Something that I have been frustrated with along my entire wellness journey has been the gap between the nutritional/functional medicine world and the mainstream medical world. There is so much research out there to prove that food can indeed be medicine...but most of the medical professionals out there do not buy into it, read the literature and studies, or know about it. So...if you are working hard to improve your health through nutrition, you will go into a medical appointment, feeling proud of yourself, only to be shot down by a doctor when you happen to mention that you are feeling awesome and you believe it is because of your lifestyle.
Last Thursday, I had an appointment with my Doctor of Functional Medicine. When I started with him, I had to fill out a "Symptoms Checklist," on which I rated all of the different symptoms that I had as a 0, meaning I don't have that symptom at all, all the way up to a 4, which means I have it often and it is hard to live with. At my first appointment, I rated myself as a 56. At this appointment, I was down to a 20. They expect a 40% improvement in the first 6 months of treatment. I have improved by 64%! After being shot down by so many medical professionals, telling me that what I eat doesn't matter in Multiple Sclerosis...other than I should avoid sodium and eat healthy fats...this was the little bit of motivation that I needed to keep going. Lately, my lifestyle has been VERY restricted on a new plan that I started....but when I see the proof in my health....it is all worth it...and, with the strength that can only come from God...I will press on.
Another encouraging moment for me at this doctor's appointment was that we talked about a Functional Medicine Doctor, Dr. Terry Wahl's, who has MS and is an expert on treating this illness with diet, has recently been granted funding through the National MS Society. Her research will finally begin to be recognized by neurologists in the field because of this funding. My doctor told me that her preliminary results in her study are astounding. This gives me hope that I will one day be able to get off of meds...with my neurologist's blessing and support....instead of having to make a decision to buck the system by going against medical advice.
Why do I share this? Because your diet matters. This challenge focuses on weight loss...but I hope that, for you, it is about so much more than weight loss. Eating a clean, healthy diet filled with nutritious foods that God made will lead to a more happy, fulfilling and healthy life all around. You can do this! Also....I would like you to think about tracking and rating your symptoms so that in 6 months of so, you can do it again...and see results. Sometimes the most important results are not found in a number on the scale. Email me if you would like a copy of the symptoms checklist.
In Christ,
Gail
Congratulations on the improvement in your health! I'm also happy to read that this research will be funded by the MS Society. This is progress.