Have you ever changed your health through diet alone?

[PerpetuallyIndecisive]

I’m not talking about weight loss, but about changing what food you eat / when you eat / cutting things out / adding things in etc.

I have ME/CFS and it feels like my energy is getting lower and lower. My diet isn’t as good as it could be, but I do get a lot of comfort from food and am reluctant to put the time and energy (esp when I have so little) into overhauling my diet if it’s not going to make a difference. It’s also bloody confusing trying to work out how to change my diet - so much conflicting advice!

I’d love to hear other people’s experiences with changing their diet for their health - good and bad!

I gave up bread some years ago (largely) and it really helped my swollen ankles, feet, joints, I had painful joints in my fingers and that cleared up.

Like others when I was properly eating lower carb my anxiety levels were much better.

my energy is getting lower and lower. My diet isn’t as good as it could be

Just read that back to yourself.

It may seem a faff initially to make changes but, in the long run, it is well worth it. As a fellow sufferer, the best I ever felt was doing paleo and I had cut out processed sugar, crisps, bread etc. I’m struggling atm for other reasons I won’t bore you with, but letting processed stuff creep back in has caused me to be so much worse than I was.

One tomato. I really hear you. Although I am a huge advocate of nutrition for health, I also understand the frustration of well meaning people just telling you if you just did that you'd be fine. It minimises the problem and can make you feel it's your fault for being ill. Nearly always advice from people in robust health who don't understand the exhaustion of chronic illness.

I also understand that gastritis is really painful and some of the healthiest food can trigger pain. Weirdly, I was listening to Dr Goldner last night talking about her early struggles with it when she changed her diet and ultimately it was only a medication that helped her in the end. I will try and find it for you.

Have you tried listening to Dr Will Bulsiewicz? He's a gastroenterologist who is really hot on diet and the microbiome. He gives advice on pain and how to try and work with it with diet. I'm not sure if his advice would help you, but I just thought I'd point you there just in case ...

My way of thinking of it is that by controlling what we can control, and diet is one of the easiest, assuming you can afford to eat properly of course, then it's actually a really empowering thing to do, especially when you are sick and feel so out of control anyway.. Saves us being at the mercy of Dr's and drugs. There are always factors we can't control like pollution and external stressors and so on, but we can only do what we can do.

My feeling regarding the little treat when we are ill thing is I get it, but if going hard core for a while can improve your quality of life in whatever way that's worth so much more than a fleeting treat.

I will try and find that video for you later :)

For One Tomato! :) Found it!

Dr Goldner talks about gastritis and diet here (She does a weekly Q&A). At about 44 minutes if it's any help :)

Had lots of gynae issues - cysts on my ovaries, CIN3, uterine fibroids and cysts and bad stomach issues.

I don’t believe it “fixed” these things but eating a low inflammation diet - I haven’t eaten gluten for years and I’ve been vegetarian by choice for 10 years. I’m able to keep stomach issues under control (I do still occasionally have flares) but I’m also unexpectedly pregnant which I never thought would happen! I was also taking inositol daily which is MAGIC for fertility issues.

I want to cut out most sugars once baby is here for my energy levels and neurological issues.

Congratulations on your pregnancy NT! 🌺

@Sunshineandrainbows23 Thank you so much ❤️ At 31 weeks now and not feeling so blessed haha third tri is hard!!

I felt completely different when I cut out meat/dairy and ate an entirely whole food plant based diet.

My periods became less heavy and shorter
I stopped needing my ventolin at night within a week
My eczema cleared up
I felt "lighter" - not like I weighed less, I just felt like I could move easier
I was running a mile per minute faster with ease.
I'm sure there were others but these are the ones I can remember off the top of my head.

I'm not saying I wasn't fit before I change to wfpb eating, but they were truly remarkable and noticeable changes I felt almost immediately.

Ha ha aww well I'm sure it will be all worth it in the end. :) ❤

It's incredible the difference it makes, isn't it Stroke thefurrywall. I'm so pleased you got those results! :)

DH was diagnosed with ME/CFS years ago. He found a totally organic diet helpful as well taking selenium.

lol - what I meant was those of us on thyroxine or fluctuating levels.

No thyroid and you're eventually dead!

This has been really useful. Thanks all for being so helpful and sharing your experience. Lots to research now!

No thyroid and you're eventually dead!

https://www.pennmedicine.org/for-patients-and-visitors/find-a-program-or-service/surgery/thyroid-surgery/total-thyroidectomy-and-thyroid-lobectomy

many people have total thyroidectomy for cancer or graves disease

My MIL had her thyroid removed in her 30s, she died at the age of 92 - so I suppose you are right you are eventually dead.

Yes - I look and feel a million times better following the diebetes diet and only having a glass or two or wine on weekends

This is my plan post Christmas. Some good advice here to start with.

They have to be on thyroxine. You can't remove the thyroid and not have a supply of thyroxine.

Without that hormone the body slowly goes into a coma called a myxedema coma. Without treatment it is fatal. However it's very rare as it's a slow deterioration and would be caught and treated before death.

Either auto immune disease kills a thyroid slowly over time or it is removed due to graves or cancer.

It's why you get free prescriptions if you take thyroxine.

www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/myxedema-coma

Partial removal doesn't always need thyroxine as tsh can stimulate it to grow but they do still need monitoring as female hormones have a very close relationship with the thyroid endo system. It grows considerably during pregnancy in healthy women as more thyroxine is needed to sustain pregnancy.

This is why it can sometimes be tricky to control levels; it's got a long half life so adjustments can take a few months. Illness can affect the balance of things too as can gut health, as some t3 is converted in the gut.

You can be very well on thyroxine but you need to find the right level for you and maintain a healthy active lifestyle when at the right level. A few people do not convert t4 well though and do need t3 too. Perimenopause is a shitter!

I've been on thyroxine most of my life and have found that maintaining muscle mass/ strength is really important. But I can't if the levels are off, either way. I get very weak if it's not adjusted. Hence initial comments upthread.

My DP suffers with his joints at times and low carb / high fat eating massively reduces his inflammation / pain. Its also improved my PCOS substantially.

I've had stage 3 cancer (and a year or two prior was diagnosed with CFS though could have been wrong as they then tested lots of other cancers and not breast and huge improvement with long term antibiotics). I have found swimming again 3 miles or so a week massively beneficial both physically and mentally (did this prior to CFS/cancer as well). Diet was already pretty healthy though am tweaking now but not seen much difference. I have reduced drinks with sugar in and taken sugar out of tea and stopped elderflower cordial and drinking lime juice and water and tea with milk and no sugar and no alcohol (but was already at almost none) and very little coffee. The drinks have helped and reduced desire for sugar. But when tried to go very low carb get very shaky / sick blood sugar type crashes. I also have to be careful re bones. I do have inflammation from cancer meds. I am still experimenting though but don't want to get too obsessive about it or cut out all food I enjoy. I do find it easier when I discover a healthy food I really like - I found a Thai meal with stir fry veg and cashew nuts which was amazing and healthy.

I’m another cancer person, and the meds for that cause cholesterol to rise. I was also prediabetic. I’m very slim and reasonably fit. I was generally plant-based before getting ill. So far, what has made the biggest difference is going low carb and cutting out sugar. I’ve added fish back into my diet. I can’t go completely carb free, but I make sure that all carbs are whole grain. I’ve also started intermittent fasting. I find 16:8 very doable for me. I’m no longer prediabetic and cholesterol is down. I also started a joint pain exercise programme, which has made a difference too.