Hey chubbsey1,
It's been awhile since you posted this. How's it going? Are you still on Atkins? Or did you decide to try the Engine 2 diet?
I guess there aren't many low-carbers-turned-vegan around here. I'm a near-vegitataian-turned-meat-eating-low-carber, but since I love raw foods, I thought I'd respond.
My low-carb plan, Dr. Mercola's Total Health Plan, encourages raw nuts and seeds, raw dairy products, raw vegetables, raw fruits (in controlled portions), raw eggs, and rare/raw beef and fish. Consuming these foods often, while continuing to eat a smaller amount of cooked foods (i.e. chicken, bone broth), gives me much more energy than a fully cooked food diet.
I'm going to tell you a little bit more about Dr. Mercola's plan, because I've a feeling it might be a good fit for you. It's different that most low-carb plans, as it incorprates metabolic, or nutritional, typing. There are three Types: Protein, Mixed, and Veggie. The Protein and Mixed Types require animal flesh in their diets to thrive. The Veggie Type may do well as a vegetarian, but Dr. Mercola doesn't recommend any of the types go vegan, as he says,
"this is an absolute prescription for disaster."
I'm a Protein Type, and as much as I enjoy some Veggie Type foods, they just don't make me feel well. Now, I'm the only person I know personally who has tried Nutritional Typing, so I have no clue whether it works for everyone (unlikely, eh?). But supposing it does, I'd guess that you could be a Veggie or Mixed Type. In that case, Dr. Mercola writes, "If you [referring to a Veggie Type] followed an Atkins Diet you might improve initially but eventually your system would break down because it required far more carbohydrate."*
So, don't let fear keep you from enjoying raw vegetables, fruits, and nuts. If you feel great on them, that's probably your body saying, "Thank you! These are the foods I was starving for!"
Below are a few articles you might find helpful.
-- *The second quote above was taken from this article:
Modify Your Diet So You Feel Teriffic by Dr. Joseph Mercola
-- Here are the food charts for the
Protein Type ,
Mixed Type , and
Veggie Type .
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Enzymes by Sally Fallon and Mary G Enig, PhD
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Strict Vegan Diets May Be Dangerous by Chet Day
--
The Raw Forum over at Mercola.com, might be of interest. It's fairly inactive right now, but there are some discussions, particularly those in which Traditional Nateuropath Glen Depke answers questions, I've found helpful.
Wishing you the best of health!