DAY ONE - The Diet Has Begun

Day One: November 19, 2007

I'm Dawn Gusty and I have MS. December, 2007 will mark my 10th anniversary of being diagnosed. I live just outside Nashville with my wonderful husband, John, my sweet little boy Reagan (2), and my way cool step-son, Vann (10).

My condition has steadily declined over the past 2-3 years. It's time to turn that around. I'm ready to make some serious changes and see some improvement. I'm tired of feeling blechy. There's too much left in this life to do and it's not an option for me to be disabled. I've got two little boys to watch grow and I want to be a part of it!

The purpose of this blog is to keep me accountable on my journey to health. I don't presume that everyone out there cares what I eat each day and how I feel. However, I'm going to use my imaginary HUGE audience to keep me on track. I'm going to imagine that there are thousands of you reading my page each day to see how well I'm doing. Maybe someone out there with MS has found my page. If so, then maybe this information will help you in some way.

So what am I doing? I believe we are what we eat. I believe that my body can heal itself if it has the proper internal environment.

I start today, Monday, November 19 on a new program called "8 Weeks To Extraordinary Health" developed by Dr. Asa Andrew. Weeks 1-3 are Level One - The Anti-Inflammatory Level. It's easier to list the items I CAN eat rather than the items I can't since those are too many. I CAN eat: clean meat, goats milk dairy, eggs, almost all vegetables, a few fruits, and raw nuts. (More details on him and the program once I hear it's o.k. to deliver.)

That's pretty strict! Yikes. I have eaten very healthy in the past few years and have recently given up dairy and wheat but, gosh, this is healthy supreme. This is serious. And I like to eat and I love to snack. That will be the hardest part.

The comedian, Brian Reagan, said his doctor told him to give up dairy and he said, "why not just give up happiness?" Then he described his first trip to the grocery store going dairy free. He said everyone in the dairy section was wearing party hats as he sullenly walked by to the juice isle. Well, I feel that way about everyone in just about every section of the grocery store.

Obviously, attitude plays into our health just as much as what we eat. So, I guess I should stop moping about everyone wearing a party hat except me. Perhaps I should see it as ME wearing the party hat because I should celebrate the fact that I'm getting well.

So here's to my new journey and my new diary friends. I know you care a great deal about what I'm eating on my first day so here's the diet: (You have to care, otherwise the accountability thing doesn't work.)

First thing: 10 oz green powder juice and probiotic
Breakfast: 2 eggs scrambled in organic butter with fresh spinach and goat cheese, green tea
Lunch: all natural chicken hot dog, broccoli, crispy kale (recipe to follow), tomatoes, water and green tea
Reagan and I had frozen blueberries for dessert (if you've got a good enough imagination, it's almost like eating a popsicle)
Snacks: raw almonds, avocado
Dinner: tuna steak, tomatoes, butternut squash and more water

My first day wasn't so bad. The only hard part was that I never felt full! Around dinner time, I started snacking on anything I was allowed to eat and never really felt satisfied. But this is just day one. I'm hoping my body will adjust as the days pass.

Overall physical "temperature": (Out of ten, ten being the worst or strongest feeling)
Fatigue - 6
Numbness - 5
Pain - 4
TOTAL= 15