Well I've been gluten and dairy free for a few years. It is great. I also realize I have a bit of an addiction to sugar and carbs, if I start eating them regularly, like around holidays, my cravings come back and I have to detox off of them again. They are very much like addictive drugs to my system. I've lost 70 pounds and I feel the last 20-30 will come off slowly. I lost the most weight the first 1.5 years I was with the diet.
I have more energy and focus than ever before. I don't use hair or skin products with what in them, they make my skin itch and I avoid any product with parabens and phylates as they make my skin burn and are known to have bad affects on the body.
As for PCOS, it is a thing of the past. I am on no medications and I get my period monthly on time. My last look inside at the doctor showed no cysts in my ovaries. Doctors say you can't be cured of PCOS, its true you can't on their watch, but you can if you find the root of what cause it, in my case it was wheat! Dairy is just a secondary allergy that affected stomach cramps, brain fog and skin issues. Still I avoid it as I feel much better without it. I never cheat on the gluten or dairy.
Almost everyone who has had multiple unexplained symptoms that are affecting their quality of life, just lots of random things that don't seem to make sense together, who I have told my story to has tried the gluten or dairy free diet. Many in my family and some friends, each has found that wheat or dairy was the cause. Some are not as sensitive as I am, I have celiacs, but they still felt better when removing these items from their diet. There is no doctor's test that can tell you if you have wheat or dairy intolerance 100%, it is best to try the diet and see if things improve. The diet is the only 100% way to find out. After being on the diet for at least 2 weeks strictly try something with dairy or wheat, you'll know right then because your body will react, be prepared to be sick.
Here are some tips:
Coconut crystal sugar seems better than most other alternatives but I use it sparingly
I take 2 types of fish oil, one for DHA and one for lots of Omegas
I take Ashwaghanda and a B12 dissolvable metha tablet before bed this helps the body relax
I take acidophiles in the morning
The Renew Life products are quite good. Buy your supplements at a place like Kimberton Markets, somewhere that the staff is knowledgeable or research them well first on the net.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Monday, July 26, 2010
Cycles
Well its been almost a year since I started the Insulite program and got off all PCOS medications. As long as my diet stays gluten and dairy free and healthy (little sugar, carbs, etc) and I take my Insulite regularly along with the oil regime I have been getting monthly periods. This started to happen regularly in March, my periods vary in length and time in between cycles but overall I get one monthly, a vast improvement.
I'm still working on loosing the last of the weight, its going to take being able to exercise regularly as I have cut sugar out of my diet. I also found cutting milk out of my diet helped with the foggy head, acne and stomach aches and intestinal issues.
Diet changes have been the major factors in getting rid of troublesome symptoms and in the overall healing process.
More updates to come.
I'm still working on loosing the last of the weight, its going to take being able to exercise regularly as I have cut sugar out of my diet. I also found cutting milk out of my diet helped with the foggy head, acne and stomach aches and intestinal issues.
Diet changes have been the major factors in getting rid of troublesome symptoms and in the overall healing process.
More updates to come.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Latest Update
I'm sorry its been a while since my last post. I didn't have much news to report. I got off of the Metformin and Yasmin birth control. I got 2 menstral cycles after getting off of the meds and getting on Insulite. Then I missed 2 menstrual cycles in a row. After missing the last cycle I started following an oil regimen my naturopath discussed with me. I followed it strictly and started on the day I should have started my last missed period. I did 2 weeks of flax oil and 2 weeks of evening primrose. I am still using the Insulite System and follwoing the oil regiment and this month I got my period! Yeah.
I hope now that my body is adjusting to life without the prescription meds I will continue to get a more regular cycle.
After stopping the meds I gained about 5 pounds back and my weight loss platued. I was also still having some stomach discomfort. I've been in denial about the possibility of also being intolerant to dairy. I have not cut all cow dairy out of my diet and my skin and discomfort is improving. I plan on sytarting the 28 day elimination diet soon to make sure there are no other food allergies or intolernaces lurking below the surface.
I am on a regular exercise regimine and I will keep you posted about any future advances toward my goal of loosing about 30 more pounds and feeling better.
I hope now that my body is adjusting to life without the prescription meds I will continue to get a more regular cycle.
After stopping the meds I gained about 5 pounds back and my weight loss platued. I was also still having some stomach discomfort. I've been in denial about the possibility of also being intolerant to dairy. I have not cut all cow dairy out of my diet and my skin and discomfort is improving. I plan on sytarting the 28 day elimination diet soon to make sure there are no other food allergies or intolernaces lurking below the surface.
I am on a regular exercise regimine and I will keep you posted about any future advances toward my goal of loosing about 30 more pounds and feeling better.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Cycle
Well I've gotten my second Aunt Flow after going off all the prescription pills. The PMS symptoms were better than last time. Fewer breakouts, less emotional responses and fewer cramps. It was almost right on time as well, maybe a week late. I'm in my second month of Insulite and its going well. The pills are easy for me to remember, I use a pill organizer daily.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Natruopath
I had my first visit with Marie Winters, my naturopath. It was amazing and very informative. It was wonderful to meet with someone who understood my journey through our medical system and who will help me further my care in a healing way. The main thing we did was add more beans into my diet, come to find out dried beans really are healthier and I certainly need a new pressure cooker to make them. So that is my next goal. Also we added an oil regime to help regulate my periods as well.
For all of those out there covering up your PCOS symptoms with medications such as birthcontrol and metformin I strongly urge you to do it through diet, exercise and supplements. It is safer for your body and it can actually reverse the problem rather than act as the bandaid like the medications do. The medications may seem to help but everything they do can be done more effectively with a glycemic load diet full or veggies, lentils/beans, nuts and essential fatty acids along with some important vitamins, minerals and other goodies like Saw Palmetto to name just one. I really urge you to check out Insulite after you have your diet under control. I also think a naturopath is very effective to help you use diet and lifestyle to heal your body. Naturopaths are not some voodoo crystal healers in case you were wondering. They are amazing, here is some information about what they do American Association of Naturpathic Physicians I used their Find a Doctor page to find Marie Winters.
This is a lifelong process and I can say I feel amazing. Now that I live my life this way I could never go back to anything resembling our American lifestyle of fast food and easy fixes through medication. I am not advocating that all medication is bad, there are many issues out there that needs medication, but diet, exercise and lifestyle changes can be crucial for many health problems, reproductive issues being one of them.
For all of those out there covering up your PCOS symptoms with medications such as birthcontrol and metformin I strongly urge you to do it through diet, exercise and supplements. It is safer for your body and it can actually reverse the problem rather than act as the bandaid like the medications do. The medications may seem to help but everything they do can be done more effectively with a glycemic load diet full or veggies, lentils/beans, nuts and essential fatty acids along with some important vitamins, minerals and other goodies like Saw Palmetto to name just one. I really urge you to check out Insulite after you have your diet under control. I also think a naturopath is very effective to help you use diet and lifestyle to heal your body. Naturopaths are not some voodoo crystal healers in case you were wondering. They are amazing, here is some information about what they do American Association of Naturpathic Physicians I used their Find a Doctor page to find Marie Winters.
This is a lifelong process and I can say I feel amazing. Now that I live my life this way I could never go back to anything resembling our American lifestyle of fast food and easy fixes through medication. I am not advocating that all medication is bad, there are many issues out there that needs medication, but diet, exercise and lifestyle changes can be crucial for many health problems, reproductive issues being one of them.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Dairy Blues
I've decided to get off of dairy. I've had persistent low grade, much less than when I was eating wheat, fuzzy head, some headaches (not migraines), some acne and some stomach cramps. Simply not eating dairy for a few days has made a big change. No stomach cramps in the morning, after my dairy and fruit smoothie, no foggy head, no headaches and the acne is getting better. I can do butter but that's about it and I have been replacing it with vegan butter.
Here is what I take daily. The Insulite system, Acidophilus, Puritan Pride's Hair Skin and Nails (3x per day) and Purtitan Pride's Zinc for acne (2x per day), which alone has done wonders for my skin, celiacs are often vitamin and mineral deprived due to malabsorption before the wheat is taken out of the diet.
A word about what I eat. I avoid carbs, gluten and follow the glycemic load diet the book The Glycemic Load Diet was very helpful I found a FREE GOOGLE COPY, which is basically the glycemic index just better . Once in a while I will have some wheat free pasta, the higher the fiber the better. I like the Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) pasta , it is more like actual pasta, the Rice pasta is slimy and kinda gross in my opinion, it is very unlike wheat based pastas. Occasionally I'll have some chips or something but not daily.
Most days I eat:
Breakfast: coffee with ginger, cinnamon and cayanne pepper for their health benefits. Here is some info on the health benefits of cayenne pepper and cinnamon and an apple with almond butter.
I use cayenne pepper exclusively now instead of black pepper for almost everything I season.
For lunch and dinner I usuallly eat roasted veggies like brussel sprouts, brocolli and cauliflower, sweet potatoe, beets, kale, zuchinni, etc. I also often have lentils and beans in some form. I don't eat much meat, when I do it is usually eggs, salmon or shrimp. Occasionally beef, chicken or pork but not often.
For snacks it is usually pecans or almonds raw and/or fruit.
My carb and sugar cravings have been greatly reduced. If all this sounds like too much at once ease into it. I did. I started loosing weight even while easing into this new way of life, and that is exactly what it is a new relationship with food, a new way to live. I feel amazing.
Here is what I take daily. The Insulite system, Acidophilus, Puritan Pride's Hair Skin and Nails (3x per day) and Purtitan Pride's Zinc for acne (2x per day), which alone has done wonders for my skin, celiacs are often vitamin and mineral deprived due to malabsorption before the wheat is taken out of the diet.
A word about what I eat. I avoid carbs, gluten and follow the glycemic load diet the book The Glycemic Load Diet was very helpful I found a FREE GOOGLE COPY, which is basically the glycemic index just better . Once in a while I will have some wheat free pasta, the higher the fiber the better. I like the Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) pasta , it is more like actual pasta, the Rice pasta is slimy and kinda gross in my opinion, it is very unlike wheat based pastas. Occasionally I'll have some chips or something but not daily.
Most days I eat:
Breakfast: coffee with ginger, cinnamon and cayanne pepper for their health benefits. Here is some info on the health benefits of cayenne pepper and cinnamon and an apple with almond butter.
I use cayenne pepper exclusively now instead of black pepper for almost everything I season.
For lunch and dinner I usuallly eat roasted veggies like brussel sprouts, brocolli and cauliflower, sweet potatoe, beets, kale, zuchinni, etc. I also often have lentils and beans in some form. I don't eat much meat, when I do it is usually eggs, salmon or shrimp. Occasionally beef, chicken or pork but not often.
For snacks it is usually pecans or almonds raw and/or fruit.
My carb and sugar cravings have been greatly reduced. If all this sounds like too much at once ease into it. I did. I started loosing weight even while easing into this new way of life, and that is exactly what it is a new relationship with food, a new way to live. I feel amazing.