I want to be well. But I don't even know what is wrong with me... except that in all likelihood it is an autoimmune disease.
Paul and I have been watching many documentaries about people getting well and even curing their autoimmune diseases. I believe it can be done. I do think that the cure is within our nutrition.
So, I am trying to make as many changes as I can while nursing a baby. I rediscovered Paul's old Juiceman juice extractor and I am drinking a lot of fruits and veggies. I am attempting to replace one meal a day (usually breakfast) with juice. (I end up feeling like I am starving before 10 am.) I know that I have to eat more fruits and veggies, but eating them all seems so daunting that juicing seems like a better option.
I am also trying to get off of all forms of caffeine (tea, soda, coffee, etc). I am down to 1/3 caffeinated coffee in the morning... and only one or two mugs of it. Yesterday was a bad day. I had to take two naps. Let me tell you, friend, if you think you are not dependent on caffeine - just try to give it up! (In my case I knew I was terribly dependent on caffeine, perhaps to the point of idolatry. And, that troubles me.)
In addition to these - I am trying to cut out ALL remaining refined sugar in my diet. This is not too much of a problem ... so long as I can curb my cookie cravings. I am doing this, in part, because I have been researching the various factors that play a part in thyroid function. And, from what I can see refined sugar depresses thyroid function.
So far I have only seen set backs to my overall health. I am groggy, tired, foggy-headed. I am still having the cycle of one or two good days followed by many bad days.
I want to be well. I have a husband and six children who need me. I homeschool the four oldest children. I get little exercise, because I have no strength for it.
If adding more fruits and veggies to my diet can help get me well - great! I am generally in favor of moderation in my diet... but I don't know if I will ever get well consuming "moderate" amounts of sugar and caffeine.
My goals for the next few months:
- Get totally off of refined sugar
- Get totally off of caffeine
- Work my way up to a diet of at least 51% fruits and veggies... yikes.
- Drink at least 100 ounces of water every day
- no soda ever, not even decaf
- no sweet tea, not even decaf
- very little meat (this is NOT a change from our current norm. We choose not to spend our limited budget on meat. We have been eating only three pounds of meat a week for the last several months - that's three pounds for the whole family, by the way.)
- less breads (because I eat a LOT of my homemade bread. Great ingredients... in smaller amounts)
- more beans (we already eat beans several days a week. I would like to see it go to at least one meal a day.)
- exercise daily. Gardening counts. Mowing counts. Soccer with the kids counts.I am not expecting marathon condition. I just want to be able to take a walk!
- I do NOT have a goal for weight loss, because ultimately that is not my primary concern. But, I know that I should not weigh 200 pounds. After Baby #5 was born in 2009, I weighed 178 for almost two years. And, after Baby #2 was born in 2003, I got down to 160 by making no dietary changes at all... just with exercise. So, in time, I would like to see a significant reduction in pounds lost. But, for now, it is not a goal
Paul and I have been watching many documentaries about people getting well and even curing their autoimmune diseases. I believe it can be done. I do think that the cure is within our nutrition.
So, I am trying to make as many changes as I can while nursing a baby. I rediscovered Paul's old Juiceman juice extractor and I am drinking a lot of fruits and veggies. I am attempting to replace one meal a day (usually breakfast) with juice. (I end up feeling like I am starving before 10 am.) I know that I have to eat more fruits and veggies, but eating them all seems so daunting that juicing seems like a better option.
I am also trying to get off of all forms of caffeine (tea, soda, coffee, etc). I am down to 1/3 caffeinated coffee in the morning... and only one or two mugs of it. Yesterday was a bad day. I had to take two naps. Let me tell you, friend, if you think you are not dependent on caffeine - just try to give it up! (In my case I knew I was terribly dependent on caffeine, perhaps to the point of idolatry. And, that troubles me.)
In addition to these - I am trying to cut out ALL remaining refined sugar in my diet. This is not too much of a problem ... so long as I can curb my cookie cravings. I am doing this, in part, because I have been researching the various factors that play a part in thyroid function. And, from what I can see refined sugar depresses thyroid function.
So far I have only seen set backs to my overall health. I am groggy, tired, foggy-headed. I am still having the cycle of one or two good days followed by many bad days.
I want to be well. I have a husband and six children who need me. I homeschool the four oldest children. I get little exercise, because I have no strength for it.
If adding more fruits and veggies to my diet can help get me well - great! I am generally in favor of moderation in my diet... but I don't know if I will ever get well consuming "moderate" amounts of sugar and caffeine.
My goals for the next few months:
- Get totally off of refined sugar
- Get totally off of caffeine
- Work my way up to a diet of at least 51% fruits and veggies... yikes.
- Drink at least 100 ounces of water every day
- no soda ever, not even decaf
- no sweet tea, not even decaf
- very little meat (this is NOT a change from our current norm. We choose not to spend our limited budget on meat. We have been eating only three pounds of meat a week for the last several months - that's three pounds for the whole family, by the way.)
- less breads (because I eat a LOT of my homemade bread. Great ingredients... in smaller amounts)
- more beans (we already eat beans several days a week. I would like to see it go to at least one meal a day.)
- exercise daily. Gardening counts. Mowing counts. Soccer with the kids counts.I am not expecting marathon condition. I just want to be able to take a walk!
- I do NOT have a goal for weight loss, because ultimately that is not my primary concern. But, I know that I should not weigh 200 pounds. After Baby #5 was born in 2009, I weighed 178 for almost two years. And, after Baby #2 was born in 2003, I got down to 160 by making no dietary changes at all... just with exercise. So, in time, I would like to see a significant reduction in pounds lost. But, for now, it is not a goal
1 comment:
Bethany-you have been on my mind a lot lately. As I've said before I wish we lived closer so we could really meet and have a good conversation. I think all your goals are wonderful and you have encouraged me to do better too. Drinking water is huge for me. I feel so much better when I drink more than enough water. The sugar thing is my nemesis. It just rears its ugly head when I feel like I am at my weakest. Probably weak from all the sugar to be honest. It seems like an endless cycle, and I guess it is until we just jump off. Much easier to say than do though, I know.
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