Nutritionist. Homeopath. Help. Horizons.
I have been posting less and less as my arthritis has been getting worse and worse. I have been on a variety of horrible drugs for two years now. These drugs are good for my Rheumatoid Arthritis but terrible for every other part of my body and my life. Even after taking all these pills I still had and have a tremendous amount of pain. I felt like I was not being listened to by my doctor so I recently switched doctors. I didn't mention the RA to my new doctor and instead just described the pain. After some evaluation he diagnosed me with Fibromyalgia. I am still on my old pills for the RA but now I am starting a new regimen to address the Fibro.
Another change I have made is that I am seeing another type of healer. A while back, my bf was walking down our street and met a woman at a bus stop who was wearing crutches. He started talking to her about pain and medications. He told her about me and my problems. She told him about a woman she sees to help her with her pain and healing after a terrible accident she was in. This woman is a holistic healer, a homeopath and a nutritionist. My bf got this healer's information and got me an appointment. I have met with her two times and I am excited about trying to address my sickness from a new angle.
For now, I am changing my diet and taking supplements. The diet she has put me on is a Low Glycemic Index Diet. This is a diet that isn't a stranger to many people, they just might not know it. Several main stream diet plans are based on the Low GI principles: The Montignac, The Zone, The South Beach Diet and a Diabetic Diet all use the Glycemic Index.
What is the Glycemic Index? It is a measure of the increase in glucose as carbohydrates are eaten. Glucose is just another word for blood sugar. Foods with carbohydrates that break down quickly during digestion release sugar into the bloodstream faster and are considered to be high on the Glycemic Index. Foods with a low GI are broken down in the body slowly thereby releasing the glucose into the system at a slower rate. Foods that take longer to digest will keep you fuller longer as well as keep you from having blood sugar spikes throughout the day.
Different foods are assigned a number that runs from zero to one hundred. Food is generally categorized into three categories: Low GI (55 or less), Medium GI (55-60) and High GI (70 and above). When eating, ideally, you want to keep below 55 for your whole meal. There is a chart to help you make food decisions:
You can find lists like this by Googling "Glycemic Index Chart"
Of course, it isn't as simple as it looks. You can also combine foods to lower the GI number of a whole meal. For example, if you want to eat something high in the Index, like wine, you must also eat something low, like almonds. By doing this you decrease the overall index of your meal.
So far, I have been having a difficult time finding recipes that are really low on the index. I have been just sticking several things from the "low" list on a plate and calling it a meal. To really dumb it down for myself I just eat a lean protein and a vegetable. That way I am pretty safe. I will share as I learn more. Today I had a lovely lunch of tomatoes, chicken breast, kalamata olives, cucumbers and a little bit of raw sheep's cheese.
My Low GI lunch today
I have such high hopes for this new direction I am taking. I will try to keep posting about my journey. I hope it is a long and productive journey.
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