Operation Get Healthy: Phase 1

As I wrote about a few days ago, I am trying to treat my health problems naturally, through dietary changes and nutritional supplements.  Yesterday, I started the program, and I'm so excited!  I thought I'd update about the whole process periodically on the blog.

In a nutshell, the doctor gave me supplements to help the things in my diet that I'm lacking, and to strengthen the body structures that it's affecting.  To put it mildly, my diet is horrible.  Honestly, I never realized how bad it was!  But I eat a ton of wheat, which is not good, a fair amount of dairy, which is not good, and too much sugar!  Because of my problems, my body is craving sugar, which is actually making my problems worse, so it's a vicious cycle.  

My plan for this week is two-fold: start taking supplements (11 of those suckers a day!  Yikes, I must really be unhealthy).  And start drinking more water.  I am going to see her every week for 6 weeks, and then bi-weekly 6 more times.  The way I understand it is that we're going to change one part of my diet each week, so it's not too overwhelming all at one time.  So by the beginning of August, I should be a whole lot healthier.

Okay, so let's cut to the chase.  Here's what I learned yesterday:

• Water is just about the most important thing for our bodies, and when we don't drink enough, we become dehydrated.  We can even be dehydrated without realizing it.  Drinking coffee, pop, sweet tea, or any other sweet drink actually makes it worse, even though it may seem like those things are satisfying our thirst.  
• Wheat is not good, especially when it's white bread or flour.  I knew it wasn't good for me, but I didn't realize it was actually BAD for me.
• Dairy is only good in great moderation.  Being that I'm lactose intolerant, I really don't consume too much dairy.  But apparently I'm STILL consuming enough that it's messing with my whole body!  Who knew?!
• Sugar is not good.  Well, I knew that already.  But it's always good to reiterate that.  And I'm eating way too much of it.  Goodbye Starbucks lattes and ice cream that I've been drinking and eating lately.
• Eating too much processed food makes your body work way too hard, and in ways that it was never supposed to work.

Again, I loved the doctor so much, and even though last week I left feeling like the whole experience was just weird, she explained things to me so well this week that it totally makes sense why my body's not working the way it should be!  I'm so excited to get started with this program, and see how it changes my life! 

And I guess I can't say that I'm proponent yet of this kind of treatment since I haven't been doing it for long enough yet, but so far the entire experience has been entirely positive, and has given me a ton of hope!