Vegetarianized / Veganized AutoImmune Protocol - AIP Diet

My Seborrheic Dermatitis (SD) has been back for 4 months now.  It began developing while on vacation in October, and has steadily worsened.

When it first developed in 2008, I removed dairy from my diet and my SD went away in two weeks.  I had a re-occurrence a couple years later, and finally tracked it down to sneaky dairy.  Once the dairy was removed (again) the SD went away.

It is back.  So now I wonder, what am I responding to this time?  I started an elimination diet, wheat and gluten products went first.  I saw an immediate improvement in my SD and assumed I had this thing licked.

Except I didn't.  It continued to develop, fully present on both sides of my chin and nose and even began spreading to my left eye (a visit to an allergist left me with "You just have really sensitive skin, and maybe we should consider anti-fugal medication?"  Which absolutely destroys the internal system, BTW.)  This hopeless combination got me searching for another answer.

Because another doctor's visit will not address my issues.

Enter the AutoImmune Protocol Diet (AIP), a Paleo/Raw-transition elimination combo that my sister-in-law described as a baby's diet.  (I, personally, see a very close connection between paleo and raw diets ... which would probably freak out the extreme personalities who closely adhere to either diet ... ha ha ha!)

I call it the "no food" diet, only semi-jokingly.

No no no, (c) http://www.ag.ndsu.edu, the nightshades are not for you.

All the veggies you can eat (except nightshades: tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, tomatillo, chili powder and peppers ... uh, probably 75% of my typical veggie intake!), a few fruits (tropical fruits are discouraged ... they are generally high sugar, high water, and low nutrition content anyway), and only a few non-seed based seasonings are where you start.

And any meats you want ... which, I don't.  I just can't find meat appetizing, no matter how many times I sniff it (admittedly, I do find some cooking meat scents a bit revolting, which probably colors my opinion of all meat).

(c) NOAA Fisheries, Swordfish - one amazing predator

I could eat swordfish, because I remember loving it in pre-vegetarian times, but I can't afford swordfish.  Not to mention the ethical dilemma I face (their population is so low!)

Salmon (c) alaska-in-pictures, but the bears need salmon

I could eat salmon, but I can't stand the scent (nor, at last check, the taste) of it.  Besides, river damming has had a huge impact on their population. 


Maybe shrimp?  Uh, they have a funny texture ... maybe. 


I did like canned tuna ... but that whole mercury level gives me pause. 

Found at http://constantine.typepad.com/

So what seafoods have low mercury levels?  Seafood that feeds on plankton and krill (the originator of "fishy" taste).  It is a bit funny to me that we prefer plant feeders on land (i.e. cows to lions) but fish predators to krill feeders in the ocean (swordfish to salmon).  The "bottom" feeders have a fishier taste ... which, admittedly, I do not appreciate.

This list from United Health Care lists lowest mercury seafood
- Shrimp (wildcaught and U.S. farmed)
- Scallops (mom is deathly allergic so I tend to stay away)
- Sardines (the poor tinned fish) ... supposed to be "tuna like" as described by one site, recommending Spanish or Portuguese sardines http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/301739
- Wildcaught and Alaskan salmon (canned or fresh) (I feed it to my dogs several times a week, that scent has not gotten any more appetizing through the years)
- Oysters (I did not like them while living in New Orleans)
- Domestic squid (yummy ... apparently their texture does not bother me ... but they belong to the cephalopod group ... and they are so smart!  I'm not sure I can eat something that cool)
and
- Tilapia (I do not have any experience with this fish)

I imagine anchovies are also low in mercury.

Updates to come.  I do look forward to a couple eggs, since I have been bereft for some time now.  I do not eat omelets, but going grain free caused me to toss eggs back into the diet for baking purposes ... and really, fried rice!  So, a dozen eggs in the last year ... maybe?  Unfortunately, I don't get the whole egg yet, yolk only and only after symptoms disappear.

Waiting, waiting, waiting.  I'm bad at this.  I want it all NOW!

Also, no nuts or grains.  Few oils, only olive, avocado, and coconut are allowed.  When seeds return to the diet, I will add in buckwheat, quinoa, and amaranth.  These are not grass grains, but rather dicot seeds.  They are just used in similar ways to grass grains.  Breakfast porridge, here I come ... eventually.  However, I am going to have to change my entire grain approach to the RAW system.  Soaked and sprouted only.  I wonder if I can source sprouted flours?


I have found several websites incredibly helpful:
1) Sarah's blog explains it all, with useful science based reasoning -
     http://www.thepaleomom.com/autoimmunity/the-autoimmune-protocol

2) Mickey's site is a little less science heavy, but still covers all the pertinent information about AIP
     http://autoimmune-paleo.com/the-paleo-autoimmune-protocol-an-elimination-diet-for-autoimmune-disease/

3) Several recipes of Jessica's have been in regular rotation
     http://aiplifestyle.com/what-is-autoimmune-protocol-diet/

4) The pdf from Katie has been great for a quick cross check before cooking ... it is very splattered from kitchen testing
     http://wellnessmama.com/22689/autoimmune-diet/

5) Elena's Pantry - a couple recipes
     http://elanaspantry.com/


So what do I eat?
A lot of squash/pumpkin, coconut in many forms, and greens.  These make up the majority of my current diet.  I wonder if I will get sick of them?



Recipes I recommend (adapt as needed) ... I have found many recipes to simply be too high in fat and sugar for my palate.  I've begun halving the sweet and fat components in each recipe I make.  Additionally, I've been making half recipes (or quarter) to test them out before committing.  Here is the list of remakes that are entering regular rotation as I continue to seek out new and exciting-ish combos.


Substitutes
- Switch out all nut milks for coconut milk (canned is higher in fat, boxed is lower and better subs for most nut milks).

- Use olive or coconut oil in place of all other oils.


Breakfast - 
I have been living on green (kale with some spinach) smoothies: pumpkin pie, gingerbread, apple pie ... pretty much the only "safe" and sweet spices on the list are cinnamon and ginger.  Hence their excessive use.  

In addition to my vegan cookbooks, Incredible Smoothies website has been regularly sought: persimmon, apple, orange, pumpkin, pear, seasonal/holiday, and mango.  I often use mango as a banana replacement and pretty much the only sweetener in my smoothies (and yes, I miss stevia).

Squash Porridge?  Yes, please.  Very tasty.
Roasted Cinnamon Pear "Oatmeal"
http://healingfamilyeats.com/roasted-cinnamon-pear-oatmeal-aip/

As an alternative - this is really high in calories (over 600 for a 1 cup serving ... so use sparingly)
Coconut Granola
http://aiplifestyle.com/aip-granola/


Casseroles - 
http://aiplifestyle.com/sweet-potato-casserole/


Desserts - 
http://aiplifestyle.com/pumpkin-parfaits/

http://aiplifestyle.com/paleo-autoimmune-pumpkin-bars/

Ice Creams - I've been using the "Vice Cream" book by Jeff Rogers which was re-released as "Vegan Ice Cream", he has several raw ice cream recipes ... I hacked a Blackberry Raw Ice Cream from one of his berry recipes.  Mm, good.


Holiday - 
I would start this diet on Christmas Eve ... so I had to hustle to find some acceptable "holiday" treats.

Eggnog - thank you Isa
http://www.theppk.com/2010/12/matrioshka-eggnog/



Mushrooms - 
http://www.peasoupeats.com/2013/03/05/ultimate-vegan-stuffed-mushrooms/


Rice - cauliflower based (fresh works much better than frozen)
http://elanaspantry.com/paleo-dirty-rice/


 Sauces - 
Alfredos - Cauliflower based
     http://meatified.com/paleo-alfredo/

     http://ohsheglows.com/2014/01/20/cauli-power-fettuccine-alfredo-vegan/

 Cranberry Pear (I added a bit of butternut to further reduce the cranberry tartness)
     http://aiplifestyle.com/cranberry-sauce-two-ways/

Gravy
     http://glutenfreegangsta.blogspot.com/2008/10/coconut-gravy.html


Soups - 
http://www.adventuresinpartaking.blogspot.ae/2014/10/fall-in-bowl-roasted-butternut.html


Veggies - 
Squash Fries (the SO said they are as bad as Sweet Potato Fries, poor thing can't handle orange in anything but the fruit and carrots and cheese)
http://elanaspantry.com/squash-fries/

Baked Sweet Potatoes and Yams
http://www.thepaleomom.com/2011/11/recipe-baked-spiced-yams.html

Roasted Carrot Hummus with Orange

(remove the tahini when early in the diet!)

Evans Farm Co-op

1 pound carrots, cut into chucks

4 cloves garlic, bashed with skins on

2 tbsp olive oil

1 small orange, juiced and zested

1 lemon, juiced

3 tbsp tahini

Salt and pepper

Heat oven to 400.  Drizzle carrots and garlic with olive oil and roast for 30 minutes or until tender (stir halfway through)

Cool slightly then squeeze garlic out of the skins.  Blend veggies in a food processor.  Add the rest of the ingredients and puree until fairly smooth.

Eat with celery, cucumber, zucchini, etc.

So, the big confession, I do not love these foods.  There is not enough seasoning or variety to keep me enthralled.  But, it is worth it.  Granted, I cannot wait to add in seeds - that will widen my options amazingly!

Heart Rate Monitor Damage

In deep summer (Jul/Aug timeframe), I decided to pick up running again ... outside.  I had only run on the treadmill previously since a start time of 4 am necessitated indoor as opposed to outdoor activities.

It is a great stress reliever, calorie burner, and one of the few exercise activities in which dogs can easily participate (strangely, gyms seem to frown on canine companions).

Shortly thereafter, I began developing a persistent rash that quickly devolved into broken skin.  And I will not share how much pain I was in during those last couple miles of each and every single run.

Behold the joys of living in humid environs ...

 

This is my upper ab/lower chest where the transmitter of my heart rate monitor rests during exercise.

This did not heal for a month (the surrounding skin remained very healthy being regularly slathered in almond oil or shea butter to reduce further irritation).  This experience was my reminder that anti-chafe products are worth their weight in gold (so-to-speak).

I repurchased Body Glide (http://www.bodyglide.com/products/) "The Original" to see me through the rest of summer.

However, I'm on the lookout for a spray product for easier application.  

I ordered Skin Strong's "Slik Skin" (http://skinstrong.com/slik-anti-chafing-spray/) for testing.  I could not find any locally, so the internets to the rescue once again.

This rash issue has not re-occurred (although today's run in the drizzle was hot and moist ... ick).  However, I have been flipping my HRT 180 degrees to minimize contact.  

I now wear it upside down.

My transmitter is the Polar Wearlink.  Photographs borrowed from http://www.wristopcomputer.co.uk and http://www.heartmonitors.com.

   

Seborrheic Dermatitis Comments

I am so thrilled that you have found my SD thoughts useful.


Don't we always feel like a spotlight is trained on our SD breakouts and just know the whole world is thinking strange and disturbing thoughts about our little known disease problems? Now we have a small forum for sufferers with similar experiences.


It feels good knowing that I've brought the information to a wider public. I think most of us feel very alone following the thoroughly useless discussions we get to have with our GPs or Dermatologists. I felt like I was in a Jeff Foxworthy skit, "Here's your [sign] meds! You have Seborrheic Dermatitis, we don't know what causes it, it is not caused by an allergy, and here is a prescription. Go fill it and don't bother me."


Ick! And just another stick for the depression pile, huh?




So, I've decided to collate all the information I've gotten from commenters to this point. You've made many excellent suggestions, thanks.




So many of us seem to find a food allergy underlying our problem. (grumble, grumble) ... Why don't the doctors ask us what's going on? We know!


And, perhaps not so surprising, milk and its hidden by-products are the culprit for several of us. As readers pointed out casein (milk protein) is a BIG problem. And yes, when you cut out dairy you realize exactly how much you don't get to eat. (My pantry is so pitifully narrowed in product range these days.) Milk and its by-products are in just about everything! I really cannot figure out why manufacturers, in adjusting their recipes, think, "hm, lets add a bit of milk to this and all our problems will be solved!"


In scientific parlay, casein is a calcium salt phosphoprotein. Its stability makes it an excellent binder and one would assume the price is fairly cheap ... hence the large amount of it found in our foods.


Unfortunately, casein allergies are widespread and most of us aren't aware of the problem. On a purely scientific basis, most animals (us included) lose the ability to digest milk as we leave infancy.


Regardless, one of the great things I've discovered on ingredients lists: allergy info! If you scroll to the bottom of an ingredients list, there is usually an allergens in product list. And milk is included 99.95% of the time. :) This is one of the great and worrisome things about science, we can split a product up in a 1000 different components and you don't know what the original product was if we use one of those components. Hence casein and not milk being in the ingredients list itself, but milk being listed in the allergens list. Whew, clear as mud?






On to the comments -


Brandon in Honolulu shared his SD story, and his problems seem gluten related. He cut out wheat and citrus (some people have trouble with the acidity and/or plant protein allergies). After suffering for 25 years, his symptoms have disappeared.


Since he suffered digestive difficulties along with SD, Celiac's Disease seems a likely culprit. So while he's cut out breads and some fruits, he's much happier with his skin.


There are several recipe books for gluten free/celiac disease diets. I always check out Amazon and the reviews. I'd also strongly recommend checking any of these books out of the local library before buying.








One Anonymous poster has gone through two years of SD flare-ups. This SD sufferer began using direct pure Tea Tree oil application as a temporary fix. (I caution you to take care in Tea Tree Oil usage, it is usually highly concentrated and far too strong for direct skin application, especially with us sensitive skinners. I'd recommend diluting the product. It did not work for my own SD problems.)


"A" eliminated eggs first ... they were not the culprit. But a wheat elimination showed a great deal of skin promise. An unexpected relapse led to the discovery of "hidden" gluten. Much like milk is hidden in many products, so is wheat. Gluten proteins are a stabilizer, so many companies dump it into products. (I also found out that current labelling laws do not require all present gluten be labelled in foods ... if the FDA recognizes a food additive as GRAS, generally recognized as safe, it may not have to be listed on the label if this food does not normally contain the GRAS food additive ... Huh?!?)


And just like "A" found out, when I went gluten free, I found gluten in everything. "A" discovered wheat diluted soy sauce, in practically every sushi restaurant in town. I finally started bringing my own soy sauce to the sushi restaurant. I use the San-J Organic Wheat Free Tamari Soy Sauce. It is available at my local grocery store, but I bet you can order it online if you can't find it locally.


"A" has had problems with cross contamination by gluten products, and is VERY careful of all dietary choices.








Ludawg noticed a huge improvement in SD symptoms when taking the antifungal Diflucan for yeast infections.


Ludawg is also a casein allergic individual. And when searching for casein free foods, realized that few foods were actually casein free. Such unexpected products as soy cheese had casein. Yes, I completely agree that milk products have no business in soy cheese, and yet, there they are!


Once the casein was gone, not even the dry, cold months of winter brought the SD back! Yeah! Another success story.




Steve Carper's webpage has a great list of milk free cheese alternatives. I also found awesome cheese and Faux Mac N Cheese recipes on the blogs. I haven't completely given up on cookbooks, but the bloggers definitely have something going.








Another Anonymous poster uses Ketoconazole shampoo to treat the yeast overgrowth. I'm glad it works for some of you. It did not work for me.








Tiffany has been dealing with SD for several years. She began wearing mineral makeup, which is a really good idea. Mineral makeups don't sink/absorb into the skin, they rest on top. And since so many of us with skin diseases/conditions seem to have sensitive skin, the less you challenge/test your skin with difficult ingredients the better. Which is why we need to be careful when we test new products attempting to control our skin problems.








I really feel for poster "M," talk about the docs from H-E-double hockeysticks! What a run around to get an allergy test completed, and then to find out the test didn't cover casein allergies! I am so sorry "M".


Once we fall into the allergy circuit, it really feels like a downward spiral doesn't it? Once that immune system is sensitized, the strangest things can happen. "M" was dealing with recurring sinus infections, major skin sensitivities, pink eye, etc. I've been through the antibiotic cycle, where you come out of each round worse than you went in.


"M's" problems are mostly casein based (which, of course, the doctors couldn't figure out). However, "M" also has other food allergies, which have worsened over time.


"M" reminds us of how quickly problems show up on our skin. It has the largest surface area of any organ of our entire body, and has an incredibly close relationship with our immune system. Pay close attention to your skin, and you'll have a good idea of your health status.

• "M" wrote ... I am starting to wonder if doctors who make their living treating skin conditions are negligent or if there's actual malice in never exploring the cause of these problems.

(Sigh), I've had similar thoughts. I try to place myself in my doctors' shoes, and I haven't yet figured out why they can toss off our concerns so easily.








Doug developed an SD sensitivity following sunscreen exposure, and subsequent cleaning and removal via scrub mitts.

• Please join me in welcoming Doug to the sensitive skin family. 
• Doug supplements with probiotics to improve digestion and nutrient uptake.

For his sensitive skin, he now follows this routine:

Cetaphil Gentle Cleanser - let face air dry For daytime, Neutrogena Combination Skin Moisturizer  

For nighttime, Cetaphil Sensitive skin moisturizer cream  

Once a month application of 1% hydrocortizone cream with aloe in the corners of nose and ear canals (irritation arises from ipod earbuds at the gym - I wonder if this could be a chemical sensitivity to something in the earbuds???)  

Using the extra suds from shampooing with Head and Shoulders as a face wash, finishing with Cetaphil cleanser   

Doug's better than I am and NEVER uses hot water! He's also given up his chemically laden sunscreen and uses sunblock from Keys Soap. Being zinc oxide based, it normally "wouldn't" absorb into the skin ... however, Keys Soap sunblock uses nano sized particles of zinc oxide. And, well, science (and regulating government) hasn't figured out how to deal with nano sized particles in absorbable/ingestible material yet. Keys Soap isn't hiding their ingredients, but they aren't drawing attention to them either.   

Doug made the excellent suggestion to bring your own face towel to gym. Depending on how sensitive your skin is, you might want to bring another towel to minimize direct contact with the equipment. Also remember to regularly wash your pillow cases and sheets.

Being that several of us have pinpointed casein or gluten as a major factor in our SD, I'm really interested in Doug's report of his diet adjustments.


Doug tried psoriasis face wash and face cream from the Home Health line of products and reports positive results. In the words of a friend, "They didn't do squat for me." But this only highlights how many difficulties and complications this condition presents.








I hope the additional information helps.
Kira

Seborrheic Dermatitis

I have been living with this scourge for 3/4 of a year. My second experience with the hell that comes with constant skin problems. And, of course, it can't manifest on my scalp, where no one but Emily would see it when I go in for a haircut. No, no, no. MY Seborrheic Dermatitis (SD) must manifest on my face, at my nose and chin, so I look like an adolescent in hormonal angst. AAAAHHHH!!!!

I first developed SD several years ago, and finally sought a dermatologist when I came to the conclusion that this "rash" wasn't going to go away. A month of treatment, and no more Seborrheic Dermatitis ... or so I thought.

Fast forward to last August/September time frame, and it came back. Yes, I was very stressed, fighting my way tooth and nail to the finish line of my degree. But, this condition isn't caused by stress, not helped, but not caused. (So I can't blame the professors for ALL of my problem.)

I blithely visit the dermo when I, once again, realize I can't fight this on my own. I snatch up my handy dandy little prescription for topical steroid foam, and hardly listen to, "Your SD went away last time? How unusual ... let's hope that happens again ..."

Dum-da-dum-dum

Dum-da-dum-dum

DUUUUUUUMMMM

It didn't. After two months of steroid treatment, 2x per day, everyday, I made another appointment with my dermo. And got the bad news. This is a lifelong condition, we're going to hope for control, figure out "your" treatment needs.

A few months down the road, March timeframe, and I get really concerned. I've weaned myself to steroid application once a day to every other day. Unfortunately, it is not getting better, and seems to be getting worse. And then I start reading up on steroid problems. My system's been exposed to too many steroids already (poison ivy several times a year, anyone?) I stopped using my foam, and only lasted for a week. At the end of the week, I look so bad my Dad asks, "What's that red crap on your face?" Not even makeup could hide it at that point. I pick up the steroids again.

So back to the (admittedly) spotty info I can find on the internet. This is only the third time I've spent hours upon hours researching this little problem of mine. Yeast overgrowth, blah blah blah, sebaceous gland overproduction, blah blah blah, immune system involvement (hmmm), and T-cell blockage/reduction/compromise (huh?).


From the information I discovered, I've made some changes. The below account covers the actions I've taken and my reasoning behind those actions.

... I haven't cured myself, but I am doing a lot better. Let me lead you down my path:


T-cell's are immune cells produced in the Thymus (well, converted to their final function in the Thymus). Step one, support the Thymus and therefore T-cell production. I've done this by taking my vitamins regularly and supplementing with Zinc and Potassium. Every single day (I used to be a real vitamin, whatever, type. Not because I didn't need it, but because it wasn't important enough to remember. Boy has that changed).


Skin, typing and cleaning. I borrowed Dr. Baumann's "The Skin Type Solution" from the library. According to Dr. B, I have the worst skin type: Dry, Pigmented, Sensitive, and Wrinkled. Yay boogedy. Can this get any more interesting?

The long and short of it is, be gentle with my skin (no scrubs, no tough cleaning), be aware of ingredients and what to stay away from (I know I have some skin allergies), and moisturize, moisturize, moisturize. Step two, toss all "bad" skin products, buy appropriate skin products, and take care of my largest organ.

Unfortunately, one of the products that Dr. B recommends I reacted rather horribly to. If you have sensitive skin, be very careful with Eucerin lotions. I ended up with: ugly blistering, severe itching, and a week to recover my former poor skin (as opposed to the super uglies I had after Eucerin application). Yikes! Dr. B's other recommendations have worked just fine.

Along with the previous vein, I've tossed a lot of makeup. I started keeping all makeup packaging with the list of ingredients, just in case. AND, I started using mineral foundation exclusively. Other products, especially with sunscreen, actually sink into your skin, absorbing into the top layer. I shudder to think what that's doing to my out of control yeast and sebaceous glands. So out they go.

I've used L'Oreal's Bare Naturale SPF19 Foundation (the extra "E" makes it what?) for over a week now. It has: titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, talc, boron nitride, dimethicone, Copernica cerifera (carnuba) wax, cetyl dimethicone, trimethylsiloxysilicate, triisocetyl citrate, Aloe barbadensis leaf juice, tocopherol, pathenol, and May Contain: bismuth oxychloride and iron oxides. So, it still contains some known allergens. I've not yet had a problem, but I'm on my guard. If I start to have a problem, or perhaps even when I run out, I'll switch to a fewer or no allergen mineral foundation.

BTW, I don't necessarily think "natural" OR "mineral" is so much better than synthetic. What I look for is the shortest ingredients list. It makes winnowing out problem ingredients that much easier. Plus, I want to minimize my chemical exposure. I have a theory that chemical build up in the system (plus their many rxns within the system) is one reason that SD is set off in the first place.


There are steroid alternatives on the market for psoriasis and eczema. Coal tar products are one of them. Step three, I picked up a tube of Psoriasin Gel at wallyworld (coal tar is the active ingredient). I can't stand the way the stuff smells, but every time I use it, I have good results. I haven't applied it in a couple of days ... an application seems to last me a good long time.


I came across a little blurb in another book I borrowed from the library, "Dr. Neal Barnard's Program for Reversing Diabetes". (Now, I don't have type I or II diabetes, but I do have a family member with the disease, so I was researching.) This Dr. B (not to be confused with that OTHER Dr. B; besides which, they have different sex chromosomes), suggests that milk products, specifically the protein(s) within, have been linked to several diseases. Once little sentence includes "Eczema" in the list. SB is also known as Sebhorreic Eczema. Step four, become vegan. Admittedly, I've been vegetarian for ~six years, so this wasn't a big step for me.


I read another quick blurb on Psoriasis and UVA and UVB treatments, which seem to help. Most of them sound expensive. But I know of a cheap (and fairly painless, at least painless at the moment) method of UVA and UVB treatment. It's called the sun, and I can find it outside every day. Step five, sun myself, without ANY sunscreen, for 15 minutes three times a week. Some weeks I get more, but when I do, I'm wearing a sunscreen of some sort. I know a lot of dermatologists and skin care enthusiasts would absolutely freak about my being in the sun for 15 minutes without sunscreen, especially given the subtropical climate in which I live. However, I need the vitamin D, and we evolved to need some sun exposure.


I've also gotten back into my workout routine. I lift weights three times per week and do aerobics three times per week. I'm back up to an hour per workout. Everything I've read says that exercise exacerbates the skin reddness, and I have to agree. The first couple of hours after a workout, my SB is definitely more obvious. BUT, it starts looking better starting about three hours on. When you think about it, more blood flow = greater movement of T-cells = greater healing.


Like I said, not quite two weeks on, I'm not cured. BUT, I'm doing so much better. I can't wait to see what another week brings.

Weight Loss 2.0

I really, really like the Calorie Tracking website My Fitness Pal.

Created by MyFitnessPal - Free Calorie Counter

It has cute little, mostly useless things like the tracker above ... BUT ...

MPF has the best food database, calorie tracking, and exercise monitoring software that I have yet found. I used another site months ago, but it is not as easy to navigate as MPF.

If you have some fat to lose, check it out. You can even guestimate the caloric excesses in some of your restaurant foods. Not an easy thing to do.

Nerve Difficulties

I've been struggling with Ulnar nerve problems and Seborrheic Dermatitis for months now.

Here's some suggestions for those with similar conditions.

Ulnar Nerve -
This nerve runs from the shoulder to the elbow, and along the bottom and outside of the forearm and enervates the ring and pinky fingers.

Have you hit your "funny bone?" That's actually the ulnar nerve getting compressed.



















Copy written http://www.neurosurgery.ufl.edu/Patients/ulnar.html via devtopics.com




I was diagnosed with Ulnar Neuropathy ... basically nerve damage from compression. Luckily not a bad case ... what was my downfall?

Sitting.

Specifically sitting in a chair with armrests, and resting my elbows on them.

Other people experience these problems due to the resting of the wrist when mousing.


A couple of adjustments have improved my computer and reading experiences immensely.

1) Remove the armrests from the chair ... no use tempting fate

2) Buy a forearm rest for computer work

3) Buy a "neutral" position mouse

4) Limit computer time

5) Stretch

6) Buy a pair of electric scissors for cutting

7) Switch to non-dominant hand for daily activities


My new scissors, My-T-Fine, http://www.mytfinecutter.com/

I chose it over several other options, because it has a NiMH battery, which is a step up from the NiCad batteries of old, though not as good as the LiIon of the future.

They can't do fine work, I wouldn't cut lace motifs with them, for instance. But anything else is like cutting though room temp. butter. Easy.





Several weeks later, I'm back to all normal activities, with care. I want to ensure that I never develop this problem again. So I am careful where I rest my arm, and what I do with hand.

My doctor shared other cases he's seen: using the fleshy side of the hand as a hammer, resting the wrist against something (especially if the object has no give and the pressure is concentrated rather than spread), and elbow injuries. So add these to your list of don'ts.