I just overheard my mother in law talking to the doctor. In dec. she fell and broke her neck, and I am so surprised its been six months and there is no sign of healing. At least the fragments haven't moved and caused problems. Shes 80 and has some bone and joint problems, so I guess that might complicate things.

Within the first week I suggested this power food mix that she would add to juice and make a smoothy. I thought it might be the easiest way for her to up the vitamins in minerals in her diet, as she doesn't eat well as far as I am concerned. She wasn't interested at all. So she is really depressed over it. maybe it might not have made any difference, but I want her to be happy and healed. I don't want to talk to her about it anytime today. But should I mention to her the possibility of healing? That it really takes special nutritional support to make it happen? Or would that be promising too much? I really can't promise anything. She already tried some calcium carbonate and vitamin D tablets, thinking that would be enough. On advice of her daughter who is a professional nutritionist. I think that wasn't enough or the right advice.

I remember this topic from before the forum went down, sorry to hear it hasn't healed.

Like i said at the time the calcium carbonate was exactly the wrong thing to give, in that being older she likely has low or lower levels of stomach acid.

Raising stomach acid should probably be priority and never hurts, bitters pre meal on the back of the tongue is a good idea. Remember to increase water intake as they do cause initial cleansing reaction in some.

Nettle tea is a good source of silica, as is seaweeds. Food grade diatomaceous earth is the best silica supplement.

[www.vegankingdom.co.uk]

Mislu,

The doctor hasn't implied to her that she'll heal like a young person, right? That would border on malpractice. If one is elderly, on top of being generally acidic with mineral maintenance problems, this would make healing from a bone injury that much more difficult. Sorry your MIL is demoralized, and that you are feeling bad about it. Sorrier that a clear realistic prognosis wasn't given, and that she isn't willing to do what she can to help her body progress. With the schooling you've had so far, can't you explain to your MIL in simple scientific terms what a nutritious drink would cause to occur in her body? Maybe you've already tried and she's just not feeling up to it. Keep trying, I guess. Good luck.

Powerlifter & tamukha,
Thank you both for the info and the support. Some months ago I got her a greens powder from whole foods. I don't remember which type exactly, but I think it was the one in the link below. It was a sample pack. I just wanted her to try it.
[www.amazon.com]

She immediately didn't want anything to do with it. Saying something about how I eat weird things and have weird nutritional ideas. Its strange but when her husband was ill with cancer she was all for it, and open to it, and he had some smoothies with this powder or something like it. Its too bad she made with milk and ice cream, but that was probably about only way he would eat it.

So after that I didn't both making some suggestions. And especially after she saw a particular doctor that told her to eat a sensible, balanced diet, and that 'some' junk food was ok. I hated hearing that, as what that means to me was something different from what she heard. I am not sure the doctor had in mind when he said that. But I can tell you that she really likes processed flour products, and keeps track somewhat of her sugar because of diabetes, but sometimes I think she does go overboard a lot. She doesn't make the swiss chard soup very much anymore. I thought the last time she made it she would have a lot of it, but it seems like nobody but me and my partner had it.

This is one of her favorite things to eat these days.
[www.grocerycouponnetwork.com]
gads, its a wonder shes still alive, let alone healing.

Her daughter is a nutritionist, so whatever she says takes much more importance, along with what her doctor daughter says. They seem to think its ok how she lives, and shes taking care of herself with pills.

I am thinking what am I really asking. I have made suggestions however small to try to get some good healing nutrition into her, but hasn't worked. I guess what I am asking is how do you get someone who is set in her ways to become open, rethink, and try something new? She already thinks I am weird from just eating cherimoyas and yucca root.

I made the mistake of mentioning wild miners lettuce, and willow leaves. Yes, young willow leaves are edible. (salix species, not 'willows' refering to any small bush, but willow proper) The dwarf willow is especially good and prefered.

Whats especially irritating is that she criticized me and my partner for eating a meal which was just melon! She said "thats all?!!!" like there was something wrong with eating just melon for a meal. She has never heard of mono meals, obviously. I find them much easier to digest. So that is what I am up against.

Mislu,

I think that it may be a case of where your m-i-l is just tired out and wants to hear what she already believes restated to her. Keep modeling better nutrition and gently encouraging her to partake of whatever you're having that's healthy, but don't expect a miracle. Sorry this is the way it is for you

Tamukha,
She sometimes has some whole grain bread. And the other day she had a raw tomato with a little salt and olive oil. I was glad to make it for her, but was so surprised, it was totally unlike her to have a single item meal, and raw at that. So, I could be surprised again!

I could be eating better myself. So I think your right about modeling. Its just that everytime I or my partner do that it seems to be met with criticism. Like the melon meal. Or that my partner went vegetarian, she has to say "a little meat won't kill you". or "I don't care what anyone says, you need a little meat in your diet". Or something about needing a little fat in ones diet, then she puts half a stick of butter on a burnt piece of toast. And that unfortunately is not exagerating, she literally has put that much on a piece of toast. Also drinking 1/2 and 1/2 by the cup.

Well, using standard dietary models, she should be getting plenty of fat soluble vitamins and calcium for healing, but it doesn't seem to be working! I used to believe in a competing dietary model, but I am now thinking that other dietary theory is wrong, because its not fitting for modern life. I still don't know if its just because shes almost 81. There might be little one can do to help healing.


Oh yea, the doctor did NOT promise any miracle healing on her neck. He actually predicted the likelihood that she WON'T heal. Which is something nobody wanted to hear. I would be amazed if she suddenly became a raw vegan without any prompting, or encouraging, and she was healed in a month. But what is the likelihood of that?

Like i say she could be taking mega doses of all the nutrients needed to heal her bones but if they aren't being absorbed then its never going to heal. This is a key reason why osteoporosis happens with age, as you get older your stomach acid lowers. The key nutrient in the collagen formation is silica and requires acid to form its usuable form.

Calcium is far down the list in terms of bone health. I would say if you can convince her to raise her stomach acid it would be the best course of action. As i say above you could have her taking all these expensive powders, spending loads on greens, juicing etc but its going to be of little use if she isnt absorbing much if any of it.

[www.vegankingdom.co.uk]

I think it's now up to her. It sounds like you tried before to give her something and she immediately dismissed it and said you eat 'weird stuff.' So you can relax and not feel guilty knowing the truth about health, wanting to share it, and not getting respect from others about it. Otherwise you veer into codependency where you care more about someone's health than they do! She's just not ready. I am glad she took baby steps with that tomato and perhaps if you keep making awesome rawsome stuff (and don't bring junk into the house) she'll start to come around more and more.

Powerlifter,
I guess I will keep that in mind. I don't know if she would be open to taking bitters, or HCL tablets or anything like that. If her doctor recommended it she might do that.

Banana who,
Great point, if shes not interested that should be the end of it. It was never my problem in the first place.

Wow, maybe there still is hope. She had me buy some crackers and she wants a low sodium version. This is the first time she wanted a reduced or low sodium version of anything! Shes been dependent on meds to regulate blood pressure, but there is a limit to everything. I think her doctor must have said something, or her sister.

Well, its progress I suppose, even though its still a processed white flour product. I would be surprised if she got low sodium butter, as she usually requests salted butter. If she drops the sugar I will be very surprised. One step at a time I guess. She is light years away from ever going whole food vegan. If she went whole food, lower fat omni that might be an improvement. I just thought I would comment.

However she is a bit confused about the product she wants. She thinks that the unsalted tops are lower sodium than 'hint of salt'. I checked the packaging and hint of salt is lower sodium. So, she wanted me to return it and get the one that is actually higher in sodium. I will tell her, and I don't know yet if she is going to try and tell me something different. Once she gets an idea into her mind its very, very difficult to get her to revise information. Even over something as simple as looking at the label for sodium content.

If she isn't open to bitters, will she drink enzyme rich juices like pineapple and papaya to help with her digestion?

Corathegreen,
If her conventional doctor told her to do it, she probably would. But she would suspect something, as her doctor usually gives her pills. If I suggested it, she would definately NOT do it. She just wants 'regular' food, like white bread toast, butter, eggs, half and half, doughnuts, sugar free lemonade. (to make up for the doughnuts and other sources of sugar)

Well, Its so difficult to watch, but perhaps I have my own worries when it comes to diet.

Corathegreen Wrote:
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> If she isn't open to bitters, will she drink
> enzyme rich juices like pineapple and papaya to
> help with her digestion?

The above are mostly geared towards protein digestion, which although is a part in healing bone i wouldn't say it was the most important and if stomach acid was the likely culprit it wouldn't take care of the other minerals needed.

[www.vegankingdom.co.uk]