The wheelchair has been serving as my “legs” for about four years now. It’s not that long, but it’s long enough to wonder about how it’s affecting my digestive health.
Being nonambulatory, in a seated position hour after hour every day just wreaks havoc with the natural workings of the body. My whole body is scrunched up in a sitting position all day long. Interestingly neither my neurologist nor my physical therapist ever mentioned digestion or bowel movements as a topic of concern. So, believing that things could be better, I took matters into my own hands, with help from my wonderful neighbor Sophie.
Brain-Healthy Foods and Adequate Protein
Sophie attempted to put me on a plant-based diet. I really enjoyed the food and as a rule don’t eat much meat. That is one reason the diet suited me. We soon found out that my eggs, seafood, and chicken were my normal, steady proteins. So, mornings had to begin with an egg but with a foundation of chia seeds, flaxseeds, and blueberries, which are all brain-healthy foods.
What happened throughout this process was an integration of her ideas and mine. For example, I kept the amount of water I drink consistent with what I’ve normally consumed and no more.
She explained the virtues of water to me, and that works fine if you can walk to the toilet. But I can’t. So that was the only thing that we disagreed on. I have no idea whether my incontinence is getting worse or not. Ultimately, we agreed that my water intake would be four 8-ounce cups, sipped throughout the day.
Some Help for a Sluggish Bowel
Sophie’s program made sense to me because she wanted to reduce the amount of bulk in my stomach so the gut would not get all confused. I am not ambulating and there is no reason for the gut to fill up with undigested food.
I know I have neurogenic bowel, so I keep the erratic behavior a little normalized by taking milk of magnesia two to three times a week. Sophie preferred not using the milk of magnesia, but she finally understood the lack of communication between my brain and gut.
The one great thing that came out of my new eating approach was my need to stop snacking. I eat two meals a day now, instead of three.
My Two-Meal-a-Day Program
Sophie’s program for me is as follows:
Breakfast At 7:45 a.m. I start breakfast with an 8-ounce glass of warm lemon water. Then I have blueberries, flaxseeds, and chia seeds, either sprinkled on food or made into a smoothie. I take vitamins B12, B6, and C at this time. Personally, I notice if I forget the vitamins, I often experience an 11 a.m. fatigue attack.
If I feel like toast in the morning, Sophie uses bread made with spelt, an ancient grain that’s a close relative of wheat with somewhat more protein.
Breakfast is over by 9 a.m., at which point I start sipping water. If I feel like snacking between breakfast and lunch, I just sip water.
Lunch My lunch menu could be beans and rice or a colorful salad containing chicken slices or some other protein, sprinkled with sunflower seeds or some Brazil nuts. I have something sweet after I eat — some marzipan, which I love, or a couple of cookies.
Water After lunch I sip only water until 6 p.m., and then I eat or drink nothing until bedtime. The idea is to relax my gut and brain.
This is the basic layout. I accommodate myself and my partner within this. My gut seems a lot happier without the usual heartburn and regurgitation.
The bonus of eating two meals a day and no snacking is a trimmer body and a little weight loss.
