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Tag: swelling

Are Glorious One-Pot Meals Safe for Kidney Patients?

Reader question: I was going to order the one pot meal book, but my husband was diagnosed with kidney disease.  Do you think some of recipes would be ok for him, just not add salt?  I was at the NMO meeting in L.A. and heard you speak. ~Anita D., Mobile, AlabamaGlorious One-Pot Meals cover

Hi Anita! Thank you so much for writing. Of course, one of the best features of Glorious One-Pot Meals is that you only put in what you want to put in, and you leave out whatever is undesirable for you. If your husband’s doctor has put him on a restricted sodium intake and you wish to prepare your GOPMs without salt, go for it.

Salt can be added to each serving after the food is cooked without sacrificing its flavor-enhancing properties, giving you a lot more control over the amount of salt each diner eats.

That said, if you use sea salt instead of mined table salt, he may be able to still enjoy the flavor-enhancing and health-giving properties of  salt without suffering the water-retention effects.

To avoid excess sodium it is better to eat home-cooked meals than restaurant or prepared meals, so you are on the right track to safeguard his health!

 

Nature’s Anti-inflammatory Spice: Turmeric

When I feel there is something “off” in my body, that’s when I reach for the turmeric. As our friends in India have known for an eternity, turmeric does wonders to reduce all kinds of swelling, from swollen ankles or knees to swollen nerves or joints.

So many of our disorders are due to inflammation of various sorts. Anything that ends in “-itis,” just for starters: bursitis, tendonitis, dermatitis, arthritis, etc.

And of course, auto-immune diseases like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and MS that activate an inflammatory response. In MS, for example, the swelling that accompanies the damage to the myelin sheaths surrounding the nerves can cause as much damage as the resulting scar tissue. Often, a corticosteroid such as oral prednisone or I.V. solu-medrol is prescribed to keep the swelling down.

Can you guess how I feel about putting corticosteroids into my body, particularly the long-term, maintenance-level doses that are often prescribed? The last time I took corticosteroids for a problem was in 1999. The prednisone gave me heartburn and packed on 30 lbs. in 3 weeks. The solu-medrol blew out my veins and gave me track marks. But these are just a few of the possible side effects of corticosteroid use noted by the Mayo Clinic. I honestly couldn’t tell if they helped reduce or lessen the optic neuritis (ooohhh… another “-itis!”), or if it just ran its course regardless.

Turmeric Milk
Turmeric Milk

Although I haven’t had a major Multiple Sclerosis exacerbation since 2002, I try to be hyper-aware of my body so that I can address anything that feels “off” before it swells (pardon the pun) into a larger issue.

Hot weather can make these things worse. One evening recently I noticed some new blurring of my eyesight. While it might have been from simple fatigue, ever since my  bout with optic neuritis, incidents like this are enough to send me running for the turmeric.

Now that I drink my turmeric in hot milk it’s a much more pleasant treatment. This last time I enjoyed one cup at bedtime and another the next day and that’s all it took to clear up whatever was going on with my eyes.

My version of Turmeric Milk:

1 cup coconut, almond or other safe milk, warmed
1 Tbsp. ground turmeric
3-4 whole black peppercorns
Honey, pure maple syrup, or other safe natural (not artificial) sweetener to taste

Heat the milk and add the turmeric and peppercorns. Let steep for at least 5 minutes before drinking. You may strain out the powder and peppercorns if you wish, or just leave them in the bottom of the mug.

* The circumin in the peppercorns intensifies the power of the turmeric. I saw this posted from a reader of Arun Shunbhag’s blog and tried it. Now I’m a believer.