I will be writing this more as a journal because I will be keeping track of my food intake and doctor appointments.
10/14/2021 - Sunday
After a year of suffering from psoriasis, I have decided enough is enough, and it's time to take my life back. Having an autoimmune disease sucks, and I know a lot of people are in the same boat as me. I have numerous friends suffering from autoimmune diseases, such as: MS, Rhumertoid Arthritis, Celiac Disease, and Psoriasis to name a few. I've decided to take a long hard look at myself and find out everything I can about autoimmune diseases and what can be done to reverse the effects of the disease. I've always been a firm believer that our bodies possess the power to heal our ailments, and now I'm putting that theory to the test.
A few things have happened recently to reinforce my way of thinking. Firstly, a while back I bought the book The Wahls Protocol byTerry Wahls, M.D. Although I haven't finished the book, I am LOVING what I am reading. The book advocates a Paleo Diet. It also, thoroughly, explains the science behind diseases and how it all boils down to cellular health. Unhealthy cells can lead to cell malfunction, which can lead to disease. Cellular nutrition is everything. We've all heard the expression, "You are what you eat." My father preached this to me my entire life, and really, that is the simple truth. Our cells need a favorable environment (everything we eat and drink) to thrive and stay healthy for our optimal health. This makes perfect sense to me. #TheWahlsProtocol #terrywahls #paleo #paleodiet #glutenfree #dairyfree #cellularnutrition #cells #health #optimalhealth
Secondly, I recently met with Alison Reyes, a dietician, with a science background. After putting me on a new vitamin regimen, she also told me she would like me to try paleo for three months to see if it helps my Psoriasis. Interesting, right. It sounds so simple and maybe it is...I'll find out soon enough. She believes it is possible to reverse my symptons..not mask them with cremes and pills..but actually fix the problem.Turning your cellular dysfunction around is vital..the trick is figuring out what your cells require. #dietician #nutrition #cellulardysfunction
So...what exactly do my cells require? I eat pretty healthy. Prior to 10/8/2021, An example of my normal day would have been:
Breakfast: coffee and a hard boiled egg or blueberries mid morning
Lunch: salad with lots of greens, 1 cup of chicken breast, and 1 tbsp of salad dressing
Dinner: salad with either chicken, fish, or homemade turkey burger
Snack: blueberries, prunes, nuts, protein bar if I'm really hungry.
Sometimes I do have natural peanut butter on Dave's whole wheat bread, or I have toast with grassfed butter. I'll eat gluten free crackers with grass fed cheese or Reggiano Parmesan. There are times when I indulge in a bag of peanut m & m's...go big or go home, right? But for the most part...I'm a healthy eater! So, the trick is to figure out what my body needs that I am not providing or maybe I'm giving my body something that is having an adverse effect on my cells? Time to find out. In addition to making an appointment with (yet another) dermatologist, I am making an appointment with an allergist to test my food allergies. I'm heading to Boston for both and seeing top physicians. I will let you know the results in due time. It's looking like February 2022 appointments. #dermatologist #allergist #boston #massgeneral
10/8/2021 - 10/14/2021 - It begins
For the past seven days, I have been completely dairy and gluten free. This really wasn't a big stretch for me, except for the cheese and crackers. I do love snacking on cheese. I'm feeling less bloated and lighter in general.
Breakfast: coffee and blueberries mid morning
Lunch: salad with 1 cup of chicken breast, nuts, 50% less sugar craisins (more fiber)
Dinner: salad with 1 cup of chicken, fish, or turkey breast burger (homemade)
Snacks: RX bar, blueberries, chia seeds with almond milk & honey pudding
Chia pudding recipe: