Category: Nutrition

A third pillar for my health and on my road to walking is realizing that what I eat GREATLY effects how my body functions.

One Week

Well, it’s been one week.

“One Week”  Bare Naked Ladies

This song reminds me of my roommate in college at WMU when I was a Freshman, (she listened to them a lot).  I also think of my CousinTs, Dawn and Shannon  because they went to one of their concerts and my cousinT Shannon told me that they put on a really good show!  I have been singing this song in my head constantly because today marks “one week” that I have started to drink Garlic Tea three times a day.

I first heard about this Tea in  one of the groups I belong to on Facebook. I have been hearing for a long time about the health benefits of garlic so I thought I’d  give it a try.  I’m sure that I smell terribly, Sean really hasn’t been so bothered by it, except that he says the tea smells disgusting  as I am making it.   He has been squeezing the lemons for me because I don’t have then strength to do it myself anymore.  I think it tastes really good! I have been warning all of my friends that I may smell like garlic because I am taking this tea now.  It’s a good thing that I am a chain gum-chewer now because of Adam at Barwis, back when I was on garlic supplements.  I have been chewing Blue 5 since then.

It’s really good!  I told my group on Facebook that at least I have proof now that I am NOT a vampire!

7.20.15 “Hammies”

My Aunt Carmen (my Mom’s younger sister) drove me to Barwis because something came up so my Mom wasn’t able to drive me.  My aunt and I had really good convo on the way to Barwis.  I haven’t seen her in a while and my car radio is not working.  My Mom ALWAYS calls me, “Carmen” and she calls my Aunt Carmen, “Jennifer.”  We look like we’re related but don’t look THAT much alike and we can’t figure out why she does this.  My Mom doesn’t even know why she does this.

Nick came out to help me out of the car when we got to Barwis.  He pushed me to the blue table and Heather began stretching them out.  I was excited to show my aunt my squatting but it turned out that my legs were SO tight, it looked like squats weren’t going to be in the picture.  That REALLY bummed me out but I’ve gotten better with accepting that.  MS is just MEAN so I shouldn’t be surprised (and I’m not) but it still hurts pretty badly.  Nick helped me on to the blue table.  He stretched my right leg and Heather stretched my left.  Nick told me that he was going to, “Work my hammies.”  Given that my legs were SO tight, this stretch probably hurt only slightly less than dealing with the mean-ness of MS.  I did some PNFs, curls, and extensions laying on my back and on my stomach.  As I laid on my stomach, I could feel the beads of  sweat forming on my on my forehead.  I was TIRED when I finished.

Nick put me in my car and our (my aunt and I) conversation continued on the way to my house.  My aunt sat on the floor by the blue table as I worked.  I really didn’t take notice because I was working SO hard.  I told my aunt that I was bummed that she didn’t see me squat but she said that she could see my determination and my will.  I told her that I was trying.  As we pulled into my driveway, she put the car in park and looked at me and said, “No, you’re DOING it!”  She took a breath and her eyes got tear-y and told me that I was her hero.  I shook my head and touched her arm and urgently told her NOT to cry!

i haven’t DONE it yet, but I WILL continue to TRY.  My “hammies” were BURNING!  I’ve sat on a fabric ice pack since Monday night!

B.E.D. Diet

I started the B.E.D diet on January 9, 2011.  Parker, Lori, and Deb had a series of seminars/classes that helped me grasp the idea of the book/diet a little easier.  Those classes were the MOST helpful for me.  The basic premise of the diet is NO SUGAR.  Of any kind, that includes fruit.  No diary either.  This was something that I thought I was going to be hard for me.  I haven’t had a glass of milk in two years and I’m okay with that.  The book more extensively lays out the different elements of the diet and why it is beneficial.  It really isn’t a diet though, it is a LIFE CHANGE.  This diet helps me with my symtoms that I deal with in having MS.  I FEEL so much better!  The first year of the diet, I didn’t cheat.  AT ALL.  Now, when I DO cheat, I feel AWFUL!  It’s NOT worth it.

Another aspect of the diet is fermented young coconut water kefir.  My Mom used to make it for me (I do not have good enough hand-eye coordination to trust myself with a cleaver!) But now I just buy it from bodyecology.com.  There is a PLETHORA of information on this site!  It is INTENSE in the beginning but then it gets better and once you start to feel better; the desire to eat sugar goes away!