Loose skin

I used to weigh over 20 stone. My first big weight loss was of 8 stone - about 10 years ago, and then in the last year or so, but turning vege then vegan, then cutting out processed sugar and finally by going raw further weight has dropped off me and I'm now around 9 1/2 stone.

It's taking me a while to get used to how my body looks. I'm not used to seeing ribs, shoulder blades and hip bones when I look in the mirror!

One thing that gets me down a bit is my loose skin. I am under half the weight I was throughout my teenage years and at that time my skin stretched beyond it's natural elasticity to cope with my size. I think I could fit at least two of me in the clothes I used to wear then...so now I have dry, loose skin with stretch marks all over my body - not just the usual places, like upper arms, tummy and bottom, but all over! My skin hangs off me. It is also often dry.

I used to slather it with cream, but have stopped that recently. I don't want to put more chemicals onto my skin. I skin brush ever other day but would really like to see some positive changes in the composition/softness/condition of my skin.

How can I encourage it to heal?

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Permalink Reply by Xenia on March 14, 2010 at 9:27pm

well i don't know if this is 100% correct yet as i am still noticing it and learning and i don't know if anyone else has noticed this but ...

I had dry skin on my hands and i wasn't eating many green leafy veges at all... as soon as i ate two nights in a row a big salad with lettuce in and one day a green smoothie with spinach, it seems to have gotten 100% better... not totally gone yet but much better...

I think this may be something to do with the essential fatty acids in greens??

anyone else noticed this and can help with some "scientific" type data/evidence??

hope this helps... I was just going to start a thread about the subject but thanks Alison for starting it for me!

xx

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Permalink Reply by Xenia on May 23, 2010 at 8:05pm

oh , just to update on this... I find that when i eat lots of oranges for lots of days in a row i get this dry skin on my hands... not sure how or why but it is definitely connected to the oranges... I am fine when i don't eat them everyday though...

x

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Permalink Reply by Alison Ottaway on May 23, 2010 at 9:31pm

Interesting. I've not had more than one day on oranges....yet! My dry hands are a lot better than they were - due partly to the weather warming and partly to an increase in greens and a small increase in my fat content.

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Permalink Reply by Xenia on May 23, 2010 at 9:37pm

Great to hear that you are going better ... Yes, obviously it has nothing to do with oranges for you...

I was surprised with the oranges thing... obviously not everyone gets this otherwise i suppose there would be heaps of threads about it but i definitely know it worked like that for me.. I read on another thread that we can develop sensitivities if we eat too much of one type of fruit for too long and that was why it was good to eat seasonally... This makes sense to me... Even though it was only half a season of oranges ( and i was also eating other fruits! but eating 4-7 oranges every day... ) that caused the dry skin for me..!

Glad to hear you are doing better though and best wishes in your continuing search!

x

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Permalink Reply by Rock on May 24, 2010 at 12:27am

The oils in orange skin (not other citrus from what I understand) is EXTREMELY carcinogenic. I won't get into it, a basic explanation of my 30 years looking into it would take 10 paragraphs.

I will sum up by saying, never drink commercial fresh OJ, as oils get into the drink, NEVER the press hand juicers, same reason, (I use spinning hand type, there are others that are probably fine).

I always have my oranges in a separate bag from any other produce and immediately throw the bag away (or use as trash liner). Never use an orange box for moving, I did once, the shirts and sweaters within that box caused severe rashes. (I'm the guy that never has rashes or bad skin).

BTW, same with bananas, the bananas are fairly benign, but the spider poison on them is deadly to some people. (Organic may have the same poison applied for transport, I do not think transport is covered or enforced on organic codes from out of country). After finding that 100% of the people that were allergic to bananas (as in so sick they cannot look at one after even years)--that they generally cut their banana in half to eat, or peeled completely to eat--were exposed to the poison, the miniscule amount that the knife blade dragged onto the cut edge, or the poison on their hands transfered back onto the banana, was enough to get the sensitive that sick...
Every one of them that I was able to convince to try again, with better handling, none were ever again sensitive to banana...
That understood, even though I an not at all reactive to that poison, I have my bananas in separate-from-all-other-groceries-and-toss-the-bag as well...and wash my hands well before eating.

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Permalink Reply by Rock on May 24, 2010 at 9:46am

Radiation kills cancer also....

But I've said my piece, there is so much more, but do not need to get in a pissing match, life is too short.

I believe your research quoted may be valid. Totally different point, many causes of one cancer will kill or inhibit another...one of the up front dilemmas of the practicing physicians--I hope I never have to go to one. (Trauma is a good reason to go to one)

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Permalink Reply by kt2 on March 14, 2010 at 9:47pm

aloe vera will help with the dry skin and its chemical free.

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Permalink Reply by Audrey Walker on March 14, 2010 at 10:00pm

Hi there,

I don't have any advice about the loose skin, but I noticed that when I am eating a bit too much raw fat I get very dry skin. When I drop all overt fats the dry skin goes away in a couple of days.

Also, coconut oil/butter is a wonderful, all natural moisturizer, as are shea butter and almond oil. You can buy all three at any health food store.

Blessings,

Audrey

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Permalink Reply by Alison Ottaway on March 14, 2010 at 10:07pm

I'm eating a lot of greens, having one green smoothie and one salad a day. My hands are very dry though as well - it's been a very cold winter here and I am affected by the cold tremedously. I'm sure if I could address the dryness it would help all over my body!

I've used some organic almond oil today all over - just would be nice not to have to do this.

Any more advice on the loose sking would be helpful.

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Permalink Reply by Julie on June 3, 2010 at 2:38am

ever thought of using a humidifier in your room at night? i find my skin is always much better when i am in a humid environment.

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Permalink Reply by Alison Ottaway on June 3, 2010 at 3:01am

It's quite humid where I am at the moment, but my skin isn't any better. Thanks for the suggestion though....

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Permalink Reply by Mini Rawvegan on March 14, 2010 at 11:34pm

I know that Angela Stokes has been asked about this during a question and answer session and she replied that MSM was helping a lot.
I do not know what the opinion on taking MSM is here but I know that a lot of raw foodists do so. Personally I found that even a little bit affected my sleep so I stopped taking it.