Positive, non-debate thread on healing and health-building naturally

Nurses Stress 101

Published

There's a thread bashing alternative approaches. I was hoping to start a thread in a more positive vein.

Share what you are doing to build your health, with diet, herbs, supplements, nutrition, exercise, and so forth. What has worked for you?

To start with, I've bettered my thyroid function with iodine supplementation, coupled with avoidance of thyroid interfering foods, elimination of receptor site competitors such as fluoride, bromides, and chlorides. My TSH has improve fro 5.29 to 3. 94 at last count. My basal temp this morning was above 98 F. My resting pulse is edging above 70. I'm drinking very little coffee to make it through my night shifts.

kakamegamama

1,030 Posts

Specializes in MCH,NICU,NNsy,Educ,Village Nursing.

Decreasing glutens, increasing homemade foods vs processed food, walking everywhere I can get to on foot (we live in Central Asia right now and don't have a car...had forgotten how freeing that can be). I drink more water than other beverages. We snack very little and our meals are veggies, fruit, a protein source. It's amazing how good I feel. We can't get Dr. Pepper here (my favorite soda) and doing without that has done wonders as well....I drink only decaf instant coffee when I drink coffee. I drink tea for my hot beverage, either a fruit tea without caffeine, or earl grey or Ceylon. Sometimes, green tea. I sleep when I want for as long as I want most nights which for me is 7-8 hours. I haven't had that much sleep in a single night in years. Other than a severe case of plantar fasciitis/Achilles tendonitis right now, we are doing great. I actually want to start exploring more herbals/essential oils/vegetarian type meals to see how far I can comfortably go. I'm hoping to continue to fresh cook the majority of our meals when we return stateside in the summer. I think going with little or no processed foods has been one of our biggest helps.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN

102 Articles; 27,612 Posts

Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

1. I work 12 hour night shifts. I exercise in the morning at the gym after my shift ends before going home. This helps with weight control because I am also hypothyroid.

2. I try to drink zero-calorie fluids: water, unsweetened iced tea and diet colas. I still drink coffee with no immediate plans to give up my caffeinated habit.

3. I take a combination of Synthroid (synthetic T4) and Cytomel (synthetic T3). Without the addition of the Cytomel, I am always groggy and feel as if I am drifting through life. With the Cytomel, I feel somewhat normal.

allnurses Guide

Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN

11,304 Posts

The only med I take is an anti-seizure med due to adult onset seizures (two) about 10 years ago. I have no negative side effects from that med, have my liver enzymes checked regularly, and refuse to come off the med because I don't want to hurt someone when I'm driving a car!

I love my coffee but drink it with half & half and Stevia-in-the-raw. I drink iced tea with only lemon. And then water during the day.

My diet consists of mostly veggies, then some protein (fish or chicken), and very little fruit. Lots of cashews, peanuts, macadamia nuts, almonds.

I don't eat any processed food. Drives me a bit batty when dh buys Kraft Mac & Cheese for the kiddo.

My recent bone density came out normal but I take a Calcium tab with Vit D & Mag. Also, an omega-3 fish oil and flaxseed oil.

I've slacked off recently on exercise. I love to walk/hike though. And I need to start back up with weights.

I don't smoke (anything). ;)

I drink red wine a couple of times a week. No beer or hard liquor.

That's about it.

Specializes in Emergency.

NO BREADS/ white flours of any kind ever! Plant based diet...more exercise, less total calories, counting calories...tea at bedtime...simple really...exercise more and eat less...always use the stairs and stand-up computers at work. A boxing class, etc...if I do snack...since I feel my actual "real" hunger these days, I have carrots, broccoli, hummus etc...at the ready...Keep all that "poison" out of my house...lots of H20...it is working slowly but surely...progress in the process...being "aware."

BluegrassRN

1,188 Posts

I recently read "The Depression Cure" for a friend of mine (he was going through the classes and needed some support). It was a surprisingly reasonable and research based book, despite the title, and I have incorporated some of its recommendations into my lifestyle: namely, supplements: multivit with C, Omega-3s, and D3; mood journaling (added to my regular journal), and more regular exercise. He also teaches you how to recognize, be aware of, and avoid "ruminating" on negative thoughts. Because of this, I've started listening to more things that require my attention when doing housework: news, podcasts, books on tape. It really has lifted much of my negativity.

Other things I do:

Journaling, which consists of a checklist of items I want to accomplish each day (made the night before), the foods I've eaten (not amounts of calories, just everything I've consumed), my mood (on a scale of 0-10), and any notes I want to make. This takes less than 5 minutes of my time before bed, but really helps center my thoughts and goals for the next day.

Make everything from scratch, whenever possible. I try to avoid overly processed foods, and I try to avoid meats most meals. My husband is highly carnivorous, so this is a balance, but he cooks on the days I work, so he can get all his meat in then. Sometimes when I cook I make something that has meat on the side, or a small amount of meat in it. My formative cooking years were spent as a vegetarian, so I don't really even know how to cook meat well, and it honestly grosses me out, so I avoid it.

I bring my own meals to work, which almost always consists of a fruit, a green salad with home made dressing, and some sort of plant based, high protein item (soup, tofu tikka masala with brown rice, whatever leftovers I portioned out and froze). For a snack I have homemade granola. Ordering out or eating from the cafeteria (or worse, the vending machines) is really horrible, overall. Portions are huge, food is hyper-processed, and it's very expensive.

I drink only tea, water, or sparkling water (or beer or wine when the occasion is celebratory). I used to drink wine or beer every evening with dinner, and then most nights a drink in the evening with my book, but I've cut that out in an effort to consume fewer calories and just in general be healthier.

I exercise every day. I'm working on getting back into running, so I run 3-4 times a week (with a couch to 5K app). Almost every day I take the dogs on a walk. I do yoga at least once a week (I'd like to increase this to 2x a week, but I'm rehabbing from an injury and am limited to the "old lady gentle yoga" class offered just once a week at my gym). Once my physical therapy is over and I'm cleared for it, I'd like to start a kickboxing class 1-2x a week.

I have a fitbit, and I monitor my steps daily. I aim for 10K or more. On days I work, I don't even have to worry about this. It's on my days off that I sometimes find myself out for a walk with the dogs at bedtime, trying to get my last 2-3K steps in.

I am not the picture of fitness. I have about 45 more pounds to lose. I feel really great, though. My energy level is greatly improved. I don't have a constant sour stomach. I don't have a ball of stress in my gut. And my house is cleaner!

BluegrassRN

1,188 Posts

Jeez, that was long! The "too long, didn't read" version is:

Omega 3, multivit with C, and D3 supplements.

Food, activity, and mood journal.

Avoid processed foods. Avoid meat. Make own meals. Take meals to work.

Tea, water, sparkling water.

Daily exercise.

Monitor steps with fitbit.

I feel great!

Being in school has a way of messing with my diet so the day after Christmas I went cold turkey and cut out all the processed food out of my diet. I don't miss it at all. I don't eat pasta, rice,breads or starches. Lean meat and lots of green veggies! Only high fiber fruit like apples once in a while. I indulge with berries often. I keep pre portioned bags of walnuts and almonds available for snacks. I make my own yogurt;) I spin 4 days a week and do a weight class 2 days a week. I've never felt better and my husband jumped on board early on so planning meals is easy.

annaotis

56 Posts

Gluten free( hot flashes disappeared after I went GF), no alcohol, no smoking, caffeine free, but still have a soda each day. Have not tanned in 22 years( I wear 100 sunblock everyday...yeah, I am that pale...) Vit. C,multivitamin,vit.D, CoQ10, Royal Jelly gel caps, glutithione,flax seed oil. Zumba (with weights) 4x a week, even of I have to get up at 4am to do it. Walk my dogs a mile each day. Have hypothyroid also, just take thyroid replacement. Going to be 50, feel better then ever.

edmia, BSN, RN

827 Posts

Specializes in Emergency, ICU.

I have done juice fasts, paleo, vegan, raw, etc... I think I've come to a balance now by eating in moderation and focusing on real food. If I have to read a list of ingredients, then it's not real food and I avoid it. I keep wheat and dairy to a minimum and I notice the days I eat too much of that right away (congestion, bloating, lethargy).

I now exercise 3 to 4 times a week. Weights and hard core training. It is changing my body tremendously. This is new, only been at it for 4 months.

I hate pills, so no supplements.

I drink wine. Red mostly. 3 to 4 times a week.

Water always. Soda or cold tea never.

Coffee, yes. I love it. 1 to 2 cups a day.

I've lost 20 lbs and working on the next 30.

But more than anything, I like to see my strength rising as I head into middle age. I don't want to be weak and I sat around for too many years ;)

rubato, ASN, RN

1,111 Posts

Specializes in Oncology/hematology.

I eat paleo. Basically, only grass fed, natural meats and eggs, organic fruits and veggies, and some seeds, nuts and oils. I have cut out dairy, all processed food, sugars of all kinds, beans, legumes, soy, soda, etc.... I have 2 autoimmune diseases and this is the most amazing anti-inflammatory way to eat that there is. I feel amazing everyday now, and before I was miserable.

+ Add a Comment