Choice of foods/depression

Hi Everyone,

I just wanted to share with you what I learned from the chiropractor I am now seeing. I saw he was helping my b/f so I decided to give him a chance. Much to my surprise I discovered he is very knowledgeable about fibromyalgia. He even passes out literature about fibromyalgia and discusses how a person with fibro can help themselves.

He says there is so much sugar in the foods we eat, that we should try and stay away from sugar. He said we should stay away from wheat and eat multigrains. And he mentioned that people with fibromyalgia tend to have a lot of acid in their stomachs so we should not eat acidic foods like vinegar products or citrus. He also said we need to stay away from processed foods. There are additives and chemicals in them and little nutrition and fiber. I've pretty much been doing all this but I do cheat at times. He also recommended that I take acidopholus, seems to be helping my stomach feel better, and vitamin D and CoQ10 for energy. I took the vitamins I have been taking to my appointment and he was impressed. I feel fortunate I learned over the years what could help me feel somewhat better.

What I really wanted to share is I ate wheat pasta for two days in a row and I suffered with increased fibro pain. I noticed not only my pain increasing but I also felt depressed. I've had this happen before. If I eat what I shouldn't eat I suffer for it and I feel sad. Yesterday I didn't have wheat and I'm feeling much much better today. And I've noticed that when I eat sugar and acidic foods too. He said our digestion greatly affects how we feel and greatly affects our immune systems. Eating the wrong thing also affects my sleep. I don't sleep nearly as well.

I was tried on antidepressants years ago and they did nothing for me. They just made me feel numb. They didn't help the pain like the doctor had hoped. And of course we're going to feel sad when we're in a lot of pain. It only makes sense.

I'd love to hear your opinion. There is the old addage: We are what we eat.

Thanks for listening.

Hi Karen,

Thanks for the suggestion of the book. Interesting your doctor suggested a protein diet. I have found an avacado made into a simple guacamole with healthy tortilla chips mid-morning helps me to feel a bit better. I don't agree about the strictly protein diet. We need the vitamins and minerals and fiber from a variety of foods but I have heard healthy proteins are good for us.

Thanks again.

Thanks for sharing, Kay.

That's great to hear you've started eating healthier. That's one thing my chiropractor mentioned too, to stay away from dairy. I've been doing that for many years. I had asthma symptoms that inhalers couldn't help and when I cut out dairy they went away except when I'm around an irritant like cigarette smoke or pets.

I get the jitters sometimes too. Kay, did you cut out caffiene and sugar? Those seem to bring on my jitteriness more. How do you like the taste of the juices you make from your juicer? Did you buy a nice one? If so, what kind? What do you put in your drinks?

Glad to hear your fibro isn't very bad. Keep up the good work.

I used to make the green smoothies and honestly they were pretty good. I should get back into making them. It just takes $ and fruit and veggies don't last long. I love wheat and we are not suppose to eat it? I thought we were..lol. I am slowly making the transition into a healthy diet, it's not easy esp when your hubby doesn't want to change and plus living a life of eating whatever I wanted.  I really want to go all organic but that cost extra too. If it's only me eating organic maybe I can afford it lol.  

So I need to switch from wheat to whole grains in everything? I love whole wheat bread! lol.

We need to stay away from GMO food!! Genetically modified food.

Thanks everyone for your input and thanks, Kay, for the information about the juicer. I'm going to look into that.

Grandmaroses, you asked what I do eat. For cereal I eat a Kashi Brand with blueberries clusters, it's delicious. It has oat flakes and not wheat. For pasta, I make a spagetti with mostly vegetables, sauteed zucchini and mushrooms mixed in with a low sugar spagetti sauce and add oregano and basil. I buy the rice or corn pastas. For supper I make a salad with either shrimp or egg with fresh mushroom, manderin oranges, peanuts or avacado and I use herb greens by fresh express.

For dinner we sometimes pan fry in a little bit of olive oil something like chicken or we bake fish. Red baron spice is excellent on meats. For sides we'll make wild rice or red rice and a vegetable.

I can't afford organic but I do look at the ingredients on the label. Watch how you feel the next day or even an hour after eating. See if eating a healthier meal makes you feel better. Just to note: There are healthier wheats, maybe that would work for you.

Good luck and thanks again.

I wish I could say I am pain free. I try so hard. But I just get upset and eat anything.  You are right about what the food we eat. It is about 80% of the problems in how we feel.

Thanks everyone for your input.

Austenfan, what foodgroup did you see as being cut out? I'm glad wheat works for you.

Do some of you notice though when you eat wheat you crave more?

Roger1, I'm far from pain free. I just know what works for me so the pain isn't as painful and I feel happier and more accepting with what's going on in my life and with my health conditions.

Rose, it does take time doesn't it to change your diet especially when it includes cooking for a family.

Roger, no offense was taken. Sorry if I came across as a bit harsh. It's difficult to communicate feeling in these websites.
I just wanted to let you and others know that I'm not pain free.

I hope you'll share more with us, Roger. Fibro is a difficult road to travel. Communicating through this website helps a lot.

Thanks for sharing.

I have eaten whatever I wanted for 38 years. I lived on fast food, hate vegetables, like some fruits but i was very picky. I know everyone says "if I could do this so can anyone" but for me its true. My entire life I have eaten processed junk been overweight... It was not until this stinking fibro (and I am not even convinced Fibro is all I have or even what I have, but doctors have failed me) backed me in a corner and gave me no choice.

I honestly can say its not hard. What do I eat. I make tacos with seasoned beans and corn tortillas, skip the cheese because you never taste it anyway lol make spaghetti with spaghetti squash and eden organic sauce which is soooooo delicious, i eat a lot of raw fruits and vegetables, drink them as well. Soups lots of soups, I loove soup! Meatless chilli... I look for vegan recipes on the net and there are a lot I cannot wait to try. There is no limit on food. There is a version of all of my favorites. I cannot wait to make nut cheese and have nachos again. I never realized how much I love beans. I do not miss meat at all with beans. I have learned its not about what your eating its how you season and spice it... Flavor. My main lesson as fast food and processed food have little to no flavor so I do not miss it much.

I was leary about eliminating meat and dairy and thats what they talk about in forks over knives. We have been taught to think we need milk for calcium, that we need meat for protein, but we DON'T and if we did we would not need as much as we eat. I do not call myself a vegan because I will eat meat 2-3 times a year and broth in some soups sometimes, but never like before. You can get as much calcium and protein in vegetables beans nuts and seeds as you can from meat and animal products. More actually and bonus the fat in those are good for you!!! . We have been taught by the USDA and people who stand to profit to think milk and meat are the only way. There are more cases of osteoporosis in countries who drink the most milk. This is not just people saying this either they have the research to back it up. I know a lot of people do not believe this and boy do i hear it and get the eye rolls... and I do not try and preach and recruit people they just actually ask me what I am doing and then get agitated when I tell them???? For me I had no other choice and I am embracing it and I will be better off in the long run even if fibro is there too. My sister is 30 y/o and weighs 350 lbs and has been told her heart is weak and if she don't wise up she will need a pacemaker in 10 years and she does not care??????????????? I try and tell her you need to take control now before you are like me and have no choice. I also spent thousands of dollars on docs to tell me absolutely nothing and every 2nd opinion I go to gets me a new diagnosis. So I try and tell her to save yourself this heartache... And I do not preach because had i not been backed into that corner and faced these medical things I would of never made these or any changes. In a way i look at fibro as saving my life. I have ate horribly for 38 years and did not go so far as to have heart damage or any major permanent damage so getting this together now has probably added years to my life. My sister will have to be backed into the corner too before she changes as will most americans and I accept that, I find it very sad but I accept it, I just want to save people from it and its near impossible. My new favorite quote, 1/4 of what you eat sustains you and 3/4 of what you eat sustains your doctor... and it was said a long long time ago...

Its not hard. Trader Joes sells organic food for less than the grocery store here or for the same price... Beans are one of the most inexpensive things you can buy... oh and nuts, I love nuts and eat an array of those! Roll them in spices and they are darn good... sunflower seeds yum yum!!! Plus not eating out has saved me a lot of money.

3 years ago I would never see me doing anything like this, not at all, not even close... but now this is the new me and I am alright with it....

Post Edited (KayC04201231) : 2/20/2012 6:16:31 PM (GMT-7)