always the same - I feel extremely dehydrated and "clogged up", likely from mucus production. Since I've been eating like this for close to 2 years, my body is very sensitive to "food" that isn't meant to be in my body. Sort of like smoking cigarettes - someone who has never smoked will cough violently after their first cigarette, but a seasoned smoker can smoke 2 packs a day with no reaction. The more toxic you are, the less of a "reaction" you have. In any case, I don't see this diet as a "detox phase" but a lifestyle. I have no desire to go back to any other diet, as I feel amazing on this one. And I'm not concerned about the "lack of protein" - in fact, I'm pretty sure protein is one of the biggest myths we've been fed (pun intended).
Just a note also that there are such varying degrees of both toxicity and genetic constitution - so some people can simply cut processed food out of their diet and see improvements, while others need to go all the way and eat the pure diet nature intended them to eat to heal. That's what makes diet and nutrition so complicated for humans (not to mention all of the propaganda and agenda out there). We don't know what deck of cards we're dealing with, so results are all over the place!
I'm supportive of anyone who has worked their way out of suffering, but I just wanted to share what I had learned on the other side of this diet. I love to learn and think, and I know we are all just searching for answers and want to live happy and healthy lives. 🙂
@lil-chick Some really interesting points! If you read my above post, you'll see that I don't like to get hung up in the details. I don't think bears (or any other animals) sit around and think about oxalates. 🙂 I like this diet because it just makes sense to me, without needing to obsess. These days you can find a scientific study to back up just about any viewpoint!
As far as my physical makeup... I have always been thin and able to eat SO MUCH FOOD without gaining weight. I always thought I was just blessed with a fast metabolism, but now I see it differently. I believe I had malabsopriton issues, likely due to all the garbage in my body. Initially on this diet, I lost weight as my body was breaking down and eliminating all of this old, toxic stuff. About a year into the diet, eating exactly the same (types of fruits and calories), my body started to magically gain weight again. I'm still thin (as I believe this is the way humans are naturally), but a very healthy thin. The cool thing is that my skin is more toned and tight, despite minimal working out. I'm in my late 30's and don't have a trace of cellulite or sagging skin. I also never burn in the sun. While I was doing the low VA diet, wrinkles had started to appear and my complexion was dull and weathered looking. Now, my skin glows and is perfect (something I'd never thought I'd say!). People often think I'm in my 20's. Not a bad side effect. 🙂
Hi @michele,
Actually, it’s all good. I think it is very important for us to know about the negative outcomes as much as the successful ones. We’ve clearly not gotten this low vA diet fully figured out. There’s still a lot to uncover and learn. People running into the detox setback cycle is a very big concern, and I don't think people should struggle through it.
I think it is great news that you’ve recovered your health. Thanks for taking this on and sharing your findings.
Did you have satiety issues, or any other issues really when starting your fruit diet? I'm wondering since many fruits (salicylates) generally exacerbates my issues. They create inflammation within my body. It could also be the fruits within an omnivore diet that's mainly the problem.
I didn't fall in love with the diet right away. Especially after being on so much red meat on the low VA diet, something I never consumed much in my life. Protein, while vital in the human body, is not actually a desired source of energy. In my opinion, we are high sugar creatures and fructose/glucose is what fuels us (fat as an energy source is a "back-up" - aka being in ketosis). However, we do get an adrenaline type "hit" from animal flesh (protein) that we consume (not to mention whatever other stimulants/antibiotics/hormones the animal was pumped up with during its life). So coming off meat can really hit you hard. I believe this plays into the satiety factor (not to mention the energy factor).
While fruit heals, it also exposes weaknesses. I didn't magically heal overnight - the first 6 or so months were bumpy. Inflammation is not a bad thing in my opinion - it's your body's response to toxins, acids, etc. Inflammation helps to create a more neutralizing environment (swelling = water, redness = more blood supply) for the body to break down and carry away toxins and bring the healing nutrients, electrolytes, etc to the scene. I went through many "inflamed" days and just trusted that my body knew what it was doing. We expect healing to be linear and quick and that's the furthest thing from the truth!
As you also mention, fruit is tricky when you combine it with other foods. Fruit digests very quickly - eat a few apples and they're digested in under an hour. On the other hand, a steak can take 48-72 hours (or more, depending on how congested you are). So if you eat a steak for dinner and then fruit for dessert, you're essentially creating a traffic jam. The fruit will then ferment which can create issues like candida. You'll also get issues combining fat with fruit (i.e. apple with almond butter, which was my fave!) as the fat will "sludge" the blood and interfere with fructose uptake.
If you are eating fruit on the low VA diet (I remember I ate apples and bananas a few months in, as I was craving fruit so badly), I'd suggest you have it as your first meal of the day and by itself. At least you will have had the night to digest what you had the rest of the day. Another thing to note is the importance of ripe fruit. Most of the fruit in grocery stores is pure trash - picked very unripe, transported thousands of miles, and then sprayed with a ripening agent (in addition to pesticides, wax, etc). I shop exclusively at farmer's markets and grow some of my own food. The quality of fruit makes all the difference.
To close the loop on your satiety question... I am perfectly fueled and satiated on this diet. It definitely took a bit of time for my body to get there, but when it did, it was a wake up call. OHHHH this is how you're supposed to feel! It's not the satiety I was accustomed to. I think we've come to recognize that mind-numbing feeling after a big "meat and potatoes" type meal as "satiety" when in reality it's not. It's just your body diverting all its energy to an overload of foreign chemistry it needs to digest and eliminate. Every day, I feel light, full of energy, clear-headed and my stomach is flat (no bloating or heaviness). I don't ever feel hungry - before this I was ravenous and needed to eat every four or so hours because I'd get headaches, light-headed and a growling stomach. Now I can go a whole day without eating if I need to (I obviously don't try to do this, but there are times when it happens). Another interesting thing is I don't drink a ton of water - I'm never really thirsty. I used to drink liters of water every day. I get most of my water from my diet, which I believe is optimal. If you watch animals in nature, none of them are walking around with Swell water bottles making sure they hit their water goal for the day. 🙂
Again, just sharing what my experience has been and what I have learned and believe. I don't intend to step on any toes here. Take away any info that is interesting to you, and ignore this if you disagree!
Quote from ggenereux on April 28, 2021, 9:48 amHi @michele,
Actually, it’s all good. I think it is very important for us to know about the negative outcomes as much as the successful ones. We’ve clearly not gotten this low vA diet fully figured out. There’s still a lot to uncover and learn. People running into the detox setback cycle is a very big concern, and I don't think people should struggle through it.
I think it is great news that you’ve recovered your health. Thanks for taking this on and sharing your findings.
Why? If it's a proper detox then the person will feel better after the detox period. I think the actual problem is that certain people do not distinguish between actual detox symptoms and people just feeling like shit because the diet is garbage. If a person has transient flu like symptoms, and then feel better than before those symptoms afterwards, it is detox. If somebody is having constant headaches, diarrhea, bodily pains, or any other kind of chronic problem, and these symptoms don't improve, and there is no kind of cycle to it, it's not detox at all. It's just the consequences of eating a poor diet.
@michele thanks for sharing your diet and healing information. I’m really fascinated. I’m very interested in structured water and the lymphatic system as I see them as vital for health. I always have fruit with my breakfast but will now start with the fruit I think, following your advice.
I think any diet that improves detoxification is going to help. The lymphatic system, the liver, the kidneys and the gut are all vital for this - working together - and I can see how a raw fruit based diet could be good for several aspects of this. Each person will have more or less issues with different aspects of the detox system so what works for one person may not work for another.
To me it does sound like a lowish vA diet as fruits are not a particularly high source of vA, although I’m not sure exactly what it includes. I think any diet that increases detoxification and does not include the highest sources of vA should be a healing diet. It’s all about balance. Less in, more out. My Dad had a phrase that my Mum used to tell him off about ‘there is more than one way to skin a cat’ (sorry I know horrible) but it comes into my mind when we talk about diets to heal from vA toxicity/Accutane.
what I eat... fruit, fruit and more fruit 🙂
It's honestly just that simple. I do eat seasonally, so the types of fruit change. And as I mentioned, only farmer's market produce or food from my own garden. It's amazing how incredible properly grown, picked-ripe fruit tastes. Plus it's so easy - no prep or cook time, just wash and eat! The ultimate fast food.
I usually eat 4x a day. A typical day might start with fresh squeezed OJ (about 1L), then a meal of 1 watermelon (yes, a whole one!), followed by a meal of 3-4 mangos, and then a meal of 2 lbs of grapes. This would be an example of an all-fruit day, and this is when I feel best. Sometimes I will add a green drink that I've juiced. Other times, I'll add a salad as my last meal, consisting of non-sweet fruit (cucumber, bell pepper, zucchini, tomato, avocado -- these are all technically fruits as they have seeds) and leafy lettuce. Very rarely I'll add nuts or seeds. The majority of my calories from my day always come from fruit. I know what you're thinking....oh my goodness, so much vitamin A! As I said in an earlier post, I threw that concern out the window a long time ago.
A fruit-based diet might sound restrictive, but then again, so is beef, rice and beans. This diet has forced me to find and try new fruit - and there's more variety than you think!