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How to nourish your body on a cellular level to repair

By Amanda Campbell

My journey to wellness started in 2004 I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

This led to a paralysis in 2009, when I lost the ability to walk, wash and feed myself.

My world completely stopped, and it was turned upside down. It was a time of true loss that led to a miraculous awakening.

After treatment in hospital, I was transferred into rehabilitation at Epworth Richmond in Melbourne - and the work began. I stayed for 2 months.

I hit rock bottom; I had to ask myself “Am I ever going to walk again”? I was stretched to my limits emotionally and physically, beyond normal comprehension and everything stopped.

I was lucky to receive Kinesiology every few days, while the fantastic Neuro- Physiotherapists worked hard teaching my body how to walk again. With a 50/50 chance of walking again, I ran in 6 weeks. I returned home, and as I began to research why I got so sick. I came across the Paleo diet and learned about the benefits of eliminating inflammation from my body, in an attempt to unravel the complexities of Autoimmune Disease.

I adopted this way of living, and what would be around the corner would change my world. Prior to this I had to lay down half of the day, every day, recovering from the paralysis and experiencing MS symptoms of fatigue, brain fog, balance issues, pins and needles and intermittent weakness in my limbs.

The brain fog started to subside, which in turn made me happier and more motivated to keep exercising and eating well. I learned all about the mitochondria, and their deficiency in autoimmune disease. I learned that I needed to nourish my body on a cellular level to achieve better results. This inspired me to fine-tune my nutrition requirements even further. I went back to school to study for a Diploma in Sports Kinesiology. I studied anatomy, physiology, motor learning, exercise, nutrition and tradition Chinese medicine techniques of mid-body medicine.

Today, I take a balanced approach, utilising all that western Medicine has to offer whilst combining this with complementary medicine. Once I addressed my nutrition, my results became most profound. I have since made a full recovery and have managed to reverse many of my symptoms, which has been life changing.

This is my twelfth year of no new lesions, no disease activity or progression. In fact, I feel fitter and healthier now, than before I was diagnosed at 24 years old.

Treating the cause has been key and understanding that I need to look at my body as a whole, not just in isolation. I now know that I need to provide my body with the right environment for it to repair and thrive again.

The power of nutrition to repair:

I believe that every meal can be an opportunity to renew ourselves.

  • We can maximise our intake of nutrient-dense food to encourage growth and repair

  • Food and hydration are information and our foundation to maximising growth and repair

  • Identify and eliminate inflammatory food and bad food habits to support healing

  • Nutrition is the foundation for the health of our brain, hormones, gut health, emotional and physical wellbeing.

In my experience:

It was an absolute game-changer when I optimised my nutrition.

Within a few months, my health and overall feeling in my mind and body had vastly improved.

I no longer had to lay down for half of the day, which was life-changing. I had more energy to walk and jog every few days. My MS symptoms started to completely subside. Emotionally I started to get the spring back in my stride, the sparkle back in my eye. For me this was proof, that when you eat better you feel better, and perhaps because of my disease, this was even more noticeable. I began to fall in love with cooking and nourishing my body, a habit and attitude that translated into the other areas of my life. Others that have achieved similar results and their research: I did extensive research into nutrition that would promote repair which led me to the work of Dr Swank, McDougal, Wahls, Jockers, Jelinek and Dr Chutkan to name a few.

To custom a specific approach that is right for you, I recommend working with a nutritionist and naturopath who can support you and your specific needs. There are biochemical tests that they can do, helping you to work out what foods are best for where your body is at. Having said that there are fun ways to eat better, and when you eat better you feel better, which is such an important part to being open to change.

HYDRATION

Hydration is so important. Every cell, tissue, and organ needs water to function optimally. Water makes up: 90% of our lungs, 76% of our brain, 25% of our bones, 75% of our muscles that move our body, 82% of our blood that transports nutrients. Our body uses water to maintain its temperature, remove waste, and lubricate our joints. Our brain, muscles, skin, and organs are all made up of water. Just to perform our daily tasks, we require water and nutrients to think, walk, run and problem solve. I recommend drinking x 8 glasses or 2 litres of water a day and make it fun. Add lemon to your water for flavour, which also promotes digestion. I love to stock my home and office with beautiful teas, so I am sipping on them all day!

HERE ARE SOME TIPS TO HELP GET YOU STARTED:

  • Focus on what to increase. Your greens, deeply coloured foods all the way through, fibre, good fats, and hydration. Sulfur rich foods and iodine rich foods can help to detoxify your cells such as onion, garlic, broccoli, mushrooms, cauliflower, andseaweed.

  • Resistant starches and inulin foods are great for our gut and the species diversity of our gut microbes such as green banana, peas, lentils, white cannellini beans, artichoke, leek, asparagus, and bananas.

  • Protein is a building block for repair. Proteins are amino acids. Amino acids are responsible for the heavy lifting, growth, and repair in our body. The body makes some amino acids naturally and the others we must get from foods. The ones we must get from foods are called essential. All vegetables have amino acids. When you eat a variety of vegetables you get a variety of amino acids, and you will meet your RDI.

  • Fish are high in protein and rich in omega 3’s and are a source of good fat. Source wild and deep-sea water fish to avoid mercury.

  • Plant protein is great for you. When you eat plants not only do you get protein, but you also get antioxidants, fibre, vitamins,and minerals to assist with overall health, weight management and inflammation such as joint pain. In fact, every fruit and vegetable contain protein and an array of nutrients and minerals.The key here is variety, you want to make sure you get the recommended daily intake of all the 9 essential amino acids, which makes a complete source of protein. 

  • Season your dishes with herbs, such as turmeric, thyme, cumin, rosemary, and dill, all rich in nutrients and excellent remedies for insulin control, inflammation, immunity, and brain function.

  • Where our food comes from matters, to maximise nutrients source organic, ethical and free-range foods. Going organic helps to eliminate pesticides, toxins and added hormones in our food. Ethically sourced real wholefoods are richer in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and fibre. Think - sustainable, free range, fresh and local and wholefoods meaning food in its most natural state.

  • Reduce inflammatory foods and this is an individual process of elimination, such as night shades, legumes, beans, peas andgrains. You can test yourself to see if you have any food allergies to wheat, gluten, or dairy. Other foods you might consider reducing are processed foods, sugar, fruit juice, soft drinks, diet drinks, white foods, and corn products, which are high in fructose. Omega-6 sources such as sunflower and vegetable oils, artificial flavours, and sweeteners. Limit your alcohol intake, trans fats, vegetable, or refined oils like canola. As they contribute to inflammation in the body.

  • Limit alcohol and coffee intake. When we drink coffee, remember that it sends a signal to our adrenal glands to release adrenaline, which can exacerbate stress, and feeling more ON in our nervous system. Particularity on the days when you feel more stressed, try, and limit yourself to 1 coffee a day or remove it from your routine all together, until you feel more balanced within.

  • If you can Master X 5 salads x 5 sides x 5 sauces x 5 proteins, when you mix and match them, you now have 625 recipes! Matt Kennedy an amazing chef taught me that, and it is how we used to create our menu when I had a food delivery business called Nourissh.

  • Make if fun, focus on what to increase and organise yourself to make cooking work for you. Focusing on these nutrient dense foods will also help you to heal your gut, so that you can assimilate your nutrients.

  • Remember when you eat better you will feel better. When you feel better you are more inclined to make better choices, leading to a happier and healthier you.

My Happy Food online masterclass comes with a video and eBook with recipes that are loaded with nourishing and delicious dishes for you to cook and enjoy.

Be the change

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