eating medicinally

Is what I find I do now. I have found that a vegan diet for me doesn't work. Why? Too many carbs to combat hunger, even starchy veg fit this (plus raising blood sugar constantly) and combined with the reliance on nuts and seeds for fats and proteins meant far too much omega 6 - which is decidedly pro-inflammatory. To reassert to balance in marked favour of omega 3's I have started taking krill oil, fish oils and eating eggs and fish. Not meat, I don't need the protein nor the digestion issues with it, fish and eggs seem fine. I try to have a bit of both each day. This guy, Dr. Art Ayers a cell biologist who studies immunology pointed out to me that the seeds in my diet were probably contributing to inflammation (tipping the omega balance the wrong way). He said that he recommends taking 6-8 fish oils capsules as soon as any inflammation starts and if the following day it has not improved up it to 10 caps until it does. High doses of omega's 3's seems to halt and reverse inflammation. However with a lack of saturated fats in the diet that much omega 3 cannot work so well, saturated fats are needed to assimilate and compliment their action. So that's why the fish and eggs. Coconut oil of course is a great addition to the diet for it's sole saturated fat content (MCT's - Medium Chain Triglycerides), and I have been eating at least 3 tbls a day for the last 7 years, so obviously a animal based fat was needed for me in addition to this. Lots of this post is my rehashed version of some of the research and theories that Art presents on his blog, Cooling Inflammation., as well as my own experiences so far.



Restoring and improving gut flora is the next thing on the list of calming inflammation. A mono diet, lacking in variety means a less diverse gut flora, a more diverse diet means more diverse populations of gut flora. Easy theory to remember :) Pectin (apples) and inulin (leeks) are in my daily diet for their gut restoring and recolonising properties. Remembering that most of the bodies immune cells are in the gut it's the best place to look to as a starting point for helping oneself. Constipation is a sign of poor gut flora. Eat diverse, take probiotics or raw yogurt or kefir if you are happy with dairy use. Alternate which probiotics you use to get a broader spectrum (Bio Care score way above and beyond each year in potency and strength in Which? Magazine studies). I like Kiki and Bio Kult too. Not forgetting lacto fermented veggies like Kimchi ( I am sure I have added the recipe here some where..... oh there), just divine, I actually can't help but eat this every day, sometimes a bowlful for breakfast, it's pretty amazing if you crave that sour tang and chock full of gentle, diverse tummy goodness.

L-Glutamine is a great amino acid to use to restore integrity to the gut, it feeds cells there directly and some say it helps to combat sugar cravings too. It's good to use after painkiller use to help restoration and calm down any irritation that may have occurred form their use (even simple ibuprofen use which is highly irritant to the gut). It's a pretty cheap supplement; mix the powder in water.

I was interested to read about this guy's experience with Lupus (a chronic auto immune condition which attacks various organs of the body). Ron Schmid, he wrote Traditional Foods are You Best Medicine which has been on my bookshelf now for nearly a decade. He wondered why after so many years on such a pure wholefood diet he would be suggestible to Lupus? What caused that for him? He has manged to find a way to live alongside his Lupus (it is seemingly in remission now), he feels it's presence but as long as he sticks to his new revised diet it's held at bay. Even tiny bits of honey, grains and fruit consumption set it off. Raw dairy and raw animal products soothed it. His story is here.

Making sure masses of greens are in my diet every day is a top priority. I make very very green omelets and of course green vegetable juices. Isaac and Esmé love doing this too (Felix couldn't care less about anything in the kitchen, half the time he can't even find the fridge), they add a bit of chopped apple, they can't drink straight greenness they way I can, but I NEVER make fruit juice for them, just too too sweet, not healthy at all I think, all of the sugar and non of the fibre.





But just started making green smoothies too. I held off for ages thinking my old blender wouldn't cope with them but it's fine. This is the blender I have had for about 8 years, £20, from a supermarket. It has no lid but the advantage of a glass jug (I have held off upgrading to a vitamix because of the supposed unstableness (leaching quality) of the polycarbonate jug). This old girl of mine was good. A lot of chopped greens (I think this here is some variety of giant dinner plate sized spinach leaf) an apple, chopped and enough water to blend smooth. A bit of bee pollen or whatever bit of superfood I feel would be good is sometimes (but not often) added. The benefit of a smoothie over juice is of course the fibre is still all there and not strained out.





My one dietary downfall is that I am still craving something sweet every day. Lucuma, mesquite and carob mixed with cacao butter and coconut oil is my daily 'treat'. But I think it is contributing to me not feeling 100%. I go to bed every night determined not to make more the next day and then by late morning I have. Not sure what to do to wean myself off it (more l-glutamine?). I think my next strategy might be to go the opposite way - lots of nettle and raspberry leaf infusions and teas, total bitterness to offset the sweet. Throw things off balance. I am also decided not to rush to goji king and order more ingredients. I do this as soon as I run out usually as they deliver super quick the next day. Wish me luck..... it's a bank holiday anyway now so no more ordering in any case.