Category Archives: Day 22 to 6 Months

Day 22 to 6 Months – Week 7

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Uniqueness of Week 7

  • Removing Parasites with Papaya:  The seeds of a Papaya removes intestinal tapeworms in your body.  People have varied the intake of these seeds for 7, 23, and 30 days.  Learn more about Papaya & Seeds >> | Science Abstract
    20mL (.6 oz.) is what the scientific abstract used for dried papaya seeds.  I’ve tried this for a few days by popping the seeds, drying them, and then adding to soups and salad (similar to peppercorns).
  • Combining Food for Smoother Digestion:  Did you know that some foods like melons don’t play well with other foods?  If not, I suggest you sign up (it’s free) and get this food combining chart.  Click on the photo below to get the overall idea.  Sign up for the full explanation.

My Health in Week 7

  • Sleeping with Inflammation & Pain:  Continuing 1-2 Advil / ibuprofen to reduce the pain to manageable levels during sleep.  I pulled my neck out again & purchased the water pillow on 2/27 to help relieve the pain while sleeping.  Although it went ok for 1-2 nights, the pain still was constant, painful, and draining.  On 2/29 I had my father massage my back and found a lactic acid pocket (about the size of a golf ball), applied ice & then heat to relive some of the pain.  The next day I got a neck brace + a stand for my laptop so I can look more evenly at the computer while I’m working.  Lastly, I am sleeping with my shoulders on the hard side of my bed (with a flat 1″ high pillow) while the soft side (lying diagonally) for my sacro joints (near the hips). I’ve seen a 50% increase in mobility and pain management.  In other words, it’s working!
    I’m still getting used to the bed in Naples and have been fighting more with stiffness than anything else.  Sleeping is still the hardest thing to do (and I wake up a few times throughout the night), but the pain isn’t unbearable and it doesn’t take me 20 minutes to get out of bed.
  • The Gut Repair I and/or the Pyloricin recommended by Joseph Family Chiropractic have seemed to help my condition.  I believe these natural antibodies and immunity boosters are helping out my condition specifically because I don’t remember feeling this well after two weeks being off Enbrel.
  • Travel & Endurance:  On Saturday I traveled back to Naples for a week which meant a very busy Saturday (3 grocery stores, total driving 2 1/2 – 3 hours, and reorganizing / fixing the house).  Although I was very tired, I was able to do this all on my own which I could not do a week ago.  The next following days were less load, so pain management has been easier and I’m mainly battling against stiffness.  During week 5, I’ve got two appointments for the chiropractor to help out with stiffness, my neck, and getting me back on my routine.
  • Enbrel:  It has been 2 weeks & 3 days since my last shot.
  • My lowest weight was 142lbs. and a BMI of 19.88.

Notable Meals this Week

Dill & Lemon Tuna Salad (Food & Thought)

  • Ingredients included are a dill & lemon tuna, oranges, cranberry-raisins, orange, and walnuts on a bed of spinach.
  • In the future, have them add olive oil & some Himalayan salt & pepper to the spinach base.

Synopsis of Meal:  Good size portion that will hold you off for a few hours.  But the tuna is sold separately; thus the cost is $17.  The taste of the tuna was great, but the salad was dry.  I’m not sure I’d get this again.

Vegetarian No-Bean Chili

Ingredients used from the “Engine 2 Diet” by Rip Esselstyn.  They include:

  • sunflower oil
  • 1 large onion (chopped)
  • 4 cloves of garlic (chopped)
  • 2 bay laves
  • 2 red/yellow bell peppers (chopped)
  • 2 stalks cellery (chopped)
  • 3 carrots (chopped)
  • 1 jalapeno pepper (chopped)
  • 3 cups water
  • 2 28 oz. cans of chopped tomatoes (I suggest Muir Glen Organic)
  • 1 6 oz. can of tomato paste (hunts is fine)
  • 1 pound of firm, sprouted tofu (non-GMO & USDA organic & is crumbled when added)
  • 1 apple (chopped)
  • 2 teaspoons of chili powder, coriander, and Dijon Whole Grain mustard
  • 3 dates soaked at least a few hours
  • parsley, basil, salt & pepper

Directions:  Saute onion on medium high heat in a large 7 quart dutch oven (or similar in size) with sunflower oil for 5 minutes.  Add garlic, bay leaves, bell pepper, celery, carrots, jalepeno and cook addition 5 minutes on medium heat.  Add water, tomatoes, tomato paste, tofu, apple, remaining seasonings, mustard, dates (without the water), parsley and basil and simmer on low for 15-20 minutes.

Synopsis of meal:  Yes, this recipe can feed an army but soup can be frozen/refrigerated & then reheated on the stove.  The taste was quite good and I would make it again.

 

Autoimmune Disease and Inflammation Treatment Seminars

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During the end of the 6th week on my Ankylosing Spondylitis / Autoimmune Disease Diet (2/27/12), I went to two autoimmune treatment seminars that should help eradicate this disease and reduce my inflammation.

Autoimmune Disease Class (Joseph Family Chiropractic)

When:  Monday, 2/27/12
Teacher:  Dr. Jeremiah Joseph
12479 S. Access Rd
Port Charlotte, FL 33981
Phone: (941) 473-7900
Fax:     (941) 473-7877
Email:  frontdesk@myjfc.com

Why Does Autoimmune Disease Happen?

This can happen as early as childbirth.  First, if you were not fed as a baby with breast milk, you lose powerful immune-fighting Colostrum.  Another reason is if you had a C-Section and was not birthed through the normal vaginal wall that contains other immunity helpers.  When a baby is born, the passage through the vaginal canal introduces the baby to billions of healthy bacteria, or microflora. It is absorbed by the gut and jump-starts a new baby`s immune system.

What Foods Decrease Your Immune System

  • Milk & Dairy Products (including Cheese)
  • Soy
  • Feta Cheese from U.S. (Cow).
  • Gluten which is in all wheat products.  Take allergy blood tests for any gluten-free products.
  • Foods high in Iodine

Alternatives to the Food Listed Above

  • Almond, rice, & hemp milk
  • Goat cheese
  • Almond and coconut yogurt
  • Feta cheese from Europe is fine (Sheep)

Detoxification to Boost Immune System (In Order of Importance)

Each taken once per day unless noted

  1. Vitamin D3 – 5,000 – 10,000 i.u.
  2. Magnesium Glycumate – 6-800mg
  3. Green Vibrance (1 Tbsp in 4 oz. water)
  4. Fish Oil (liquid form) – 3 Tbsp. per day
  5. Vitamin B12 Drops or Spray (under tongue, 900 micrograms)
  6. DMG – 125mg
  7. Probiotics – 30 – 100 billion with a minimum of 3 strains.
Other supplements suggested for me

Allergy Tests

 

Whole Body Class – Fight Inflammation (Whole Foods, Sarasota Florida)

When:  Saturday, 2/25/12
Teacher:  Lauren Rathvon, AP, DOM
Nationally Board Certified (NCCAOM)
@ Midtown Medical Park
1219 East Avenue South, Suite 104
Sarasota, Florida 34239
P: 941/951.1119
Turmeric Root
How much curcumin is in an actual turmeric root (or culinary turmeric powder).  Although the numbers vary, it’s primarily between 3-5% (some sources say as little as 0.6%, some as high as 6%).  That pales in comparison to the 95% found in supplements!  So, unless you REALLLLLLY like the taste of turmeric (in EVERYTHING you eat!), you may want to stick to the supplements.  By supplements, I will be taking Zyflamend.  

NSAIDS Long-Term

  • Increase 3X the risk for ulcers and upper GI issues.
  • 50% higher risk of heart disease taking Alleve 2X per day for 2 years

Anti-Inflammatory Foods: Papaya, pineapple, ginger, berries, turmeric, green tea, broccoli, avocados, sweet potatoes, salmon, & fresh produce

Agave:  In some cases, contains more fructose than high fructose corn syrup.

Suggested Supplements

  • Turmeric (especially when paired with biopene – good & bad)
  • Omega 3 fatty acids
  • GLA (Borage or Evening Primrose oils)
  • Enyzmes (on an empty stomach) – I use Digest Gold
  • Zyflamend
  • Traumeel (orally)

My Conclusion:

As with anything you take, do your own research and take supplements that will compliment your lifestyle.  The good news is that are very rare (if any) issues with taking too many supplements.  I’ve encountered numerous chiropractors, doctors, and other physicians taking much more than I currently do and then turn around & recommend them to the general public.

I also suggest taking the more expensive tests once you have managed your symptoms.  It’s much easier to live a life of knowing which starchy foods to avoid than avoiding all starches the rest of your life.  But the only way to know this is to test & experiment.  The more comprehensive the test, the less likely you’ll have a flare-up when testing these foods out on your own body.

Day 22 to 6 Months – Week 6

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Food for Week 4 (7 Weeks Since Start)

Fruits & Veggies Detail - Week 6

Uniqueness of Week 6

  • Making “Bread”:  Looks like I can use almond flour and/or coconut flour to make breads, crackers, etc.  The catch is to use this in small doses as too many almonds can lead to omega 3/6 imbalance and too much coconut flour can lead to flare-ups.  For me, I’ll probably visit these flours after the 6 months.  MORE INFO >>

Kale Chip & Dehydrating Fruit

  • Dehydrated fruit & kale chips.  Kale chips had garlic, salt, pepper, and Parmesan cheese (didn’t have nutritional yeast on-hand).  Tastes good but too salty.  For the fruit, here are the preparation instructions & length of dehydration.  I tried oranges, mangoes, bananas, apples, and kiwi fruit.  Although all taste good, most people gravitated towards the mangoes and apples (add cinnamon for an extra kick in the apples).
  • Zyflamend – After attending an inflammation class on 2/25, I found out that the turmeric and ginger root were not nearly as effective as a supplement.  Plus they overpower the taste of my smoothies.  According to the doctor, she said “how much curcumin is in an actual turmeric root (or culinary turmeric powder).  Although the numbers vary, it’s primarily between 3-5% (some sources say as little as 0.6%, some as high as 6%).  That pales in comparison to the 95% found in supplements!”  I will update my daily routine to reflect these changes.
  • Concentrate vs. Pasteurized – Which is Better?  Consumers often favor not-from-concentrate over concentrated juice because they think it’s fresher.This is not the case. During the pasteurization process, the juice is heated, deprived of its flavor and stored in vats for as long as a year. When it’s time for packaging, orange flavor must be added so it seems fresh. Not-from-concentrate costs more, but it’s neither fresher nor more nutritious than juice from concentrate, as reported by the Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune.To make juices concentrated, they are put through all kinds of processes and then frozen in a slushy vat just like you see at your local 7-11 (only much bigger).  The process is more about removal of the juice than adding preservatives.  A great explanation of all these procedures can be found here.

My Health in Week 6

  • Red Meat:  On Tuesday 2/21 I tried red meat (sirloin – 3″ X 3″) along with grilled asparagus and two raw carrots with salsa.  Whenever you don’t eat red meat for over a month you realize how hard it is to chew and digest.  Plus the taste is nowhere near as good as it used to be and I felt a type of reflux (almost a burp, but not quite) after eating it.  After this experience, I don’t really see my self eating red meat anymore.  It just doesn’t make sense.
  • I had a pulled neck since the beginning of the week and had to take some Advil / ibuprofen to reduce the pain to manageable levels.  On 2/23, the pulled neck was greatly reduced and I’ve felt better on 2/23 than any day while I’ve been here in Venice.  I also purchased a water pillow on 2/27 to help relieve the pain while sleeping.  In one night I have seen some reduction in my neck, but it will take at least a few days to see if it all goes away.
  • Sleeping with Inflammation & Pain:  After the pulled neck, my daily routine works out quite well.  However, my issue is still sleeping.  The best times seem to be a day or two after I take Enbrel up to 7 days after that.  After that, the pain & inflammation greatly increases.  For example, I’m writing this paragraph on 2/25 at 3:30am (went to bed around 8:30pm exhausted) with heavy inflammation & pain around my entire mid-chest & back area.  Also the pain & inflammation has moved from my right hip to my left.  It seems I cannot sleep well without an NSAID each night (I took Advil when I wake up from the pain).  I went to bed at 8:30pm, got up at 3:30, went back to bed at 4:30am & woke up at 8am – my longest sleep since the start of the diet.  Each day afterwards, I’ve taken 1 Advil with food 1-2 hours before bed.  It’s allowed me to sleep 8-10 hours per night after 2/25.
  • My lowest weight was 142lbs. and a BMI of 19.85.

Notable Meals this Week


Shrimp Avocado Salad (Mi Pueblo)

  • I admit it, I messed up on this meal.  I forgot to tell them to remove the cheese & put the avocado dressing on the side.  Other than that, the meal will full of good ingredients – avocado, shrimp, mixed greens, tomatoes, sunflower spouts (I was surprised to see that), and some other ingredients that I can’t remember.  The great news – no flare-ups…whew!
  • Mi Puelbo also has an organic menu & juices / smoothies that I will try next time.  Make sure to ask for it as I never saw this menu coming in.
Synopsis of Meal:  Large enough portion for a lunch.  If you’re still hungry (I was, but not too much), add in a juice / smoothie.  I can’t comment on the taste because I had those extra ingredients.  I would assume that it would taste good without the cheese & avocado dressing.