I want to keep an eye on some health observations as I go through this change.

* I went off the Metformin that was prescribed for my PCOS/lifetime irregular menstrual cycles. Within a few days I felt like my chest was lighter. I took the medicine just to see if it would work (it did), so now I know I have a problem with insulin resistance (even though I'm not diabetic). While on the medicine, however, I developed some bad heart palpitations and a heaviness in my chest. I was sent to a cardiologist who told me that the heart murmur and mild mitral valve prolapse I was always told that I had was actually a moderate (as in medium, not mild) mitral valve *regurgitation* and not a prolapse. Eventually, based on everything I've read, my heart should tire of working so hard and just one day give up. There is an operation that is being done to connect the mitral valve so that it doesn't allow the blood to keep flowing back into the upper chamber. Anyway, I am convinced that even though I was born with a heart valve problem, it wasn't anything major until I started taking that Metformin. I feel, already, that my heart isn't feeling as sick as it was on that medicine.

* My menstural cycles were only regular while on the Metformin, so I'm going to be keeping an eye on how things go as I transition to a completely raw diet. I am seriously thinking of seeing a naturopath to possibly help me with the insulin resistance problem that is causing my irregular cycles.

* My eyes are often dry and my vision is getting worse. Things are blurry now, so much so that it is obvious that something isn't working right with my eyes. Bright lights, and sometimes even just normal lighting, send a sharp pain into my head. When I went raw in the past, my vision cleared up. I'm hoping that happens again. Also, my eye color changed after taking medicine (from a yellow/green to a brownish/dull green). I also have a lot of specks and lines that are very obvious in my eyes. I hope I wind up with clear, bright green eyes after going raw!

* I sometimes get those bumps on the backs of my upper arms. I know they are linked with not enough omega 3s, so I've been adding flax oil to my salads to see if that helps. It could also be from some other deficiency that I'm not aware of at this moment.

* I get ingrown toenails a lot, even if I don't cut my nails too short. I'm hoping that raw foods will somehow magically cure that, too! :-D

* My hair is thinning, but that's probably from the PCOS/insulin resistance. I hope eating raw will be able to keep everything balanced so that the PCOS goes away and I have healthy hair again.

* My skin is getting a lot of wrinkles on my face and my hands are looking older to me.

* I have what is called, I think, a ganglion cycst in the middle of the lower part of my arm. I had a doctor feel it once, when it was very small, and he sait it wasn't anything to be concerned about. It has gotten bigger, but not so big that you can see it through the skin, without feeling for it. I hope that shrinks and goes away as I become healthier. I have a feeling it came because that part of my arm was repeatedly being hit against the openeing of the dryer as I threw clothes into it. I'm more careful to not bump it, now.

* I have a problem with the rotary cuff in my right shoulder. When I was in my young 20s I was horse back riding and the horse and I got caught in some old barbed wire in a field. I didn't realize we were snagged and I kept making the poor girl continue climbing the hill, when the barbed wire was wrapped around her leg (and mine, but I didn't feel it at that point). She obeyed and ripped through it, herself, cutting her leg all up. I had run her so much earlier when we were out that she was all frothy--so, as the barbed wire grabbed tighter to my leg, the saddle slid to the right side and she kept going while the barbed wire pulled me to the ground (right down onto my right shoulder). It hurt for more than 6 months, but I never went to a doctor. The pain eventually faded, but now that I'm older the pain is back (off and on, but more often now than not). I hope somehow eating raw will help with this, as well. I think inflamation is what causes it to act up and cause pain. I think inflamation is also what causes my headaches and migraines. So, I hope raw foods will eliminate the inflamation and resulting pains.

* One hope I have is that as I naturally progress to being a healthy weight that my breast size will decrease.

* My ears are always congested. The only time they cleared up in the past 15 years, or so, was the last time I went raw. It was a remarkable difference--I could actually hear very well and I didn't feel like my ears were stuffed with cotton. My left ear is showing signs of clearing up lately--I think from all the salads and juicing we've been doing. It could also be from not eating as much wheat.

* I keep having a dull ache in my lower right side of my back. I saw a doctor about this about a year ago and he said it was probably arthritis and to not worry about it. I can't stand that doctor and I don't know why I haven't actively tried to find a better one. Anyway, I believe that area is where my liver is and that's what causes the ache sometimes. I should do some juicing for my liver for a few days to see if it helps. It's not a terrible ache, and it's only there sometimes, so I'm not overly concerned about it.

I'll add to this list as I remember other health concerns I may have that I forgot to mention here.

I'm not going to be putting up photos or information about my weight, until I am moving along with this and doing/feeling great. At that point I'll pull out some old photos and list my weight. For now, I can never forget the maximum amount that I ever saw on the scale. It scared me that I could ever get that heavy. I'm now 32 pounds less than that, but I have a lot more to lose before I am truly healthy and fit.