The D&E dish

In February, I was prescribed a serious diet plan via my chiropractor. I happened to stumble upon my chiropractor who has a special Fibromyalgia diet and I only picked his name by chance through my insurance. I got totally lucky. His practice is amazing and his approach to pain relief is relieving. He and some others have come up with this diet that reduces inflammation throughout your entire body to reduce pain. It's prescribed to those with Fibromyalgia. I am on fruits, veggies, lean meats and tree nuts; or the 'Paleo Diet'. I have to avoid dairy, grains, gluten, wheat, fatty meats, refined sugars, salt and certain fatty oils. Sounds pretty awful, right? Well, its actually not! OF course the first few days are hard but you get used to it very quickly. I'd say a typical day of eating for me would be; fruits and a handful of almonds with a cup of herbal tea for breakfast, fresh avocado and gluten free brown rice crackers for lunch, grapes or blueberries as a snack, chicken lettuce wraps for dinner and a handful of yogurt raisons for dessert. Sometimes I'll really treat myself to hazelnut gluten free crackers with a little spread of Nutella on top. I drink tons of water and take powdered reds (fruits, fiber, enzymes, omegas, probiotics, super antioxidants) in the morning and my powered greens (veggies, antioxidants and everything else) at night. Level 1 on the Paleo diet allows 3 open meals a week. Which is foods not listed on the diet plan. Level 2 is 2 open meals a week and Level 3 is 1 open meal a week. I'm still on level 1. When it's your time to have open meal, you can hardly eat much of it because your body has adapted to the diet. A nice little treat is alot more rewarding, however!
Getting rid of all those inflammation foods and sticking to the foods humans are meant to eat, it increases your energy and decreases pain by 85%. It's been two weeks and I feel like a brand new person!! I have so much more energy and drive. I don't get migraines anymore and I'm in much less pain! My muscle recovery from a hard workout is alot faster as well. I can get up easier in the morning and hit up the gym EVERY DAY without any problems! I can do two-a-days, no prob! It's amazing! I feel so so so GREAT!! I've been working out really hard 6 days a week! It's been consecutive for about 3 weeks now and I've already lost 7 pounds! I've dropped an entire pant size. I'm losing about 3 pounds a week! I feel so great! ON top of my adjustments, I'm in such great relief. My pain level never exceeds a 6. And a 6 is on a bad day! I used to surpass 10!
So, to those suffering from any kind of Chronic Pain, let me suggest the Paleo Diet! It works!

The start of 2010

What a grande way to start the new year....sense my sarcasm? Here's the deal:

My eyes have been bigging the crap out of me the past few months and they seem to get worse. My left pupil is still larger and I continue to get Migraines behind my eyes. They last for days. My Migraines just aren't normal Migraines. With having Fibromyalgia, my pain is debilitating and very little alleviates the pain. I'm down for days, my eysight is affected, I'm nauseous, lethargic, hurt all over my body, confused, dizzy and just sick. They wipe me out.
I thought I for sure needed glasses. I went to an eye doctor and had my eyes checked. Surprise, surprise; my vision isn't 20/20 anymore but that wasn't even an issue, according to doc. My eyes are healthy. It's not my eyes. It's something else and Doc was very concerned about my pupil not working like it should. He ordered me bloodwork and an MRI/MRA the very same day to rule out any kind of brain tumors. Now I am to see a Nuero Opthamologist to get more answers. So, my issue isn't getting a pair of contact lenses. It's something Nuerological. Am I surprised? Not really. I practically lived in a Hospital as a Teenager and saw a Nuerologist weekly. Why? Because of having Fibromyalgia. This Autoimmune disorder causes so many freaking symptoms but there's still so many questions to this Disorder. Your Central Nervous System doesn't work properly, transmitting pain throughout the body and causing many symptoms. It's HELL...becuase there's not much you can do about it.
My MRI cam back normal. I have a great brain. My vessels are good. I already knew this but it's part of Dr procedure to so such extensive testings. I'm really upset it's left me even MORE in medical debt. I do have insurance but I have a whopping 1,500 deductable. And I still am trying to pay for my Hernia surgery. It's seriously retarded. Now a Nuero Opthamologist? I'm ready to just decline doc orders for the sake of my sanity! I don't care anymore.
So, this year is starting pretty awesome, I may say.

..boo hisss....sometimes I don't get life.

FIBROMYALGIA

Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition characterized by widespread pain in your muscles, ligaments and tendons, as well as fatigue and multiple tender points — places on your body where slight pressure causes pain. Fibromyalgia is more common in women than in men. Previously, fibromyalgia was known by other names such as fibrositis, chronic muscle pain syndrome, psychogenic rheumatism and tension myalgias.Signs and symptoms of fibromyalgia can vary, depending on the weather, stress, physical activity or even the time of day.Common signs and symptoms include: Widespread pain. Fibromyalgia is characterized by pain in specific areas of your body when pressure is applied, including the back of your head, upper back and neck, upper chest, elbows, hips and knees. The pain generally persists for months at a time and is often accompanied by stiffness.Fatigue and sleep disturbances. People with fibromyalgia often wake up tired and unrefreshed even though they seem to get plenty of sleep. Some studies suggest that this sleep problem is the result of a sleep disorder called alpha wave interrupted sleep pattern, a condition in which deep sleep is frequently interrupted by bursts of brain activity similar to wakefulness. So people with fibromyalgia miss the deep restorative stage of sleep. Nighttime muscle spasms in your legs and restless legs syndrome also may be associated with fibromyalgia.Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The constipation, diarrhea, abdominal pain and bloating associated with IBS are common in people with fibromyalgia.Headaches and facial pain. Many people who have fibromyalgia also have headaches and facial pain that may be related to tenderness or stiffness in their neck and shoulders. Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction, which affects the jaw joints and surrounding muscles, also is common in people with fibromyalgia.Heightened sensitivity. It's common for people with fibromyalgia to report being sensitive to odors, noises, bright lights and touch.Other common signs and symptoms include: Depression Numbness or tingling sensations in the hands and feet (paresthesia) Difficulty concentrating Mood changes Chest pain Dry eyes, skin and mouth Painful menstrual periods Dizziness Anxiety This is what I've delt with since I was 15 years old. It lies dormant or flares up uncontrollably. I am having a horrible flare up rightnow. I cannot explain or tell you what the pain in my back is like. It's debilitating and completely discouraging.I pray I'll get relief and relief fast! LONG LASTING RELIEF! Epsom Salt bathes, massage, icy hot rubs and pain relievers can only do so much! I need relief from the inside out!!!!!!! Like, a broken foot isnt' enough, right?ANY HELP OUT THERE????