Progress Report #2

 

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 PROGRESS REPORT #2

1. How many days of adopting a vegan diet have I accomplished?
   I am on my 30th day of eating vegan-I have yet to slip!

2. How do I feel today?
   I definitely feel better today than compared to the last few days. I am more mobile and energized.  I am not too sure why but my joint pains have been excruciating the last few days.

3. How is my energy level?
   My energy level today is great. I have had a very busy day of errands, and have yet to feel like I need a nap. No complaints on energy levels today! 

4. On a scale of 1 to 10, how prevalent are my Lupus symptoms? Joints? Skin? Fatigue? Kidneys?

   My rating: 3-4 today, 8-9 the last few days

   Joints: Today I feel well, but the last few days have been absolutely terrible with my joint pains. I don’t know what might have triggered it, but my morning stiffness has been the worst its ever been. My whole body ached-from my neck to my fingers and toes, and every other joint in between. I was waking up in tears, not being able to roll over without feeling like my bones would crack or shatter. Lately, I haven’t been able to do very much at all in the mornings, like tying my own hair or carrying my purse. I am trying to be as patient with my body as possible by letting it soften up naturally.

   Skin: My scalp rashes have honestly disappeared since I started eating vegan-it’s unbelievable! I had a few when I last posted a progress report, but right now I have NONE! 😀 As for my butterfly rash across my face it is still the same and barely noticeable, which I thought would never happen unless I saw a dermatologist and spent hundreds of dollars on skin treatments. 

   Fatigue: Fatigue has not been affecting me like it usually does, since I started eating vegan. I feel great waking up and having the energy to conquer my day. Feeling confident that I won’t need to schedule time for a midday rest in my day is very empowering.

   Kidneys: Still no swelling at all since starting veganism-this is absolutely wonderful! I remembering having to watch what I ate, so my legs wouldn’t double in size and make it difficult to walk. Happy happy happy!

5. Have I displayed any new symptoms? Good or bad.
   In the last week I have been experiencing extreme joint pains on and off. I don’t know what might have caused this.I have to admit some days I wanted to take my steroids to alleviate the pain, but instead I decided to just let it go away on its own. Eventually the pain did subside. I’ve just had to continuously  listen to my body and allow it more time to rest.

6. How long have I been off my steroids?
   It has been 27 days. Although this week I have contemplated a couple times on taking my steroids to help me through my morning stiffness, I did not take any of my medications or any others. I wonder if my extreme joint pain is a withdrawal symptom from my steroid? Because I have been on these steroids for 8 years my body has become so dependent on them. My body is probably freaking out right now finally experiencing the true extent of my body’s pain and having to deal with it naturally.

7. Have I learned anything new to adopt in my natural approach?
   I discovered my love and appreciation for some good quality maple syrup! Before I started eating vegan I hated maple syrup. You would never catch me eating a pancake or waffle, just because I hated maple syrup so much. Now that I cannot have honey, I replace it with maple syrup in all my recipes that call for a little bit of sweetness. Maple syrup is a staple in my homemade vinaigrettes, over my fruit salad and granola, and in my breakfast smoothies. Maple syrup is delicious and such an easy substitution.