NUTRITION- LIFESTYLE CHANGE PHASES TWO AND THREE

In my early bout with multiple sclerosis, a successful nutritional lifestyle transformation resulted. It wasn’t easy nor automatic to make this change. However, this nutritional lifestyle overhaul is the continuing result of my determination to stay disease free from multiple sclerosis and other degenerative diseases. This nutritional lifestyle change is a daily function. The change begins with the foods I eat (lifestyle change two) and extends to the juices I drink to my daily water intake (lifestyle change three).

Nutrition Lifestyle Change Phase Two- Foods I Eat

There is no compromise by deviating to other food or liquid choices. In a recent craze, researchers, writers and the health industry have begun characterizing foods into good health food choices and poor food health choices. So I will adopt those phrases for ease of reading this chapter of my book. Therefore, I mean by not compromising or deviating I don’t satisfy my wants by giving in to poor food or liquid choices. Sticking to good food and liquid choices are optimum daily functions.

My daily food intake is usually done in three full meal increments: breakfast, lunch and dinner. My periodic function timetable to get these meals in is my most challenging daily chore. Most recommended periods are early am for breakfast, 11-2 lunch and 6-8 dinner. My timetable to get the morning walk and work schedule in limits me most Mondays through Fridays. Limiting means it puts me in a jockeying position to fill my time slots for these meals at normal time ranges. Through all the jockeying I make no compromises, that is, I get my three meals in. That means I sometimes exceed the normal recommended time periods
What I eat and drink daily is most important to me. Early research on my part with m.s was challenging and I had limited proven research resources. This didn’t deter me from reaching out to continue getting better and maintaining through proper nutritional methods. In my fourth year of research I reached the land of the giants in medical research. The names and written material of Harvard Medical School, Cleveland Clinic, and The Mayo Clinic became available to me. Many other names and written material became readily available to me but I adopted a consistent approach to receiving and reading the works of these three industry leaders over a two and one half year time period.

These research leaders usually portray their work in clear and concise manner, which makes it very useful for me. Needless to say I don’t agree with every thing I read nor adopt their approaches many times. My proven research and trials that worked for me to get better and live a better quality of life for five plus years have laid such a huge foundation for me. That it makes it difficult to alter my course at times. It doesn’t mean I am against change but I ensure through more research that the changes I implement in my nutritional lifestyle have been well thought out and proven trial tested by the presenters. These nutritional lifestyle changes usually follow proven results and a close to natural lifestyle change.

Harvard Medical acknowledged in a special report entitled “ Foods That Heal” there is a food- health connection. Harvard stated that “decades of research have produced study after study links between diet and serious illness.” The special report goes on to highlight several health conditions that are most strongly influenced by your diet. It even gives a list of foods and nutrients that can decrease your risk of developing that disease as well as a list of foods or food components that increase your risk.
Cleveland Clinic published an interesting article in its May, 2009 Men’s Health Advisor entitled “ Eat Like The Greeks.” The article suggests that the Mediterranean style of eating continues to show protective qualities against not only heart disease and cancer but also other maladies. Cleveland Clinic used a similar approach as Harvard to portray good food choices and what you can do. You will see a lot of natural nutrition in the mediterranean diet. This same mode of thinking had been echoed in some of my other reading material.

It wasn’t until late year five of my nutritional lifestyle change that I became familiar with the Rodale family name. This name had been right before me for years but I missed the opportunity to become more acquainted previously. This family’s written material had assisted in laying the cornerstone to many of my lifestyle changes, particularly, exercise. However, I didn’t connect the name until year five. Frequenting many magazine and book store counters prior to being diagnosed with m.s., I chose exercise magazines that talked about health foods you should eat while exercising. Similar to many exercise buffs I usually admired the pubs which showed the men/women with the interesting physiques. One publication that I regularly subscribed to for years was Men’s Health.

During my early years with m.s., Men’s Health wrote me and told me about a new publication they were introducing, Best Life. Immediately, I chose to subscribe to Best Life and remember even receiving its first issue published. Its contents and quality made it
a good reading choice . Late 2008, I chose to research health oriented publishers in a nearby Barnes and Noble bookstore. This led to the Rodale name. Curious about the Rodale name I surfed the internet to learn that Rodale publishes, Women’s Health, Men’s Health, Best Life, Prevention magazine and many other household names. Immediately, I felt well connected to the Rodale Publishing name.

Best Life gave me many credible articles to read on nutrition. Usually, these articles became the focal point of many doctor visit discussions. One of the most dynamic articles I chose to archive appeared in its May, 2008 edition. This article dissected various good food choices into the type of body building immunity, enhancer and disease fighter types.