Nutritionist Day 1
When I told the woman the reason I was seeing the chiropractor, her face did that weird smile thing that happens when people don’t know how to react.
“Well he will be right in,” she said as she smiled her way out of the room.
The doctor I was seeing was not simply a chiropractor. He is also a nutritionist. The mother-in-law of a friend of mine is a 30 year survivor, and this gentlemen has been a part of her team for the past few years.
He walked in and we exchanged pleasantries. He couldn’t have been any older than I am. I’ve noticed I’ve been saying that a lot about my doctors recently. I suppose the older I get the more I’ll be saying it.
We shared our mutual fondness of the woman who recommended him, I explained my situation, and then he started talking to me about the body.
He didn’t offer me some miracle cure, which simultaneously disappointed me and made me trust him. He talked about what specific food does to specific bodies. I took a test to see what sort of foods might irritate me so we can build a food library to minimize inflammation and maximize my immune system.
He also talked about limiting my toxic exposure. Chemo is toxic, which requires my liver to work over time. Ergo, I have to limit any additional toxins my body might be intaking. That aluminum in my Degree Antiperspirant? That plastic lid on my coffee cup? The plastic containers I use to microwave my leftovers? The soap I use to cover my body? He went on and on and on. By the end I was doing that weird smile thing the nurse was doing at the beginning of my appointment.
The consolation and the food irritant test was not cheap. When the woman up front told me the price my voice I was shocked.
But what was even more shocking, is that I had never been asked any of these questions before.
“There’s not much clinical research into nutrition,” the doctor who couldn’t be any older than I am said. “That’s because farmers aren’t paying for these major studies. Pharmaceutical companies are.”
I sat in my car for a minute and looked at my notes. I fully believe that chemo is an important part of the healing process. But why do I have to pay an arm and leg out of pocket to learn about how food can aid in this process?
Why weren’t these things mentioned two years ago?
Last night I made my carrot juice, poured in a little olive oil, and stirred it with a metal spoon. Apparently carrots need fat to properly absorb in the blood stream. I had no idea! That Turmeric I've been eating? Completely useless without black pepper. Who knew?
I drank it down the juice with the thin layer of oil sitting on top, excited to get the results of the food test. Excited about other avenues of healing I have yet to discover.
