Alrighty Then

The good news today is that the scale reflected my work this week - I was down 6.6.  So, I'm close to being back where I was in Mid-January before my week of ridiculous choices.  Yay Me!

The other news is that I've realized the more healthily I eat, the more I pay for it when I don't  Case in point:  I ate bacon over the weekend and on Monday - that Hormel stuff that you can just put right in the microwave (OK - totally processed and not my usual choice . . . ) and I was in agony yesterday.  I mean, everything hurt. 

Inflammation.  Let me follow up.

I asked my doc about inflammation last Friday after my appointment with him.  Here's part of the text of my email to him:

I have been thinking about inflammation ever since I left your office this morning. I've been seeing what I can find about it online. None of the information I'm finding seems to have any basis in anything, and most sites I find want to sell me something . . . which is not necessarily a bad thing, but I already take a multi-vitamin and a ton of Vitamin D. if I can lessen inflammation in my body in ways that don't involve more pills, I am very interested to know how.

Somehow I think sugar is probably involved, because when I eat too much of it, my joints hurt. I think a lot of things - I think exercise might help - and I think maybe if I was smaller, that might make a difference, too - but I'm not sure.

I don't like thinking/feeling that there is inflammation in my body, making me hurt whenever it feels like it. Is there a reputable book you would recommend I read? Are supplements advisable or is a different diet a better way to go? Is there some reputable program of some sort I should look into? I seriously want to know about this, because I think there must be inflammation in a number of areas of my body besides my knees and tailbone - I mean, I have asthma, and that's about inflammation, I had plantar fasciitis for two years and that's about inflammation, and my mother had three different kinds of arthritis (which is all about inflammation and which I would very much like to avoid).

Here's what he said back:

In reading your message I would have to tell you that you have hit the nail on the head regrading inflammation. It is felt to be part of alot of disorders, but no clear understanding on how to manage it.

Best answer I can give you in the short term are things you are already doing: regular exercise, stress reduction and healthy eating. While there is a belief that foods that are high in antioxidants can help( i.e. beets, spinach, pomegranate), there is no conclusive evidence

So - I'm all happy that I'm already doing a lot of the stuff I should be.  I'm also all happy that I really like BEETS!!! and spinach and pomegranates  :-) 
So, what's this got to do with bacon and my hurting everywhere yesterday?  Well, I did a little more checking online and found Dr. Andrew Weil's website.  He is quite well known. albeit somewhat controversial.  Whatever.  :-)  Here is his Anti-Inflammatory food pyramid.  I share it because I found it to be interesting, and really, it's pretty much what we all already know, and also what I'm already working on doing with Weight Watchers.  Yay Me Again!

It appears to me that no one really knows what to do about inflammation - but if we all keep doing the best we can to take good care of ourselves, then I think we're on the right track.

The BACON, A.  What's with the bacon?  Sorry - I got sidetracked.  It's the only thing I ate over the weekend that I don't normally eat - so it makes sense to me that it was what caused all my joints to hurt yesterday.  I'm much better today.  I won't be having bacon again anytime soon.  It's just amazing to me that my body is sending these clear signals about what is best for it - and what isn't.  I just need to keep listening.