First: The Bad and the Ugly
Today I felt really bad. I had a stitch in my side for hours. The kind that makes you press in on your side so you can breathe without pain. I am getting tired of these problems. I feel that all this fiber is wreaking havoc with my insides. I don't remember how long it took me to get used to a high fiber diet the last time I lost weight, but I remember that eventually I was absolutely fine and ate high-fiber every day. Of course I ate a lot of cheese, too. The raw cheese I'm eating this time around isn't helping. I don't want to take medicine- I've been 99% medicine free since I started raw (I say 99% because I'm pretty sure I took pain medication one night in January when I had a lot of back pain). I don't want to start taking Pepto Bismol or Immodium at this point, but I sure was tempted to. In fact, I was tempted to drink hot water, too, thinking it might soothe me. Does anyone have any advice for me? How can you not eat high fiber when you eat raw? I'm stymied. And I'm starting to feel like I have IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). It's no fun at all.

OK- NOW FOR THE PHOTO
Before things got really bad last year, my blood pressure was never higher than 120 over 80, even at my highest weight of 358 lbs in 1998. But last year it started creeping up. The last time I checked it at the grocery store, the systolic was in the 130's and the diastolic was in the 90's. That really scared me and was one of the the experiences that moved me towards eating raw.

Well, as you can see by the picture above, eating raw has made a definite improvement in my blood pressure. 118 over 74! I know my pulse rate is too high, but that will improve; more and more I'm thinking of moving - walking, stretching, anything. When I was in a bad mood a few days ago, I wanted to go for a walk to clear my head. Today when I had a second store to go to in the same plaza, I considered walking there rather than driving (it was too far, really). But still... I think these are signs that my body is telling me it's time to start getting some exercise. I'm thinking of starting slowly by walking on a track. Maybe I'll start this week!

TODAY'S MEALS (I still can't quite make it to 32 points!)

BREAKFAST
Spinach salad AGAIN (I'm on a kick)
10 points

LUNCH
5 medjool dates
6 points

DINNER
Spinach salad with bulgar
12 points

SNACKS
(none)

TOTAL POINTS: 28