Diet?
 

I may have posted a similar topic before so if I did I apologize. Anyhow I know people here are big with supplements but I was wondering what type of diet you follow. Things you feel you have incorporated or eliminated to help your pain and pn. I know that people with diabetes or gluten issues this is important but for those that don't have that problem do you find things that help. Thanks.

Hi Daniella---
 

For pain issues, I assume that is what you are getting at?

Foods with monosodium glutamate, set me off. Also foods high in histamine or that release histamine are problematic too.
http://www.urticaria.thunderworksinc...whistamine.htm

A low intake of magnesium, also may lead to more pain because magnesium
is active in closing the NMDA receptor which sends pain signals.

Low tryptophan intake coupled with low B6 can lead to depression, because both are needed to make serotonin. Low serotonin also is involved with increased pain perception.

High sugar intake leads to increase levels at the nerve endings of sorbitol, and this is implicated in PN. This is called the polyol pathway:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diabetic_neuropathy

These are some of the things one can control by diet.

I lost about 25 pounds several years ago on the Weight Watchers program. At the beginning I counted points and still had a fair amount of sweets each day. However, each year the program guidelines became more adamant about encouraging individuals to limit sweets and "junk" type foods. Fiber and low fat are priorities and several servings per day of fruits and vegetables are also encouraged. If one does this and are also limiting calories in an effort to lose weight, what ends up happening is that you tend to watch every food item that you put in your mouth and try to make it "quality" food.

Even though I'm still a Weight Watcher (love the program), I have taken into consideration my outside readings (very easy to do) when preparing my meals. BTW, the Weight Watcher Core Program has won awards of late. It is basically a program that is low fat, high fiber, low sugar...

Anyway, other materials that I have taken from include information from the following books:

The Real Age Makeover
Michael F. Roizen, M.D.

You on a Diet
Roizen and Oz

You: The Owner's Manual
Roizen and Oz

Heal Your Headache
The 123
Program
David Buchholz, M.D. (NO MSG!)

Sugar Busters

I'm really enjoying the two that I am reading now: Food and Mood and SuperFoods.

I try to make every calorie count; however I do allow myself 100 calories (max) of a sweet treat most days. I don't eat white bread or pasta anymore. I limit sweets. I practice portion control. I eat a lot more vegetables. I've almost eliminated red meat. I try to eat high fiber and low fat. I'm trying to eat more salmon, nuts and more varied vegetables...esp. those with bright colors. I drink lots of water, take vitamins and exercise.

Hey Vowel Lady <wink>
 

I have found the new Chicken of the Sea salmon pouches very affordable,
and mixed with a little Smart Balance Mayo...a very good Omega-3 lunch.
P.S. my kittie Tippy begs for some too! Now I have to treat her as well!

Hi Thank you. Yes I meant for pain. I also have horrible stomach issues which in comparison to my pain is not my big issue. I wonder if there is some connection though and too when I get my out of it. My stomach though is severe constipation regardless of fiber,bloating,pain. I was dx but feel it is more. Anyhow I read a book I think called foods that fight inflammation but didn't know if that would help pn though I have tight calves which they said is from the pn. I have been tested for gluten intolerance and diabetes both I don't have. I was told in the past I had hypoglycemia but the endo I saw said that is not a real issue just when you go too long without eating. I eat though every few hours.
Thanks for the websites. I will keep checking them out. I also like Dr Oz. I wish he could be my doc. I looked through that you on a diet. I wrote on another post but there is a website called wholefoods not the store though if that comes up. Anyhow it has ratings of the healthiest foods and what it helps with. Also about disease and diet,recipes,and meal plans.
Mrs.D,When you said high sugar intake leads to increase levels at the nerve endings of sorbitol, I have no clue what that meant. Is it that sugar irritates the nerve endings?Also what about fake sugars like equal?I agree I have had those pouches. They come in a cup too and also in tuna but I have seen the salmon in a cup with different flavors like teriyaki. Does protein help repair nerves like it does for an injury or no it is not the same?
Thanks

It is
 

The omega 3s which repair.

Watch out for teriyaki...it might have monosodium glutamate in it.
There are soy or fish sauces with MSG removed and no gluten, at the
Whole Foods store.

I don't use the cans, I use the flat pouches...much nicer, cleaner etc.
The cans have gluten added.

You can read the link I gave...you don't have to really understand the chemisty, just read it
once to get a gist of it. The Wiki link

Thanks. Oh I get it. So does the protein help though repair nerves? Also are you worried about mercury in tuna and salmon? I used to eat a lot of it but then got nervous. I still eat it but not as much. I agree the no drain is great but the plastic cups are the same its not in a can. Its in a cup but I found them cheaper at Walmart. Thanks again.

how I understand...
 

Protein is for building tissue/muscle, and enzymes/blood proteins.

Good fats, insulate the nerves. The fish oil helps repair nerves, or grows new ones.

Protein is needed after trauma, surgery, infections, for the general body.
I don't know how much is needed to run the nerves. I don't expect very much.

I have a lot of good luck with low fat protein in terms of weight loss and bloating issues. In terms of pain, a lot of my pain issues are due to migraine headaches. It's very hard for me to have a TV dinner; although those Amy brand TV dinners seem fairly safe. My guess is that there are preservatives (MGS?) in some TV Dinners and these are problematic for many people.

Generally speaking, I have noticed that I seem to "feel" good after having a meal of a low fat protein and perhaps a little side order of a vegetable. I know many people like a high fiber/protein type breakfast. For me, the ideal breakfast is mostly definately an egg. I don't have a cholesterol problem, but I noticed the very high amount of cholesterol in the yolk. What I am doing of late, is usually I have one egg (the Omega 3 kind) with 1/2 the yolk and a piece of low fat cheese. That's it! It's unbelieavable to me how much energy I have after this tiny, low fat, high protein meal.

In the recesses of my mind, is a time in my past, when I went on a diet (modified version) of something called Fit for Life. The author's last name was Diamond. At the time, I was very sick...but this diet helped me a lot.

The diet (again, I modified it though), consisted entirely of whole foods and was largely vegetarian. It involved food combining as well. At that time (this was probably decades ago)...the food stores were not offering chopped up veggies, salads and to get organically grown foods was difficult and very expensive. I copped an attitude that I didn't want to keep it up...and I didn't. Slowly, but surely, my health worsened. It took me a LONG LONG time to figure out that there could very well be a connection between diet/nutrients and good health and that perhaps for some people that connection is very powerful.

Thanks Mrs D and Vowel Lady for sharing your story. I do know from my long history of ed how important a healthy diet is. I think though for myself I focused so much on reaching a healthy weight and maintaining then a healthy diet. Now with my nutritionist were going to work on choosing better. I have always wondered and I know I post before about this that if my malnurishment which also left out dietary fat for over 10 years has contributed to my problems. None of my tests indicate that and now being healthy weight its hard to know. I know that even after weight restoration your body is still malnurished in some ways from years of abuse.I do know and read that without a proper diet meds and vitamins will give less results. Are you back on the diet now? I do like Amy's too products. I don't know if you have Trader Joes or Whole foods but they have similar products as well. Thanks again.