I have severe degenerative bone disease which is osteoarthritis, scoliosis and sciatica pain, hypothyroid (MD recently lowered my dose), obesity (yes I could stand to lose up to 80 lbs. again) and I'm 61 and live on a fixed low income. The only medication I take is thyroid replacement, and just started trying Aleve instead of 1 generic Excedrine every 12 hours for my hands due to the osteoarthritis.

I don't know how to get back to high raw diet on my fixed income. Advice is welcome. I did it before when I was 50, for about 3 years. I lost 70 lbs. and regained some good health. But I was not on limited income.

I'm not prone to depression, I am an optimist by nature. Some of you will remember me from prior years, hello to those that do, and nice to meet you to the ones that don't.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/18/2014 02:07PM by Prism.

"I have severe degenerative bone disease which is osteoarthritis, scoliosis and sciatica pain, hypothyroid..."


You need one of these...

[www.youtube.com]


Or one of these, which is what I have ...

[www.hypergravity.net]


If you can't locate one in your area which you can use everyday buy one on installments. (The cheap knock offs I wouldn't trust.) If you can't afford that then sell all your stuff and buy one.

Hi Prism,

Base your diet around bananas as they are the cheapest source of calories as well as a great staple food. Then add more fruit variety depending on what you can afford.

So I looked it up and they mention accupuncture and accupressure, along with gentle yoga. Maybe Google asanas that assist in healing sciatica. Medicare probably now covers accupuncture so definitely try that. Taking meds, be them prescription or OTC doesn't seem like a good idea for the long run. It won't heal the condtion and could cause other problems.

As far as diet, I would think it should be in tandem with getting rid of meds. Because the acidic nature of pills, I mean.

Even a high-raw diet can be had by visiting produce markets versus regular grocers. Especially in the summer I can sometimes get amazing deals. Sprout in a jar and bag, too. Root veggies, brown rice, beans, soups. Make a huge pot of brown rice and huge pot of split pea soup and freeze half of it.

For arthritis, you could benefit from weight-bearing exercise, D3, astaxanthin, thunder god, curcumin, raw sprouted sesame seeds, pyncogenol, bromelain, quercetein, high-quality strontium/silica supplementation, acupuncture, and getting sufficient magnesium and calcium from your diet.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/18/2014 08:28PM by jtprindl.

Nettle tea is high in silica.

SueZ Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Nettle tea is high in silica.


As is horsetail tea.

jtprindl Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> SueZ Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Nettle tea is high in silica.
>
>
> As is horsetail tea.


As our very own Vegetable Police finds for himself and prepares...

[www.youtube.com]

And who is vegetable police?

fresh Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> And who is vegetable police?


He's a member here. Probably too funny for you to remember.

for scoliosis, the best thing is to lose weight. When you lose weight, the body regains its awareness of how bad it has got and then you can make posture and corrective exercises. Without losing the weight, you probably won't succeed. When you regain the awareness, be prepared to make effort to estretch the tight areas.

Stay at least 10 minutes full body under the sun every day. Vit D3 pills won't help much. Eat lots of dark greens (better than calcium supps).

Some tools that help:

foam roller
half barrel
inversion boots
exercise ball

study the schroth method

[www.youtube.com]

you can do the exercise ball in the vid with a 10' 1.5" white pvc pipe ($5) from HomeDepo ((tell them to cut in two pieces).

Yes I am aware he is a member, I was asking who it is... actually posts under the name veg police? Or is it prindl?

and why are you recommending silica supps?

plenty of foods that taste good contain silica, no need for the grasses.

fresh Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Yes I am aware he is a member, I was asking who it
> is... actually posts under the name veg police?
> Or is it prindl?
>
> and why are you recommending silica supps?
>
> plenty of foods that taste good contain silica, no
> need for the grasses.


If you have something to contribute to this thread contribute it like everyone else, except for you, is trying to do, to help prism on his path.

I just did that.

while also exposing you once again as a controlling jerk.

fresh Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I just did that.
>
> while also exposing you once again as a
> controlling jerk.


LMAO!

Prism's really going to get a lot out of your "contribution" ... "plenty of foods that taste good contain silica"

Stop pathetically trolling me. Find something else to do.

SueZ Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> Prism's really going to get a lot out of your
> "contribution" ... "plenty of foods that taste
> good contain silica"
>

oh, I see, you are under the delusional impression that I am beholden to you.


> Stop pathetically trolling me. Find something
> else to do.

you "trolled" me in this thread, ie, responded to me, I did not
initiate anything with you.

are you ever going to attend to your emotional/mental issues?
or are you going to continue to attempt to control other people on
the SueZrawfoodsupportboard? ah, I thought so.

fresh Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
<>

Whatever, you can keep chase your tail forever so far as I'm concerned. Just please stop trying to drag me into participating in your weird hair brain left field pursuits like trying to track down who the funny guy in the video is, for instance, and I won't be annoyed into responding to your inquires.

I would prefer not to be so annoyed but when the mosquitoes land on my arms I instinctively swat them so just back off and you'll be fine.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/19/2014 11:39AM by SueZ.

suez wrote:

<<<...I won't be annoyed into responding to your inquires. I would prefer not to be so annoyed but when the mosquitoes land on my arms>>>

suez really means:

I would prefer not to be so annoyed but since I am so full of HATRED, I want everyone to be as MISERABLE as ME!!!

John Rose Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> suez wrote:
>
> <<<...I won't be annoyed into responding to your
> inquires. I would prefer not to be so annoyed but
> when the mosquitoes land on my arms>>>
>
> suez really means:
>
> I would prefer not to be so annoyed but since I am
> so full of HATRED, I want everyone to be as
> MISERABLE as ME!!!

Lol. Another ancient member of the paranoid fruit fly posse checks in to add nothing but spittle to the content of the thread.

They like to travel in swarms so expect more of their useless babble.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/19/2014 02:09PM by SueZ.

Panchito Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> for scoliosis, the best thing is to lose weight.
> When you lose weight, the body regains its
> awareness of how bad it has got and then you can
> make posture and corrective exercises. Without
> losing the weight, you probably won't succeed.
> When you regain the awareness, be prepared to make
> effort to estretch the tight areas.
>
> Stay at least 10 minutes full body under the sun
> every day. Vit D3 pills won't help much. Eat lots
> of dark greens (better than calcium supps).
>
> Some tools that help:
>
> foam roller
> half barrel
> inversion boots
> exercise ball
>
> study the schroth method
>
> [www.youtube.com]
>
> you can do the exercise ball in the vid with a 10'
> 1.5" white pvc pipe ($5) from HomeDepo ((tell them
> to cut in two pieces).


Panchito, great advice! I noted that weight was an issue but didn't think of it in terms of the posture. What does the foam roller do? I have seen one of those in stores and assumed it was for massage. Does it have a therapeutic value?

banana who Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> What does the foam roller do?

it corrects (in the long term) protuding middle back arcs. Imagine sone using their hands to push on a sopt. It is the same but using your own gravity. It is used by laying over your back on it and rolling over the protuding spot. Go slow to gain little victories. It if hurts, then use a folded towell on top. A 1.5 ft or longer is OK. You can also use it the same way but like in an angle to push on the side to correct lateral angles. at first, it may be like too much but with time it gets better.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/19/2014 07:02PM by Panchito.

Oh, this is so great, lots of useful advice, some I did before, like the losing weight being high raw, foam roller (you can now get the swim noodles in larger diameters and they are cheap and work great) stretching on my exercise ball, and so many others.

I think SueZ and Fresh secretly have an attraction to each other...hehehe..

I am older though so it's even harder to get motivated and I'm isolated in this rural town that I got stuck in, so many of the people here are depressed and I stay clear of most of them.

I always did enjoy coming here so much, I miss it and will try to be on more often so I can get motivated to get back to high raw. Thank you all so much!

I do have a verseo aqua toner machine, it's under $100 and did work for me, then I didn't need it for many months, so I'm back to using it again. About 20 minutes on it and I'm hoping that will work as good as it did before. I'd love to have larger better vibrating machine, but so pricey!

Hi Prism,

Desperate times call for desperate measures! I'd go 100% raw overnight. You can do it for cheap - look up Raw on $5 a day. You don't have to eat much because you're trying to lose weight, remember

Why mess around with 'high raw' again - go all the way this time!

You'll start losing weight fast and feeling so good and proud of yourself and motivated that you'll be encouraged to start exercising, yoga, etc., and that'll further help heal your health issues. Soon you'll be able to taper off your 'meds'.

Good Luck!

Lois

Hi Prism. I remember you! So very sorry you are having these health issues. Lois's suggestion to "look up Raw on $5 a day" sounds good.

Hi Lois!

Prism, I'm glad you haven't started on other medications in addition to the thyroid med. If you can see a good naturopathic doctor on your insurance, it might help.

Meanwhile, my suggestion is go a day at a time. Don't think 80 pound weight loss. Go for a weight loss that is 10% of your current body weight. Once you get there, go for another target if you like.

Stay vegan no matter what! With the exception of vegan dieters, 95% of dieters who lose weight gain it back again within a year. Vegan diet is the only diet included in the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Evidence Analysis Library with strong evidence for both short-term and long-term weight loss. This is mostly due to Dr. Neal Barnard's work, which utilizes a low-fat diet that includes cooked whole grain and legumes (Most raw food diet studies are not yet up to par to be in the library - not because of a problem with the diet - but because of established research standards or because the studies simply haven't been done).

If you're not ready to go all raw yet, go semi raw and include some good root veggies like sweet potatoes and/or some peas or edamame in place of the heavier grains. I'd also suggest including nuts and/or seeds everyday. Sunflower seeds are cheap!

Very important!!!!!: Exercise every day if you can! Being 63 myself, I know for a fact that whenever I don't exercise, the weight comes on, no matter what I eat; and I'd have to eat a ridiculously low amount of food to avoid that. Walking is great. When I first tried running, I couldn't do it until after I'd walked for a whole year. I gradually built up to walking 6 miles a day and then started running.

Here's some inspiration for you from Vegetarian Society of Hawaii - the guest speaker is formerly obese:

[www.youtube.com]

Anyway, I hope this helps. I remember you're a very nice person, and you deserve to have your health!

Hi Prism

Sorry to hear about your situation. Take care of yourself. Do what you can. Including as many raw fruit and veggies as you can, while avoiding high-fat processed food should help immensely. Small steps but steady is a good way to progress.

warm regards,
Gosia

Here are some "tools" for self treating light scoliosis or other back problems. Usually the problem is not in the bones (like from lack of calcium). But instead, the cause is by some weakness (muscular, diet etc) which promotes bad posture. Recovery is a mix of stretching and exercise.

Core stretcher (aka "bandscho". It stretches in ways that cannot be duplicated by other methods. Also seen in the book "Three-Dimensional Treatment for Scoliosis"

[www.amazon.com]

Lay down back stretcher. Can be use with small weights on hands to stretch back.

[www.amazon.com]

Gravity boots (two sizes). Enhanced by playing with medicine balls (from 8 lbs to like 20 lbs)

[www.amazon.com]

[www.amazon.com]

(you would need a solid hang bar to use the gravity boots)

Find ways to do torso rotation exercises (with like elastic bands). Try to find weak spots. Practice bends on exercise balls. Sit on a ball and push down on vertical poles. Every weakness found is a victory in the making.

I do remember you.

Prism, my father use to tell me that free advice is worth exactly what it costs - nothing. Nevertheless, I'm going to add my two cents.

It's difficult to advise without knowing more about you.

I wonder where you live.The cost of maintaining a raw food diet in the Northwest Territories is going to be far more costly than in California. But, assuming that you live in a place where fresh produce is readily available, I think it is possible to eat a nutritious diet of raw on a modest income.

It has been my experience that the greatest obstacle I've face was not the cost of the food but the will to actually do it. In fact, the first time I went 100% raw, I had no job, no money and I attribute raw to giving me the clarity of mind to figure how to manage that whole thing. But I digress.

I know everyone has their particular spin on what makes the best raw food diet. Some recommend sprouts, others are exclusively fruitarians, etc. I don't think anything is completely cut and dried and most likely, one size doesn't fit all. But, in my opinion, a diet rich in greens, and greens are cheap, is foundational. I'm not one to fret the minutia of nutrition. I eat to feel good and if I achieve that, I'm contented.

Fruit is more expensive but serves as a splendid treat once you simplify your tastes. In general, I think it costs less to eat a raw food diet because so much of the overpriced junk is no longer a choice.

Two issues other than the cost of the food are significant here. Firstly, bone density is a presenting problem. As you likely know, weight lifting increases bone density and were I you, I would begin a regular routine of weight lifting exercises.

The second problem (though perhaps the most important) as you have identified, is the weight. If you are suffering from scoliosis, the added weight is placing an unnecessary burden on your skeletal structure. This, coupled with osteoarthritis (and perhaps osteoporosis), will compromise your range of motion.

If you've been raw before, you can do it again!! In fact, your brain will quickly recall how much better life was when you fed your body that way. Kudos to you because it sounds as though you are in the contemplation stage.

That's what comes just before the leap!! Best wishes.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/22/2014 06:10AM by Raw4ever.