For a few days shy of a whole month, I've been extremely strict about the diet, which I just heard about through a friend so ordered the MS Recovery Diet book online. It actually isn't difficult, because all the decision making of 'should I or shouldn't I?" is taken out of our hands completely! It's a black and white matter of "no, I can't have that" period! So, yesterday for Mother's Day, a box came in the mail from my daughter, very heavy, from someplace called Brownie Points. You guessed it! Chock full of various types of brownies!! Well, after dinner, my boyfriend - who loves sweets but has been doing the diet along with me - really wanted a brownie, so I took two out of the box to thaw. (I had already decided I'd have one, they were a Mother's Day present, after all.) They really were big! I'd say three inches square, not too deep, perhaps half an inch, with an added layer of chocolate chip cookie. (These brownies just aren't your every day variety, they are soooo decadent!!!)
Realizing that two were just too much, we decided to have one and split it, and I certainly did have my entire half! lol It really was delicious, but so sweet -- that bottom layer was almost like fudge, and the cookie layer tasted like a homemade cookie! I do love chocolate, but for this past month, it's not been a issue so this is the first 'treat' I've allowed myself.
Within 30 minutes!!! My legs started that awful jerking, like when your reflexes are tested? It's a neurological nightmare to me to have that firing take place and it seems to build where everything inside me feels so out of control and I know that horrible jerk (sometimes almost my whole body!) is going to start and I can't do anything to stop it. I was in bed when this was happening, and sometimes I would just kick hard alternating my legs and it feels better to do that, although I know it just postpones the inevitable, just the build-up doesn't feel as bad.
The next five hours were horrible to say the least! Funny that this particular problem has plagued me incessantly for years, yet I didn't realize that I WAS NOT HAVING THESE ISSUES WHILE I WAS ON THE DIET!! What an awakening! I even laughed during the worst of the pain, because I was so happy to have found that it was what I ATE and that I had some CONTROL over it!! (My poor patient boyfriend! He always did think I was a bit of a crazy one and he thought laughing while was crying in pain was definitely kinda nuts!!) I took all the different meds I could find to try and make it stop last night, nothing really worked, just made me tired, but I couldn't actually sleep. That's exactly how my nights used to be and it didn't register that, even though I'd been sleeping better, that that horrible jerk reflex had disappeared! I'm incredulous, after having it back for just one night, that I lived through years of that. It is so painful and just the most awful sensations through my body, how did I ever manage I will never know.
What I do know is that I am back to being strict! Enjoying my fruits and nuts and rice cakes with almond butter and salmon with mango salsa and shrimp stir fry and oatmeal with blueberries. (Funny that eating that way - naturally - makes me feel closer to God!! I find myself praying for those whose hands picked the berries and made the rice cakes!) I plan to be strict again for a few weeks, or a month, then introduce ONE item for a test - maybe a boiled egg, or piece of whole grain bread - and see what happens cause that dang brownie had almost all the things I was avoiding so who knows what the culprit, or culprits, may be.
This is my first entrance into this site; I'm anxious to now read what you all have already posted and learn from you. This is so exciting to me that I plan to post my progress here as well and try to really track this journey -- I just have unlimited hope and am so very optimistic! I will add here that I may sound all 'pie in the sky' here at the moment due to finding such a clear 'cause and relationship' of food yesterday, but I really have had a tough month all the same, with lots of pain, such low stamina, and beating myself up that I can't accomplish more in my days. So I know it will be quite a journey! Since the first week on this diet, I have had no antacids (which had become a daily addition to my regimen for this past year), then I noticed that I was sleeping at night, and now to find such a HUGE effect of food, I am extremely optimistic! All these other symptoms will diminish too, I am convinced! And I don't care how long it takes, I'm gonna be looking forward not backward! I've had enough of meds and docs and try this and try that when nothing made a difference. THE FOOD MAKES THE DIFFERENCE!! Gads, how long it has taken me to understand . . . thank you Ann and Judi for teaching me!!
hi everyone , i too was like
hi everyone , i too was like you in may of 08 and started the diet , ive been on it now since then and must say it is a life saver but follow the triggers carefully as they are extremley important
take care
ken
You know, I did find some
You know, I did find some chocolate chips at a Super Walmart, that were okay to have! They also had some kind of chocolate candy bar that kept to the diet requirements. Not sure how to bake anything yet, like those wonderful chocolate chip cookies! lol But I did make a fun energy bar with those chocolate chips - plus dates, nuts, coconut - and it's a nice treat to have.
Funny that such a tiny bit of food can make such a difference. The past few days I've not been quite as strict and seem to be "off" quite a bit. Just reinforces my good intentions though cause it's no fun feeling icky, just that things came up where I chose to be a bit lax and see what happened. I'm an easy candidate for the placebo effect, just the thought of something new and taking that first step often makes me feel better, but after more than a month, I'm convinced it's the food and not my mind that is making the difference. I'm sure I'll have lots of lapses as things come up but that just tells me in no uncertain terms that this is a food that's a trigger, or one that's okay. Mostly it's just easier though to "just say no"! lol
Good luck to you -- I so understand that 'clearing the throat' thing -- just never before attribuited it to what I was eating! Thanks for sharing!
Yes I do now know that soy
Yes I do now know that soy is ubiquitous!! It's been a month plus a few days, and reading labels, which I 'sorta' did before is taking on a life of its own -- and those words 'soy protein', 'soy extract', soybean oil' just jump out at me now! Even salad dressings, and I used love those raspberry vinaigrette spritzers, are all soy! Although we make mostly our own using so many different oils now, one day for fun I checked every single salad dressing at a huge supermarket, and found ONE that did not contain soy!
We've also eaten out twice so far and the latest was yesterday when my daughter was in town. Sorry to mention names but we ate at Olive Garden! lol The people were fantastic about the ingredients, the manager even brought out a bottle of the salad dressing they use - yes it contains soy! - but they brought an oil and vinegar that was great. Just one item on the menu could I have and it was grilled chicken with broccoli and asparagus -- with an apricot glaze!! I forgot to say hold the glaze and so just scraped it mostly off, delicious as it was. And my daughter really pours over the menu and thought shrimp scampi would be okay. Oh yes, it was more than okay! It was delicious, even with the scampi butter it swims in! I ate two litle shrimp, scraping off the sauce, and left the rest to my daughter and her friend. So I made the choice to have a bit of this and a taste of that, but it's all a learning experience after all.
I'm find a new energy as well and accomplishing way more than I used to, but I sure do suffer at the end of each day with pain. Seems for me, the most difficult part of this whole program is to just take a break and quit overdoing it all the time. Guess I'll be forced to embrace that part too, once I get it through my thick head that the pain can be managed a bit better as well!!
Good luck to you, and thanks for adding the info on what you've been eating -- like rice noodles, which I have yet to try but will make it a point to do so!
I started about 3 weeks ago
I started about 3 weeks ago and found it very easy to cut everything out. I still do allow myself on small cup of coffee before work as a "treat" and the occasional glass of white wine though. I am pleasantly surprised at the wonderful new foods i have found and how much i enjoy them. Like rice noodles, fabulous salads, fruit, and wonderful sauces i have been concocting for my chicken breast! I ate salads and fruit before, but they were usually quite boring. Now i pay way more attention to what i am making and love to experiment with different flavours. The only bump i really have encountered is the amount of items out there that have soy!! It is insane! It has only been 3 weeks, but my energy is through the roof. I was a regular "to bed at 8:30pm" kinda gal, now I am up til at least 10:30pm doing laundry or other little chores or even just reading. For all those out there who are not sure, just get the book and read it! You will have a different way of looking at the change.
I am just entering week 4 of
I am just entering week 4 of my diet and have been noticing improvements. I do not believe I have fully implemented the diet. So far I have eliminated gluten, sugar, dairy, and have reduced caffeine dramatically. I still need to address the legumes and eggs, although my eggs are much reduced.
Thank you for sharing your story. It is very inspiring for myself who is also just starting out. My discoveries have not been as dramatic as the one you had, but I have been able to identify immediate triggers. Last night, after 3 weeks of no gluten, my husband was eating a chocolate chip cookie. I decided to 'treat' myself to the smallest nibble - literally one chip and a few crumbs around it. Within minutes of putting the morsel in my mouth I found myself clearing my throat repeatedly. So I am back on the wagon.
I like the way I am feeling. My MS symptoms are appearing to be less frequent and less severe. I still have a lot to learn, but I am really thinking and dissecting everything that goes into my mouth.