I'll Take The Shiny One

So you will remember that earlier this week I started the journey of East meets West beginning with my diet. One of the theories that I had read repeatedly was that a Lupus patient should remove all processed foods from their diet. I have even read numerous personal accounts from patients who said they felt that this dramatically increased their health and reduced the number of flares they experienced. Well alright, I'll try it. (I discovered this is going to be harder than it sounds, but that is another day. ) I told my husband the plan and he was on board. He's one of those guys who actually loves to cook and he loves the idea of making something from the very start to finish. (Which is evident in his hobbies, but again, something for another day.) In an odd coincidence there was a show on Food Network that evening discussing the preservatives that are put into our food. One tray compared store bought bread to homemade bread after a two week period. It was both gross and alarming. We decided to start with our bread.

My husband has made homemade bread before, as well as homemade pizza dough, pastries, what-have-you. But he decided that if he was going to be making bread often he needed a new machine. A new bread machine. So off we went a few days later to get his new toy. And after just a few minutes of comparison "I'll take the shiny one" is what he told the lady behind the counter. The frugal, comparison shopper in me cringed at the thought of not visiting at least two other stores as well as at least three online options. But that night, instead of our normal bowl of ice cream for dessert, we had fresh bread. Good stuff Maynerd. There is nothing in the world like warm, fresh bread and butter. I was in heaven and was no longer upset about not comparison shopping for the machine.

I realize I still have more research to do. Comparing types of flour and yeasts and what is better for us and what is not. Looking at the various recipes that came with the machine and trying each and every one. I'm going to hate that part of the research. This taking processed food out of my diet isn't going to be that hard. Oh wait.... what do I do about the Cheerios, the Nilla Wafers, the popscicles, the brownie mix, the tortillas, the salsa, the cheese. Heck, by some definitions everything I eat, with the exception of the vegetables from the garden and the beef from the freezer is processed. Hmmm.... this may be a little harder than I thought. Guess I will just slice another piece of bread and contemplate what goes next. Where is that knife?

Until next time, take care of you.
Nicky

East Meets West

So today is the first day in my journey of East meets West. Traditional versus Contemporary. I don't like all of the medications that I'm on. But I'm not willing to give them up. There are lab results that show the pharmaceuticals are working. And I am hoping that the results from the round I do this week continue to show improvement. I do admit that I am having a hard time putting all of these chemicals in my body. Maybe even a harder time with the idea that I have to take some of the medications to offset the effects of another, but I have to take that one to battle the disease. It seems like a crazy "catch-22" situation. Don't get me wrong. I'm not a crazy health nut. I've been involved with the health care industry for almost 20 years in one form or another and understand the virtues of a healthy lifestyle. I also love me some ice cream and Oreos and Cherry Coke. You could say that I am of the thought process that "everything is good for you in moderation". Exercise, red meat, dessert. It's all good -- in moderation.

But am coming to believe that I may have more control over my own health than the pharmaceuticals. I am a practicing Christian and believe in the power of prayer. I honestly believe that it was those prayers I received from friends and family that helped me through my hospital stay without going totally insane. And I believe it is those continued prayers that are helping my body react positively to the Cellcept. I will definitely take them. And continue my own.

How much more control do we have over our own bodies? And how much control does Mother Nature have over our bodies? The first step I am taking is with my diet. Small babysteps, but steps nonetheless. Since coming home from the hospital 2 months ago I have (dramatically) increased my fluid intake, and fruit/vegetable intake, and decreased some of my red meat intake (that's been a tough one). But beginning today I will be even more aware of what I am eating in order to eat those foods that are going to best cleanse my body. Yes, cleanse. That's hard for me to say, because it sounds so tree-huggery and I am so not a tree-hugger. But I know what I feel like when I am over-worked, over-processed, and over-stressed. What does my liver or my kidneys or my lymphatic system or my blood feel like? Or am I sick and feel the way I do because I have over-worked and over-processed and over stressed these vital organs of my body? Did ancient civilizations who ate all natural and nothing processed have Lupus or Nephritis or other chronic health conditions? That is the next step; to begin to remove the processed food from my diet. I know it will be virtually impossible to remove it all, but I think we can remove a great portion of it. Though I'm not sure how the kids are going to react to having to make all of their own cookies and snacks instead of grab the box off the pantry shelf.

It's a small step. Actually several small steps. But the journey begins towards my new normal.