We have had a big couple of months with the girls and their medical situations. In addition to the problems I’ve mentioned before, Dolphin Lover has a foot that won’t heal and has been in a boot and/or on crutches since Thanksgiving. Today was kind of a big day (in my mind, at least!) because I am seeing all the pieces come together.
The orthopedic doctor she saw today believes the diet changes we’ve made will help heal her body and will help with the chronic injures she has faced the past year. Feet, ankles, elbows… walking boots, surgical shoes, crutches. This latest injury was a result of pre-teen behavior, not cleaning her room. She tripped on her laundry and, well… wound up breaking her 5th metatarsal!
You are what you eat!
In conversations with all the medical professionals we’ve seen the last year, the common thread is inflammation. So, why not eat in a way that reduces inflammation?! This means some form of a Paleo diet—mainly eating fruits, veggies, meats, nuts and seeds.
It has been a frustrating year. I’ve wanted answers. And no doctor could provide them. It kind of makes sense that a doctor isn’t going to start telling you to make dietary changes when you come to them with scoliosis and a back that hurts so bad you are vomiting. It also makes sense that a doctor might not initially tell you to eliminate wheat when you come to them with stomach pain that feels like an appendicitis and is so bad you can’t sit in school each day.
Every doctor stuck with tests and ideas that were in their little “box” of expertise. Whose job is it to be up on nutrition and the effects food has on your body? Does this fit into any traditional doctor’s “bag of tricks”? It took months for nutrition to be mentioned even once, and then it was just an after thought… those seemingly meaningless conversations doctors have on your way out the door.
If your body is not performing the way you’d like. If you are tired, lacking energy, experiencing chronic pain (whether that is joint pain, muscle aches, stomach pain) I would encourage you to try changing your diet. A few months ago, I would have thought anyone was crazy to suggest such a thing. This type of radical idea is only for those food freaks we meet at parties or at the gym… those people who won’t eat anything but a veggie, the people who want to suck all the fun out of life. Yes, we started down this path because we had no other answers. I might not have been so ready to jump on dietary changes if it were the first thing the doctors suggested. But, I can’t argue with what is working. (Definite improvement in The Actress’ back pain since going dairy free.)
Since November I have watched how diet changes are helping my girls feel better. It might not work for you. But, if your doctor is out of ideas, this is one avenue to try.
Two books that are excellent resources are:
1) The Paleo Diet. (I initially read The Paleo Diet for Athletes because I was looking for nutrition ideas that would help me in the upcoming marathon and triathlon seasons).
2) The Wheat Belly Diet. I’ve already written a lot about this book. The author, Dr. Davis, provides the history of how today’s wheat came to be (the wheat we eat today is not the same wheat of 50 years ago). He believes wheat is toxic and can wreak havoc on the body. He mentions wheat and other inflammatory foods, but says wheat is the worst for you because there is research showing that wheat is addictive.
Bottom line— many doctors are starting to believe what these authors are saying. Our bodies perform best with a diet of meat, fruits, veggies, seeds and nuts.
What do you think? Can changing your diet cure heart disease, diabetes and chronic pain? Can it reduce the number of migraines a person has? Can a person with asthma find relief? Can a person who takes loads of stomach medicines come off all their pills… all because of a diet?
I think the important thing is figuring out what works for YOUR body. In your kids’ situations, if cutting out wheat or another food group helps lessen their symptoms, then by all means, go for it! I think it can be a slippery slope, though, to cut out a food group if it’s NOT for a medical reason. Good post
Great point! I would tend to agree that eliminating entire food groups is a bad idea, unless you have a specific reason for doing so. (For example, if you cut out dairy, you better know enough about nutrition so that you know how to replace that calcium.)
Paleo is how I control my diabetes. I do still crave the carbs though. My body just doesn’t process the other well. So yeah, I believe we are what we eat.