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Submitted by PatientsEngage on 6 September 2019

Diet changes are an integral part of management of many chronic conditions. Here are real life experiences of eight women who incorporated diet and nutrition changes in their disease management regimen. 

Celiac Disease

When Jeeva Anna George was diagnosed with Celiac disease, an uncommon digestive disorder causing inflammation of the small intestine, her whole life began revolving around food. Here she talks at length about her personal journey and how she learnt the hard way to control the disease by strictly following a gluten free diet.

Maintain a Food Diary – It’s helped me discover what suits my gut. I discovered I am slightly lactose-intolerant and coffee doesn’t suit me. I also realised I have to stay away from consuming excess of dal and vegetables like lady’s finger, spinach and brinjal.

Read more on Jeeva's journey with Celiac Disease here

 

Diabetes Mellitus

Delhi-based Pushpa Garde is 75 years old and has been ably handling diabetes for the last 25 years, mainly with lifestyle changes and a proper diet, which she has maintained meticulously.

I had started eating sprouts, milk, daliya, oats, dry fruits and fruits for breakfast. Regular simple vegetarian meals helped me lead a good life. I had stopped eating meat long back. It had nothing to do with my diabetes diagnosis. I also had a strong will power to control temptation, and would often just taste the sweet, but not eat it really, specially at functions etc.. Because of all the measures I took, my condition of 25 years is under complete control.

Read more on how Mrs. Pushpa Garde's managed Diabetes

 

Fibromyalgia

Anita, 50 took 6 years to finally get a diagnosis of Fibromyalgia. She shares the interventions that work for her.

As far as diet is concerned, I cannot handle alcohol or acidic foods! So I stick to alkaline foods. I avoid foods that are sugary, gluten rich, and processed. I have also tried skipping dairy and dairy products in the past. Currently I am trying intermittent fasting but then not limiting any specific foods through the day. 

Editor's Note: Certain food groups are considered acidic, alkaline or neutral:
Acidic: Meat, poultry, fish, dairy, eggs, grains and alcohol.
Neutral: Natural fats, starches and sugars.
Alkaline: Fruits, nuts, legumes and vegetables.

Read more on how Anita managed Fibromyalgia

GERD or HeartBurn

Asha Sarella, a Bengaluru-based Bharatanatyam dancer, movement therapist, and a counsellor, talks about how her life changed after embracing a vegan diet.

Firstly, I had to totally stop consuming dairy products, sugar, regular cooking oils, white rice and a big NO to coffee and tea. I had to replace white rice with brown / red rice, sugar with jaggery, regular oil with cold pressed vegetable oils. Actually he suggested cooking without oil, but since we are used to at least minimal oil, cold pressed oil was allowed. Initially I found it difficult to abstain from coffee and tea, but I had to choose temptation over health. 

Read more on how Asha moved to a healthier lifestyle and lost weight
 

Gout Arthritis 

Kavita Behl, 53, who was diagnosed with high levels of uric acid causing excruciating pain and swelling in her feet, got back her health with a strict walking regimen and disciplined diet. Her diet secrets are: 

I have been off sweets and fried stuff.
I have decreased my gluten intake, and included bajra, jowar, ragi in my diet. 
Breakfast is poha/upma/idli/dosa/parathas without oil or ghee.
Lunch is any vegetable with bajra/jowar or ragi chapatti
Dinner is very light like a soup or a bowl of mix veggies.

Read more on how Kavita dealt with Gout

Hashimoto's Thyroiditis or Hypothyroidism and Gluten sensitivity

Alpa Shah's many symptoms – among them exhaustion and weight gain – were ascribed to age and pre-menopause. Eventually with a diagnosis of gluten insensitivity and Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, she adopted dietary changes: 

I have changed my diet completely. Since gluten, millet, sorghum, rye, potato, corn, sesame and yeast are prohibited, I have introduced rice flour and gram flour in to my diet. My base is yam slices instead of parathas and I have rice pancakes with spices and herbs for snacks.  

Read how Alpa transformed her life through diet and lifestyle changes
 

Migraine

Kavita Krishnamoorthy had resigned herself to sacrificing at least four days a month to severe headaches till proper diet, exercise and meditation showed her the way to complete relief. She shares her story of liberation here:  

There were major lifestyle changes I made. Fruits became a huge part of my diet. What goes into my plate is in reverse proportion of what used to go in earlier. At every meal its 3-4 fruits, some soaked nuts and dried fruits, 2 veggies, and lastly a small helping of some grains – unpolished rice/ millets and pulses, in this order. Potatoes, cauliflower, rajma, channa are back on my plate! I became more regular with exercise (yoga), meditation and relaxation.   

Read the complete story of Kavita's journey here.

Migraine and Sinusitis

Sonika Aggarwal,39 has been battling migraine and sinusitis for over a decade. Even a surgery did not help matters much. She shares how she finally found some relief when she changed her diet and lifestyle. 

The diet changes included eating fresh and warm food, cutting out all junk, processed, sweet and fried food. Cutting out all these actually took a huge effort, because we are so tuned to eating all this. Also I had to start avoiding iced drinks and ice cream. 

Read Sonika's journey of managing migraine and sinusitis.

What changes are you making to deal with your condition?