So my next avenue of care was to delve into what I’m using to fuel my body. I am a big fan of clean eating and most people when looking at my weekly meal plan would say I’m the healthiest person they know. But this doesn’t mean that I’m eating to heal my body of an autoimmune disorder & its symptoms. After my diagnosis post, I received a million and one suggestions of what to do. They are overwhelming & welcomed all at once. Although I love the information it has been a lot and I need to sift through it.
One of the first videos I watched is by Dr. Terry Wahls called Minding Your Mitochondria
I downloaded her book The Wahls Protocol onto my Kobo to dive into. So far I love her straightforward writing approach and the way she explains science to a “lay person”. My Naturopath has also recommended that I read Grain Brain. There are so many books out there so I’ll slowly make my way through them.
My next step was to contact a Registered Holistic Nutritionist. I was recommended to talk to Chantale Michaud from Eat Heal Love. Â She was diagnosed with MS in 2001 and has been relapse-free since 2007. She decided to become a holistic nutritionist and went back to school. She currently practices in Guelph, Ontario but does Skype consultations. I booked a mini nutrition consultation because I have such a good regime that I just need to know what to tweak. What needs to go and what can stay.
These tips are built for me & what I currently do. I have paid for her services so please do yourself a favour if you are reading this and consult an expert yourself and don’t just do what works for me as I already incorporate so many healthy eating habits.
Here are my top 10 tips that I’ll be adopting into my meal plan (because I don’t like saying the word diet.)
1. Avoid flax seeds & hemp oil during symptoms/episodes as they bind to nutrients and make it harder for my body to absorb them.
2. More Omega 3 vs 6 & 9. In my Naturopath appointment post I mentioned that I’ll be incorporating NutraSea + D back into my green smoothie.
3. Less steak & more fish. I eat flank steak basically every day so I need to try and reduce that to 3 times a week and up fish to at least 4 times a week. Red meat can be very acidic in your body and eating more fish will give me the omega 3s I need for anti-inflammatory properties.
4. Add more seaweed, which contains iodine into my diet. This information also comes from Dr. Wahls so I’ve already started incorporating this into my weekly meal plan with roasted seaweed snack packs. I used to use Spirulina powder so this will be easy to incorporate into my green shakes.
5. Don’t drink water with meals so my enzymes can properly digest my food. I used to take enzymes with my protein meals so I may start doing this again with my steak & chicken meals.
6. My naturopath recommended 8,000 IUs a day and Chantale recommended I split the dosage into 3 times a day vs. just twice a day. I was taking 4,000 at breakfast and 4,000 at dinner for ease of memory.
7. Add Coenzyme Q10 back into my supplement routine. Our bodies use it to produce energy for cell growth and maintenance. It also functions as an antioxidant, which protects the body from damage caused by harmful molecules. I have a list of foods to delve into or I can look into supplementation.
8. Cut nightshade vegetables out while I’m experiencing gastro intestinal problems. Bye bye tomatoes & peppers.
9. Incorporate shots of tart cherry juice or cook with turmeric for their anti-inflammatory properties. When cooking with turmeric I need to pair with black pepper for absorption.
10. My blood work post steroid treatment showed pre-diabetic properties to it so we discussed what I could eat to support my pancreas. I’m going to cook with a bit more garlic, get some artichokes for next week and I have a big cabbage I need to do something with!
Before the session she sent me a document on “Living & Thriving with MS – Quick Start Guide Part 2” and on “Autoimmune Disease & the Leaking Gut Connection” to review before the consultation. Post Consultation she sent me a review of the steps I need to take and a list of recipes (see below) I can use. She was so worth the cost!
Breakfast Recipes
- Banana Nut Millet Porridge
- Quinoa Breakfast Bowl
- Banana Nut Blueberry Muffins
- Asparagus Scramble
- Kale Omelette with parsley and green onions
- Anti-inflammatory Smoothie
Lunch/Dinner Recipes
- Roasted Cauliflower Soup
- Spaghetti Squash Pad Thai
- Coconut Curry Sweet Potato Lentil Stew
- Tabouli Quinoa Salad
- Apple Carrot Coleslaw
- Mixed Veggie Leafy Green Salad with Cucumber Dressing
- Sweet Potato Salad
- Baked Lemon Cod with Asparagus
Snack Ideas
- Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Hemp Seed Dip
- Kale Chips
- Frozen Blueberries
- Apple Slices with Almond Butter
Do you eat an anti-inflammatory diet? What are some of your best tips for nutrition?
Just a random thought about the cabbage if you’re having trouble incorporating it, my sister used to do shots of cabbage juice to support digestion because she lacked certain enzymes. You can only eat so much coleslaw. 🙂
They thrived on hunting wild game, and gathering fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, and the roots, stems, and leaves of plants. For starters, and is very important, it helps individuals to lose weight. It is imperative that you would get a little tired of the same paleo diet recipes at some point of time.