I know, I know, it’s been ages since I’ve written anything. I don’t really have an excuse. I could say it was because my pain has been really bad or that I’ve just been busy which, to an extent, would both be true but the real reason is it just slipped my mind.
Anyway, an update: I said in my first post that this blog would be following my journey through trying to get healthy. Since then I’ve managed to keep up with the exercise – aqua-jogging 2-3 times a week – and that’s made some difference to my pain levels. I definitely notice on the days when I do it I’m moving a bit better.
The daily chair yoga seems to have mysteriously disappeared. I’m not sure where it went. One day it was there, the next it wasn’t. I’m not quite sure what made me stop. I actually really enjoy it and it’s not even like I have to leave the house to do it. I think it’s just one of those things that once you get out of the habit it’s hard to start again. It was making a difference to my joints so I’m going to try to get back into it this week.
I have now started what I’m referring to as the “Crazy Pain Diet :-)” I usually follow that with a smiley face ‘cause it makes me feel slightly better. Basically it consists of cutting gluten, red meat, sugar and dairy out of my diet. I was already doing the no gluten, no red meat half of the diet but dairy and sugar are the harder ones to give up. In the past when I’ve done this diet I’ve noticed a significant decrease in my pain levels but it is really hard to do. This time I’ve tried to make it easier on myself. I’ve got a friend doing it with me (she also as a pain condition and has found the diet helpful) and have other friends who know I’m on it and are supporting me.
The first day was really hard. I was dreaming about food and nearly in a panic about the fact that I couldn’t have chocolate. It’s not like I eat chocolate every day but knowing that it was going to be months before I had some made me want to give up. I’m on day 9 now and feeling a lot better. The cravings seem to have stopped, though as of yet, the pain hasn’t got any better. I know it’s early days but it does make it harder to keep to the diet when I’m not yet seeing results.
Finally, an arthritis tip: I’ve been drinking carrot, pineapple and ginger juice from the local juice bar. Pineapple is a super food for the joints and ginger is great for inflammation. The carrots… well I kind of just needed something to bulk it out but it is so yummy and I feel very virtuous drinking it. If you have a juicer (or a local juice bar) I would really recommend it.
Little Miss Autoimmune
Anyway, an update: I said in my first post that this blog would be following my journey through trying to get healthy. Since then I’ve managed to keep up with the exercise – aqua-jogging 2-3 times a week – and that’s made some difference to my pain levels. I definitely notice on the days when I do it I’m moving a bit better.
The daily chair yoga seems to have mysteriously disappeared. I’m not sure where it went. One day it was there, the next it wasn’t. I’m not quite sure what made me stop. I actually really enjoy it and it’s not even like I have to leave the house to do it. I think it’s just one of those things that once you get out of the habit it’s hard to start again. It was making a difference to my joints so I’m going to try to get back into it this week.
I have now started what I’m referring to as the “Crazy Pain Diet :-)” I usually follow that with a smiley face ‘cause it makes me feel slightly better. Basically it consists of cutting gluten, red meat, sugar and dairy out of my diet. I was already doing the no gluten, no red meat half of the diet but dairy and sugar are the harder ones to give up. In the past when I’ve done this diet I’ve noticed a significant decrease in my pain levels but it is really hard to do. This time I’ve tried to make it easier on myself. I’ve got a friend doing it with me (she also as a pain condition and has found the diet helpful) and have other friends who know I’m on it and are supporting me.
The first day was really hard. I was dreaming about food and nearly in a panic about the fact that I couldn’t have chocolate. It’s not like I eat chocolate every day but knowing that it was going to be months before I had some made me want to give up. I’m on day 9 now and feeling a lot better. The cravings seem to have stopped, though as of yet, the pain hasn’t got any better. I know it’s early days but it does make it harder to keep to the diet when I’m not yet seeing results.
Finally, an arthritis tip: I’ve been drinking carrot, pineapple and ginger juice from the local juice bar. Pineapple is a super food for the joints and ginger is great for inflammation. The carrots… well I kind of just needed something to bulk it out but it is so yummy and I feel very virtuous drinking it. If you have a juicer (or a local juice bar) I would really recommend it.
Little Miss Autoimmune
