Is anyone trying the Zoe Personalised Nutrition programme?

[Seekingasolution]

I thought I knew quite a bit about good nutrition and I have radically overhauled my diet to be more plant based. Along the way I have discovered that eg eating a left over chocolate truffle on an empty stomach can make me feel very weird indeed and send me back to bed. Recent blood tests have given me a clean bill of health including very much not remotely diabetic. So far so good. I am much improved from earlier days of PMR and now have my positive mood back. Im down to 1 1/2 mgs of pred but I still have a few aches and pains in my legs and hips and some days it's still a bit of an effort to walk the dog. So Im wondering if this is just age (67) or if I'm missing something and whether signing up to Zoe which is quite expensive is another route I should consider. Anyone any thoughts or experience on this?

[piglette]

My HbA1c has gone up to 37. I like the Zoe items but decided against the nutrition app. I have all Dr Tim Spector’s books though.

[Mary63]

I have done the Zoe programme and found it very useful indeed.

Since I started the programme my gut symptoms (IBS) from which I’ve suffered since my teens have disappeared. I think that is because I have much better balanced gut bacteria. The food intolerances which have plagued me all my life have gone.

I have learned that my blood sugar control is poor. I rarely eat sweet things and have drastically cut carbs since PMR diagnosis, but found that even eating fruit between meals shot my blood sugar up. If I eat fruit at the end of a meal my blood sugar remains flat.

I was also told my blood fat control was bad. So have more or less given up my beloved butter.

The combination of problems with blood sugar and blood fat control apparently leads to inflammation and could explain why I developed cardiovascular disease two years ago and required stunting. This all occurred when I was very fit, not overweight and eating a pretty healthy diet.

I would highly recommend the Zoe programme to anyone who is overweight, diabetic, with heart disease or IBS.

[Seekingasolution in reply to Mary63]

that’s very interesting Mary. Has it made any difference to your PMR? I don’t have diabetes, or IBS but I do have high cholesterol which persists despite all I do ! I think my reaction to chocolate on an empty stomach tells me already that my blood sugar control is probably not so good these days. And I have been eating a nectarine for breakfast. Perhaps I need to add some muesli after all.

[Mary63]

I wasn’t looking for any help for my PMR. My PMR is I think on the wane anyway. Had it 7 years 6 months now. And going from 1.75 mg to 1.5 this month. Going well. Adrenal function now fine after a v dodgy couple of years. My high cholesterol has not changed. I am just hoping that the Zoe approach will help stave off heart disease issues.

Understanding what I do of Zoe it would make sense for you to eat something before you have your nectarine. It need not be carby. It could be tomatoes mushrooms eggs avocado.

This would stop your blood sugar spiking.

All the best!

[Seekingasolution in reply to Mary63]

good point! Avo is a favourite. Just one more question - sorry - what mg pred tablets so you have ? I thought 1 mg was the lowest so I snap one in half . Do you manage to cut yours in quarters ?

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Seekingasolution]

You get 2.5mg ordinary tablets too, half one of those gives 1.25, It only becomes a problem below 2mg. Combining it with a very slowed slowed taper also works.

[Seekingasolution in reply to PMRpro]

ah ha!! Thank you !

[Mary63 in reply to Seekingasolution]

I try to cut a 1mg tablet into quarters. It’s not exact but near enough!

[Oh-my]

Tim Spector of Zoe was on BBC radio 4 yesterday. It was very interesting and advice.

bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001ngjx

[Seekingasolution in reply to Oh-my]

thank you ! Just listened to this. ‘Kefir can reduce inflammation by up to 25% in a week …and you can make your own ..’. I’m on it !