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Amber Horrox's avatar

This is in many ways similar to my own dietary changes made back in 2018.

For any migraine sufferers reading this, the book The Migraine Miracle is a super place to start. Dietary changes simplified - for example, no.1 cut out gluten AND sugar.

Took me months to notice any change to skin, weight, health. And I’d already cut out alcohol and caffeine because I was too ill to drink it.

Reducing inflammation has to be the no.1 priority of those of us living with chronic illness. Diet is huge but there are so many other ways we can reduce inflammation alongside. Eg, the way we speak to ourselves.

For anyone without support be that financial or otherwise, I am someone who didn’t go organic. I didn’t do any of it perfectly. In fact, (miraculously) I put the least amount of pressure on myself to make these type of changes.

In no way am I recommending this as a diet but to give an example of what I ate on the daily:

Porridge oats, with seeds and anti-inflammatory additions like turmeric & cinnamon (even this was regular shop bought milk back then but now I drink raw)

Plate full of raw veg with hummus, cheese, avocado (had this everyday for about 18 months)

Rice dish (often with meat but when I split up

With my boyf my body told me not to buy supermarket meat ever again and I ended up living with a vegetarian for 18 months and it really felt like my body was telling me to detox from meat for a while).

Ladies who menstruate: we need to factor in our menstruation cycle. Alot of information doesn’t factor in our possible need to eat more when around our bleed.

From the off, I allowed myself to “eat what I want, when I want”. The only stipulation was to make it inflammation reducing. So I noticed an increase in the week before my period.

All the info I read said I wouldn’t lose weight this way (didn’t give a shit about weight at that point of illness - my priority as of out of nowhere, became my health).

But the weight did fall off. Massive chunks at a time. With long periods with no weight loss.

People used to ask “what do you eat!?!” But I ate loads of what I could eat and didn’t focus on what I couldn’t.

Food began to taste better. I felt satisfied by what i was eating - for the FIRST time in my life. I put it down to not being super strict that within 12-18 months I realised that this way of eating was sustainable for life. I enjoyed it.

I want readers to know that this is possible. It isn’t about denying, it’s about feeding and fuelling your recovery in a way that work and supports you.

Eventually I became intuitive with my eating. It’s the least recommended option out there but it is possible to tune into your body and what supports you which makes all the conflicting information so much less of an issue (to the point there is no conflict. Your body knows).

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Amy - The Tonic's avatar

Thanks for this post, Nicole. There’s a lot of consistency in what those who have recovered have recommended as far as diet. I went GF and DF for about six months and did not notice any change. I also tried keto, low histamine, no sugar at separate points along the way. I’m working with a nutritionist now and she also helped me see, like you, that I wasn’t getting enough fluids and protein each day. So I’ve made those tweaks. No dramatic changes, but I’m plodding along slowly on my recovery still and have learned to accept that it won’t be a quick process.

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