Hi fulenn and never give up,
It's interesting to me, you two, that we all came to the decision to go with this WOE around the 12 year mark in our journeys past diagnosis. I didn't know what this WOE
was, or even what "WOE" meant--or "SAD"--I remember when I first stumbled onto this place through Fat Free Vegan Kitchen I would think, what the heck is "SAD"??!!
![laughing :lol:](./images/smilies/lol.gif)
But this site turned out to be such an important piece in my personal puzzle. From here I learned to read The China Study, and from perusing Dr. McDougall's books, to feel free to eat starches and get beyond the ingrained unexamined notion they are "bad" for you.
(I am really indebted to Susan Voisin because from her blog, which came up when I simply had a light bulb moment to search fat free vegan recipes, since I was trying to find out if I could do Swank fat free and vegan, I branched out to find all the rest. She is now, I am happy to say, a dear friend. I have found all kinds of internet treasures just looking for recipes, which was hot I kept myself on task when I began. ) From Susan's FFVK site I wandered around, found McDougall, Fuhrman, and, among other stuff, Mark Sutton's blog, Soul Veggie, that first introduced me to the Esselstyn's and Howard Lyman who wrote Mad Cowboy, and even a panel discussion with all these plant based gurus debating each other on the fine points.
I have trouble calling myself a McDougaller, not because I don't follow what he says, but because I didn't come here and adopt "his" plan. His recommendations helped me streamline what was evolving and working out for me. When I came here I had already spent time discussing my experience with MS on the Swank boards, so didn't feel the inclination to start my own journal. Still don't. Because when I journal, it's tough for me to stay just on food, every aspect of this way of LIFE is so connected for me, both to things within it and outside of it. But I sure love talking with you two about it all, or if I don't have a lot to say (which believe it or not might happen
![laughing :lol:](./images/smilies/lol.gif)
), just reading how you are doing, and offering encouragement. There is an isolation that occurs with a diagnosis of MS, it seems, that needs breaching. For those of you who were not born with something else to deal with, it seems even more so, maybe because that cherished notion of "normality" has been permanently altered. Ironically, never having had it seems to give me some kind of weird head start
![Idea :idea:](./images/smilies/icon_idea.gif)
.
Back to my original point. When I heard Dr. McDougall's talk about MS, I was struck with his 10 year-12 year cut off point for meds to be of much benefit and/or for true downward spiral to "begin." Though my own doctors had not told me that (not that it would have occurred to me to ask it either), it seems like an accurate enough generalization.Even more so because I took no meds and did well with lifestyle changes that didn't include this diet, but a more healthy diet than SAD for sure. So it's interesting to me that we all came to this at around that point in the abstract MS timeline.
I think it's great you may start your own journal, never give up.
all the best to both of you,
moonwatcher