It has been a long time but things
in my life are getting back to normal...or at least what normal is for me, just moderately nutty. Though Diane has done a tremendous job running CD with very little help from me for the past year, she has politely asked me (though I believe there may have been a slight threat or two and I detected a begging tone at times as well) to get back on here. So here I am in all my not-so-much infinite glory. I hope that I can be of help to all of you even if it is just to bring the slightest smile to your face.
As the new year started I had a
my first breakdown in a very long time. (I realized I promised a smile and here I am talking about going over the deep end but bear with me for a bit). This happened after a my pain doc told me that I was getting charlie horses in my stomach when I bend over because of my fat and that I need to lose weight (and here I thought he was finally getting it after 4 years) and during a phone conversation with my sister who kept telling me I must go back to yoga because it will help me.
I went from zero to crazy town in the second that followed her statement.
I told her I would love to do yoga but at the moment I physically couldn't. I bawled about my frustration of being in pain 24/7 and fat on top of it. I blubbered about how useless I now feel and that there are papers and dryer sheets on my floor because I can't bend over to put them in the trash. I wailed that I wanted a better body and whimpered that I wanted to just go hide. Finally I cried out I wanted to no longer live this ridiculously hard life. (Yes, I brought out all the "wooers me" drama I could muster between sobs as my sister listened and ate her lunch).
When I finally calmed down and as she still munched away loudly on her food she said,"Janet, you can only do one thing at a time and you can only control so much about this life you got".
So I asked, "Are you really eating carrots right now?"
At that we laughed at the fact that as I poured my heart out to her she kept on eating her lunch and waited patiently for me to finish my melt down. That is exactly what I needed though and she knew it. It was then I knew I had to get back on track and do something about this disease in a way
that I could have some control. It all came back down to the only control I truly have is
what I am putting in my body. After almost three weeks, I do feel a little better. I am not going to tell you I am miraculously cured but I'll take the little bit of extra energy and less stomach pain and be thrilled with that.
I am going to keep track of my
trials and tribulations on the road to embracing the organic lifestyle and, I am sure, some mad threats of quitting and my guilty cheats (in order to publicly shame myself back on the diet) in my
personal blog called "Living With Dercum's" (link below for those of
you who want to see probably just how crazy I am) but I'll check in here with
updates, tips and suggestions on this subject from time to time as well as resume my duties
of helping Diane out with everything else CD does.
I know the gripes about going
organic (believe me I have said them all) and they usually sound something like it is more expensive and hurts the
average farmer, it is hard to find and/or an organic diet would not consist of
foods I like. Well, I am here to say you would be wrong. Not entirely wrong but
there are definite ways in making an organic diet and lifestyle work or even to
make certain changes only on some products that could be hurting your bodies
the most.
Let me address the above with some
notes on each below. I'll get more and more detailed in other posts when I can
or feel free to contact me directly at curedercums@gmail.com
- Too Expensive:
- Yes, going organic can be expensive but many supermarkets now carry their own brand which can be less expensive.
- If you live within 20 miles of a Trader Joe's I suggest a weekly or monthly trip is definitely in order. There store brands are cheap but delicious and the organic is generally only ten to twenty cents more on most items and sometimes are priced the same.
- Buy veggies when in season and freeze them. Most will last in the freeze up to 6 months. You can also throw a bunch together and cook in a broth them freeze and just add them to soups in the cold weather.
- Hurting the People Who Make Their Living Through Farming
- This is a tough one but think of it this way, the more the demand for organic product goes up, the more farmers will have to comply. The US is great with its bailouts that don't even truly help a majority of its population, so why can't we demand that they put our money to the one place it will help all citizens? They should help all farmers to get to better standards and practices and fewer toxins will be going into our bodies.
- Organic is Too Hard To Find
- Many grocers are making way for the organic foods either buy creating a Natural/Organic aisle or two like my local Stop & Shop has or placing the items side by side with regular items on the shelves.
- Research will be your best friend here. I am starting to compile a list of all the foods I have tried with a rating for cost, taste, convenience and whatever else I can think of. I will be glad to share and take suggestions.
- You Would Not Like the Types of Foods
- I beg to differ, my friend. I have been discovering some great finds that satisfy any craving I could possibly think of. I just ate my mid-afternoon snack which consisted of Trader Joe Organic animal crackers and a tangerine. Late July makes great organic crackers and Whole Foods has any cheese you can think of. There are chocolates and candies of every variety made with pure cane sugar. Pastas and rice (even white rice) are made in by many different brands. The list is endless.
- Most foods actually taste better if they are organic. The night I came hope and cleaned out all my cupboards to stock with my organic groceries from Whole Foods for the first time and opened up what I believe to be the first ever organic banana ever to pass these lips, I honestly moaned in great satisfaction at the taste of it. It was amazing!
- Some Foods That You Should Always Eat Organically
- Thin skinned fruits or veggies. The toxins seep in easier on these foods especially one grown in the dirt like carrots and potatoes.
- Meats. Well, at least try to go with free-range or wild caught fish. Animals do not deserve to suffer to fill our bellies.
I won't bore you with anymore for right now but I hope that
my meanderings help some of you out there.
Gentle Hugs and Much Warmth (to my fellow Northerners),
Janet
http://livingwithdercums.blogspot.com/
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