Food Diary and a new health journey
I’ve been registering all my meals and symptoms in a small notebook (10 cm x 14 cm) since Friday. Yes, in a paper notebook, small enough for me to carry around with my Kobo. I leave the pen attached to the notebook’s spiral so it’s easy for me to take notes of symptoms any time of the day. Sometimes it’s only after a couple of hours that I will feel something.
A friend asked me why I am not using an app for my Food Diary. This is what I responded:
- I’m only doing this for a couple of weeks, so I wanted the simplest and easiest way to take notes. Nothing beats paper. (I will probably transfer the notes to an Excel spreadsheet later because… Excel nerd here).
- I hate typing/writing on a mobile device. See above.
- Apps will ask me to create an account and then they will bother me offering a premium subscription. No, thanks.
- Also, there might be ads in the app itself. Nope.
My Food Diary with my Kobo (yes, they match colors!)
After starting this Food Diary I’ve been able to notice nuances to my symptoms. I’m paying more attention to what I’m eating. And I noticed that I was ignoring some of my symptoms because I just got used to them.
The Food Diary was a task given to me by my Registered Dietitian, but I’m also seeing a Naturopath for other related health things. I saw my Naturopath today and she’s super interested in my Food Diary because it will help her to figure some of my other problems as well.
I don’t want to get into too much detail about my health issues, but I needed to address some hormonal alterations that started showing up 2 years ago. I was seeing medical doctors all this time and none of them were worried about my blood test results. I’ve been living with some hormonal imbalances that I really wanted to investigate, but doctors always dismissed my concerns and symptoms.
And that’s why I decided to see a Naturopath again. I used to see one back in Brazil years and years ago and they can help when “conventional” medicine isn’t working well or as complement to it. At least there is somebody really listening to me and investigating the root cause of my imbalances. And taking a broader view by connecting the dots between my diet, the medication I’ve been taking for years, my symptoms, my gut health.
I was really weak the past few years with my anemia getting worse, and the doctors just telling me to “eat more meat” and “greens” even though my body wasn’t (and still isn’t) able to absorb iron properly. It took me 2 years to finally get a referral to see a Hematologist and get an IV iron injection to replenish my ferritin levels.
I feel much better now after getting the IV iron, but I’ve endured so many years in a weakened state that I don’t even know if now I’ve reached my normal energy levels. Based on what’s going on with my hormones and digestion system, my Naturopath thinks I’m still not at a 100%. I got some work to do, but I will get there!
The start of the journey is always awareness!
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Post 33/100 of 100DaysToOffload challenge (Round 2)!
#100DaysToOffload #100Days #Blaugust2024 #Blaugust #health #journal
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By Noisy Deadlines
Minimalist in progress, nerdy, introvert, skeptic. I don't leave without my e-reader.