Quote:
Originally Posted by ReillyJ
Yes that is something i have not done yet. Have totally switched up my diet since losing all the weight, eat very healthy now but still do dairy and probably some gluten.
i need to get DH off aspartame, he started drinking it for his stomach, the fizzy water with sweetener that tastes like strawberry or cherry, etc. he wont drink fizzy non sweetened water like i do, he used to do lemon and stevia water which i will try my best to get him back on, don't know if it will make a difference in his symptoms, probably barely and controversy abounds about artificial sweeteners, i am not a fan of them
i do take turmeric, boswellia, chinese herbs, a plethora of supplements and am a true lover of wholistic medicine but unfortunately there are not many options to completely control severe chronic pain. And.. i'm fearful of especially turmeric for my husband as it can conflict with allopathic medicines especially uptake in the liver--so many variables to consider! i am trying to get him on a better diet and i give him a supergreen food drink and smoothies with spinach/kale, blueberries, etc. the unfortunate thing is that even the healthiest diet might not be the one for *you* and that takes detective work. When you are broke and ill, detective work is so hard. i have to do it for myself, my husband and even my cat that has a few chronic disease state.
Yes i am whining and ranting!!
The detective work is hard, especially when you are trying to manage healthcare for others as well as yourself.
It also isn't easy or fair that the comforting foods we crave (because they help relieve pain the short term) are the most damaging in the long run, namely high glycemic carbs.
I have never done a strict elimination diet, but I have tried (separately) eliminating wheat, gluten, sugar, most carbs, caffeine, and artificial sweeteners.
For me, I've found that wheat and sugars (even healthy ones) increase my pain and other symptoms most dramatically. Other gluten grains aren't as aggravating, but I avoid them too, mostly. Traces of gluten from wheat and other grains don't trigger a noticeable reaction, so I don't have to be as careful as someone with celiac disease (which thankfully was ruled out).
Caffeine helps me with pain relief, but to prevent it from interfering with sleep I stop by 5pm and usually by 3.
Aspartame doesn't affect me noticeably one way or the other. I prefer Splenda, but also use stevia, xylitol (birch sugar), and monk fruit-based sweeteners. If you combine sweeteners, they're often sweeter than equivalent amounts of one. For example one teaspoon of Splenda mixed with one teaspoon of aspartame or xylitol is sweeter than two teaspoons of either. Mixing sweeteners allows me to use less. It also lowers the "dose" and exposure to cumulative effects. Since every sweetener has different associated risk.
Reduced carb diets, such as The Zone, South Beach, The Meditteranian Diet, Paleo, and even Atkins (along as it's Atkins with lots of veggies and berries in a rainbow of colors) have been found helpful in reducing chronic pain (especially for fibromyalgia, arthritis, MS, connective tissue disorders, and even for many cancers).
It doesn't help either, that the most damaging foods are also the most affordable.
None of this is easy or inexpensive unfortunately.
Btw, we also have a cat with health and pain issues. The weather is wet, cool, and stormy, and hubby, cat, and I are all miserable.
Even the cat has been whining and ranting in her own way, today. She's been very vocal in her constant, complaining meow. She begs to be petted, but won't sit still for petting and complains when you touch her that you're "doing it wrong" when you try.
I know how she feels.