Doing What Works

I asked my husband what he intends to do in 20ll. He told me that he wants to continue taking the recently prescribed (late 2010) treatments that definitely work for him and closely monitor benefits vs. side effects of other treatments (which don't seem to make any difference). I recently convinced him to begin the thyroid supplement, which his doc recommended at the same time he prescribed other treatments. My husband initially wanted to just use supplements which improve his sleep. However, he still felt tired, even when he did sleep well. So he agreed to try the prescribed thyroid (Armour T3/T4 combo). Since he commenced using that supplement, he's felt more energetic and optimistic every day. So he's convinced that he needs a thyroid supplement.

Likewise I will continue to take my T3 supplements, which have given me more energy, increased core body warmth and normal regularity (for the first time in my life). I will continue my normal vitamin/minerals, esp. vitamin D, which helps immunity, and probiotics. I will also continue the arabinogalactin and low dose naltrexone, which stimulates my immunity (hopefully to raise my white blood cells).

However, after a week of taking 2.5mg LDN and experiencing interrupted sleep, I will lower that dose back to 1.75-2.0mg daily. At that previous dose, I had no sleep problems. My doc advised me to at least take 1.5mg of LDN daily. However, higher doses interrupt my sleep, which also challenges my immunity. So I'll resume the lower dose to get the benefit of LDN without losing sleep.

What doesn't work for me is my habit of eating past 'full'. I almost always eat when I'm hungry, foods which nourish my body. However, I regularly eat past comfortably full. Every year I vow to stop eating before I feel uncomfortably full. I don't need to lose weight, but I believe overeating and making myself uncomfortable is counterproductive. I've been uncomfortably full after many meals during the holidays!

I know exactly what thoughts persuade me to continue eating when I begin to feel full. I tell myself:

(1) The LDN affects my appetite and makes me feel full sooner than normal.

(2) If I don't eat everything on my plate, I'll feel starved before the next meal.

(3) I hate to throw out a tiny bit of food on my plate (if I stop eating now).

(4) I don't need to worry about weight, so it's okay to feel overly full sometimes.

However, those thoughts are not exactly true. Here's the truth:

(1) Amounts of LDN which affect appetite also affect sleep. An appropriate dosage will affect neither appetite nor sleep. So my stomach 'full' cues are accurate when I take the appropriate LDN dose.

(2) I determine mealtimes. I can eat breakfast and lunch anytime I feel hungry. If I need to delay a meal for any reason, I can always have a small snack or fruit juice or just drink herbal tea to save my appetite for the meal.

(3) I can save small bits of food in the freezer and add them to my own portions of soups or casseroles (which I freeze in individual servings).

(4) That 2-3 bits of extra food on my plate can make the difference between feeling comfortable after I leave the table and feeling miserable for the next 3-4 hours after I leave the table. I want to remember how miserable I felt after overeating last night after dinner. Although I don't have pancakes for dinner very often, I did freeze 7 meals' worth of pancakes for future meals.

Last night was not the last time I'll have pancakes ... maybe the last time during 2010, but I have 7 more pancake meals during 2011. After those are gone, I have another pancake mix. So I can make 8-9 more meals of delicious, syrupy pancakes. I tend to overeat the first time I have food which I haven't eaten in a long time (the 'Last Supper' Syndrome). I need to remind myself when I feel full and still have delicious food on my plate, that I can have that same food the next time I feel hungry and crave that food (the next meal, the next day, the next week or whenever).

I need to focus on physical comfort, more than 'nutrition' per se. I normally eat nutritious food. So I don't need to overeat to get enough nutrition. So I again intend to eat when I feel comfortably hungry and stop eating at the first sensation that tells me I'm 'full'.

Maybe the medications (like T3 and LDN) have affected my appetite somewhat. However, feeling miserably full also affects my energy level and mood. Taxing my body with unnecessary food also challenges my immunity. So eating for physical (not emotional) comfort, rather than nutritional guidelines, seems healthier for me.