The Girl in White Tiger Field page 22

[Byakko]

Keep a private food log then if you feel judged for what your choices are here. You may find some good in some "less than pure" choices. Did you ever find out any more info about your liver tests? It may or may not be what is causing you to feel bad. If it may be a cause, find out what can be done. It would be a shame if you blame how you feel on your liver if it has little to do with it. If the food thing is still stressing you out, find something new to focus on. A new book or other hobby for example. What will you do that is fun today? Can you pick up buckets of nuts or rake leaves to enjoy fall and feel productive? Find a distraction to take your mind off of how you are feeling.

I mentioned previously that it was a simple blood test and that I haven't gotten anymore word as to what the problems are. I have an appointment with a GI doctor next week (wish it would hurry and get here.)

I suppose I just became weak from all the stress of having to deal with a new way of eating plus the usual pains and issues as well as the news about something being off with my liver. I should have stayed strong with not consuming the no-no foods but I have been downing sugar lately like it's running out. Tons of chocolate and I'm not even hormonal. It's not my food but the food my family eats. I shouldn't be eating them obviously. Half the time I'm not hungry but if I am I eat crap. Doesn't make sense but again I suspect it's me wanting comfort because I feel depressed.

I'll keep trying to find distracting/productive activities.

[socoolnanny]

Mud Flinger offers very good and positive advice. We are not here to judge, none of us are in a position to do so anyway, but you may feel that we are because of your fragile emotional and physical state at the moment. Sometimes if we focus too much on one thing it becomes overwhelming and we feel we can do nothing about it. You are the owner of your destiny, you can make the positive choices to help you overcome the darkness that you feel is swamping you. Reading is a great hobby that doesn't demand too much, I personally read a book every few days, i can get lost in them so easily. I knit and I like to do scrapbooking with photographs that have been taken by the family over the years.
Every night before you go to bed think of 3 things that have been positive or given you joy - it could be something as simple as feeling the sun or rain on your face or receiving a smile from a stranger.
Every morning tell yourself 3 things you are going to achieve that day, the simpler the better.
Let us know how you get on, Debra

[Byakko]

Mud Flinger offers very good and positive advice. We are not here to judge, none of us are in a position to do so anyway, but you may feel that we are because of your fragile emotional and physical state at the moment. Sometimes if we focus too much on one thing it becomes overwhelming and we feel we can do nothing about it. You are the owner of your destiny, you can make the positive choices to help you overcome the darkness that you feel is swamping you. Reading is a great hobby that doesn't demand too much, I personally read a book every few days, i can get lost in them so easily. I knit and I like to do scrapbooking with photographs that have been taken by the family over the years.
Every night before you go to bed think of 3 things that have been positive or given you joy - it could be something as simple as feeling the sun or rain on your face or receiving a smile from a stranger.
Every morning tell yourself 3 things you are going to achieve that day, the simpler the better.
Let us know how you get on, Debra

Right. I made a list of all my positive traits and printed them out and framed it. I'm trying to work on making a gratitude list next. My mom's co-worker lent me a book today so I have that to read later (I guess about staying positive and helping self-esteem).

I want to get back into logging my meals and other things. I suppose it's true I didn't want to be judged. Didn't think of it that way. I was kind of ashamed of the things I have been eating lately (totally not paleo and unhealthy even by CW standards). First time I'm really aware of emotional eating (I've never done that before I got IBS). But I appreciate the kind words, advice and support.

[Byakko]

To me it seems more than a little troubling when my dad, who grew up in the country on a farm, whose family raised animals (chiefly dairy cows), where we live only a few yards from that childhood home, questions my decision to eat grass-fed meat.

I could make a guess and say that perhaps he thinks the price isn't worth paying when regular meat is alright. It's true that times are tight and our situation isn't any different. Still I don't believe he thinks regular meat is okay though. So in that sense he's being contrary to what he knows. I'm fairly sure he knows that almost all foods that were healthy and natural are being pumped with chemicals, hormones, pesticides etc. We watched Weight of a Nation together for crying out loud (even though I realize that documentary has some flaws).

...He saw the plastic packaging for a pound of grass-fed beef, IN THE KITCHEN TRASH, and felt he had to say something about it. It wasn't his money that paid for it so I'm rather miffed. (And it was a $1 off to boot).

I am not, in any way trying to be fancy or a special snowflake if that's what he suspects. I am doing this for my health. I'm doing what I think is best for my body. I suspect he may have IBS also or something related to it. He's always eating candy, he eats his meals within the span of 5 min (these are fair sized meals!) he's in the kitchen every 20 minutes it seems. I wish he realized that while it's expensive and may seem foreign to him, it's what I'd like to eat for my health and I don't appreciate someone looking into the trash at an empty package and then saying, and I quote:

"Meat doesn't know it's grass-fed"

Well dad, thankfully, yes it doesn't have to know. But I do.

</rant>

[Byakko]

Just got back home from a highly irritating doctor's visit.

I had to get up early, travel 45 min away from home and I didn't even spend scarcely 15min in the examining room. I am seeing a brand new doctor (the other one is at a different practice) and I don't even feel he tried to make an effort to get to know who I was or try and introduce himself to me. He just came in with his papers, sat down at started in. I really dislike doctors. They don't want to know you. They want to drug you up and cut you open.

According to him, he said that my GP indicated that I had...

HEPATITIS C

How the hell does "a mild inflammation of the liver" turn into HEP C!?

I straight up told the GI doc that I had never heard those words directed at me before then. He then proceeded to check my stomach and concluded I had no evident signs of the disease. I don't know anything about Hepatitis C so I honestly don't know how I could have gotten something like that. He asked me if I got fevers, had dark urine, or fooled with needles. I do get small fevers at times but the other two never happen. I'm not a drug user. I don't even like taking pills!!!

So...he had me take ANOTHER blood test in order to make sure it's not Hep C.

I didn't get to talk about ANYTHING. I didn't get to ask how they knew there was something wrong, I didn't get to tell them how I was feeling, how I wanted to feel or let me mention my habits or that I had tried going primal/paleo. NOTHING! He walked out of the room without really letting me know if he'd be back. I thought he would be it was the nurse who was there to give me my test order.

I don't know the man, he tells me I might have Hep. C and I don't even have time enough to discuss my case. He sent me 3 different papers in the mail to fill out. I brought them back and he didn't even discuss THAT with me!

I hope the blood test doesn't take too long to come back (I went ahead and had it down in the adjacent lab) I'm no closer to finding out what's wrong with me than I was two weeks ago. All that anxiety and concern only to have it extended.

Beyond pissed. Beyond scared.

[socoolnanny]

To me it seems more than a little troubling when my dad, who grew up in the country on a farm, whose family raised animals (chiefly dairy cows), where we live only a few yards from that childhood home, questions my decision to eat grass-fed meat.

I could make a guess and say that perhaps he thinks the price isn't worth paying when regular meat is alright. It's true that times are tight and our situation isn't any different. Still I don't believe he thinks regular meat is okay though. So in that sense he's being contrary to what he knows. I'm fairly sure he knows that almost all foods that were healthy and natural are being pumped with chemicals, hormones, pesticides etc. We watched Weight of a Nation together for crying out loud (even though I realize that documentary has some flaws).

...He saw the plastic packaging for a pound of grass-fed beef, IN THE KITCHEN TRASH, and felt he had to say something about it. It wasn't his money that paid for it so I'm rather miffed. (And it was a $1 off to boot).

I am not, in any way trying to be fancy or a special snowflake if that's what he suspects. I am doing this for my health. I'm doing what I think is best for my body. I suspect he may have IBS also or something related to it. He's always eating candy, he eats his meals within the span of 5 min (these are fair sized meals!) he's in the kitchen every 20 minutes it seems. I wish he realized that while it's expensive and may seem foreign to him, it's what I'd like to eat for my health and I don't appreciate someone looking into the trash at an empty package and then saying, and I quote:

"Meat doesn't know it's grass-fed"

Well dad, thankfully, yes it doesn't have to know. But I do.

</rant>

It seems to me that he must be spending a fair bit on nutritionally deficient 'food', who is the one wasting money and their health, I love your retort, keep positive.

[Byakko]

It seems to me that he must be spending a fair bit on nutritionally deficient 'food', who is the one wasting money and their health, I love your retort, keep positive.

Yeah. It really bugs me how someone could question my eating habits when they are still a lot healthier than most. Not to sound self righteous. But honestly it's simply not a good feeling when your dad tries to put a negative spin on what you're doing. It's whatever. I'd gladly make him cook for my family if they wanted to join me but at this point, I have to worry about my own health. I can't waste time trying to convert anyone who is stubborn.

[Byakko]

I haven't been feeling right since the doctor's visit.

I get bloated no matter what I eat it seems.

What are some very soothing gentle meals or foods I can eat?
I don't have much of an appetite and nausea and my stomach usually ends up bloated by the end of the day.

[Byakko]

Kind of wish someone would actually read this thread, but anyway.

The doctor's visit did not leave me feeling confident about what he could do for me. It's true that I am still waiting to find out if I have Hep C or anything else but if possible I'd like to stick with primal/paleo way of living as much as possible.

I'm often at a loss for what I should do to improve my health because when it comes to IBS there seems to be a plethora of different combinations and solutions for different individuals. Some don't eat fruit and very few veggies, others don't eat nuts, others eat dairy some don't, etc

Considering that I still am not very familiar with my body and how it signals me that something is good or bad I'm going to try and pay special attention. So here's what I'm going to try on own.

I don't believe in eating grains. Butter doesn't seem to bother me but I'll try ghee. Can't say for sure if other dairy is bothersome. Other than making hummus and eating peanuts, I don't care for legumes but I don't care if I don't eat that.

I think what I will try is each week I will give up something or add something. Maybe I'll go fruit free for a week, see if that helps. Maybe I'll go nut free the next week but add fruits back (I don't eat a lot of them but I think I get about 3 servings.) The next week maybe I can try upping my vegetables. (Sooner or later I want to try beef or chicken broth the paleo way. It's hard to get clean bones.)

If anyone is reading this, does that seem like a good idea or should I make it longer than a week? Because at this point short of taking pills or having invasive procedures and surgeries what else can I do?

[Mud Flinger]

Your plan seems sound enough. It may take longer than a week to make much progress, but a week is a good place to start.

You don't need clean bones to make broth by the way - just throw in whatever you have left - bones, meat and all with a little apple cider vinegar (1-2 TB). The vinegar helps to leach minerals out of the bones. You can re-use bigger bones (like beef or bison) also a few times. Just keep adding more ACV and water and let it go again. A crock pot makes things much easier for the long running batches. The bones get quite brittle after 2-3 runs through (I give 'em to my dogs and they crunch them right up).

I don't know much about hep C either, so until you get your test back, it's just sit and wait. If it is positive, try the seach functiion here to see if there is an existing thread with advice or start a new one if not. Along with that, I'd google for more info and see what else is out there.