Can someone point me in the right direction for diet? My LLMD has never mentioned the importance of diet. I take lots of supplements and vitamins however. He trained under Dr. B but I don't know Dr. B's personal philosophy on diet either. I keep reading how people are on these restrictive diets. I just try to eat balanced meals but don't avoid anything except caffeine and alcohol. Why is my diet that seems so healthy a bad thing? Thanks!
Posted by LaurenTurner (Member # 12320) on :
I came here this morning wondering the same question. So I am interested to see what everyone has to say. I don't think I have a horrible diet (I eat lots of veggies, fruits, drink lots of water), however I definitely endulge in some foods too. I know a lot of people say sugar is a big no on. Why exactly? I know it's probably not the best thing and eating a lot of sugar can't be good for your body, but what about eating it in moderation...?
Any input is appreciated. Posted by ralph (Member # 9189) on :
Sugar has no nutritional value. It feeds yeast.
Diet is very important becuase our bodies are so amazing they make parts out of good stuff and bad stuff.
An example with ADHD. Brains are mostly made from fats. Most kids with ADHD have brains made out of bad fats and junk foods. The diet of the typical american child is really poor.
Chemicals, additives, meat with fake hormones in it and much more.
With poor diets the digestive system is also very stressed. Poor digestion of fats and proteins mean it is physically impossible to make good hormones. Dr. A. Stuart Wheelwright said years ago that disease does not begin in your colon, it begins with what you put on your plate.
Not lyme due to that, but perhaps the continuation of the disease as the poor diet contributes to a favorable atmosphere for the lyme to thrive.
Posted by METALLlC BLUE (Member # 6628) on :
Personally I think a common sense balanced diet is the way to go for the average patient, but for those with sensitivities and severe digestive problems, obviously they'll have to alter it to suit their health needs.
People with Colon Cancer or Candida or Crohn's Disease don't necessarily eat the same food someone with the common cold might eat.
I may be wrong and my way may be the death of me, but right now that's what I think.
Posted by dbourne (Member # 13833) on :
I understand that sugar promotes yeast. But why is yeast bad? How would I know if I had more yeast than needed?
Why are so many people avoiding dairy? Is it because of yeast?
I am 28 and considering having another child in the next two years. I fear that having such a lopsided diet will due more harm than good as I try to get to a place where it is safe to carry a child.
I just want what is best for my body and don't understand everything about the specific diets yet.
Also, I am taking ceftin, zithromax, and flagyl.
Posted by sparkle7 (Member # 10397) on :
There is no one perfect diet for everyone.
Yeast is also known as candida, thrush, vaginal yeast infections & I'm sure other names.
It's a fungus that colonizes the body. It makes you ill & weakens your immune system. Sugar, fermented foods, & carbohydrates make it grow.
If you take antibiotics - it's makes you more prone toward yeast since it changes the bacteria in your gut.
I think it's best to be moderate & avoid artificial chemicals, hydrogenated oils, corn syrup/fructose, & highly processed foods.
I do like to indulge in desserts & pizza now & then - when I'm able. I think a diet high in veggies & some good quality protein is healthy. I used to eat more carbohydrates but I reduced it a bit.
It's hard when you don't feel well to cook, shop, lug the groceries & do the dishes. Good food is getting to be more & more expensive, as well.
So, I just try to do the best I can & not worry about it too much.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
YEAST has almost the same symptoms as Lyme, so if you continue eating a bad diet, how will you know when you're finished treating Lyme??
Yeast has long-lasting repercussions. Read more about it and you will see! It can destroy your health and if you're taking abx long term, your body is going to have trouble with yeast sooner or later.
Make it NOT AT ALL!! I'll see if I can get my links from my other computer.
Sparkle.. I think it would be good for you to remind people you are not on abx when you talk about "not worrying too much about it." Thanks! Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
quote:Originally posted by dbourne: I fear that having such a lopsided diet will due more harm than good as I try to get to a place where it is safe to carry a child.
You wouldn't want your baby to get yeast from you, would you?
Posted by METALLlC BLUE (Member # 6628) on :
Lymetoo, you make a fantastic point. Antibiotics do promote yeast overgrowth and it's a fact that a systemic Candida infection can mimic Lyme Disease and other types of illness.
That alone is a great reason to follow a diet that helps reduce that.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
quote:Originally posted by METALLlC BLUE: Lymetoo, you make a fantastic point. Antibiotics do promote yeast overgrowth and it's a fact that a systemic Candida infection can mimic Lyme Disease and other types of illness.
That alone is a great reason to follow a diet that helps reduce that.
Thanks. I've been trying to shout it for about 8 yrs now. Falls on deaf ears a lot.
I have found this to be very true for myself. When I eat poorly, my joint pain gets worse.
I even have two joints on my hands which will become painful and swollen with just a little bit of indiscretion in my diet.
When I follow the diet strictly, my overall pain level goes way down.
I have three more teaching days left in the school year. Once the year is wrapped up I am going to try a few new things with my diet. I will let everyone know how I feel.
Thanks for the information.
Also, I guess I don't fully understand the yeast thing yet. I don't understand how it will pass to the baby and why that is so bad. I will do more searches on the board. Thanks again.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Since you'll be off for the summer, get a copy of Conquer Candida and Restore Your Immune System by Jack Tips, ND, PhD.
Amazon has it cheap.
Let me put it this way. Yeast will suck the nutrition right out of your body. And that's only ONE of the problems.
Posted by ralph (Member # 9189) on :
Dbourne - this is funny because in the post directly above there a recommendation for a book, and I am going to recommend Dr. Tips book on eating. Same author for both books.
"The Pro-Vita Plan for Optimal Health" by Jack Tips, ND, PhD. This book is the best I have ever seen / used / recommended. And I have read and tried many.
A DC friend and I tried Jack's suggestions / plan and liked it. My friend recommended it to about 10 ladies he had as patients. After 2 weeks they all got together to share their experiences.
I was told they all said close to the same thing. After eating that way for 2 weeks, they said they got up in the morning, went downstairs to their families and said:
I am going to get things done today. If you are not going to help me, get out of the way !
That is how much more energy they had !
Some of the recommendations are: Largest meal in the morning Smaller at lunch Little or nothing in the evening. (Boy is that opposite the typical american diet)
5 small different protein sources breakfast and lunch - small amounts
5 different veggies at breakfast and lunch
Eat this way for 5 days, fast on the 6th (OK if you can, OK if you cant)
7th day - WHATEVER you want !
If there is a Barnes & Noble or another book store near you, have them order it for you. Then do an in store review and see if you would like to purchase it.
If not, tell them it was not what you expected. Or perhaps have your local library see if they can get it.
Jack's site is www.drjacktips.com - from there you can access his site for books.
Posted by nyjohn (Member # 15361) on :
i'm no doctor but have been way into healthy food for many years. i also pay lots of attention to medicinal foods, even before i got my lyme diagnosis.
i would recommend, for those on antibiotics or for those who have digestion issues, to go gluten free. that means, eat nothing with wheat (that means flour!), barley, rye, or oats. those ingredients are hidden in many, many things!! spices, sauces, mustards, etc...
i improved my digestion by going gluten free. no i don't have celiac disease. they thought i might have had it but i went off gluten months before i was tested. sure it makes it tough going out to eat but you will feel better in some ways. you must avoid sandwiches, pizza, pasta, etc.. but you can eat breads, pastas and flours made with grains such as corn, amaranth, quinoa, rices, and other things like coconut, bean flours, etc...
you will find that you actually enjoy all the new foods you will encounter, and you may even become a great cook if you are not already.
this method will keep you away from yeasts. some store bought rice breads will have yeast in them so you must read labels. read all ingredients on everything you buy.
and this approach to eating will help you to avoid eating sugars.
i admit i miss eating sandwiches and pizza, which i used to enjoy a lot, but that is ok as i have adjusted over the years. btw, you will find asian foods to be the best for gluten free eating, but you must be sure the soy sauce used is wheat free. foods from thailand, viet nam, cambodia, and burma tend to use fish sauce as their salts as opposed to soy, but you should still ask the chefs at the restaurants you visit.
Posted by knshore (Member # 13451) on :
NYJohn, Being gluten free isn't enough as far as yeast is concerned.
I am gluten free and have been for a while, but I still have yeast problems. Sugar and starch is what causes problems. Yes being gluten free helps, but it's not enough.
Posted by Larkspur (Member # 5131) on :
Sugar impairs the immune system and, additionally, Lyme disease spirochetes thrive on sugar - lyme bacteria uses sugar as an energy source! My LLMD told me this at our first appt.
If you google sugar and immune system you will find tons of info on how damaging sugar is...
If you indulge in sugar frequently, including high glycemic (white) carbs that turn into sugar pronto, you are impairing your immune system and giving borrelia a snack!
Plus what was already said about the yeast issues!
Diet is really important.
Posted by Angelica (Member # 15601) on :
Many of us have had yeast issues even before we went on antibiotics for LD. Yeast often goes hand and hand with the disease and compromised immune systems.
Many of us were given antibiotics as children and before we were diagnosed as well. I think the majority of lymies have problems with yeast at some point in their treatment.
Many people do not realize that yeast can be in the form of athletes foot and skin rashes.
I am rather bored with the Lyme and yeast free diet but I am trying to stick to it because I know I have yeast.
Posted by dbourne (Member # 13833) on :
Thanks everyone. I really appreciate all the help. Today was my last day of teaching so I am going to make some changes in the next week.
My daughter's Igenex test came back positive today. I am so sad but committed to helping both of us recover.
Thanks again for all the help.
Posted by richedie (Member # 14689) on :
Trained under D.B but no mention of diet????
Posted by daisys (Member # 11802) on :
I just got an emphatic reminder to keep away from sugar.
I went on a cruise vacation for a week and indulged in desserts for the 1st 3 days (but kept strictly gluten free the whole trip).
The 3rd day, I was drinking water, and my elbow got painful. When I tried to pick up the almost empty water glass for the last sip of water, I couldn't lift the glass. It felt like my arm was sort of paralyzed, or extremely weak. It lasted for a few minutes.
Later that night, pain in my shoulders woke me up, and I couldn't move either arm for a short while. After awhile, they were very weak, but I could move and use them. I don't know that they were really paralyzed, maybe just extremely weak, but it really scared me. I stayed off sugar the rest of that week, and have sworn off sugar with more conviction than before.
I've been mainly sugar free for years. I can't attribute this to anything else, because that seems to be the only change I made at that time.
I do have a problem leg, which is much worse now, and I'm wondering how much sugar has to do with it getting worse at this time.
My husband has decided to join me in going sugar free. Seeing is believing!
Posted by efsd25 (Member # 2272) on :
you may be interested in Singleton's new book on Lyme. He specifically talks about a Lyme Inflammation Diet program.
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