2. Role of Diet in recovery:  

People with CFS/M.E generally have depleted gut health amongst other symptoms such as depleted immune or nervous systems. There is SO much conflicting advice about diets out there. Eat what works well for you!!

I followed an Ayurvedic Kapha diet and it worked wonders in my Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/ M.E recovery. However, if we keep it simple, its best to keep to a diet which is simple with foods that are light and easy to digest on the stomach. The common link between diets that promote increased health and longevity is eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. 🥝🍌🍎🥦

They are full of antioxidants, fibre, nutrients and vitamins and support our bodies in so many ways. Food in it’s most natural form requires less energy for the body to process and is life giving.

🍉 The gold standard is 7-9 cups a day. Do what you can and increase it gradually. Swapping your cereal for a smoothie one day and a biscuit for an apple the next is a fantastic way to start.

If your digestion is struggling try making your vegies or fruits into a smoothie (with no ice) or soup.

Make sure your vegies are always cooked, and try drinking your water warm, both are great for digestion. Legumes like Lentils, brown rice and chickpeas are great side dishes and make white meat like chicken or fish just 10% of your diet. Try avoiding foods such as pastas or breads as these often just sit in the gut and are slow to digest. Cold drinks and ice-creams/yoghurts and raw foods are also a no go zone while your healing your gut as these use extra energy from the body to heat them up while it’s in the digestion process.

For me I used an Ayurvedic supplement called Triphala Guggluglu each time I ate a large meal, I found this great for digestion and inflammation for my gut health.

GOING DEEPER INTO AYUVERDA:

Before I saw an Ayurvedic doctor, I was eating a general healthy diet commonly recommended for people with CFS/ME. 

This resembled a Mediterranean diet of good fats and vegetables along with 15-20 supplements a day; clearly this wasn’t working for me. I was experiencing lots of gut pain and digestion issues.

I then read about Ayurveda

For me, Ayurveda was a sense of optimism to a fresh start in recovery. It was something that worked in the right direction, but it was no quick fix.

Can you explain what Ayurveda is and the diet changes you found helpful?

Ayurveda is like India’s version of Chinese Medicine. 

The practice was something that I could relate to; I think what resonated with me the most was my alignment with my Dosha ‘Kapha’ and its diet. There are 3 dosha’s: Vata, Pitta and Kapha; each are associated with psychological and physical characteristics that influence how we look, think, feel and function. 

Ayurveda stresses the importance of following the correct diet and lifestyle for your dosha. 

My new diet changed to 2-3 supplements per day, my digestion improved and my gut pain subsided, which resulted in me now having a bit more energy. 

For me The Kapha diet mainly included eating cooked beans, lentils, cooked veggies, fruits and no diary. It also allowed for the 80/20 rule, so I was allowed to have a treat every so often.  

Some main points I got out of Ayurvedic Medicine included:

·        Try eat between an 8 hour time period (e.g 9 am – 5 pm) and let your body rest from food for the remaining 16 hours. (Basically like intermitting fasting.)

·        Small Breakfast, Large Lunch, and Smaller Dinner .

·        Always try and eat warm foods as this helps with digestion as the body doesn’t have to heat up the food during the digestion process.

·        Always try and go for a walk after eating to help with digestion (of course, don’t overexert yourself).

·        Always drink warm water (but not too hot), which helps with digestion. Especially drink warm water on wake up with an empty stomach which gets the digestion moving first thing.

·        Sleep from 10pm-7am. Its okay to have a 15 min power nap in the afternoon before 3pm if you need to.

·        The importance of connecting with nature, mindset, and meditation.

·        Use a tongue scrapper every morning and night to scrape of toxins on your tongue.

.     Your Digestion will also improve as you begin to calm down your nervous system and slowly move out of flight vs fight.

I currently still stick to my Ayurvedic diet, and I love it because it allows for an 80/20 rule so your allowed treats like chocolate or pizza every now and then.