Last updated on May 22, 2017
It is true, I had a cooking blog. I love to cook and enjoyed writing about it. I shared some of my European recipes with my blogging friends. The blog was called “Bringing worlds together in my kitchen.”
Then life threw me another curveball. Three years ago I was diagnosed with a chronic autoimmune disorder and I knew right from the start that my life would change -in more than one way. I was in agony, wanted to roll up in a ball and stay in bed for days.
I refused the heavy medications right from the start; my instinct told me to look for alternative ways first. I found doctors who agreed with me, sadly, none of them were here in the U.S.
You are what you eat…I couldn’t help but think about the old saying. Perhaps I had eaten too many good meals and had to pay the price now. I stopped my cooking blog at the moment I changed my diet. It was a long road until I found out that too much protein hurt me. All those low carb diets that I had followed over the years were biting me in the butt.
Then, finally, I found a doctor in California who believed what so many all over the word are saying. Food and the way we eat are influencing our overall well-being more than we think.
They say you have to change your lifestyle for six months before you will see any results and turns out THEY are right. Also, come to find out, six months is a damn long time if you give up what you thought you couldn’t live without.
I gave up chicken and eggs; I gave up dairy and caffeine -what was the hardest thing to do. Today we eat fresh fruits and vegetables, lots of fish and no processed food. Luckily, I can buy healthy meat at a nearby farm. Occasionally I slip, mostly around the Holidays, and then I start hurting again within a few hours.
Today I live a good life, there is hardly any pain. I don’t take any medications other that vitamins and supplements. Every six month I go to a checkup, just to piss my doctors off, the ones that didn’t have any time, when I wanted to show them all my research.
I feel sorry for all the patients in the waiting room who have to take heavy medication to suppress a sick immune system even more. Drugs, that work like chemotherapy, with side effects longer than my arm. I have no right to talk to them, but I wish I could.
I am not saying all medications are bad, not at all. Some we have to take, there is just no way around. But I do wish we would eventually acknowledge that there might be alternatives before we fire the big guns.
It’s not easy, but it’s possible. More about my cooking blog tomorrow…
A healthy gut and natural whole food is the best medicine for the body. So important to get that right when you have an autoimmune condition. Everyones journey is different, the more we share the more we learn. Thank you for sharing.
It made a difference in my life. I am learning to cope with my disease through food.
My grandies love the cartoon, “Ratatouille!” This was a fun post and hope to visit here more often. 🙂
Sorry to hear that you have this health problem, but glad to hear that you have found something that works for you. May it continue to inspire you to eat in sync with your body’s needs.
Eating in sync is the key. 🙂
I knew you had made very drastic changes in your diet, but I didn’t know why. That would have been such a huge blow for you 🙁
I’m glad to hear you have it under control and kudos to you for figuring out what would work for you. Like you, I’m convinced that so much of what ails us is food related, but so many (myself included) simply haven’t taken the time, effort, and consistency to make effective change.
Sometimes I wonder why I am so determined, in this case it was easy. I wanted to piss my doctors off, the ones that didn’t even consider any alternatives.
hahaha! I get it! I think both of us have a strong I’ll-show-them moxie 🙂
Who would have thought. (Laughter here)
😀
I remember well your posts during this passage….
I firmly believe in health food , and I’m so happy you have completely recovered !
A big hug, Bridget!
There is really no recovery, it is a chronic disease but I have it under control and that’s wonderful.
Wow thtat is amazing!
So glad you are feeling so much better, and you did it yourself. I agree our diet is something we should take charge of ourselves and if it improves our well being why wouldn’t we. I’m working towards dairy free this year. I’ve been vegetarian for three years now. Feel better than ever.
I don’t eat much meat, now and then a good steak and occasionally a piece of bacon. I am on my way to become a vegetarian, perhaps even vegan.
It is wonderful that you took charge of your body and changed things by eating well. I have osteoporosis and my Dr wanted me to take some of the medications they have to treat it- after reading about side effects and infusions that stay in your body I said no. Diet, exercise and the last bone density scan showed some of the Osteoporosis had improved. I’m with you in believing sometimes we have to take control
Side effects can be scary and I am glad you decided to take an alternative route as well.
[…] on May 16, 2017 by […]
Reblogged this on The Militant Negro™.
Thank you for the reblog
It is always my pleasure.
Good for you for using your head and doing the hard work to change your eating habits. It’s amazing how what we eat affects us, and of course, that makes perfect sense. I think the US has become a “quick fix” culture. It’s just so much easier (and unhealthy) to take a pill for what ails us. We also eat very health consciously. Now if I could only be as good about exercising!
Wonderful story – I so agree that our diet can fix a large number of our health issues. May you continue to enjoy good health
You’ve given me ‘food’ for thought certainly. Since retirement on disability my health has declined and declined and declined again. Since I moved in 2013 it’s reached an all time low…I’m in pain almost every day, my attitude is lousy and my outlook bleak. And yeah, all they seem to do is either preach about the points you made or throw more pills my way. I’m glad to hear a positive perspective.
For 50 years I could eat whatever I wanted and then by body screamed HALT.
It’s not easy to change, but it’s worth it. Look into it. More pills are hardly the solution.
A similar thing happened to me and I refused the chemo type medications snd started working out and trying to change the way I eat. So far, it has worked for me.
Exercise is another pillar of the success. A healthy weight, exercise and good food that doesn’t hurt me.
I am glad it worked for you as well.
Any thoughts or directions to look for alternate approaches to arthritis treatment? I’m still trying to get over the shock of first visit to orthopedist whose first words after viewing x-rays were recommendation for two hip replacements! I’ve never had surgery in my life and the very thought of this particular surgery scares me to death!
Of course, diagnosis was delivered after (1) first inkling of arthritis in one hip just 4 or so years ago; (2) 4 months after first attempt at yoga to improve flexibility 3 years after said inkling; (3) 2 months after experiencing pain concentrated in one shin; (4) 1 month after receiving eval of sciatica by visiting physical therapist at gym I had just joined! Joined gym after sitting around on my butt, reading and writing (my favorite retirement activities) and then finally deciding that I wanted and needed to get up and move (gingerly) if I wanted to continue to be healthy till reaching my personally projected age of death at 95. Oh, the irony.
I am afraid I don’t know nothing about arthritis. I do know it’s an age related bone problem.
Rheumatoid arthritis and arthritis are in no way related or can be compared. RA can hit young kids and make them immobile. Your own body (immune system) attacks your joints (not the bone) and organs like heart, eyes, lungs.
So glad you found a solution and cure. My blog also had a strong cooking focus initially.
I found a solution and I am not the only one. I wish our pharmaceutical industry wouldn’t have such a big lobby.