lbell007

First week tips

Posted on 04/23/12, 07:51 am

Hi,

I'm new to this forum and, unfortunately, autoimmune disease. I don't have a diagnosis yet but have a high ANA (high enough where rheumo said there's only a 1-2% chance of it being a false positive). My hip started hurting when training for a marathon last year and after that, I started getting more and more pains (mostly stinging/burning) throughout my trunk (front and back). I'm waiting for more labs to come back. I actually feel inflamed.

I just bought the book yesterday and am not far enough along to see where I should start in terms of the dietary changes, but am so anxious to begin right away! Can anyone offer any 'first week' tips of do's and don'ts to help me navigate this first week while I read the book? I don't even want to lose one week of time before starting a healing process. Thanks and I look forward to getting to know you all,
Linda

• Reply #1 04/23/12  10:12am
  
  wyhugs
  I think getting the raw organic sauerkraut is the most important thing - along with getting the toxins out.... Praying for the best on your journey!
• Reply #2 04/24/12  8:27am
  
  lbell007
  Hi, thanks for the reply. I was lucky enough to find raw organic sauerkraut at a local health food store on my way home so I had some with dinner. It's a bit hard to get down, but I'll do anything! If I have it several times a day though, what's the right amount? Is there a minimum amount that you need for it to be beneficial? Thanks and best wishes for you as well, wyhugs!
• Reply #3 04/24/12  12:30pm
  
  wyhugs
  Start out slow with the sauerkraut - maybe 2 TBSP a day as it can/will effect your bowels.... I eat it with every meal and you should definately eat some anytime you eat meat as your body cannot digest meat well and get the B12. Not sure what brand you were able to buy but I was not fond of the one that was available in my area. I am making my own now (sometimes I am not fond of that either!!!). Farmhouse Culture (I believe that is the brand) has GREAT sauerkraut if you live in California. Raw milk kefir is very beneficial as well but the raw kraut has the best 'bang for the buck' so to speak as far as enzymes are concerned. I probably eat about 2 to 3 TBSP or about half a cup with each meal now. As far as I know, you can't over do it..... If you do a google search on fermented foods, you will find lots of info on the benefits. I believe that sauerkraut is superior though. Keep us posted on how you are doing. Since this is new for you, you should have great success in probably as little as 6 months. I've been dealing with my disease for over 30 years and since I was eating wrong all that time and in the last few years taking the dangerous drugs, I have a long way to go! I've read the book twice and love it and have hope that eventually I will be better! Thanks and keep at it!
• Reply #4 04/25/12  7:39am
  
  lbell007
  Well, I saw your post too late to start out slow on the sauerkraut, lol! Night before last, the night I bought it, I probably had 4 tablespoons with dinner, then a couple the next morning, more for lunch and then I saw your email about taking it easy and didn't have any with dinner. No ill effects, other than I didn't feel well all day yesterday. I ate as cleanly as I have in quite a while, but felt burning in my back (one of my symptoms) all day. I know I can't expect miracles.
  
  It's going to take some time for me to do a complete change of my diet. I went gluten free about a month ago and that helped a little, although some of those foods were still processed (such as snacks). I'm borderline underweight so trying to go to raw foods and also get enough to eat will be a challenge. There aren't enough calories in most fruits/veggies for me to maintain my weight. I am pescatarian so although I do eat dairy products, fish is the only meat I eat. I don't want to have fish every single day so I'm struggling to figure out what other foods to eat. I haven't had time to go down the kefir/raw milk route yet. By the time I get home from work, make dinner and settle down to read, I can only get through a few pages before I'm asleep, so it looks like it'll take time for me to get through the book. I'm wondering about things like organic brown rice, tofu, tempeh, legumes. Do you mind if I ask what autoimmune disease you have? Thanks again!
• Reply #5 04/25/12  9:21am
  
  wyhugs
  I have ankylosing spondylitis and fibromyalgia. Before I read the book, I had switched to Paleo eating and that seemed to help me a bit. I understand your situation with your weight and would love to have that problem! lol
  You need to be eating the right fats - coconut oil is a good one to be getting in your diet. The book says you can have gluten if you have sourdough products. I have not yet done anything with that.... I'm not big into cooking anyway - guess that's why my diet was so poor in the first place! I am not familiar with the pescatarian - do you eat eggs(free range)? Clams are a great source of B12 so you should definately include those. I think you should stay away from the tofu and tempeh as soy is very harmful unless it has been fermented and someone told me that the fermenting process they use now is not the traditional method which made it beneficial. There are certainly people on here who are much more knowledgeble than I in all of this and I loaned my copy of the book out so I don't have it to verify.... Look in the back of your book and Annesse has a recipe for oatmeal that is very good for you. If you don't have a source for raw milk, use coconut milk until you get raw. I cannot remember what type of rice Annesse mentions. I read another book called The Perfect Health Diet and the authors of it say to eat white rice. I also forgot to mention beet kvass - if you google it, you will find out how to make it. It is fermented and very good for you. I don't know if white willow bark would help the burning in your back but I have had relative good results using that for some of my pain issues.... I love baked sweet potatoes with coconut oil and that would be something with more calories for you. Sorry I am rambling here.... Hope there is something in here that helps!
• Reply #6 04/28/12  9:18am
  
  wyhugs
  Been reading this week about fermented cod liver oil and high vitamin butter oil. Weston Price advocated the use of them and his website has links to where to get them. Not sure if you are interested in trying them or doing some research on them.....
• Reply #7 04/28/12  11:03am
  
  lbell007
  Thanks wyhugs., my rheumatologist mentioned ankylosing spondylitis when there was a little fluid in my right sacroiliac joint, but I'm waiting on labs to give more info. I know I have a torn labrum in my right hip so that confuses the issue a bit in terms of pain. However, I also get these widespread burning sensations and that seems unrelated to me. I'm scheduled to have surgery for that in July but I'd like to feel like some of my other pain issues are a bit more under control before adding more trauma to my body. However, I'd like to also know how much pain will be remedied by fixing the hip issues.
  
  I do see a nearby farm that has herdshares so I could get goat's milk. Is there a significant difference in goat versus cow milk as the milk source (in terms of benefit)? I'm sorry you've had to deal with your issues for so long. I really can't imagine. You must be very strong!
• Reply #8 04/28/12  2:41pm
  
  wyhugs
  Goat's milk is very beneficial. I would start getting it as soon as possible. And do look up the benefits of the high vitamin butter oil and fermented cod liver oil. I just ordered some - hoping for great results! Don't feel strong at all - feel very overwhelmed most times!!! Can't blame anyone but myself for all the years of eating junk.... Glad you are taking control early. AS can effect your eyes (among other organs) and historically, I would get several inner eye infections. Are your eyes very sensitive to the sun or bright light? My sons both have AS and have not yet ever had the eye infections but everyone is different....

Annesse Brockley has written a book in which she details her own illness, diagnosed as Lupus, and her struggle to regain health. It was when she inadvertently happened upon the cure that she really investigated and read the varied research she illuminates in her book. It all comes together and then the reader is led to understand what the cure is and how to begin to effect it in their own health. We are attempting to gain health through her discoveries.