Food alternatives
I am a SMA type 3 person and onset started around age 13. I am currently 38 and ambulatory, though it is annoying and painful when I walk for long distance.
I was 82.5Kg around 2016 and reduced it to 66Kg by 2017 by strict diet control (with normal food) and walking alone. Due to pandemic, I started putting on weight and reached 72 Kg by 2021 and this tremendously hindered my ability to walk for 15 minutes and I was totally depressed. I consulted my physician and he recommended I go with food alternatives like healthy shake from a company that starts with Herba and ends with life. After using the product sure enough my weight reduced by almost 9Kg now I am around 63 Kg and feel much better at walking.
I want to know if others in this community has attempted at something like this and did it work and if yes did the magic stay on even after you stopped that product?
Hi there and I'm so sorry for the delay in response here. I am hoping that one of our health leaders who live with spinal muscular atrophy can respond here and share any nuggets of wisdom of shared experiences. In the meantime, I'm happy to pass along some resources about nurition and SMA in hope that they'll be helpful for you: https://spinalmuscularatrophy.net/nutrition, https://spinalmuscularatrophy.net/food-modifications, https://spinalmuscularatrophy.net/living/monitoring-calories. Please let me know if any of these have been informative. We're so happy you're a part of our community. Keeping you in my thoughts! Warmly, Abby (Team Member).
Thanks for the three links
, I went through all of them and I don't think there is or could be one size that fits all for nutrition. I was just trying to share my experience, and since my post above I lost one more KG and I am approximately 62 KG (136 pounds) now. For now I feel that the shake or weight that I lost does appear to help. I just want to know if someone else is following that and if any one has any long term experience with these shakes as food supplement / meal replacement. I just want to look ahead and see how is it going to go. With that said I would say CHECK WITH YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER, if you can take the shake (that starts with HERBA and followed by LIFE) too, and report back on any improvement that you have noticed in the quality of your life. 
Hey there! Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experience. You're absolutely right; nutrition isn't a one-size-fits-all deal, and what works for one person might not work for another. It's great to hear that you've had some success with the shake and have been losing weight. It's always a good idea to consult with a healthcare provider before making significant changes to your diet, just to ensure it's safe and suitable for your individual needs.
Hopefully, someone else who has tried the same shake can chime in with their long-term experience. It's always helpful to hear from others who have been on a similar journey. Keep up the good work on your health and wellness journey, and best of luck with your continued progress!-Allie, Health Leader
