Diet
As predicted, I woke up feeling absolutely horrible this morning. My back was hurting very much (which isn’t new, but it was worse than usual) and my knees were so stiff. I decided it would be wise to take a day off from trying to do any extra coordinated activity, and just spent my regular morning dropping off the kids at day camp and my trip to the store for a walk around and to pick up the extras that I’ve forgotten – there’s always something!
One thing common to all the doctors I’ve seen regarding my Endo is their belief in dietary changes to help manage the illness. One of the most prestigious doctors I saw was just amazing. He is a fabulous surgeon, and very dedicated to his work. His wife lives with Endo, and he is a major proponent of dietary measures to control symptoms. He is different, however, in that he tries each and every diet before recommending it. Now THAT’s dedication! The diet he was a fan of when I last saw him, before I needed an ob/gyn, was The Cancer Prevention Diet. This diet is fantastic, but I have an allergy to both fish and soy, so I had difficulty following it. We often clashed over whether diet was the answer. I found that dietary measures didn’t provide as much help as I needed, but I’ve certainly cut down on caffeine and tried to cut down on sugar (which is very, very difficult for me). My weight has been a major issue for about the past 14 years. Even when I was able to attend the gym regularly, before the birth of my children, and before my hip and back pain became too great to do regular workouts, I had trouble keeping my weight down. I’ve always been very careful about what I eat – I’m not a big eater at all. In fact, my kids started to eat more than I did per meal by the time they were four.
My diet looks a lot different these days. My hubby prepares my meals – I’m not able to stand long enough to prepare even a sandwich. I find it very difficult to get the items out of the cupboards and fridge as well – bending and lifting, even a bit, is right out of the question, still. I’m trying to cut down on salt. It’s amazing how much salt is in all of our food – in some of the strangest places! I’ve just started drinking aloe vera juice on a daily basis. I’ll keep you posted on how that goes. I’m eating 5 prunes a day to keep constipation at bay. To this end (pardon the pun) I also take a tablespoonful of PEG (Poly ethylene glycol) in my coffee every morning. Constipation is a constant worry with the amount of painkillers I take, so it’s something I have to work to prevent every day. Other than my morning coffee, I don’t drink any more caffeine-filled products, unless it’s as a treat, and I avoid pop unless it’s a special occasion. I do allow myself a daily treat – either Pocky or some chocolate covered licorice (yummier than it sounds) but try to not overdo it. The rest: whole grains, lean meats, chicken, and following Canada’s Food Guide is very basic. I’ve definitely improved over the past decade, but what’s made the most difference is banishing my period, and not changing my diet.
Be well.
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