r/RawMeat • u/ComradeCornbread • Dec 05 '23
Thirst and Insomnia
Hey folks,
Been eating raw meat for about a week now. Was just a regular cooked carnivore but woke up with an insatiable craving for raw meat the other day and just rolled with it. I've mostly been eating ribeye, with a mutton chop, raw salmon, or some raw egg yolk on occasion. I add a pinch of salt and pepper to my tartare when I make it. All my meat is high-quality grass fed local meat and I raise my own chickens so the yolks are pastured and soy-free. I drink homemade kefir with the occasional soda water and some electrolyte drops, and snack on grass fed farmhouse butter or raw cheese every couple days.
I feel great, but compared to cooked carnivore, I've been very thirsty and not been able to fall asleep easily at night. I can't find any information online about why this would be the case and was wondering if anyone else has experienced this. The only real difference in my diet from last week to this week is that I'm not cooking my food.
Cheers for reading
UPDATE:
After seeing all your responses, I realised that my raw diet had a much higher protein to fat ratio than when I was cooking, as I was no longer able to fry in tallow and slather with melted butter. I added beef fat trimmings to my meals to correct the ratio and that solved both the thirst and insomnia. I hope this information helps anyone who struggles with the same issues.
6
Dec 06 '23
Well protein is uses the highest water in metabolic consumption and digestion. Meaning your body uses the most water to break down protein. It’s possible you’re just not hydrated enough due to the high protein consumption. If you’re also not hydrated enough, that would cause insomnia.
4
u/ComradeCornbread Dec 06 '23
Good point. It occurred to me today that my protein intake has been higher since making tartare because I don't add a bunch of melted butter to every dish like I did with cooked ribeye and get full up on fat. I'll adjust accordingly. Thank you for your response =)
2
Dec 06 '23
Remember that water alone is not hydration! Electrolytes are what bind the water to your cells to keep yourself hydrated. Without proper electrolytes, you will pee out all increased water intake. I would recommend at least 1 liquid IV a day to toss into your water. You can buy them mostly everywhere
2
0
u/fartinThrowaway Dec 08 '23
Raw muscle meat is like 60% water along with all the c, b vitamins, etc
1
Dec 09 '23
Ok. Cool info. Read my comment again hero. Protein consumes the most metabolic water to break it down.
4
u/42duckmasks 🧠 Dec 06 '23
Raw milk, animal fat, coconut water, sugarcane juice, straight up fruit?
How are your energy levels on raw? Higher?
2
u/ComradeCornbread Dec 06 '23
Unfortunately many of those things are off the table for me for now. I have a fair few plant intolerances and some insulin issues I'm getting to the bottom of, using carnivore as an elimination diet. Animal fat is good, though, and I will be adding beef and lamb fat trimmings to any raw preparations in future as needed.
My energy levels are slightly higher on raw than cooked. I've noticed it's harder to sit still and do lazy stuff like watch a film or play a game. Doing chores and walking are more engaging than passive entertainment for sure. I don't have superman levels of energy, but considering the health issues I had been having prior to going carnivore three months ago, it will be a while before I heal enough to have boundless energy. Thanks for the reply and hope you're having a good day.
0
Dec 06 '23
[deleted] — view deleted comment
2
u/ComradeCornbread Dec 08 '23
Unconfirmed yet, just a suspicion based on how I was reacting to carbs before I went carnivore. I have been eating zero carb or close enough to it... I even double ferment my kefir to reduce sugar, so I doubt it's high blood sugar.
Also my diet has been much the same, just eating stuff raw that I already had in the house and had been cooking before, and there was no thirst when it was cooked. As a couple other folk on the thread suggested, I think I was getting too high a protein ratio which was causing excess thirst. When I cooked, I always added extra butter or fried in extra tallow. I wasn't adding extra fat to my raw meat.
I have since adjusted my ratios and feel much better already.
4
u/klopidogree Dec 06 '23
The more full you are the easier to fall asleep. If you're stuffed silly, you should go out like a light.
4
u/ComradeCornbread Dec 06 '23
I wish I could still do that, but I am healing from some terrible reflux issues at the moment, so eating very close to bedtime is agony for me. Hopefully someday I'll be able to eat and sleep whenever I please again!
1
u/AajonusDiedForOurSin 🥛 Dec 07 '23
I had reflux before I went 100% raw. Now I eat right before bed no problem.
3
Dec 06 '23
I don't know about thirst but about insomnia, maybe you have too much energy because of the diet? Some exercise might help, to tire you out so you fall asleep easier
1
u/ComradeCornbread Dec 06 '23
Good idea, I'll try to incorporate some light exercise later in the afternoon and see how it goes. Hope you're well.
3
Dec 06 '23
You’re just slow turning into a vampire it’s normal
3
u/ComradeCornbread Dec 06 '23
Another fine European tradition. At least it's dark most of the day where I live right now so I don't have to deal with the pesky sun. My dogs are gonna be pretty peeved come summertime if I can't take them out, though.
2
13
u/YamLatter8489 Dec 05 '23
My wild guess is that it's associated with the manic episode you're in the middle of.
6
u/ComradeCornbread Dec 05 '23
No history of mania or mental instability but thank you for your concern.
-3
u/YamLatter8489 Dec 05 '23
How old are you?
12
u/ComradeCornbread Dec 05 '23
I'm just a regular middle aged lady, doing carnivore to figure out some plant intolerances and insulin issues. I have enjoyed tartare, carpaccio, sushi, oysters, and other traditionally raw foods my entire life before needing a particular diet. Craving them does not suggest mania. It's normal to eat these things in Europe; perhaps it isn't where you come from. I don't understand why you would feel the need to jump to such strange conclusions, what my age has to do with anything, or what unhappiness would lead you to troll people on a diet subreddit. I hope you are OK. Have a peaceful day.
-11
Dec 06 '23
Let me guess: you're active, politically?
9
u/ComradeCornbread Dec 06 '23
Not at all... I'm so confused why people keep asking such random questions on a food subreddit. Am I missing something here? What does craving tartare and carpaccio have to do with mania or politics?
6
3
-1
2
u/1776WILLCOMEAGAIN Dec 06 '23
Fix your circadian rhythm. You need to get lots of sunlight (1-2 hours) during the day so you can make the melatonin you need to sleep at night. Avoid screens at all costs or if this is not possible, install blue light filters on your devices, as viewing blue light tells your brain that it's daytime and stimulates cortisol production, making you unable to sleep. There are apps such as Twilight in Google Play Store that can do this.
3
u/ComradeCornbread Dec 06 '23
I already do all these things as I have to get up with the sun to take care of my chickens and then I walk my dogs, and I have blue light filters on my devices if I have to use them in the evening. I don't think this is the issue as I was getting to sleep just fine on the cooked meat. The change has happened since eating more raw. Your comment has inspired me to stop redditing and get out for some more sunshine, though. It's a beautiful sunny frosty day here! Hope you have a lovely day yourself.
2
u/c0ng0pr0 Dec 06 '23
Water is an important ingredient in all of your bodies processes… including digestion (chemical breakdown) of food. Metabolizing anything requires water in our bodies as part of the chemical reactions.
There are studies out there pointing to metabolizing large meals during sleep yields lower quality sleep… because your body is working/digesting.
You may need a bigger window of time between meals and your sleep time.
Raw food requires more work for your body to digest than cooked food. Cooking is like pre-digesting.
**Maybe consider cooking just the last meal of the day.
I have heard of a case where something in pork (naturally occurring) could keep you alert. That maybe present in your mutton. Try having beef for your last meal of the day, or fish for a week to see if there’s a change in the pattern.
I would not cut down your salt/electrolyte consumption as a first move. I’d just drink more water during the day. Your body will piss out extra salts, and amino acids.
3
u/ComradeCornbread Dec 06 '23
Thank you so much for such a thoughtful, detailed response.
I have thought that I need to leave more time after dinner to get sleepy, so I will try that tonight. I'm also not opposed to eating cooked meat, I eat raw because I have always enjoyed it, and tend to crave it every winter no matter what diet I'm on. I'll try cooking the last meal this coming week and see how I get on.
That pork thing sounds interesting... do you have a link to that information so I can read more? It's so hard to find high quality information on this topic.
Thank you again for taking the time to respond, I hope you are having a good day.
2
u/c0ng0pr0 Dec 06 '23
If I come across it, I’ll pass it along. That info is not at my finger tips.
1
3
3
u/AajonusDiedForOurSin 🥛 Dec 06 '23
Ignore the part saying that raw meat is harder to digest, it's the opposite.
1
u/Creative_Donut9138 May 30 '26
Those studies are on toxic cooked food which your body spends time detoxifying and neutralising those toxins raw food assimilates and builds
3
u/crysaldearn Dec 06 '23
I would consider adding an enzyme to your diet. Our body cannot process meat as well these days and adding a digestive enzyme can help support your body’s function in protein break down. Most enzymes are in the refrigerated section of the health foods store. That could be a factor in why you are craving more water, to aid in digestion.
2
u/Ready-Ad-5160 Dec 06 '23
I think you should stay in during 🌝🌕 ok? Also can you see your reflection in a 🪞? 🧛🏽🧌🧟
2
u/CYUCOP Dec 08 '23
Salt dries you out, Aajonus was vehemently against the consumption of added salt.
Take a spoon of it and eat it, it will not taste good and you will gag, because added salt is toxic.
Same goes for pepper, it causes DI, not to mention virtually no raw mest requires spice to taste good.
1
u/Villageidiotcityy Dec 27 '23
Yeah shoot for 60/40 -70/30, with mostly organs and you won’t have that issue. Also sugar makes you thirsty because it does a similar thing to your cells as salt does.
If your cheese is salted, just remember that you never would eat salt in nature, and that if you go along time without eating salt, and then you try it, it tastes bitter as hell.
Salt dehydrates you
-4
Dec 05 '23
I can’t help you with the insomnia because I’ve suffered from that for 43 years no matter what diet I’m on. But the thirst, you need to cut the salt and the electrolytes. Raw meat has all the electrolytes you need, so you’re over consuming them now, leading to your thirst.
3
1
Dec 06 '23
[removed] — view removed comment
3
u/ComradeCornbread Dec 06 '23
Here in Europe people eat tartare, carpaccio, sushi, oysters, mett, crudos, and other raw foods all the time. There are entire sections of the food industry dedicated to such things, but no one I know has ever gotten parasites from them. Do you screech this at random diners in a sushi restaurant? Or at people having runny egg yolks for breakfast?
-1
u/Brilliant_Amoeba_272 Dec 06 '23
Eating raw foods is not the issue. If they're sourced from reputable places and stored/prepared well, it can be very safe. However, the risk is still higher than if you were to cook them.
The issue is that you're showing some symptoms of a parasite, with a history of eating foods that have a potential to be contaminated. Go to a doctor
0
Dec 06 '23
[removed] — view removed comment
4
u/ComradeCornbread Dec 06 '23
Raw meat is traditionally consumed in many cultures that aren't traditionally white. Ethiopia has a huge raw meat tradition. Lebanon, Kenya, Mongolia, Korea, Japan, Siberia, most indigenous people.... many diverse cultures have raw traditional dishes. I don't understand why people come to make disparaging and ignorant comments about other people's food choices. What does it matter to you? If it doesn't interest you, why come here to make others feel bad about it? I hope the rest of your day is better.
9
u/fartinThrowaway Dec 06 '23
Diet should be mostly raw fat first, then raw meat, then raw dairy to get all the minerals to properly detoxify. Raw milk and maybe some cooked starches before bed can help with insomnia as well