Anti Inflamatory Diet

Marric - this is a video. If you don't get something you can click on to start playing it, maybe you need to download a media player onto your machine.

Good suggestion Surviving 60. I just tried it and I do get the drop down menu at Christine's Kitchen.

Hi
Could someone please help me find info on Christine's anti inflammatory diet? I don't know how to access the cottage Marric refers to (Is this where the video Surviving60 mentions is?), or Christines Kitchen that Louiseds mentions. Kiwi Mum

Here is a page with some of Christine's recipes:

https://wholewoman.com/newpages/livingarts.html

She had a book, but it has been out of print for quite some time.

You can also Google anti inflamatory diet. I have done that in the past and found tons of practical suggestions.

Thankyou Aging Gracefully! I had not found that on the home page but have it now, much appreciated. I will try googling it also. kiwi mum

When this thread started, the website was completely different. it was the Village - really cool and interesting, but I think Lanny determined that things would come up better in searches if the website was laid out more conventionally. The videos were all migrated to that living arts link that AG posted, and at one time, the anti-inflammatory video was included. I believe it was taken down with the intention of re-doing it (add to the list of WW projects!) - Surviving

Hello,

I am very grateful to have found this site. I ordered a WW book on amazon and should be receiving it shortly. I had my third child 3 months ago. I lost my ability to have a bm following the birth, but was told by my doctors to just add fiber to my diet. After being cleared for exercise at 6 weeks, I jumped into a running/tabata routine but realized pretty quickly that something was wrong. I had UTI like symptoms and a heaviness in my vaginal area. (Part of the reason I jumped back into exercise so intensely was to stimulate bm...I have never struggled with constipation in the past because of my activity level.) In any event, that led to my discovery of a bulge, which is definitely a rectocele. I have since started splinting, which has brought me great relief (though not without a bit of disgust). I went to the doctor at 10 weeks to discuss the issue and was told again to just eat fiber and that I could be evaluated for surgery at a year postpartum (she didn't really confirm or deny the rectocele...frankly, she couldn't have been more dismissive of my concerns).

At this point, about a week into discovering WW, I have a few questions:

- my back aches a bit since incorporating the posture. Is that normal or am I doing something wrong?

- despite eating well, I still need to splint. Is that normal. I see from the forum that many women lose the need to splint. When/how does that happen?

- I still have 3 more months of maternity leave. I have spent a lot of the last 3 months on squishy comfy furniture. Do I need to avoid that now? Frankly, it is the best part of maternity leave!

- I thrive on high impact exercise. Part of what has kept depression at bay, is seeing women on this forum who have eventually resumed their normal exercise routine. Will I be able to do squat jumps and lunges and other tabata moves eventually?

Thanks so much for your help! This website has given me hope.

Hi Ophelia,
After adopting the posture, it is common to feel some discomfort in the back, in the beginning.

It is because the conventional approach to exercise and posture reverses our natural posture we develop as children, shortening and pulling in our muscles and fascia which squashes our internal organs and displaces them.

Christine covers walking, standing, sitting and running and dancing in her research.
Once you know how to do things the WW way most activities can be adapted, though some can't, or instructors/ teachers won't as they believe that for instance engaging the core protects the back...
Christine has adapted a combination of ballet, yoga and her nursing experience into programs that work the body from the foot to head.
For example one of Christine's squats, a yoga position that I love, is done up on toes.

The formula for regularity without splinting or feeling "normal" is to be in the posture all the time during waking hours ( you are allowed to lie down on your soft furniture to have a rest, or feed your baby).

A diet which is based on Wet fiber not dry like fruit and particularly root vegetables, good bread, some dried fruit and nuts - (the only dry fiber I have) less or no processed oils, sugary food, and animal products, which slow down digestion and elimination, for me works well.

The posture has a lot to do with it and when I do Christine's exercises, or are more active, even better. I am nowhere near as active as you, but sometimes doing too much can shut down digestion/ elimination for me.
Christine's approach also lengthens the muscles, fascia and straightens out our limbs so that we can breath, and our internal organs have the space in which to be in their intended positions and work freely.
Christine also has advice on toileting positions which are very helpful.

You have the chance to observe how your children hold themselves as they learn to sit with their own strength and when walking, stand run, jump and develop their wide radius lumbar curve, and foot arches. When they are standing in their posture the front wall of their torso will be held out, not pulled in, and will be strong without any conscious effort on their part.

Wishing you all the best,
Aussie Soul Sister

Thanks Aussie Soul Sister! Very helpful.

What do you mean exactly by "dry fiber?" Thanks.

Hi Ophelia and welcome! When I was told by PT that I can't run, cycle etc I cried! Of course, I straight away admitted how silly I was and things could be a lot worse. Still, I felt grief at losing what I loved. Thank goodness I found the Whole Woman site! After having my second child & being maybe 2 years postpartum, I actually did start to go for jogs and do lots of exercises that I initially thought I'd never be able to do. It has also opened up new ideas for exercise/recreation and I don't feel deprived of options. When I first started, I was over extending too much - it should be a natural pose and by lifting chest & relaxing belly, let the rest of body fall into place. Having children & carrying a baby around also makes my back ache. Eating lots of nuts definitely helped my bowels (I learnt that from Saving The Whole Woman book). I also find probiotic foods/drink help. Yes, just lie on the furniture if you can or I lean slightly forward resting against the side of armchair, maybe still not great but better than in semi reclined position. Also, I tended to take it slow and enjoy (other than times when life with 3 children seems crazy) this first year, adapt to the WW posture - the workout DVDs really help) and then go from there slowly back into the exercises you want to do. There are times of the month where my symptoms are worse, but I'm getting to know when I can run & when it's not ideal. Wishing you all the best and hopefully for you as it has for me, life has been heaps better with WW practices.

Thanks so much laughlovelive. Sounds like you completely get the grieving around loss of running and other activities. I appreciate your comments and will put more nuts and probiotics in. I do plan to take it easy this first year postpartum before trying to resume old activities.

Dear Cecily,
dry fibre is anything like bran for example, which has been extracted from its whole source. In this state it is very concentrated and needs a lot of liquid to swell up in the intestines.
I found that this type of fiber made bowel movements more difficult to pass and were often larger. It is difficult to drink enough water in a day as well if eating dry fiber.
The best "natural " laxatives" or fiber is in its whole "wet" form like fruit and vegetables, particularly steamed potato, sweet potato and pumpkin, zucchini etc... I do eat good bread which can be drier if toasted so I often eat it untoasted. I also eat some rehydrated prunes. I have some raisins and nuts, and nut butter, and dates. All these are much more nutritious and less irritating to the system than eating bran/ bran cereal/dry packaged sugary cereal, or psyllium husks or powder with artificial sweetener drinks....
Recently I have been eating a lot more vegetables with meals and have had the best results for rectocele comfort with elimination, and it is not nearly as noticeable compared to before, so that I forget I have one until I get a welcome reminder from my body that posture or diet is needing tweaked.

I hope this helps,

Aussie Soul Sister