Channel 5, 7pm tonight!

thistlegirl
thistlegirl Member Posts: 229
edited 6. Oct 2013, 17:58 in Living with Arthritis archive
the documentary Fat, Sick & Nearly dead is on tonight

it looks at how changing your diet and detoxing your body can not only help you lose weight but improve some health symptoms. I am not linked to it an any way other than I watched it 10 weeks ago and doing what it suggested.

My story so far JRA since I was 18 months old in most joints. stomache shot due to NSAIDs and brufen. range of motion has mostly been ok but joint pain and fatigue has been bad despite whatever treatment they have me on. I hqd a really bad phase 2 years ago when I became immobile and put on a lot of weight and had no energy after mobility returned to shift it, about 3 stone gained. the added weight made my joints worse etc etc.

so I happened across this film about an aussie guy with an autoimmune skin disease who was on steroids and other meds and had gained weight and felt rubbish. the film follows him doing a juice fast and road trip in america- if you want to sell a documentary film some of it in America! It also talks a lot about giving your body the right nutrients to help fight your illness.
I don't normally like these diet programmes but his one is done differently it isn't go out and kill youself at the gym and all will be well, I looked at it and thought that makes sense.

I have put hundreds of drugs in my body over the past 35 years but I have never really tried to give it the best fuel to work with.

I did juice only for 4 days then for the past 9 week I have juice for breakfast and maybe lunch then eating a mostly vegan diet for the meal at night.

Now before we go any further a month into this diet I got a cancer diagnosis which means I am now on 60mg of steroids that is messing with my sleep but I am still doing the diet as it is helping both arthur and cancer. due to the cancer I had to stop my abatacept infusion and it was a month before I got the steroids started so I was running on empty for a month and I felt good, my joints were still very good and I would normally have been feeling worse at least 1 week before the infusion was due.
My energy levels have definitely increased even though the steroids are messing with my sleep.
The bags/suitcases under my eyes that have been there forever went away.
My skin looks brilliant.
I have lost 2 stone in weight with no increase in exercise and never feeling hungry!

I am a strong believer in modern medicine and I know I will be taking meda for the rest of my life but now I also believe that giving my body the best food/fuel to fight this thing is the bet thing I can do to help me.

I hope I haven't been too preachy but I feel that this has helped me so much and I want you guys to have a chance to see it. You have been helping me through a really tough time and this is what I can do to say thank you!

Thistle.

Comments

  • louisarm
    louisarm Member Posts: 52
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Thistlegirl,

    Thanks for the plug i will watch it tonight.
    It makes sense to think that if we give our bodies the right fuel it must help.

    Have you tried oil pulling? Google it if interested.

    It is supposed to be good, mainly to remove bacteria from one's teeth but with other health benefits too. I don't know about the alledged health benefits but it does help my teeth. I have to be careful to do it only once a day because otherwise I lose too much weight. It is supposed to help with weight loss too.

    I am so sorry about your cancer and other health problems, what rotten luck.

    I wish you well

    Louisa x
  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,763
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I'm very pleased the juicing has helped you. I'm not planning on doing it partly because I think I have a healthy diet as it is and partly because I like the whole of fruit and veg not just the juice. But it has helped you and that's a good advert for it.
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • barbara12
    barbara12 Member Posts: 21,281
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Thanks Thistle girl I will watch it tonight...Im am getting very interested in the types of food I eat
    Love
    Barbara
  • Kittkat
    Kittkat Member Posts: 309
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hello
    Thanks for this.I've seen this programme and it is inspiring ! I drink juices and I wish I had the will power to do what this guy did.
    How am I gonna be an optimist about this?
  • louisarm
    louisarm Member Posts: 52
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi,

    I have just watched the programme and it was truly inspiring.

    Thanks for the heads up.

    Louisa
  • Agape
    Agape Member Posts: 76
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Thistlegirl

    As you know, I too have seen the film and it immediately inspired my husband and I to start juicing. We have both lost weight, husband has come off of his gout tablets with no recurrence of his problems and we both have more energy.

    Juicing is definitely part of our way of life now, so much so that we intend to upgrade to a better juicer now that we know that we like it so much. Joe Cross (from the film FSND) is in the UK and we hope to go and see him tomorrow at Planet Organic in Westbourne Grove. If anyone is interested it's a FREE entrance.

    On another note Thistlegirl, I sent a reply PM, hope you received it, wasn't sure as I hadn't heard back from you. :)

    So sorry to hear about your cancer, but will be praying that the juicing will continue to help strengthen your body.

    Take care and great to hear from you. :)
  • thistlegirl
    thistlegirl Member Posts: 229
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Agape! Sorry i thought I got back to you. I will message you tomorrow when I can. My brain is a little fried and need to get to bed now but I will get back to you soon.

    Thistle
  • tkachev
    tkachev Member Posts: 8,332
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Luckily I had control of the TV remote just as this programme started. it was very interesting, especially as people who tried the drinks said how nice they were (usually diets can be uninspiring). I intend to look at the website.

    Elizabeth
    Never be bullied into silence.
    Never allow yourself to be made a victim.
    Accept no ones definition of your life

    Define yourself........

    Harvey Fierstein
  • gande
    gande Member Posts: 8
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I cut out wheat and that works.

    Also...

    Our body cells are like houses. Clean water (blood flow) IN Dirty water (our lymph) OUT. If the dirty water in the house or our cells (lymph) backs up disease including various types of arthritis will follow (allegedly).

    The reason; is that this stimulates systemic circulation which nourishes the tissue between our joints and lymphatic drainage which means the production of endorphins (our bodies natural pain killers)

    section deleted - advertising Moderator YEH

    Does anyone know where I can get a chair that stimulates lymph / circulation etc?
  • kathbee
    kathbee Member Posts: 934
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I watched it and thought it was rather thought provoking.

    Especially at the end when the truck driver went to the hospital and was told we can take you off the methotrexate and sulphasalazine! Wow, imagine no drugs.

    Dont know whether I would be brave enough to try it though, where does the required protein come from if its all fruit and veg juice?
    Sorry, not very well informed regarding all this food content etc.
    I eat very little meat, perhaps a bit of chicken now and then and fish and cheese are my main protein supply.

    Kath
  • thistlegirl
    thistlegirl Member Posts: 229
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Kathbee,

    You would be amazed at all the nutrients, including protein that are in fruit and veggies! Everything is in them but I do add cheese or fish twice a week and I feel great on it.

    I am basically eating a no processed foods and giving my body pure fresh fuel as much as possible. I have always been fatigued with my JRA but I have more energy on this diet than ever and my body is healthier overall.
    I only " Juice Fasted" for for days and I think it helped to detox my body. If I cheat and eat something naughty I do feel sluggish afterward and I have realised that my body needs to work harder digesting the processed foods that the natural ones.

    I have been pulling information together on my Pinterest board if you want to have a look I will PM you the details.

    Sites to look at are:
    www.rebootwithjoe.com - From the maker of the film loads of stuff here,
    www.forksoverknives.com - another film looking at fighting illness with food. Lots of info here too, though I still need to watch the film myself it is free in Netflix at the mo.

    Hope this helps, happy to give you any other info you need. The film on TV was a shortened version. If you are interested I would recommend purchasing the DVD as there is lots more on it re the science side of the food and also other peoples stories.

    Jenny
  • applerose
    applerose Member Posts: 3,621
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I watched the dvd some time ago. It was very thought provoking and worked very well for the people in the film. I, however, prefer to chew my food. I think that's what we are supposed to do as we have teeth. I also worry about the lack of fibre in a juice only diet. I do juice now and again but much prefer the whole fruit and vegetable. I wonder if this works because the people who juice eat no meat, especially red meat and, I would imagine, cut down on carbs and no longer eat processed foods and fast foods rather than to do with the juice itself.
    Christine
  • kathbee
    kathbee Member Posts: 934
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Thank you Jenny for the info.

    You are well informed about food in general.

    I would be bothered about losing weight as weight loss is something I do not need, but varying the juices with other foods might work for me.

    My son who lives in Canada always says that eating the correct food and drink can heal, he is very much into Ayurvedic medicine and helath, in fact he says a friend of his was almost at death's door with illness (dont know the nature of it) and she got herself well with only eating raw foodstuffs and juices.

    Certainly gets the thought process going doesnt it.

    Kath
  • thistlegirl
    thistlegirl Member Posts: 229
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Applerose- yes just juice isn't a long term plan at all. what I have learned is if you juice for 3 days it resets your system so when you reintroduce fibre your body sends out hunger signals better. I am with you on the diet, less meat and dairy and more fresh/clean unprocessed food is what is helping be a lot. I need to chew food too, couldn't do pure juice ofr any length of time! I see the juice as taking "vitamin tablets" in their purest form and it is also a very easy meal to make if I am too tired and sore to do much.

    Kathbee - The film maker has been in England this week and doing some talks. He said that your body will only drop what is needed, people have actually put on weight if needed! As I said to applerose the juices are adding in boosters of nutrients but the unprocessed food and veggie diet are easier for my body to digest therefore more energy to spare to fight Arthur etc.
    I am only beginning to learn about this but a lot of what I see makes so much sense. It sounds like your son will be able to give you some pointers too?

    What I keep coming back to is the hundreds of drugs that I have put into my body to treat arthur and all the side effects, I believe in modern medicine and I will continue to use it however and whenever I need to. But I do think I could be helping my body as well and I haven't really tried that before and so far it is helping :)

    Jenny
  • kathbee
    kathbee Member Posts: 934
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    All sounding good Jenny
    Thank you
    Kath
  • thistlegirl
    thistlegirl Member Posts: 229
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdWQumFQH3M

    http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=If8648Y8gP0&h=YAQHarLPi

    Above are 2 links to youtube. these are videos someone took of the man talking this week. He goes into brilliant detail about the nutrition and his motiviation. I felt he cleared up a lot of questions for me, fiber, nutrition, longterm/short term fasts. Tons of info explained by a man looking for answers explaining what he found really well.

    Jenny