Health conditions - should you factor in more calories?

clairejoknee
clairejoknee Posts: 15 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi, I just wondered if anyone has any advice or an opinion please - I have a health condition called M.E (sometimes called chronic fatigue syndrome or cfs), this means that cognitive functioning/ concentration is sometimes very difficult, pain is widespread and almost constant, my joints and bones hurt, there is a LOT of fatigue and sleep is always unrefreshing. I have only managed to very recently add some exercise back into my life after being too ill for 2 years to do that.

I've joined MFP to try to get rid of a max of 14 pounds in 14 weeks and try to eat a wider range of healthy foods, but I was wondering if I should add calories to the net calorie goal given to me by MFP? Should someone with a health condition give themselves more food for fuel?

I'm female, 39, five foot ten, weigh 164 pounds and have been given 1370 net calorie allowance. I've set my levels to sedentary and add any exercise I manage to do - and I do eat those back.

Any advice would be great, thank you.

Replies

  • ericarenee2005
    ericarenee2005 Posts: 91
    Suffering with fibromyalgia myself, which is much the same condition I know where you are coming from. I have tried two things that have helped me get out of the bed in the morning with less pain and get better night sleeps but it's up to you if you can tolerate them or not.

    I went and bought some organic dandelion root tea. It was a 6 dollars a box here and I found it at the local grocery store. I also bought just regular whole parsley from the produce section.

    The dandelion root were normal tea bags and easy to make. You just warm up a cup of water in the microwave for 2 minutes or so to get it hot and let it steep for 15 minutes. If you don't have a microwave boiling on the stove is just as fine. I have two cups of this tea a day.

    The parsley I also turned into a tea. I took the parsley I bought and cut it up into decently small pieces and got hot water once again and added parsley to it and let it steep for 20 minutes. I drank two cups of this a day. I have a tea pot I use with a filter in it for the parsley but if you don't you will just need something to use as a filter to get the leaves out after it's been steeping, like any loose leaf tea.

    I didn't know how much this would help at first but it has dramatically helped my friend who couldn't get out of bed because of his pain, and it is helping me as well. Every week I'm noticing less pain. If you have any questions I would just google both teas to see their health benefits.

    I went for around 3 years hardly being able to do anything and slowly I'm getting better.

    As far as extra calories go, I'm not so sure because diseases like chronic fatigue syndrome and fibro can majorly slow down a person's metabolism. I would keep your calories just as low but try to eat the nutrients you need within them. I try to eat plenty of protein for my muscles, fruit and veggies for energy, and I always have a little dairy for my bones and joints.

    This is just my advice of course I'm not doctor or anything :)

    Good luck to you, I hope you see success because I know how frustrating it is to see everyone else lose so easy, and do so much.
  • clairejoknee
    clairejoknee Posts: 15 Member
    Thanks so much for replying :-) I work right by a health food shop so I'm going to get some dandelion tea tomorrow. I looked up the health benefits, looks like just what I need thank you. I've changed my goal to a half pound loss a week to see if that extra bit of fuel might start my weight to move, just going to experiment until something works! I've got a two week date with my bikini set for June for a Cyprus holiday and I would like to look and feel more like my old self. Thanks for the advice, much appreciated x
  • ericarenee2005
    ericarenee2005 Posts: 91
    You're welcome I hope it works as well for you as it did for me! Good luck with all your goals. :)

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