Hey everyone, hope you all had a good and safe 4th of July celebrating this great country! Sorry I have been a little MIA, the past few weeks I’ve been busy with family and friends in town. Needless to say I went out to eat ALOT and tried my best to stick to my diet. But I’m human and it’s understandable to slip up.
We all have setbacks. No one is completely 100% perfect all of the time when it comes to nutrition and health (or anything in life for that matter :p). That being said, I have come to quickly recognize when I have fallen off track and get back on because I know how much better I feel. I know it’s only fueling my body and not harming it more. It’s like getting a flat tire. You don’t have to flatten the other three, you simply repair the one. Same with diet, don’t let one small mistake affect the progress you have already made. Even if I make a mistake now, it is nothing like the RA pain I use to experience.
I am guilty of saying “Well it’s just a little bit, how much damage can it really do?” And a day or so later I’m so angry with myself and regretting those food choices. Just because you mess up one time by eating that dairy and gluten filled chocolate chip cookie, doesn’t mean that you’ve lost all hope. It’s okay if you want to treat yourself once in awhile, but just be prepared for the possible consequences. The majority of the time I can stop myself before eating something questionable if I just remember the agonizing pain I was in just under a year ago. If I get off track now with my diet, I will start to feel a tinge of pain and tightness creep up in my fingers and hand. That’s my cue to stay on top of what I’m consuming.
It can be very difficult when you’re surrounded by inflammatory foods that no one else around you even questions to eat. Remember that you DO have control over food and the willpower to abstain from things that will cause you pain. I didn’t believe I did years ago, but now I do. Like I’ve said before – the pain of Rheumatoid Arthritis is WAY worse than missing out on some bacon cheese fries. Everyone is on a different RA journey and has different levels of pain, but knowing your personal boundaries is important.
One other very important aspect of healing from RA is having support from those around you, whether that’s family, friends, spouse, etc. You don’t need to impose your nutrition beliefs on them or force them to eat the same way you do, but you need to establish why you are doing this so they understand. It is much easier for everyone if you have support from your loved ones and it helps you stay on track.
When it comes to cooking as a family, I understand it can be difficult when everyone has different preferences, restrictions, etc. We do not have any children yet, so we only have to figure out dinner for two right now which is easier. Some nights we make our own dinner, some we do nutrition packed smoothies and other nights we will eat the same meal. We alter dishes a good chunk of the time. For example, if my husband wants a grilled chicken sandwich, we will make the chicken for both of us, and he will use it for his sandwich and I will make some broccoli, asparagus, or red potatoes for a side. (and I’m all about leftovers! nothing goes to waste!)
One other thing that may be helpful when dealing with setbacks is keeping a food journal so you can possibly pinpoint what caused a flare up. RA can be tricky since the pain can come up a day to even a week after something you eat! Keeping a journal can give you a better idea of what you are actually consuming on a daily basis and if there is anything that really sticks out. It’s also helpful for me because half the time I can’t remember what I ate the day before! haha I’m considering putting up a food journal for others that I designed that helped me in my pain tracking.
So if you have gotten sidetracked with holiday feasts, eating out at restaurants, or whatever else that may have caused you to slip up, it’s not too late. ANY progress is progress! Also, if you’re new to following my blog, you can check out my post “Flare up Foods” to see what I avoid.
In my next post, I will be sharing some of my substitutes for inflammatory foods that may prevent you from giving in and also keep you from feeling deprived. Thanks for reading! 🙂
DISCLAIMER: The information on this website has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, prevent, or cure any disease. I am not a doctor, nutritionist or registered dietitian. Everything shared on this website is from my own personal experience in overcoming Rheumatoid Arthritis and is not a substitute for medical advice. Please speak to your medical professional before making any changes in diet, supplements or medication.
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