Bones Them Bones!

Oh my gosh, can't believe it's been so long since I've posted. Had an unintended hiatus due to illness, nothing too serious. I've had a wonky skeleton that needed putting right ~ my pelvis was out of kilter by 5cms (2") which also pulled and tightened my muscles out of alignment. My balance was off and I went from being able to run 5k three or four times week to barely being able to walk. Talk about feeling old and crotchety!

Unfortunately the chronic pain meant I couldn't concentrate as I was unable to sit in any position for any length of time. I decided to be kind to myself and concentrate on getting well and put all things writing on the back burner. Thankfully I have an amazing Chiropractor who also performs Acupuncture, all told taking about 6 months to sort out. Just as my back was resolved and thought, hoorah I can start running again! I had an arthritic flare up in my left foot. Couldn't believe it. Couldn't weight bear never mind running. What was going on?

Once that problem was sorted I felt I needed to take control of managing my pain beyond anti-inflammatory medication, ice packs and rest. I mean, I'm not ready to slow down! I decided to overhaul my diet. What better incentive is there than to avoid pain and make your overall health situation so much better? I did my homework and perused the Arthritis Society website for sensible advice. I also had an aha moment!

I know, I need to go back to Suzi Grant* and her book, Alternative Ageing. Suzi is many things, not least a qualified Nutritionist and there are many useful tips and advice within the pages. She is a wonderful example off ageing well and so full of beans!

Here is what I'm doing so far:

*No acidic foods ~ I've discovered these foods definitely make a bad situation worse.

* Increased my intake of fruit and vegetables ~ not all are created equal in terms of Arthritis and everyone is different, so do your homework.

* I'm a no dairy kind of girl. Three years ago I tried being Vegan and started to use Soya. I stopped being Vegan (another story) but found I could no longer tolerate dairy products, especially cows milk. I've kept using Soya milk with the bonus that my digestive system is much happier for it. I do miss my cheese though.

* I've stopped eating sugar and it's killing me! Three weeks in and my waistline and skin are already thanking me, so I'll keep going.

* I do eat meat, not a lot, and prefer fish especially oily fish ~ full of nutritious goodness and great for bones (amongst other things).

* I prefer my veggies raw and include nuts in my diet (in moderation).

My diet feels quite bland and restrictive at the mo but slowly introducing different foods back to my plate. If I were to react to something I'll hopefully be able to pinpoint what it is. It's early days my energy levels are high and sleep quality has improved.

On the writing front I'm cracking on with my work in progress. I'll also start Querying again come September with renewed energy. So happy to be back blogging too. Until next time have a great week!

* You can find Suzi Grant on Instagram @alternative ageing