Healing My Body with Healthy Foods-Anti-Inflammatory Diet Overview and Day 1

Yesterday was my second meeting with my holistic health counselor, Leah . We met at Right By Nature, in the Strip District.  I am not going to go into everything that was discussed, but basically, I was put on an anti-inflammatory diet to help with my fibromyalgia first and foremost and weight loss will come naturally with healthier eating. We will meet twice a month from April-October and hopefully by the end of that time, I will be able to see decreased pain and weight loss as well!

I was told to all avoid processed foods, refined sugars and dairy because they are unhealthy for fibromyalgia sufferers and contribute to acidity and inflamation in our bodies.   The first two were not going to be a big issue, but I love dairy!! Skim milk, cottage cheese, low fat yogurt, low fat ice cream...I was sad at first and not sure how I would be able to give up dairy.  Leah showed me some alternatives to milk (Rice, Almond, etc), Kefir instead of yogurt, etc.  She wants me to give up the dairy for 21 days, which I should be able to do--I am hopeful!! The only things I usually had every day were milk and cottage cheese, so as long as I get some kind of milk substitute and replace the cottage cheese for breakfast, I should be fine!.

She also wanted me to add greens to my diet three times a day. My diet should consist of 50% greens, 25 % protein, 25% whole carbohydrates, but the greens need to be first!

For breakfast, she wants be to make drink a smoothie daily with the following:

1 celery stalk
1 bunch fresh parsley
1 c spinach
1 banana
1/4 c frozen berries
1/4 c juice
3/4 c water
and some type of protein to be added at a later date

Sounded kind of odd to me, but she is the expert, so I bit!


She also suggested two supplements:

• natural calm, a relaxing magnesium supplement (which I can put in water or in my smoothie two teaspoons daily)
• super critical omega (supports heart, mood, joints, and immunity --I need all the help I can get in these areas--lol)

That was basically our meeting in a nutshell!  It was a lot to take in, but I know I made the right decision!!

Afterwards, I went home, thought about our meeting, ate a lunchable, some cheese and some turkey pepperoni (just to get the desire for dairy and processed foods out of my system), and that was it. No more of this junk for me!

 I broke up with everything last night I am not allowed to have on my Facebook page :


Dear dairy, processed foods and refined sugars....I regret to inform you that our relationship is over! Starting tomorrow, I will begin a new love affair with protein, whole carbs and lots of greens that will hopefully heal my aching body! But tonight, I will enjoy a few last tender moments with cheese and a few other things I am not allowed to have anymore, then it is over!!

Going without dairy, refined sugars and processed foods isn't going to kill me.  Not to say that I ate a ton of these foods on a regular basis anyway, but I actually am looking forward to changing my eating habits and feeling better, first and foremost and losing weight in the process.

I remember a conversation I had with a friend, who is also overweight, and I remember saying to her " if someone told me exactly how I needed to eat to help will all of my health conditions, I would do exactly what they told me to". Well, I got what I asked for! Not that I would wish the pain I have gone through in the past two months on my worst enemy, but obviously my body was pissed off and it was letting me know that I needed a wake up call, and I sure got one!

I started the anti-inflammatory diet today, but did not go full force.  I had to get up at 6 am for doctor's appointments and was out until 2 and I did not eat enough, I did not start the supplements because I wanted to clear them with the doctors (which they approved) and I was in a lot of pain, grouchy and needed a nap and ended up missing lunch because I went right to sleep when I got home.  I know--stop whining and suck it up, right? Lol!

Day One

Breakfast
1 c Multigrain Cherrios
1/4 c almond milk (its actually good, wasn't sure I would like it and its dairy free)

Lunch (was supposed to be my snack, but was out much longer than anticipated today)

apple
1/4 c dry endamame
1 bottle water

Dinner


1 c spinach
1/4 c chicken
1/4 c grape tomatoes

1 bottle water

Tomorrow is another day of doctor's appointments, but I am better prepared, my smoothie is made and food is packed for the day and my meal is planned for dinner, so it should be a much better day food wise!

With the bunch of Kale I bought yesterday, I am going to make:
Baked Kale Chips 

• 1 bunch kale
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
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  Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a non insulated cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. With a knife or kitchen shears carefully remove the leaves from the thick stems and tear into bite size pieces. Wash and thoroughly dry kale with a salad spinner. Drizzle kale with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning salt.
3. Bake until the edges brown but are not burnt, 10 to 15 minutes.

Just one final thought--Lifestyle changes are not quick fixes, because they are processes put into place to correct years of bad habits and ways of doing things.  I am looking forward this next part of my journey to living a happier, healthier life!!