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ADRENAL FATIGUE, ME, CFS SUPPORT GROUP


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PRIMARY OBJECTIVE OF THIS GROUP IS TO NOT ONLY DISCUSS SYMPTOMS BUT WAYS TO HELP SUPPORT EACH OTHER WITH WHAT WORKS DIET WISE TO SUPPORT OUR BODY THROUGH THE WITHDRAWAL PROCESS.

 

PLEASE CONTRIBUTE !!!

 

I had a bad bout of adrenal fatigue when I tapered too fast at the beginning of my taper, I was bedridden and barely able to walk, it took many months to get any form of energy back and it was so debilitating and frustrating, I felt like 100 years old at times.

 

I went on a healthy eating regime and cut out the following;

 

SUGAR

CAFFEINE

ALCOHOL

FRIED FOODS

MSG

 

I went on a macrobiotic style diet for awhile before realizing that this was not supporting my body enough, in fact, eating super healthy was almost as bad as eating unhealthy, the body needs plenty of PROTEIN in this illness.

 

I relapsed onto sugar and fried foods in the last 6 months as I was feeling stronger, I indulged and thoroughly enjoyed it but I forgot I am still not done with this process yet, I guess I just wanted to treat myself but before I knew it I was eating ice cream and chocolate often and I started to despise my healthy eating regime as it had previously not seemed to help but now I have learned my lesson as a recent wave has left me feeling fatigued and like I have adrenal fatigue again, so I am looking to remedy this and get back to looking after my body in this process as much as possible.

 

Whilst I do not think diet helps the symptoms of withdrawal (only time seems to help), it is common sense to do all we can to support the body going through times of severe mental and physical stress and this depletes the adrenal function and generally gives us a better chance at recovery.

 

I am a little confused as to diet, I am going to try and eliminate foods that rank high in GLUTAMATE and yet try and stick to a diet that nourishes and sustains and supports the body and try and figure out the foods to avoid.

 

I would like others to share in their findings also, we need SOLUTIONS here and by sharing maybe we can help each other to heal faster.

 

 

 

 

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I have just purchased "Adrenal Fatigue : The 21st Century Stress Syndrome" book by James L Wilson.

 

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51V6GMpBmSL._SX333_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg

 

I will post here some notes...

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FRUIT

 

 

FRUIT SHOULD NOT BE CONSUMED IN GREAT AMOUNTS

 

FRUIT SHOULD GENERALLY BE AVOIDED IN THE MORNINGS

 

 

FRUITS TO AVOID:        

 

 

BANANAS

FIGS

DATES

ORANGES

FRUIT JUICES

RAISINS

GRAPEFRUIT

 

 

SAFE FRUITS:

 

 

PEARS

APPLES

CHERRIES

PLUMS

 

 

BUY ORGANIC IF POSSIBLE AND WASH ALL FRUIT BEFORE EATING.

 

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EAT BEFORE 10 AM

 

EARLY LUNCH (BEFORE NOON) 11 - 11.30

 

EAT A NUTITIOUS SNACK BETWEEN 2 - 3 PM

 

EVENING MEAL 6 PM

 

BEFORE BED A SMALL NUTRITIOUS SNACK

 

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Oscar, are those food recommendations from the book? I think any extreme diet tends to lead to swings towards crappy eating because of the feelings of moderation.

 

I've reduced, but not cut out sugar (I tried it and saw no improvement). Giving up caffeine was hard but worth it. Mostly I'm trying to eat cleanly and get more veges and fruit. I'm pretty careful to get the protein I need.

 

Getting off the drugs helped me get stronger from the CFS but now I feel the CFS is part of the delay in my healing. My energy isn't coming back like other's does but I'm able to do much more with exercise than I was. It's the stamina to keep going all day that I seem to lack. And of course I can't sleep.

 

Really what's helped me is time, exercise (very gradual but including weights, walking, exercise class and yoga/stretching), meditation, gratitude practice, and stress management. Sometimes it sucks but it doesn't suck as much as it used to. I know there are a bunch of us with adrenal or fatigue issues. Hopefully others will jump in.

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Hi MTFan.  :)

 

My goal here is to try and get others that have had fatigue issues going through this to post what they feel works for them, what they have been advised by nutritionists, doctors etc (if any) and how diet has played out in terms of healing and what foods to steer clear from.

 

I am of the opinion that only TIME really heals us but at the same time I do think that it would be amiss to ignore a good dietary regime to help give the body the extra nutrients it needs in order to heal, excessive stress depletes the body very quickly and so I am seeking to try and combat this as much as I possibly can whilst going through withdrawal, I am not tapering again just yet but I am looking to (again) rectify my eating habits and hopefully this will help me through the rest of my taper.

 

I think it is wrong to become phobic of food, I know I did this earlier when I started my taper, if anything, I think that can just place us under more stress, this time I am just looking to include foods which are considered to be good for us in this illness.

 

I am looking to avoid foods that are high in GLUTAMATE for the reasons of helping GABA, although I don't see this making a huge difference, it may help ameliorate withdrawals a little, it's unlikely but it's worth a shot, right?

 

I am also interested in foods that generally support the adrenal function, I do not believe that what we have is necessarily CFS, ME, or adrenal fatigue, I think it is just how withdrawal manifests itself but it sure does FEEL like any of those conditions, I know that when I had a true window once, everything just vanished, even so, I think it helps to try and limit the damage on the body whilst going through this, everyone is different and everyone will be at different stages in this process, some may tolerate sugar, some may tolerate caffeine, yet I hope that for those that have has fatigue issues, this group may help in some way by us all sharing what seems to work well for us.

 

I knew when I could barely walk that life was no fun at all and I was desperate to gain some strength back, I made mistakes with my diet, I went mostly macrobiotic at one stage and it was too limited in terms of proteins and so I think it is important to eat clean but eat often and well and have good sources of protein and healthy fats in the diet but of course I am interested to hear what diets are working for others so that I may learn something new also.

 

 

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Awesome thread and very timely as I went to the Dr's today for this. He was a dick and no help. I am excited to follow this thread. I haven't found anything yet that helps. Hopefully others will jump in.
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FOODS LOW IN GLUTAMATE:

 

Lima, Borlotti, Red Kidney, Haricot, Soy and Black Eye beans (must be fresh or dried, i.e. tinned beans are not acceptable)

Eggs

Boiled or Steamed White or Brown Rice (any variety of white or brown rice except for fragrant rice like jasmine, basmati or wild rice, also no puffed rice such as rice bubbles or puffed rice cakes)

Rice Noodles

Rice Pasta

Rice flour

Common white potatoes, i.e. those commonly sold as "old", "washed" or "brushed" potatoes, often these are the sebago variety. These must be peeled. "New" potatoes or red pontiac potatoes or any other specialist varieties are not acceptable.

Potato flour

Swede

Lettuce, common variety (inside leaves only)

Celery

Fresh Green beans

Mung Bean sprouts

Leeks

Choko

Shallots (common variety only)

Chives (common variety only)

Garlic

Fresh Pears, peeled and must be ripe

Tinned Pears in syrup (not in juice)

Golden Delicious Apples (peeled and must be ripe)

Nashi Pears (peeled and must be ripe)

Sugar (small amount only)

Golden Syrup (small amount only)

Canola (also known as Rape Seed), Safflower or Sunflower oil (pure oils only, i.e. no preservatives)

Raw Cashews

Milk

Natural Yoghurt

Water

Asparagus

Pumpkin

Sweet Potato

Carrot

Onion

Beetroot (fresh only)

Red Delicious Apples

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Awesome thread and very timely as I went to the Dr's today for this. He was a dick and no help. I am excited to follow this thread. I haven't found anything yet that helps. Hopefully others will jump in.

 

Great.  :thumbsup:

 

I am hoping this thread grows in time, we moan about symptoms enough, we need to start finding our own healing solutions.

 

 

 

 

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I have found that diet is extremely important during withdrawal. I may be in a minority in that I have food intolerances, some of them pre-benzo. I thought I was eating a healthy diet by adding in kefir and yogurt but it pushed me into histamine intolerance last November--I am not sure if this was due to withdrawal and gut GABA receptors deing down regulated.

I also have to really watch how many carbs I eat because of blood sugar issues--this may be because of adrenal fatigue which I know I have.

I eat very few fruits--some berries since they are lower in sugar. I also eat green bananas on occasion mainly for the potassium. I really avoid eating sugar.

I eat a lot of organic meats--chicken, turkey, and grass fed beef. I also eat at least one big salad every day along with a lot of vegetables. I try to limit carbs to complex carbs like quinoa, gluten free steel cut oats, and sweet potatoes. Sometimes I give in and have a gluten free bagel since I am hungry a lot. I eat 5-6 meals a day to keep my blood sugar as even as possible.

I do not eat anything with caffeine in it since it revs me up so bad still after 2 years. Also no alcohol.

Figuring out what I should be eating has taken me a while and I get really frustrated that I have to eat a really strict diet. I am hoping that when I am healed that I am able to add some foods back in.

I do not eat gluten because I have Hashimoto's and I don't eat dairy because of casein intolerance.

 

I also walk every day, meditate, sometimes take bubble baths before bed, do adrenal breathing, really try to keep positive thoughts in my mind. I also take a few of the recommended vitamins/minerals for adrenal fatigue--vitamin C, E, magnesium. I need to go back to taking pantothenic acid, a B vitamin. I am just wary of taking a B vitamin alone since they are all needed together in balanced amounts. Most forms of B12 and folate rev me way up.

 

This may be of interest to those with leaky gut. My functional med doc suggested that I use resistant starch to increase butyrate producing gut bacteria. Butyrate is a short chain fatty acid that helps reduce inflammation and helps seal up a leaky gut. You can get extra resistant starch by mixing banana flour, plantain flour, or potato starch in water. I have found banana flour works best for me. There is a lot of resistant starch info on the internet so I won't get too detailed about it.

 

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Basically looking here to devise a plan to avoid low blood sugar, foods that give us a slow release of energy throughout the day and yet keep glutamate levels low whilst avoiding anything which may impede the healing process, I am not looking for any kind of detox diet here, just the opposite, when in withdrawal, we should not consume cruciferous vegetables if tapering Diazepam and these vegetables can speed up the clearance of the drug which obviously is not a good thing, hence why green smoothies are termed as "detox smoothies", these are fine for those that are off the drugs but these should generally be avoided whilst in the tapering process, I have read science papers on this myself so as a rule I avoid broccoli, cabbage and spinach and sprouts.

 

 

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I have found that diet is extremely important during withdrawal. I may be in a minority in that I have food intolerances, some of them pre-benzo. I thought I was eating a healthy diet by adding in kefir and yogurt but it pushed me into histamine intolerance last November--I am not sure if this was due to withdrawal and gut GABA receptors deing down regulated.

I also have to really watch how many carbs I eat because of blood sugar issues--this may be because of adrenal fatigue which I know I have.

I eat very few fruits--some berries since they are lower in sugar. I also eat green bananas on occasion mainly for the potassium. I really avoid eating sugar.

I eat a lot of organic meats--chicken, turkey, and grass fed beef. I also eat at least one big salad every day along with a lot of vegetables. I try to limit carbs to complex carbs like quinoa, gluten free steel cut oats, and sweet potatoes. Sometimes I give in and have a gluten free bagel since I am hungry a lot. I eat 5-6 meals a day to keep my blood sugar as even as possible.

I do not eat anything with caffeine in it since it revs me up so bad still after 2 years. Also no alcohol.

Figuring out what I should be eating has taken me a while and I get really frustrated that I have to eat a really strict diet. I am hoping that when I am healed that I am able to add some foods back in.

I do not eat gluten because I have Hashimoto's and I don't eat dairy because of casein intolerance.

 

I also walk every day, meditate, sometimes take bubble baths before bed, do adrenal breathing, really try to keep positive thoughts in my mind. I also take a few of the recommended vitamins/minerals for adrenal fatigue--vitamin C, E, magnesium. I need to go back to taking pantothenic acid, a B vitamin. I am just wary of taking a B vitamin alone since they are all needed together in balanced amounts. Most forms of B12 and folate rev me way up.

 

Sounds like a good diet you have going there Bluemoon.  :thumbsup:

 

Thanks for sharing.

 

I will add that from this adrenal fatigue book I am reading BANANAS are apparently not good, high pottasium foods in adrenal fatigue are a no no, just something to think about.

 

Also, TURKEY is pretty high in GLUTAMATE, chicken is probably the better bet there but of course, personal choice.

 

You're diet is pretty strict but I would say this is a great diet for healing, if it works for you then great, I am putting my own diet together this week and yeah, it will be pretty strict also but when it comes to health, we gotta do what we gotta do, even when I feel OK, I can no longer ignore the fact that I will be in this for some time, so I figure that what I eat now will hopefully help me further down this road in terms of healing, no more messing for me, I am committing to this again 100%, it may often feel like food doesn't touch the withdrawals but given what we go through, I can't see any other time when diet isn't as important as it is right now.

 

We need to help our bodies as much as possible in this process.

 

I am looking forward to getting started again.

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MY LIST OF SAFE FOODS SO FAR:

 

EGGS

POTATOES

SWEET POTATOES

BROWN RICE

QUINOA (OCCASIONAL)

CHICKEN

LAMB

BEEF (OCCASIONAL)

FISH (SALMON ETC)

BLUEBERRIES

RASPBERRIES

CHERRIES

PEARS

PLUMS

APPLES (RAW AND STEWED)

LETTUCE

RED PEPPERS

GREEN PEPPERS

YELLOW PEPPERS

CARROTS

GREEN BEANS

SWEDE

PUMPKIN

ONIONS

GARLIC

ASPARAGUS

AVOCADO

OATS (GLUTEN FREE)

OLIVE OIL

SESAME OIL

NATURAL YOGHURT (UNSWEETENED)

WATER

LEMON (ALKALIZES THE BODY)

 

 

 

The fruits listed above are low sugar fruits.

 

Potatoes are lower in glutamate than rice.

 

Eggs are a perfect protein.

 

Lamb is low in glutamate compared to other meats.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I have found that diet is extremely important during withdrawal. I may be in a minority in that I have food intolerances, some of them pre-benzo. I thought I was eating a healthy diet by adding in kefir and yogurt but it pushed me into histamine intolerance last November--I am not sure if this was due to withdrawal and gut GABA receptors deing down regulated.

I also have to really watch how many carbs I eat because of blood sugar issues--this may be because of adrenal fatigue which I know I have.

I eat very few fruits--some berries since they are lower in sugar. I also eat green bananas on occasion mainly for the potassium. I really avoid eating sugar.

I eat a lot of organic meats--chicken, turkey, and grass fed beef. I also eat at least one big salad every day along with a lot of vegetables. I try to limit carbs to complex carbs like quinoa, gluten free steel cut oats, and sweet potatoes. Sometimes I give in and have a gluten free bagel since I am hungry a lot. I eat 5-6 meals a day to keep my blood sugar as even as possible.

I do not eat anything with caffeine in it since it revs me up so bad still after 2 years. Also no alcohol.

Figuring out what I should be eating has taken me a while and I get really frustrated that I have to eat a really strict diet. I am hoping that when I am healed that I am able to add some foods back in.

I do not eat gluten because I have Hashimoto's and I don't eat dairy because of casein intolerance.

 

I also walk every day, meditate, sometimes take bubble baths before bed, do adrenal breathing, really try to keep positive thoughts in my mind. I also take a few of the recommended vitamins/minerals for adrenal fatigue--vitamin C, E, magnesium. I need to go back to taking pantothenic acid, a B vitamin. I am just wary of taking a B vitamin alone since they are all needed together in balanced amounts. Most forms of B12 and folate rev me way up.

 

This may be of interest to those with leaky gut. My functional med doc suggested that I use resistant starch to increase butyrate producing gut bacteria. Butyrate is a short chain fatty acid that helps reduce inflammation and helps seal up a leaky gut. You can get extra resistant starch by mixing banana flour, plantain flour, or potato starch in water. I have found banana flour works best for me. There is a lot of resistant starch info on the internet so I won't get too detailed about it.

 

Hi Blue,

Thanks for the post.

I recebtly got diagnosed with Hashimoto and I also need to lay off the gluten and dairy.

Im finding it really hard to know what to eat.

 

 

For now I just wanted to tag this post. My head is too fuzzy to read it all but I skimmed theough it and will give it another go tomorrow.

 

Hi Oscar ;D

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Hi Moodle  ;D:D;D

 

Check the post above, you'll get lots of ideas here, I do a lot of research as others do too...

 

Bed time for me soon...

 

Will add more in the coming days... stuff NOT to eat.  >:D

 

 

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My understanding is that kefir is good for healing GABA. I was having problems with the dairy so I need to get the grains and filter to make my own with almond milk.
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Hi Moodle  ;D:D;D

 

Check the post above, you'll get lots of ideas here, I do a lot of research as others do too...

 

Bed time for me soon...

 

Will add more in the coming days... stuff NOT to eat.  >:D

Finding it hard to go off gluten. It gives me awful jointpain to do it at once but I am getting there.

Im just not too smart with all the stuff i need to be eating in order to make up for the things I can not eat.

I think in general

I am doign alright on the diet, with some slips here and there.

 

Thanks for starting this thread.

I am not really worried about the glutamate rich foods myself right now, but more gluten free,things good for the adrenals, no msg and well... Stuff.

 

Goodnight for now.

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People with adrenal fatigue crave sugar and white flour products, such as cakes, buns, pasties, pastries, doughnuts, pies, cookies, crackers and soft drinks, this is because when you have adrenal fatigue, you usually have hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and foods made from refined flour and sugar raise blood sugar levels quickly but they raise blood sugar so high and so fast that too much insulin is released in response, excess insulin then causes blood sugar levels to crash leading to hypoglycemic symptoms and more cravings for the bad foods.

 

Refined flour and sugar are naked calories, the metabolism of which drains an already depleted body of the vitamins and minerals it needs to heal itself, these foods wreak havoc on the bodies metabolism and cause cravings and is why they are so addictive.

 

In other words, if you don't want to have sugar crashes, put down that chocolate bar or doughnut and eat a Waldorf salad instead.

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I am so swearing off sugar again now, and pies and pastries also... boring but necessary. If it leads to health it's worth it.

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My understanding is that kefir is good for healing GABA. I was having problems with the dairy so I need to get the grains and filter to make my own with almond milk.

 

I'm off dairy now too.  :'(

 

I seem to crave it...

 

Almonds are high in glutamate so not sure, I used to make my own almond milk with raw almonds and water...

 

Can't avoid glutamate altogether, we would literally starve.  :o

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White flour also clogs the liver so it doesn't work as well... another reason not to eat white flour.

 

The 3 white deaths:

 

WHITE SALT

 

WHITE SUGAR

 

WHITE FLOUR

 

These are VERY bad foods for all kinds of health conditions.

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It's late, I think somewhere in this adrenal fatigue book it mentions sleep...  :crazy: I'm done for tonight.  :)

 

 

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