Thinking back several years to how terrible I felt, it really does amaze me how far I’ve come. During my early days with fibromyalgia, I was in bed almost every day, I was quite honestly one step away from suicidal. I was a day away from checking myself into the hospital. It took reaching a breaking point to finally be willing to do ANYTHING to feel better.
That ANYTHING for me meant major changes to my diet and lifestyle. I’d already tried all the meds and they just made me feel worse. I had to do something different. I’d had others tell me that I should try this diet change or that diet change but it just felt like so much work and I didn’t really believe it work or be worth the effort.
I find it interesting to think that most any of us with fibro would be willing to pay any amount of money (if we had it) to feel better, but we aren’t quite as willing to take action that really requires something more of us. But, there really is so much more we can do that will make us feel so much better than all that money we’ve been spending on drugs and dr visits.
I’ve found that since I’ve changed my diet, I’m paying out a whole lot less towards my healthcare (and surprisingly the food budget hasn’t increaed). However, whenever I bring up this idea to others with fibro, it always seems to come up that “it’s expensive,” but it’s so not! So, I thought I’d share some easy ways you can change your diet (and feel better) without spending more.
1 . Cut out the Fast Food. We’ve been taught to believe that fast food is cheap, but it’s really not. It’s expensive, not just in monetary cost (compare what it costs you to buy McDs vs what you it would cost you to make a meal for your family from fresh ingredients), but also in what it’s doing to our bodies.
2 . Eat more Fruit. Look for in-season fruit at local produce (or Farmer’s) markets and stands. You can often find really great in-season fruit on sale at your local chain grocery store. And, if you have an Aldi’s near you, they often have some really great deals. Hit up CostCo as they often have great prices on seasonal fruits in bulk. Buy it in bulk, then eat some now and freeze some for later. Did you know that Pineapple has a chemical (bromine) that fights pain and reduces inflammation?
3 . Cut out the packaged foods. Packaged foods are easy, half the work is already done, but it’s not worth it. Almost all packaged / processed foods on the market contain High Fructose Corn Syrup (now known as Corn Sugar) and as we have learned from Mad Men the only reason to change the name of your product is because people have learned to associate it with something negative. It has negative associations for a reason, it’s not good for us!
Packaged foods tend to have more stabilizers and additives than actual nutrients. They might fill you up in the short term but they aren’t making you feel better.
4 . Drink Your Juice! Not into eating fruit? It feels like too much trouble to eat at all? Try juicing or blending it instead. I often make a juice or smoothie when I’m just not feeling like eating but I know I need something. Not everyone has a juicer, but almost every household has a blender. So, even if you don’t have a juicer, just throw some favorites in the blender and make a smoothie. It’s like a direct infusion of nutrients into your blood stream.
5 . Eat Your Veggies. Same as with fruit, it’s not expensive if you look for local(regional) and in-season. Sneak it in if you need to, add a little Kale or Broccoli into whatever dish you are making. FYI, Kale has more iron and protein than beef. Both of which equal energy.
6 . Grab some Nuts! Nuts have some amazing benefits that we completely forget about plus they are easy to eat and easy to keep on hand without them going bad. Again, check out CostCo or Sams to find them cheap in bulk. Almonds have anti-depressant effects, plus a few before bedtime help to even out your blood sugar and keep you from popping awake at 2am.
I do most of my grocery shopping at CostCo. I stock up on staples there including nuts, meat, and even some fruit and veggies. As I mentioned Aldis and local produce stands are the best bet for in-season fruit and veggies. You can also often find really great deals on lots of things at ethnic stores – plus you can find some really cool stuff you won’t find elsewhere.
Prior to changing my diet I shopped a lot with coupons and bought whatever I could get the cheapest. As a result we at a lot of frozen and packaged foods that just weren’t healthy. Eating a diet rich in whole foods is actually easier in a lot of ways. I don’t have to think nearly as much about what I’m cooking. I keep it simple with grilled meat and veggies.
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Mrs. Settles says
I agree completely with all of your suggestions! Nothing has helped my fibromyalgia like changing my diet. Thanks!
Blessings,
Marcia