I could never be a professional actor!!!! I spent last weekend being filmed for a documentary based on my life and the subject of this blog--living well with MS. Don't get me wrong. It was a lot of fun. I have great friends who served as "extras" and were my back up. The film crew was great. They kept us fed and fueled with coffee. There were a lot of laughs. But, that would be a tough job to do every day.
The purpose of the documentary is what I write about. Living well with the disease, not letting it take over and destroy your life. I told the story how I see it. I know how hard it is to get through this disease. I know how tough it is to figure out what you are going to do to make everything work--job, family...managing it all while feeling pretty bad. But I also know how to get out of the depths of despair. You have to find what gives you strength so that you can continually be moving forward. My strength comes from my wife, my faith, and a good run on a regular basis. Not to mention being blessed to work really hard at a job I love.
We have been working on some nutritional aspects of our life to improve it. There is not a lot of research about nutrition. But a lot of people are talking about it. Whatever name tag you put on it....gluten seems to be a big culprit for a lot of people. Another thing being investigated--and there is actually a study going on--is all grain--"paleo" diet. I haven't started with that. I have a little bit of mental reservation--I love my oatmeal for breakfast. But, it might have to change.
For now, I am healthy, MS not withstanding. I feel good. With the diet changes I have made so far, I can feel more of my feet and my handwriting is starting to improve. It is a start. For everyone, keep trying to find what is going to make your life better. Maybe you can't go run. Go for a walk in the sunshine . Dance in the kitchen with your wife. Whatever you do, do SOMETHING. It will start changing your life.
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Monday, February 10, 2014
Nutritional treatment
Anyone who knows me knows that I am serious about nutrition being part of management of this (and any other) disease. For many years, Amy and I have been avoiding the additives and processed foods--things like high fructose corn syrup, nitrates, and foods with ingredients we can't pronounce or identify. The second step in this has been switching to organic milk and meat. I am allergic to three classes of antibiotics. Somehow, I am not allergic to the penicillins, which is the most common allergy. Large scale farming uses antibiotics both to protect against infections in over-crowded and dirty environments and as a growth promoter. I also know people who have developed allergies in reaction to exposure from meat and milk and who have antibiotic allergies and have allergic reactions to commercial meat and milk. Based on these things we have decided to use only organic milk, eggs, and meat (we only eat chicken). Most of our vegetables are coming from the CSA or are organic. "Round-up ready" anything scares me.
Now for the next phase of this. When I was first diagnosed with MS, a friend told me about someone she knew who had managed his disease by adopting a gluten free diet. I tried it. But, I am not sure I did it right. It was a lot harder 15 years ago. But, nothing explains or treats the peripheral neuropathy that I have in my hands and feet. There is something called "non-celiac gluten sensitivity." It causes peripheral neuropathy. So, it is time to go back to nutrition. We have adopted a gluten free diet. At the same the, we are not switching one for another. We didn't eat a lot of pasta, snack foods, and bread before. Just when we have them, we are going without gluten.
A lot of the recipes we are finding and trying are listed as "paleo." That makes things easier because it isn't adding back in some sort of alternative grain.
Ultimately, the diet we are doing is one that makes us feel healthier. We have eliminated the processed stuff. We are eating more vegetables. Leaving off the heavier stuff for dinner--especially since dinner is usually about 9:30pm when I get home from work. Amy is learning to make challah. Two attempts and the second was definitely better.
This is part of how I have always lived with my MS. Years ago I asked my doctor about diet. He said there was no supporting evidence, but if it made me feel better, go ahead. This is one I disagree with him about. There haven't been any formal studies done, but there is too much information about how people have improved and a lot of information about some of the stuff we are putting into our bodies and calling "food." If I get back even half of the feeling in my hands and feet, I will never look back.
Now for the next phase of this. When I was first diagnosed with MS, a friend told me about someone she knew who had managed his disease by adopting a gluten free diet. I tried it. But, I am not sure I did it right. It was a lot harder 15 years ago. But, nothing explains or treats the peripheral neuropathy that I have in my hands and feet. There is something called "non-celiac gluten sensitivity." It causes peripheral neuropathy. So, it is time to go back to nutrition. We have adopted a gluten free diet. At the same the, we are not switching one for another. We didn't eat a lot of pasta, snack foods, and bread before. Just when we have them, we are going without gluten.
A lot of the recipes we are finding and trying are listed as "paleo." That makes things easier because it isn't adding back in some sort of alternative grain.
Ultimately, the diet we are doing is one that makes us feel healthier. We have eliminated the processed stuff. We are eating more vegetables. Leaving off the heavier stuff for dinner--especially since dinner is usually about 9:30pm when I get home from work. Amy is learning to make challah. Two attempts and the second was definitely better.
This is part of how I have always lived with my MS. Years ago I asked my doctor about diet. He said there was no supporting evidence, but if it made me feel better, go ahead. This is one I disagree with him about. There haven't been any formal studies done, but there is too much information about how people have improved and a lot of information about some of the stuff we are putting into our bodies and calling "food." If I get back even half of the feeling in my hands and feet, I will never look back.
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