Psoriatic Arthritis Journal 2- Equation for Change

[eri]

OMG wow. Juat wow. The nerve of a new acquaintance! I got "mini-interventioned " by a family member about a week ago. " So what are you eating? You can't cut out every food group. Who are you listening to? So what if he was at Cleveland Clinic/ I never heard of him. No oil?! Not even olive or coconut? But coconut is healthy!!! Marketing? Huh? No, you're wrong." BTW, this person is an RN. Oh well, what can you do?

[nicoles]

OMG wow. Juat wow. The nerve of a new acquaintance! I got "mini-interventioned " by a family member about a week ago. " So what are you eating? You can't cut out every food group. Who are you listening to? So what if he was at Cleveland Clinic/ I never heard of him. No oil?! Not even olive or coconut? But coconut is healthy!!! Marketing? Huh? No, you're wrong." BTW, this person is an RN. Oh well, what can you do?

Aw geez, Eri! Sorry to hear that you had that experience. Some of my family was the same way back when I started. Although none were RNs!

People.

[nicoles]

Interesting article on psoriasis.org about the link between the microbiome and psorisas/psoriatic arthritis/immune disease.

They are looking at it through the lens of probiotic treatment, but I think eating this way is beneficial to the microbiome as well.

[nicoles]

Interesting blog post and blog from someone else with Psoriasis and arthritis:

http://psoriasis-spot.blogspot.com/2013 ... ritis.html

[SherylJ]

Hi Nicole,

Help! My husband is suffering from a rash and I am wondering how strict you were with the elimination diet. It looks pretty hard to follow as it is so different from our regular McD. diet.

[nicoles]

Hi SherylJ,

Sorry to hear about your husband's rash. Is it very painful?

I was 100% strict on the ED. I am still 100% strict with the things I can eat. It's the only way it works for me.

I do notice though that other factors can mildly flare up my psoriasis: 1) Too little sleep 2) Too much stress 3) Not enough sunshine and 4) Not enough exercise.

A new discovery I have made is that weight training regularly (4 days a week, 4-day split) helps my (currently very mild to nonexistant) skin issues a lot.

Hope this helps!

Nicole

[nicoles]

Today I miss Burgess. He was as remarkable person.

His blog is still up.

[tessa]

Thanks for those links on psoriasis. I've taken probiotics for another problem but my psoriasis hasn't gone away.
I am finding my joints are freer on your diet.
Keep posting as you are an inspiration to us all.

[nicoles]

Hi Tessa Glad to hear your joints are freer! Psoriasis is the most stubborn of all, I think. It takes the most time to fully go away.

Nicole

[nicoles]

I almost never post lately because I have been so busy, which is a really good thing. Staying on plan is easy for me, I don't have cravings for SAD foods anymore, and I feel so good it is totally worth it. The only small issue is that sometimes I wish I did not have to make EVERYTHING I eat from scratch. It takes planning and organization and that can take away some of the spontaneity out of things at times, but, really, I can't complain.

I have a small one-woman business painting custom portraits, doing live event painting, and doing other artwork. It has turned into a full-time job, and it is so nice to have a real vocation again, besides just "my health". I feel like a contributing member of society once more and I love it.


I have really been consistent but not extreme in exercising since January 2014 and it had made such a difference. I have much more stamina, more even moods, I sleep better and my menstrual cycles are without difficulty of any sort, even during my period. I walk daily, stretch daily and do some for of light weights 4-6 days a week. I read that weight training balances hormones and I'd say that is true for me - not just the cyclical hormones but also the hormones regulating appetite, mood and sleep are improved when I do my weights. I am not doing anything crazy, just slow and steady and consistent. I split it up so that I have at least a day of rest between each workout of a particular muscle group.

I skipped weights for about 2 weeks because I was very busy working and very slight patches of psoriasis started to form on my elbows and one eyebrow. Then I did my weights and the very next day all psoriasis was gone. I found that very interesting, and very cool.

When I was in my late teens and early twenties I was an avid runner, and I lifted weights a couple times a week. I'd have some PMS and cramps on the first day of my period, but I would just take a run and it would all disappear. As I got older, the PMS and cramps got worse, and only lots of ibuprofen would take the cramps away and they'd start two days before I'd get my period and last for at least two days in. The fatigue I would also get was unbearable - I felt like I was wearing a lead suit.

This WOE changed things and lessened the cramps and PMS but did not take it away. Now, after about a year of consistent moderate exercise, I do not get any PMS except slight breast tenderness, and no cramps. I went for a 5-mile hike on the first day of my last period and I was full of energy, no fatigue at all.

So, my conclusion is that I agree with Ruth Heidrich - diet is so important but exercise is really important too!

[jamietwo]

That is so awesome, Nicole! Thanks for continuing to share your journey with us!

[fulenn]

Nice catching up on how you are doing, Nicole.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Fulenn

[MSNomad]

Nicole, that is such a great update. Thanks for continuing to post here. Really interesting about the weight training!

[nicoles]

Hi Gang! Nice to 'hear' from you all!




This weekend my Mother in law was in the hospital for several Transient Ischemic Attacks. She's had a couple if strokes, an aneurism, and is prone to seizures. She also has vascular dementia. A couple of years ago my Father in law had a heart attack and they both went McDougall, which rocked. But, as time went on, things loosened. FIL stays vegan, mostly, but has about 5 oz of nuts with lunch, and has pretty much junk food vegan stuff. He also often eats egg whites, he thinks they are fine for heart disease. MIL, who was really much better and more clear headed while eating well, is sadly also very much a food addict, and in combination with her cognitive difficulties really has no capacity to be a grown up. She is mostly like a child, and so chooses entirely to eat SAD again now, albeit a better version of SAD.

I would love it if things were different, of course, but they are actively uninterested in improvements to their diet and lifestyle beyond what they've already made. In the interest of a good relationship with them in their last years, we have pulled back on bringing diet up, but of course would help in a flash to the best of our ability if they were interested.

My parents also changed their diet and it was very strict for awhile, but they now eat salmon and eggs and butter again. Same situation-things slowly loosened until not being in plan was normal. They gained back the weight they lost. Any mention of diet brings on a very unpleasant defensive reaction, so, in the interest of peace and harmony, we stopped bringing it up.

Two friends of ours, a couple, asked me for help getting healthy a couple of years ago, they followed the plan and lost weight, but then they stopped and both weigh more than they did before they tried the diet. Our friendship is strained as a result, they keep thinking we are judging them and conversation is awkward.

My husband, who came on board with me diet-wise a few months into my journey, eats perfectly unless he is under stress, and then he eats junk food vegan. He gained 15 pounds in about three weeks eating vegan, but restaurant vegan.


All of this makes me so aware of how much more than just logic and knowledge goes into how we choose to take care of ourselves. And so aware of how much we are up against in cultural norms around eating. I am thankful for my illness, if not for it keeping me on track, who knows how much I'd have slipped back?

[lmggallagher]

Hi Nicole:

I am catching up slowly with everyone here and have read some of your recent posts now. I am so thrilled that you have figured out so much and actually are working full time! That is just completely huge! I am so happy for you.

The other thing I take note of is your exercise regime. You're where I hope to be in the future. However, right now I am just in the baby-steps back stage. The insomnia was really bad for me and the statement you make above about feeling like you were living in a lead suit [of fatigue] is the most apt description I can imagine. Sitting up and standing during this time was even iffy and I stopped driving for the most part for fear of my reaction time.

I was way to fatigued to cook and the lack of sleep lead to cravings galore that meant eating vegan/vegetarian deli food - fast food essentially. Just like you said about your hubby under stress that type of food prepared by others just packs the pounds on. The saying "they know which side their bread is buttered on" is for real - load the fat in and people love it.

Anyway I have found Benadryl again and it eases me into my sleep cycle just right - the insomnia is now turned around completely with this simple thing! Last night was my first normal full length sleep and I have been getting there for about a week - along with eating back on plan. Oops, Thanks giving not...but I am making all my own food again now.

I have to completely agree on what a pain it is to cook from scratch constantly. I am trying to find slow cooker meals that are all MWL and fairly FODMAPS. Not real easy but slow cooker convenience is so worth it for me - at least I'll have a store of frozen dinners to rely on when things get touchy and they will.

I am again just relieved beyond words to know that you are doing so well so consistently...I feel bad for you that many around you have tried and fallen- but at least there was improvement and you did your patient best to help. Here's hoping things turn back to right-eating for those family and friends - but the choice is theirs to sink or swim sadly.

((((Hugs))))) - Michelle