WEEK 10- LIVING WITH LYME DISEASE & NUTRISYSTEM #NSNATION #AD

Life doesn’t always work out the way you planned and so when I was diagnosed with Lyme Disease a month ago, suddenly being a part of the Nutrisystem program took on a whole new meaning in ways I could have never imagined.  Luckily for me I was diagnosed early, but when you already have a compromised immune system, to have this on top of it, while not the easiest thing in the world, having spent the last two months learning to finally take care of me, and make better choices in how I eat and view life in general, certainly made things much easier for me.

There comes a point when we all turn to food to get us through the difficult times but all my comfort foods also happened to be a part of the Nutrisytem program so what could have been a huge change (pun intended) in my life, ended up still being life as normal, at least as far as the Lyme disease was concerned.  I still had all my favorite foods from pizza to pasta to cinnamon rolls to yes ice cream sandwiches and yes, they are all a part of the program.  

So what is Lyme Disease?

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection primarily transmitted by Ixodes ticks, also known as deer ticks, and on the West Coast, black-legged ticks. These tiny arachnids are typically found in wooded and grassy areas. Although people may think of Lyme as an East Coast disease, it is found throughout the United States, as well as in more than sixty other countries.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that 300,000 people are diagnosed with Lyme disease in the US every year.  However, because diagnosing Lyme can be difficult, many people who actually have Lyme may be misdiagnosed with other conditions. Many experts believe the true number of cases is much higher. The easiest way to describe it is like the worst flu that you have ever had that just will not go away. It can affect any organ of the body, including the brain and nervous system, muscles and joints, and the heart. 

What’s The Connection In Lyme Disease & Weight Gain?

• Lyme disease is caused by pathogens like the Borrelia bacteria which affect the metabolism in the human body. Medications that can be used to treat Lyme can cause changes in your metabolism and in some cases it can mean your metabolism can slow down which means fewer calories are burned. The result means that there are unused nutrients that are then stored as fat and if you’re not careful and sometimes, even if you are, sometimes weight gain is inevitable
• Some medicines are also responsible for weight gain. They usually have a side effect where metabolism slows down, thereby affecting weight. Some people may have to use corticosteroids which increase appetite but lessen the body’s capability to absorb glucose and all of this of course can mean extra weight no matter what you do.
• People often use antibiotics to help kill the bacteria that causes Lyme Disease. However, some studies have shown that antibiotics can also cause weight gain. To compound matters, some of the antibiotics can destroy the stomach bacteria called H.Pylori. These are what is known as  friendly bacteria and are what causes the levels of ghrelin -also known as the hunger hormone- to fall after a meal, when the stomach is full. In the absence of H.Pylori, the levels of ghrelin in the body remain high, and the brain never gets the signal that the body is full. This in turn can lead to overeating and eventually unwanted extra pounds.
• In addition, Lyme Disease can sometimes cause chronic fatigue which can also trigger stress-eating.

Losing excess weight with the Nutrisystem diet program

For me, Nutrisystem has been a life saver when it comes to helpig with my own Lyme Disease because the program includes meals and snacks that contain low glycemic carbs and plenty of minerals and vitamins that the body needs to battle the toxins of the Borrelia bacteria.For me,  Nutrisystem has been a  great solution to help see me through the difficult times in learning to live with with this chronic illness. 

Early detection is key when combating Lyme Disease and while it will always now be a part of me as well as the others afflicted with this disease, developing the proper treatment plan with your doctor is crucial. I cannot begin to comprehend what state I would be in right now without the resources and the tools I have acquired over the last few months thanks to the Nutrisystem program to to help manage my daily eating habits nor can I imagine what it might have been like for me had I not already lost the weight I have or hadn’t learned about how to change the way I live by making some very simple and easy to follow lifestyle choices by eating the right food, walking or exercising and drinking plenty of water because as in the normal day to day routine making the correct choices to live the best life you can is key-and now it’s even more important than ever before. I have to admit that it’s hard learning to deal with all of this all on your own but thanks to the counselors at Nutrisystem, and some very good friends who have lived with Lyme Disease for years, day by day I am finding my way but should the occasional time come that I do cave to the need to “stress eat”, luckily my ice cream sandwiches are close at hand to see me through.

Want to find out more about Nurtisytem and take your own first steps towards change and a new you? You can find all the information you need and more here:

Nutrisystem Website: www.nutrisystem.com/nsblog

The Leaf: https://leaf.nutrisystem.com

And the Nutrisystem Social Media sites:

• Facebook:   www.Facebook.com/Nutrisystem
• Twitter:       @Nutrisystem
• YouTube:    www.YouTube.com/Nutrisytem

To read about how my journey started:

Week 1 – It’s Time For A Change-My Journey Begins

Week 2- Turbo Takeoff Took It Off

Week 3- It’s All About NuMi

Week 4 – Cruise With Nutrisystem

Week 5 – The Secrets Nutrisystem Doesn’t Tell You

Week 6- When You Fall Off Nutrisystem, It’s Easy To Pick Right Back Up

Week 7-You Can Take It With You

Week 8- It’s What You Gain

Week 9 – The Emotional Roller Coaster of Stress Eating

 

Disclosure: I am a Nutrisystem Blogger Ambassador. I have received the food and support for free in exchange for my honest opinions and weekly up-dates. All opinions are 100% my own. No other form of compensation was received.

   

The post Week 10- Living With Lyme Disease & Nutrisystem #NSNation #ad appeared first on The Adventures Of Life-Spontaneous Travel, Food and Fun.

2023-05-26T02:03:18Z dg43tfdfdgfd