The 21-Day Sugar Detox- Day 17

Today was not one of my best days. It may have had more to do with the fact that I had to wake up at 6:30 AM, than the detox. As you know, if you've been reading this blog, I don't particularly like to wake up early. I'm not quite sure why; but, my rashes were more active today. It could be I'm still purging toxins from my body. I'm unsure how long it's going to actually take to completely detox.

In addition to the rashes, I also felt dizzy a few times. I had a bit of nasal congestion. So, the dizziness could have come from that. My energy level was good. I made it through an early morning meeting to a night RE class full of fourth graders.

I meant to take a photo of my breakfast at the restaurant today; but, I forgot. I had bacon, ham and avocado. I was full half way through.  I only ate half of the food on my plate. I'm not much for breakfast, as you know.

The weather here certainly didn't help my blahdom. Yes, I just created that word. It's been snowing all day, again. Plus, the temperature is in single digits, with a windchill of below zero. This has been a horrible winter of below average temps and tons of snow.  While I like looking at the snow, I hate driving in it. I'm so over it!

I guess I better get used to good days and bad days. I have a feeling it's going to be a long, arduous process.  In order to heal, I'm going to have to destroy the diseases and then rebuild my body all over again. I'm up for it. I'm entitled to be bummed about it once in a while. It took years of misdiagnosis and mistreatment to get to where I am. It will take some time to recover.

Because of my class tonight, I chose to eat dinner early, at 5:00 PM.  I reheated the chicken breast I baked last night, and served it with leftover brussel sprouts from a couple of days ago. I had stuffed the chicken breast with red onion, garlic, spinach, and calamata olives. The flavors had intensified overnight. It was amazing!  Even the brussel sprouts were tastier.

After dinner, I headed out to teach my class. When my students complained about being tired, I just chuckled. One of my students brought some goldfish crackers to share with the class. Once I had divided up the crackers to all the students, one asked why I didn't have any.  I simply stated that I didn't eat gluten or grains. Then, one asked if I was allergic.  I nodded my head. "That stinks!" was the general consensus in the room.  "It's not so bad," I replied. They were blown away. I was thankful none of them had had to worry about food allergies. 

Now, I'm home.  Soon, I'll head to bed.  It's been a long day. I'll make a nice, hot cup of Gaia Rest & Relax tea to warm my chilled bones.  Only four days to go!

Email: tmoperillo@gmail.com

The 21-Day Sugar Detox- Day 10

Only a half hour left of day 10 of The 21-Day Sugar Detox. This morning was a rough one. I awoke around 5 AM, sopping wet. I was sweating profusely! I was also nauseous. I got out of bed to cool myself down. I walked to the kitchen to drink a glass of water. I, then, walked back to bed and got under the covers. Luckily, I was able to drift back to sleep.

When I awoke at 8:30, it was as if nothing had occurred. I felt fine. Weird! I figured it could be "die off" symptoms from my Candida treatments. Or, maybe, it is part of the detox. I just hope it doesn't happen again.

Today, I had a few errands to run, including dropping off my donation at The Home of the Sparrow. I unloaded six big bags of stuff as donations. Then, I did a little shopping. I picked up some really cute scarves and a maroon crochet shawl.

I finished up my errands at 1 PM. After putting away my purchases and starting a load of laundry, I made a quick lunch. Pig in a lettuce blanket is what I called it. Two slices of ham, one slice of bacon and a little mustard on two lettuce leaves. So good!

 Pig in a Lettuce Blanket

After lunch, I answered some emails, finished laundry, and starting preparing for dinner. We were eating early because my husband had a meeting to attend at 6:30 PM. I prepped everything; so, I could just pop it in the oven when I was ready.

I did have a headache for awhile this afternoon. I know this is definitely a symptom of Candida "die off". I can only believe that combined with my natural treatments, this detox is working to kill my Candida.  That is wonderful news!

At 4:30, I tossed my Chicken with Artichokes and Olives into the oven. The recipe is from The 21-Day Sugar Detox. I chopped the cucumbers and avocado for our salad. At 5:30, all was cooked, plated, and ready to eat. The Chicken was really good. You have to really like olives in order to enjoy it. It's very briny.

After dinner, I actually took time to watch a couple of TV shows I really like. Usually, I'm working while they play in the background. Tonight, I sat back and enjoyed them. Of course, that could be why I'm blogging at midnight!

Tomorrow, I will be halfway done with the detox. I'm kind of excited about making this far. It's been up and down over the last ten days. But, I feel as though things are happening inside me. I feel like I'm in the process of healing!

As always, if you have questions, email me or leave in the comments below. I'd be happy to help.

The 21-Day Sugar Detox- Day 9

I can't believe it's almost day 10 of The 21-Day Sugar Detox ! The days seem to be passing quickly, now. My cravings are now completely GONE! My skin is clearing. All in all, I'm improving each day that passes.

I think the biggest change is the energy I have when I wake. I pop out of bed each day, ready to take it on. I'm known to be quite the procrastinator. For the last two days, my motto has been, "Let's get it done!". Even my husband has noticed the change. And, you know men; they usually don't notice anything different!

Today, I tackeled cleaning up my workroom. During the holidays, things had gotten out of hand in there! I was busy filling orders, making gifts, and formulating new products. The room was a mess! Well, I flitted around that room like a little cleaning fairy. Finally, at 2 PM, I took a lunch break. I ate two leftover chicken legs from last night's dinner and an arugula, cucumber, and avocado salad. After lunch, it was back to cleaning.

When I was done, my room was organized and clean. Plus, my car was filled with bags for donation I will drop off tomorrow at Home of the Sparrow Resale Shop. They are a great local charity who help homeless families in the area. So, I get a clean workroom; and, I get to help my community! Love it!

On a side note, Boho was having a great time because I found the bag of toys I had bought for her Christmas gifts while cleaning. Before Christmas, I had torn that room apart looking for these darn toys, to no avail. Oh well, at least she had things to play with as I worked.

Surprisingly, I did not get tired all day, even with all the room organizing and regular chores. I sailed right into dinner time with no fatigue. Wow! Now, I'm impressed!

For dinner, I wanted something hardy. Since last week's hamburger was my favorite meal, I decided to cook a variation of the bacon burger. I made an Inside-out Burger!

To make this, I formed a half pound of grass-fed ground beef into two square, thick patties. I then placed them on a metal grill rack atop a Baking Sheet. That way the grease can run off the meat to make sturdier "buns". I put them in the oven at 400 degrees for about 40 minutes. Once cooked, I placed one on a plate, layered bacon, arugula, butter lettuce, and mustard, then, laid the second patty on top. In order to make it easier to eat, I wrapped it in Unbleached Parchment Paper. It was THE BOMB! I don't know if anyone says that anymore; but, the way the flavor burst in my mouth, I had to say it.

On the side, I made a small bowl of Cream of Cauliflower Soup. I basically took the leftover cauliflower rice from last night, warmed it with homemade turkey bone broth and 1 Tbsp Coconut Milk. Then, I used my Immersion blenderto froth it up a bit. And, of course, I crumbled bacon on top. So creamy and delicious!

I realized today that it isn't as difficult as I thought it would be to eat tasty meals with so many restrictions. I mean, seriously, I can't have any grains, fruits, nightshades (eggplant, peppers, tomatoes), nuts (this includes flours, butters, and milks), eggs, sugar, sweetener, and dairy. Basically, I can eat meat, seafood, chicken, and vegetables.  And yet, I've eaten some amazing tasting foods. I guess it's all about working within your limitations.

As each day passes, I feel stronger and healthier. I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings!

Need help getting started on your trek to better health? Please, email me or comment below. I would love to help you. Email: tmoperillo@gmail.com

The 21-Day Sugar Detox- Day 8

Well, I'm winding down day 8 of The 21-Day Sugar Detox! I cannot possibly describe the total mental clarity I'm experiencing. It's as if my brain has been sparked into life. I kinda feel like Frankenstein's monster, only not so big and green. My skin is also clearing up quickly.  I can actually feel and see the detox working! Even my coffee is starting to become more flavorful! And, weirdly, my eyes even seem to see more clearly. I look at things; and, they seem so sharp. I told you it was weird.

Instead of going through my day, in some sort of timeline, I'm going to let you know what foods I ate at which meals. I'm not going to focus on the fact that I tend to skip breakfast most days. While not right for some people, it works for me. And no one is going to change my mind on that.

With that said, breakfast was coffee. For lunch, I made a tuna salad lettuce wrap. Instead of mayo (can't have eggs), I made an avocado cream. I put an avocado, salt, black pepper, 1tsp Apple Cider Vinegar, and a squeeze of lemon in a bowl. I used an immersion blender to squish it all together. Then I mixed together 1 can tuna, 1 stalk celery ( for crunch), 1 Tbsp capers, and the avocado cream. The mixture was then spooned onto my lettuce leaves. I would have loved to add boiled eggs, pepper sauce, and pickles to the mix; but none are allowed.  Boo, hiss!

It may seem that my lunches are quite large. Remember, I don't typically eat breakfast. So, I can afford to have a larger lunch. The fact is, I lost 2 pounds in my first week on this detox. I really don't need to lose any weight. Otherwise, I may have lost more.

My dinner was a combination of my favorite, chicken legs, and cauliflower rice with onions and bok choy. I'll give the recipes in a future post. I want to focus on the actual detox in this series of posts.

It seems as each day passes, I can see progress happening. I'm still getting some aches and pains. But, I never expected to be healed in 7 days. I know this is just the beginning of a long journey. I plan to stay away from nightshade foods even after the detox is over. But, at least I've started my journey. Have you? What is finally going to motivate you to get better? I'm hoping I can help. By sharing this with you honestly, I hope I can give you the courage to do it yourself.

If you have any questions or need a warrior behind you, email me or leave me a comment below. You don't have to give me your real name. Just put things in motion!

Tmoperillo@gmail.com

The 21-Day Sugar Detox- Day 6

Tis the end of day 6. And, boy, was it a doozie! I woke up this morning with pain radiating through my hip. For some reason, I was in a very bad mood already. It was the perfect storm. I was hurting, hungry, and cranky. I was in desperate need of coffee.

Although, I'm now used to the new taste of my coffee with Coconut Milk only, it did not hit the spot this morning. I snapped at everyone in my path. No one was safe from the Day 6 detox monster. I decided to dress and begin my housecleaning for the day. As I looked in the mirror while washing my face, I noticed a few more breakouts. That really improved my mood! I also have a resurgence of an old rash on my leg. Great, let's add some itchiness to my already foul mood! All I wanted to do was put on my 70's music and start cleaning.

As the 70's tunes surrounded me, I moved from room to room, dusting, cleaning toilets, scrubbing showers, vacuuming furniture, carpets, and bedding, and mopping floors. By the end, I was dancing, singing, and in a much better mood. The pain in my hip had worked itself out. I felt lighter and less itchy. But, I was still hungry.

I walked to the kitchen to make myself lunch. It was 1:30 PM. I'd missed breakfast again! So, I decided to make lunch worthwhile. I took some leftover zucchini noodles and tossed them in a pan with melted bacon grease. Then, I added two of the bacon strips I cooked last night, cut into pieces. I tossed in one chopped green onion and 1/2 a chopped avocado. Once warmed through, I tossed it into a bowl. May I just say that this is one of the most delicious lunches I have eaten.....EVER! It was so creamy...and bacony...and scrumptious!

After lunch, I set about cleaning the kitchen. Every Saturday, I scrub everything down, polish my stainless appliances, and completely disinfect all surfaces (with all-natural cleaners, of course!). Once my kitchen was sparkling, I folded my third load of laundry and put the fourth,and last, into the dryer.

It was already 5 PM, time to cook dinner. I decided to experiment a bit with my dinner. I took some leftover pork loin, chopped into chunks, and sauted it in bacon grease. I added spaghetti squash, one clove garlic (crushed), 1/2 cup Coconut Milk , and 1 TBSP capers. I also wrapped bunches of asparagus with prosciutto and baked them at 325 degrees for about 20 minutes.

My experiment turned out to be quite yummy! I enjoyed it alongside some herbal Melaleuca tea, I brewed earlier while cleaning the kitchen.

After dinner, I decided to just veg and watch a movie, which I did. Thankfully, the movie was pretty boring; so, I was able to get some work done. Upon reflecting on my day, I learned the detox process can be fierce. I really thought I might make it through all 21 days without any issues. Obviously, that is not the case. It's really difficult to tell yourself NO all day long, every day. While it's true I am on the hardest level of The 21-Day Sugar Detox , and I've had to make even more modifications because of my autoimmune disease, I still believe I can see this through to the end. It's only 15 days left....right? But, then comes the hard part of deciding which foods to start adding back first. I think I've already decided on dairy, and then fruit. We'll have to see how I feel when the time comes. Oh, and I forgot eggs.....have to add eggs!

In closing, today was hard. I mean REALLY hard. But, I didn't give up! And, I didn't give in! I hope tomorrow brings a better day. I don't typically work on Sunday; but, I will update this blog. If you are interested in doing The 21-Day Sugar Detox , please fire away with your question either in a comment on this post or email me, tmoperillo@gmail.com.

The 21-Day Sugar Detox- Day 2

Well, I'm wrapping up day two of The 21-Day Sugar Detox. My day started off pretty much the same as yesterday. Same coffee and same breakfast (except the bone broth was turkey, not beef). I really didn't notice a difference in how I felt. I just felt healthy.

I went about my business as usual. I did my chores, worked on my website, answered emails, and worked on my speech for tomorrow morning's meeting. I did not get a headache today. That was good.

At about 1 PM, I made lunch, an arugula, sardine, cucumber and olive salad with a tiny splash of Balsamic Vinegar . I drank a cup of Peppermint tea as well.

 My lunch salad- yum!

After lunch, it was time for more chores, including shoveling snow from my front door. Earlier today, I could barely open the door when the UPS guy delivered my Ox Bile tablets (I don't have my gallbladder  due to a birth defect; so, I have to supplement to digest fats.).  Off I went to bring our garbage can and recycling bin to the curb. I was completely bundled from head to toe, due to the fact that it was 7 below zero (without the windchill) in my neck of Illinois today. I shoveled our front stoop and the entrance to our garage. By the time I walked back inside, my hands were burning. My hands were bright red! I hurried to warm them. Luckily, the feeling returned to them and eventually the redness faded. Next time, I'll have to wear two pairs of gloves.  By the way, the shoveling counted as my workout today.

Soon, it was time to cook dinner. I decided to cook the Shepherd's Pie recipe from The 21-Day Sugar Detox book.  Of course, I had to tweak it because I don't eat cooked carrots or green peas (yucky). I added 1/2 an onion and a handful of kale instead. I would have loved to throw some mushrooms in there. But, I can have NO fungus among us! I served up my Shepherd's Pie with 1/2 an avocado, with a splash of Apple Cider Vinegar (for digestion aid), sea salt and black pepper. It was pretty tasty!

 Shepherd's Pie- Paleo style

Once dinner was eaten and dishes were done, I settled into my sofa, with my cup of coffee, to write this blog. I really didn't notice any cravings today, other than the one I'm having right now for some dairy and stevia in my coffee. I'm not sure I'll be able to move past that change.  I feel pretty good, though. I'm not feeling any hunger or brain fog (any more than usual, that is). My stomach feels so much better, however. I haven't had any of the pain, bloating or gas that has plagued me in the past. I can only figure the further I go, the better I'll feel!

Tomorrow will be a busy one! I have a presentation to give early tomorrow morning, followed by breakfast (IN A RESTAURANT!). I already looked up the menu online; so, I'm prepared to order off the ala carte menu. Yes, I'll have the bacon, with a side of.....well, bacon. Should be interesting.  Then, it's time to do chores and prepare for my Religious Education class at 6 PM. I won't be home until late tomorrow night. So, I have to prepare my dinner beforehand.

On to day three! I'll be reporting back to you how tomorrow goes. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please email me or leave it in a comment. I would love to hear from you!