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Sunday, January 14, 2018

Body Malfunction and Diets

I have been studying a variety of digestive challenges and whole body symptoms.  I have been dealing with many different health issues over the past few years--
-obesity
-inability to lose weight (even on very restrictive diets)
-hard to control diabetes (like multiple oral meds and enough insulin to kill an elephant)
-recurring severe abdominal pain high on the left side
-recurring bulge high on left side
-excessive flatulence
-moderate intermittent pain on right side
-recurring nausea and vomiting
-recurring bouts of diarrhea
-almost constant fatigue, sometimes debilitating
-Incredible brain fog, the inability to stay focused or think quickly and clearly
-constant cold like symptoms that barely respond to allergy meds
-generalized body aches and intermittent weakness
-overproduction of cortisol (though just shy of diagnostic for Cushing's Syndrome)
-Overproduction of White Blood Cells without a known infection (going back over 6 years)

I had have a variety of procedures done-
-Abdominal ultrasound
-shoulders to hips Cat Scan
-endoscopy
-colonoscopy
-gastroparesis study
-numerous blood tests
-Tested for celiacs (negative)
-various medications to combat different smptoms
-various weight loss diets
-various diabetes control lifestyle changes

Things I have done in addition to doctor recommendations
-Taken a Relaxation Class
-Eating whole foods instead of processed foods
-Shifted focus to Vegetables as the main subject of meals
-Cut out late night snacks
-Continued to reduce both simple sugars and fats in my diet
-Ensure that I get 7 servings of fruits and vegetables daily
-Ensure that I am drinking 10-14 glasses of water a day
-Tried a gluten free diet (helped a little with the discomfort, but I ended up malnourished)

Diagnoses that I have been given by doctors:
-Diabetes, insulin dependent
-NAFLD-Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NASH-Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis)
-IBS- Irritable Bowel Syndrome
-Leukocytosis
-Meralgia paraesthetica
-Obstructive Sleep Apnea

None of this has helped very much.  I have days that are better than others, but most days I still deal with a lot of abdominal discomfort, body aches (knees lacking cartilage and severe carpal tunnel in both wrists do not help).  So I have been looking at various documentaries and looking up recent research on a variety of health related topics. And talked with other people including some nutrition experts, one being my sister who has a doctorate in nutrition and is a professor at the University of South Carolina.

From that exploration, I have some basic enzyme and metabolism malfunctions I am going to be reviewing on this blog, and trying out myself to see if I can find something that will bring relief from the many symptoms and diseases that have taken over my body.  Many of the symptoms and diagnoses point to an autoimmune issue, but nothing concrete has come to light (it is not lupus or RA--I have been tested for both due to the fact that this looks autoimmune).

Over the next few weeks, I will be summarizing the various symptoms, dietary recommendations, and science behind:
-Histamine Intolerance
-FODMAP Intolerance
-NASH/NAFLD
-Diabetes, insulin resistance
-Celiacs
-Dietary Allergies
-Food Intolerances

I will also be detailing my own journey as I start with a major overhaul of my food intake, relaxation routine, body stretching, exercise, and mediation routine.
Beginning today, I will begin this new exploration into better health by doing a reset of my food intake.  The three times I have felt best over the past few years were:
1) when I was on doxycycline for a month due to a tick bite and Lyme disease--felt clear headed and had lots of energy.
2) when I was sick with a stomach bug that cleared me out and I was afraid to eat solid food for a few days, my head felt clear and my body had more energy (after the vomiting and diarrhea stopped)
3) when I was preparing for my colonoscopy, and had to do a liquid diet and them clean out of the intestines via laxatives, my mind felt clear and my body had energy.

So beginning now, I am going to be doing a liquid diet (clear liquids--water, clear juices, tea, broth, sports drinks, etc...).  Then tonight I will do one bottle of magnesium citrate to help clear the colon.  Tomorrow I will continue with the liquid diet and only if needed, do another liquid laxative in the afternoon.  This should clear out the intestines and hopefully any of the food particles that are contributing to the feelings of brain fog, fatigue, discomfort, and aches.

Then I will slowly add the most benign foods (ones not on any of the avoid foods lists for the above conditions) into my diet, beginning with brown rice, collard greens, kale, zucchini, blue berries, raspberries, olive oil, coconut oil, chicken, turkey, salt and pepper. If no symptoms return, I will add in one item every 2 weeks, eliminating any that cause symptoms from my life.  So yes, a long process but hopefully one that will root out the causes of some of the issues.






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