Support, Self-Care, and Supplements
/by Ideal Nourishment Coach, Lily Calfee
Food alone is not enough to make us healthy. To have a healthy body, we have to work on healing our heart and mind. Having a support system and understanding how to support yourself are two huge step towards overall wellbeing.
There are all kinds of people in this world. Find the ones who fit with who you are, and who you want to be. Bless and let go of those who do not fit with the life you want to live. Nourish the healthy relationships in your life, and make time for the people who lift you up. Practice asking for help from your support system, even if it’s only with the small things. Ask your doctors and healers questions, and make sure you are clear on the answers. I am giving you permission to ask morequestions, until you understand. Commit to learning about how youheal.
It’s important to feel support even when we are physically alone. This is where self-care and spirituality comes in to play. Ask yourself what you need, and then ask the Universe for help and guidance. Spend a few minutes everyday being still and listening carefully to yourself and the world around you. Help often shows up in disguise.
Just like you, every diet can use a little outside support. The fastest way to make the biggest difference in your diet it to take cod liver oil every day. If you experience fish burps, try taking your it with food. A list of high quality fish oils can be found at www.ifosprogram.com/consumer-reports.
Vitamin D is also very important, especially to those living with Multiple Sclerosis. I highly recommend having a blood test done for vitamin deficiencies. If you are not deficient, then 2000 IU of Vitamin D every day is a good maintenance amount. If you are, take 10,000 IU every day until your levels regulate. Calcium is also important, and can be found in most dark leafy greens, as well as sesame seeds. Try sprinkling sesame seeds on your salad after you dress it.
Water is another piece that I cannot recommend strongly enough. When clients come to me for their initial intake, I ask them what kind of liquids they drink over the course of the day. Coffee, juice, diet soda, alcohol and milk are the most popular. The first couple are diuretics (they make you pee more) and you know how I feel about sitting down to a glass of milk. Eight glasses of water every day may seem like a lot, but it is what we are aiming for. Start off with five: when you wake up, before breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and in the evening. Work your way up to eight a day. Staying hydrated can relieve all kinds of symptoms, from headaches and fatigue to constipation.
Use these tips to support yourself and your diet while you reach your optimum health. Which of my suggestions can you implement today? Which ones are you committed to introducing by this time next week? Share your goals with your support network and ask them for exactly what you need. Connect on the Swank Foundation message board; share with us what is working, and what you are having trouble with. As always, please email me at info@swankmsdiet.org for additional support.