Week one of no sugar, grains, legumes, dairy, alcohol or caffeine wasn't really that bad. I wasn't tempted to cheat at all because I was so motivated with how I felt on this diet before. The first few days I felt pretty bad. I think my body was angry about the lack of chocolate and oatmeal. I didn't try to do much on those days except rest. But on Saturday when I woke up I noticed a difference. I didn't wake up with my usual body aches. I felt a little more alert and not as foggy. I also lost a few pounds which is always a plus! (I've gained about ten pounds over the course of my three years with CFS.)
However, I am already starting to get sick of eggs again. I need to come up with some new creative recipes for breakfast. I was thinking I could make a breakfast stir fry with veggies and meat or heat up some leftovers. My menu for the week was simple. Basically, I would have eggs with vegetables and half a grapefruit for breakfast, a BIG salad with chicken, vegetables and my homemade salad dressing, a snack of nuts, green apple and almond butter, or cold chicken, and for dinner a protein and vegetable. Last night for dinner I roasted a chicken and brussel sprouts. I also had fish two nights this week with sauteed kale and chard. I'm definitely getting my green on!
One success of the week was making homemade bone broth. Since I was still getting over a cold and most food didn't appeal to me, I decided to make some homemade chicken broth. Didn't grandma always say that chicken soup is the perfect remedy for colds? I did some research on bone broths and discovered that there are numerous benefits! Homemade broth is rich in calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and other trace minerals. Plus the minerals in broth are easily absorbed by the body. Bone broth even contains glucosamine and chondroiton. Bye bye joint pain! Also, homemade bone broths are often rich in gelatin which brings food into contact with digestive juices and soothes the intestinal wall. Lastly, they are super easy to make, which is a big plus for me! I really feel that having some broth each day helped me get over that nasty cold. Since the health benefits are so great, it's something that I'm going to incorporate in my diet on a regular basis.
Despite giving up some things I love; I'm still standing. In fact, I even went to a regular beginner yoga class. (Not a gentle class!) It was hard, but I was able to keep up! Now I'm resting with some knitting to catch up on, chicken broth simmering on the stove, and am filled with hope that tomorrow will be an even better day!
Monday, January 10, 2011
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Sometimes it's just the little things...
When I'm having a bad day, even these things are tough:
1. Email
2. Meal planning and making food lists
3. Writing blog posts
4. Uploading pictures on Facebook or Flickr or Ravelry
5. Knitting
6. Getting ready- shower, drying my hair, makeup (On really bad days I sometimes have to take resting breaks in between or I don't even bother with doing my hair or makeup)
7. Long phone conversations or visits with friends
8. House stuff- making the bed, laundry, sweeping, doing the dishes, unloading the dishwasher. Luckily I have help with cleaning every other week!
9. Taking my dog out on short walks
10.Yoga stretches
And yes today is one of those days which is why my blog post is short! I was upset this morning when I saw my husband took my keys into work because that meant I couldn't drive our car. Who am I kiddin'? I can't go out today!
1. Email
2. Meal planning and making food lists
3. Writing blog posts
4. Uploading pictures on Facebook or Flickr or Ravelry
5. Knitting
6. Getting ready- shower, drying my hair, makeup (On really bad days I sometimes have to take resting breaks in between or I don't even bother with doing my hair or makeup)
7. Long phone conversations or visits with friends
8. House stuff- making the bed, laundry, sweeping, doing the dishes, unloading the dishwasher. Luckily I have help with cleaning every other week!
9. Taking my dog out on short walks
10.Yoga stretches
And yes today is one of those days which is why my blog post is short! I was upset this morning when I saw my husband took my keys into work because that meant I couldn't drive our car. Who am I kiddin'? I can't go out today!
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
In order for me please others, I need to put my health first!
Immediately after I wrote the title for this blog post, I thought to myself, does that sound selfish? I don't mean for it to sound that way. I'm such a people pleaser. I hate to say no or have to cancel plans. I'm a pretty outgoing person. I love devoting all my time to my family and friends. I even hate saying no to the substitute callers. I'm beginning to think that they're giving up on me. One month ago, I agreed to sub today and tomorrow. Well of course, a month ago that sounded like a great idea! I certainly would be feeling better by then. I could rest up a few days in advance. I'd make it work, as Tim Gunn loves to say. I should have thought more realistically though. I mean the first week after Christmas vacation. What was I thinking? So needless to say, I had to cancel on them at the last minute.
So all I really did was delay my saying no. My immediate response is always yes! I get invited to a book club. My response is: Definitely! What can I bring? A friend wants to set up a lunch date for the following Tuesday. My response is: That would be so much fun! But then I feel even worse when I have to cancel plans because I'm not feeling well. Or sometimes, I'll force myself to go and then pay for it for a few days after. Then after having a few bad days, I wonder, was it worth it?
My goal for 2011, is to put my health first. I can't be a good wife, friend, daughter, sister, aunt, friend, teacher, neighbor, or yogi, if I don't take care of myself. As much as I like to be involved and do things, I'd rather wait until I'm having a good day so I can actually feel like myself. The thing is I know people that are close to me totally understand. I had to cancel plans with my family recently. My sister in law was so supportive, she told me to take another day to rest and if I still wasn't feeling well the next day that they would come and visit me. It's hard to say no to social gatherings because having CFS can get rather lonely. (especially if you're a people person like me!) So it meant a lot to me that she was willing to change plans and come up to see me if need be. Luckily, I ended up feeling better the following day so I drove down to my parents' house to see them. And instead of having to drive back and forth in one day, my nephew slept on a sleeping bag in with my brother and sister in law and I slept in my old bed! Not having to drive back and forth in one day meant I got to rest more and spend time with my family. I know that the people who love me want me to feel well, even if that sometimes means saying no.
When I get asked to get together with a friend from now on, my new response will be: I'd love to go, but I will have to play it by ear though. I hope it works out. If not, we can reschedule!
So all I really did was delay my saying no. My immediate response is always yes! I get invited to a book club. My response is: Definitely! What can I bring? A friend wants to set up a lunch date for the following Tuesday. My response is: That would be so much fun! But then I feel even worse when I have to cancel plans because I'm not feeling well. Or sometimes, I'll force myself to go and then pay for it for a few days after. Then after having a few bad days, I wonder, was it worth it?
My goal for 2011, is to put my health first. I can't be a good wife, friend, daughter, sister, aunt, friend, teacher, neighbor, or yogi, if I don't take care of myself. As much as I like to be involved and do things, I'd rather wait until I'm having a good day so I can actually feel like myself. The thing is I know people that are close to me totally understand. I had to cancel plans with my family recently. My sister in law was so supportive, she told me to take another day to rest and if I still wasn't feeling well the next day that they would come and visit me. It's hard to say no to social gatherings because having CFS can get rather lonely. (especially if you're a people person like me!) So it meant a lot to me that she was willing to change plans and come up to see me if need be. Luckily, I ended up feeling better the following day so I drove down to my parents' house to see them. And instead of having to drive back and forth in one day, my nephew slept on a sleeping bag in with my brother and sister in law and I slept in my old bed! Not having to drive back and forth in one day meant I got to rest more and spend time with my family. I know that the people who love me want me to feel well, even if that sometimes means saying no.
When I get asked to get together with a friend from now on, my new response will be: I'd love to go, but I will have to play it by ear though. I hope it works out. If not, we can reschedule!
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Goodbye chocolate! Hello kale!
I hate to say this, but I think my CFS symptoms get worse when I eat sugary foods and large amounts of carbs. (Even if my carbs were gluten free grains, starchy veggies like butternut squash, fruit, and legumes.) As much as I love my dark chocolate, I have to say: so long Dagoba! Ever since I started getting more lacks with my diet, my symptoms increased. It was fun at first to eat whatever I wanted, and it was good for my mental health. However, I added in so much at once, I can't identify the culprit.
The new year seems like a good time to examine my diet more carefully. I want to make changes gradually and not shock my body. My plan for this week is to start with the serious offenders (also known as my favorite foods). I have eliminated sugar, grains, dairy, caffeine, and alcohol (I haven't had a drink in over a year, but I thought I'd throw that in the list since I'm continuing to give it up!) I really don't want to give up grains because I can get bored of eating eggs for breakfast every morning, but nevertheless... In a week or two, I'm also going to give up fruits, nuts, and starchy vegetables. At that point my plan will be to go pretty restrictive for a few weeks and see if I feel any better. I know I can live on a super restrictive diet because I've done it for a year. If I do feel better, I'm going to challenge foods one at a time and see what I can handle. I was looking back at my planner in August 2010 and noticed I was taking an hour long regular yoga class once or twice a week and walking 20 minutes a few days a week.... I want to get back there!!
The doctor I've been working with did a bunch of tests and discovered that my digestive system is very weak. I have low, low amounts of beneficial bacteria. He put me on some digestive aids and probiotics. I hope that by adding these supplements and changing my diet, I'll feel better. He is actually a doctor/nutritionist and one of the things he told me was to eat large amounts of leafy greens. I have found sauteed kale/chard/beet greens is a good alternative to break up the monotony of salads. It's the perfect side along with any protein. Tonight for dinner I had sauteed kale and wild salmon. It was a healthy, tasty, and colorful dinner. Here is the recipe so you can give a try!
Sauteed Greens with Garlic (2 servings)
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil2-3 garlic cloves, sliced
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Celtic sea salt
Juice of half a lemon
1. Remove the stems and midribs from one medium bunch of kale , red or green chard, or beet greens. Cut any stems or midribs into half inch pieces. Coarsely chop the leaves. Rinse well, but do not dry!
2. Put a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes and heat until the oil is fragrant and the garlic is just beginning to color.
3. Add the stems and ribs and season with salt. Cook stirring occasionally, until nearly tender, about 2 minutes.
4. Add the leaves and cook, partially covered, until both the leaves and stems are tender, 3-5 minutes more.
5. Season with huice of half a lemon. Taste again for salt.
The new year seems like a good time to examine my diet more carefully. I want to make changes gradually and not shock my body. My plan for this week is to start with the serious offenders (also known as my favorite foods). I have eliminated sugar, grains, dairy, caffeine, and alcohol (I haven't had a drink in over a year, but I thought I'd throw that in the list since I'm continuing to give it up!) I really don't want to give up grains because I can get bored of eating eggs for breakfast every morning, but nevertheless... In a week or two, I'm also going to give up fruits, nuts, and starchy vegetables. At that point my plan will be to go pretty restrictive for a few weeks and see if I feel any better. I know I can live on a super restrictive diet because I've done it for a year. If I do feel better, I'm going to challenge foods one at a time and see what I can handle. I was looking back at my planner in August 2010 and noticed I was taking an hour long regular yoga class once or twice a week and walking 20 minutes a few days a week.... I want to get back there!!
The doctor I've been working with did a bunch of tests and discovered that my digestive system is very weak. I have low, low amounts of beneficial bacteria. He put me on some digestive aids and probiotics. I hope that by adding these supplements and changing my diet, I'll feel better. He is actually a doctor/nutritionist and one of the things he told me was to eat large amounts of leafy greens. I have found sauteed kale/chard/beet greens is a good alternative to break up the monotony of salads. It's the perfect side along with any protein. Tonight for dinner I had sauteed kale and wild salmon. It was a healthy, tasty, and colorful dinner. Here is the recipe so you can give a try!
Sauteed Greens with Garlic (2 servings)
Ingredients:
Medium bunch of kale, green or red chard, beet greens
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Celtic sea salt
Juice of half a lemon
1. Remove the stems and midribs from one medium bunch of kale , red or green chard, or beet greens. Cut any stems or midribs into half inch pieces. Coarsely chop the leaves. Rinse well, but do not dry!
2. Put a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes and heat until the oil is fragrant and the garlic is just beginning to color.
3. Add the stems and ribs and season with salt. Cook stirring occasionally, until nearly tender, about 2 minutes.
4. Add the leaves and cook, partially covered, until both the leaves and stems are tender, 3-5 minutes more.
5. Season with huice of half a lemon. Taste again for salt.
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