Associated symptoms like Vertigo/Eating issues/Lack of exercise

[Jemima]

For anyone who's struggling in getting to grips with what a healthy diet should consist of, Tosca Reno's book The Eat Clean Diet (extended edition, not the companion cook book!) is a pretty epic nutrition bible. Not only does she outline what constituted clean eating, but she goes into depth on what happens inside the body when we eat different things and what we require all the different micro and macro nutrients for. It's impressively comprehensive and easy to digest (ha!) She's also running a strike sugar drive at the moment, encouraging her followers to ditch the white stuff for better health on social media. Her own story is one of overcoming depression and ill health and climbing up through the sports industry in the US.

 

[JayCS]

strike sugar drive at the moment, encouraging her followers to ditch the white stuff

I haven't been that concerned about sugar myself as I've always known enough to keep it low for 40 years, using at most products with raw/unrefined cane (or other) sugars and never adding. But there are quite a few documentaries etc. on "sugar addiction" that'd I'd binge watch to make myself sick of it if I did.... From what I've heard it's even more of a plague in the US than elsewhere? Addiction not meant as a downlplaying joke (like I used to say music is my drug), but it's a drug comparable to other drugs and does serious unnecessary damage.

 

[Jemima]

I haven't been that concerned about sugar myself as I've always known enough to keep it low for 40 years, using at most products with raw/unrefined cane (or other) sugars and never adding. But there are quite a few documentaries etc. on "sugar addiction" that'd I'd binge watch to make myself sick of it if I did.... From what I've heard it's even more of a plague in the US than elsewhere? Addiction not meant as a downlplaying joke (like I used to say music is my drug), but it's a drug comparable to other drugs and does serious unnecessary damage.

I think it's just that not everyone grows up with a strong sense of what good nutrition looks like. And then glitzy advertising and enticing product packaging lead people to make bad choices unaware. For those who don't know their way around this stuff but want to change, it can be difficult know where to start, let alone which grocery aisles to avoid! I think learning what our bodies do with the nutrients we ingest - understanding what feeds our skin, what supports brain health, what rejuvenates muscle tissue, what protects against cancer, what helps our cells generate energy etc. can help people shift their relationship with food in a much more permanent way than simply following a diet protocol! You are blessed with a curious mind That certainly helps.

 

[JayCS]

which grocery aisles to avoid! ......... blessed with a curious mind

Now that's a brill description. Even in my organic food stores it's like I peep around corners and say: No. No. NOOO! I know I need raw veg (& apples) at the front, soy (& dairy / alternatives) at the side, then olives, none of the drinks or salty or sweet stuff and then on my way back I can leave out most of the aisles except beans (#4), gluten-free muesli, nuts (#2) and soy flakes (#1), 1 70% dark chocolate a week....
Curious mind in more ways than one ...

 

[Jemima]

I peep around corners and say: No. No. NOOO!

Curious mind in more ways than one ...

You just made me snort my coffee

 

[Martha04]

Thank you for your advice, much appreciated.

 

[Martha04]

Wow Sotip, I didn’t know re the research and possible connection with Alzheimer’s. that’s really motivated me to kick the sugar habit, thanks for sharing x

 

[Martha04]

For anyone who's struggling in getting to grips with what a healthy diet should consist of, Tosca Reno's book The Eat Clean Diet (extended edition, not the companion cook book!) is a pretty epic nutrition bible. Not only does she outline what constituted clean eating, but she goes into depth on what happens inside the body when we eat different things and what we require all the different micro and macro nutrients for. It's impressively comprehensive and easy to digest (ha!) She's also running a strike sugar drive at the moment, encouraging her followers to ditch the white stuff for better health on social media. Her own story is one of overcoming depression and ill health and climbing up through the sports industry in the US.

Thanks Jemima, that’s good to know.

 

[Creola17]

Yes changing your diet is key. I changed my diet right after I had been stuck in bed for 6 very long weeks. Doctors weren't helping at all, one wanted to stick sugar water in my knee! Went to alternative doctors that had me cut out sugar, grains (not because of gluten but because of the poison they spray on wheat), dairy and nightshades (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and potatoes. At first thought what can I eat? There are so many "healthy" substitutes that you'll want for nothing. I have a sweet tooth and somet8mesmake candy, cupcakes, etc but I use almond, coconut, tapioca, cassava flours and Stevia, coconut sugar or agave instead of sugar. You can make a no mater sauce or no matter ketchup. If you have a weight problem you'll be surprised after eating alot of this food you lose weight. If you're thin already like me drink a smoothie or enjoy some dairy free ice cream!
My husband loves this food and is turning 77 but runs around like a 50 yr old. Lol
Also the doctors gave me some brain exercises

 

[Auriel]

Sunkacola, did you just stop eating bread like cold turkey stop or bit by bit? Bread used to be one of my addictions ( made me bloat /hurt my joints, COD I been poorly last few weeks It stopped naturally cos I lost my appetite + I couldn’t keep my food down, I still have sweet cravings though

 

[sunkacola]

Sunkacola, did you just stop eating bread like cold turkey stop or bit by bit? Bread used to be one of my addictions ( made me bloat /hurt my joints, COD I been poorly last few weeks It stopped naturally cos I lost my appetite + I couldn’t keep my food down, I still have sweet cravings though

I stopped between one day and the next. threw out all the bread and flour in my house, cold turkey, done.

I am somewhat familiar in a few different ways with addiction, and stopping entirely is the only way to break an addiction. If you feed it even a little bit now and then it will come back full force.

I also stopped abruptly because the reason I stopped was that a naturopath told me to try it to see if it were gluten intolerance causing my gastro-intestinal issues. The only way to know was to stop it completely. After 2 weeks I was so much better that I knew that had to be the key so I never ate gluten again except for one time when I sort of tried it out and felt as if I had the 'flu the next day.

I will admit that my addiction to bread was major. It had always been my favorite food, since I can remember, and I ate a lot of it. Not sweets or anything, just whole grain or sourdough bread. I baked my own. It was very healthy bread, but that makes no difference if you are gluten intolerant. For almost a year after I stopped I craved bread every single day. I didn't try gluten free bread because I was afraid that any bread would only lead me back into that addiction. After the first year, the cravings stopped and I never thought about bread again.

I never wanted to eat gluten free breads for fear it would only start that craving again. But several years past my giving up all bread entirely I decided to try one piece of gluten free bread, and it didn't bring back that craving so I very slowly added that to my diet. Now I eat gluten free bread although not as a major part of my diet, and I will go days sometimes without even wanting any. I think for me it took that time period, though, to break the daily habit and I am glad I went through that.

 

[JayCS]

I haven't realized up to now how much the diet recommendations for cardiovascular issues and general health are subject to debate. This is relevant for us with FM, as diets generally considered healthy are also ones recommended and with evidence for helping us, either generally or even specifically. The general import is that the supposed evidence for unsaturated and against unsaturated fats and for carbs/grains is being challenged. More importantly the final general advice is to "eat natural food and avoid processed food", which seems easily understandable. As I follow this, I can't see it being necessary to stop using unrefined unsaturated oils tho. Most of the arguments refer to processed / refined oils, fats and carbs, food additions, sugars.
I can't follow the additional arguments there for low carbs / stopping whole grains and would need better arguments / clinical evidence for this. I didn't see any difference when I reduced wholemeal berry muesli with added nuts, and wholemeal bread and occasionally potatoes. But the ethical reasons for not using animals are more important to me and my lipidologist argued it's better to keep some carbs in for that reason.

Sources (all on pubmed): First I found a hypothesis by Vladimir Subbotin about LDL probably not being the cause of CV issues, and statins not helping... which explains reservations about statins even more. In association with him I found reviews by Zoë Harcombe together with others that show & argue that the studies on which American diet recommendations are based were flawed, biased and possibly industry-influenced. These arguments are being featured prominently in wikipedia under "Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans". (For my summary, links & details see the posted link on today's entry on my/JayCS's fibro blog.)

 

[Auriel]

Interesting, I was gonna ask if you tried gluten free instead I have problems with wheat and gluten but I don’t have coeliacs ( I’ve been tested) I used to to find bread and crisps super addictive, not so much now, we have a small free from section in our supermarkets so that helps, ok thanks sunk’s ️