Anyone who's tried any sort of a cleanse or detox is probably well aware that detox symptoms feel a lot like actual sickness symptoms. You will very possibly experience diarrhea, gas, headache, lightheadedness, and irritability when entering a cleanse and unless you know what you're getting yourself into, it can be hard to tell whether or not something is actually wrong.

Raw foodist Nomi Shannon did an interview with Renegade Roundtable, touching specifically on this problem. She talked about the Hippocrates Health Institute in West Palm Beach, Florida, where people can go for a "raw retreat." Shannon mentioned that, on the fifth day of each cycle of visitors, everyone would be angry, hating their roommates and feeling irritable.

This is why she recommends following a program, either attending something like what the Hippocrates Health Institute offers or using a good book that describes the different phases of your cleanse and gives you a bit of guidance. If your body isn't accustomed to tons of raw fruits and veggies, you're going to feel different for a few days if that's all you're eating. But, of course, if you're really not feeling well, you should certainly contact your doctor. There's no point in taking chances!

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Bethany recently told us about a woman who lost an incredible amount of weight by adhering to a raw diet, and Jacki has gone over some of the pros and cons concerning this way of eating. I have to say that a raw diet (where foods are eaten in their natural state and not heated over 115 degrees) has never really appealed to me, but a recent article piqued my interest a bit.

Stefania at Tonic News writes a column called Normal Green, where she talks about ways everybody can live a little greener. And, as we know, green often applies to diets and overall health. This week's article was about how, every once in a while, she follows a raw diet for just a week and it really makes her feel great. And come on -- I can follow just about any diet for a week!

She recommends this cookbook for newbies, which I think would be a great way to ease into this way of eating. The diet, at least done in moderation, certainly provides good things for your body and can help you lose weight. Would you give it a try? I'm starting to think that I just might!

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Carol Alt might be a world-famous model, but she insists she's never been comfortable with her body. She says she was a heavy kid -- in fact, her sister is a plus-size model -- and even at 20 years old, she was tremendously uncomfortable with posing in a bathing suit.

Now, at 47 years old, she's decided to pose for Playboy -- kind of a big change, right?. So what's changed? Mainly, her diet. Alt is a raw food devotee, and says that it's the reason she looks (and feels) as great as she does. She's even written a book about eating raw.

"In reality, at my age, to know that I have come to such a point, where I am comfortable enough with my own body after 12 years of eating raw ... is an amazing miracle in itself," said Alt. "I want to enlighten other people to the fact that as they age, they don't have to start feeling worse about themselves -- getting tired, getting moody, getting fat and becoming ill," adding that her purpose in posing nude is to get people talking about her message, which is "eat healthy, look healthy, and be healthy." Well, this certainly is getting people talking!

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At 300 pounds, Angela Stokes had no interest in dieting. Then a friend lent her a book about a raw food diet. The next day, Angela quit eating anything animal-based, cooked, or processed and eventually, she lost 160 pounds.

What is a raw food diet? People who choose this style of eating choose whole foods in their natural form. Losing weight on a raw food diet makes sense; once you rid your diet of processed foods and depend mainly on fruit, vegetables, nuts, and seeds for nutrition, it's hard to overeat.

Though a raw food diet is rich in vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants, nutritionists don't agree that it's necessary for good health. Though raw foodies believe cooking destroys nutrients in food -- and their correct in that belief -- so do the acids in your stomach. But we could all do better by ourselves by including more plant foods in our diet. Angela herself says that beginners can start with eating 50% raw foods, and even if you can't get past that point, she thinks you'll still be doing well by yourself.

I could never go completely raw myself, but I am working hard at eating more fruits and vegetables every day. But I also know that fish and eggs are an important part of my diet, and eating the occasional piece of fresh baked bread just makes me happy. What about you? Could you survive on a raw diet?

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Scrutinizing the way you eat is a good thing. Wondering where your food comes from and how it's produced is a good thing too. Filling up on fresh, wholesome, food is an excellent way to get the nutrients you need and maintain your weight. But when concern over food issues goes too far, it can actually be detrimental to your health.

Orthorexia is defined as an "obsession with healthy or righteous eating". An orthorexic may spend hours thinking and planning their next meal, whether it be organic, raw, macrobiotic, etc. They may become agitated when faced with a situation where they don't have control over what's being served. When they do break and eat something off-plan, they may feel like their bodies are being poisoned by the offending food.

It's not clear whether orthorexia should be categorized as an eating disorder or a form of obsessive-compulsive disorder, but either way, orthorexics can put their health at risk by severely limiting the nutrients in their diet. As eating foods that are not conventionally processed becomes more of a mainstream behavior, health experts are seeing more cases of orthorexia cropping up, especially among celebrities.

How much do you obsess about what you eat? Has it ever become a problem for you?

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