Embracing The Paleo Approach

Since Monday, I have completely embraced Dr. Sarah Ballantyne's The Paleo Approach. After reading the entire book over the weekend, I decided it was the best approach to take in treating my autoimmune flare.  The science, illustrated by Dr. Ballantyne in her book, gave me all of the information I needed to make an educated decision on steps to take to get my body under control again. I firmly believe that anyone with an autoimmune disorder should read this book and implement the diet and lifestyle changes.

Through the detailed information in The Paleo Approach, I have not only learned the origin of my first diagnosed autoimmune disease. But, I have been able to put all of the puzzle pieces together, to complete the puzzle on how I ended up with four diagnosed autoimmune conditions.

My first autoimmune disorder was diagnosed when I was only seven years old.  That diagnosis was vitiligo, a condition of depigmentation of skin in patches.  At the time, which was the mid 70's, we were not told this was an autoimmune disorder.  In fact, I didn't even realize it was a part of the puzzle until I read this book.

Several years later, after years of suffering from many different ailments and infections, I was diagnosed with Restless Leg Syndrome, a disorder believed to have autoimmune origins.  Again, I was not told of this autoimmune connection.  I learned this in the book as well.

Then, after years of suffering, surgeries, and continued failing health, I received the diagnosis of lupus and lichen planus, two autoimmune disorders.

Of course, my first question is, could these newly diagnosed disorders have been avoided if we had been made aware the first two were autoimmune in nature.  I'm not sure of the answer.  I understand there really wasn't much research on autoimmune disease back then.  Heck, there isn't much NOW!

Well, I guess that's neither here nor there.  Bottom line is what I do now.  I, for one, am sick of being sick.  If you are also sick of being sick, you should seriously consider reading The Paleo Approach.  Even if you haven't been diagnosed with an autoimmune condition, you can benefit from reading it.  I'm thoroughly convinced after reading it, I know more about autoimmune than most doctors do.  I know there are many undiagnosed people out there.  I know they have been told over and over again that it's all in their head.  You may be one of them!

On to what I'm doing about it!  Like I said before, I am fully embracing The Paleo Approach.  Monday morning, I shopped for all of the foods I would need for the week.  I had to go a little out of my way to find some foods.  But, I am resolved to do whatever is necessary to get my disorders into full remission.  I even bought foods I never had much of a liking for, liver and beets. And, some foods I have never tried before, jicama, Kombucha, and dandelion greens. I, also, bought foods that my Ma used to prepare for me (I've never prepared them myself), wild rabbit and a whole coconut.

Tuesday, I cooked and prepped all day. I cooked a pot of collard greens and kale. I started my bone broth in my slow cooker. I diced onions, fennel, and butternut squash. I prepared and jarred dandelion green and beet salads.  I did everything I could to make dinners for the week, easier to prepare.

Another big project I accomplished, was ridding my pantry, refrigerator, and freezers of all the foods I could no longer eat (except the stuff my husband eats, of course).  As a side note, I don't waste foods. I gave some foods to family, others to the local food pantry.  I have to say, my pantry looked a little sad.  There aren't many pantry items allowed on this nutritional plan.

So, now I'm ready!  I'm three days in.  My biggest challenge is getting my latest flare to calm itself.  I've already noticed an increase in my energy level. I'm hoping my itching and pain will be gone soon.  That would be amazing.

Because of this wretched flare, getting my new website up and running is taking more time than I anticipated. I'm hoping to launch next week.  I will be focusing on autoimmune disease, paleo, and natural healing topics exclusively.  This blog will go back to the topics of DIY and homesteading.

I encourage any of you who have, or suspect you have an autoimmune disease, to check out Dr. Sarah Ballantyne's blog.  You can also find her on Facebook.  And, if you would like to order her book, The Paleo Approach, you can find it here: The Paleo Approach

Until next post, God Bless!

The 21-Day Sugar Detox- Day 13

I made it through another day on The 21-Day Sugar Detox! Thankfully, I slept so much better last night than I did the night before. Unfortunately, I had to wake up really early this morning.  I had to attend a catechist meeting and mini retreat, starting at 8:30 AM.

When I arrived at my meeting,they were setting up the food table. I handed over the breakfast bars I was asked to bring. I, then, chose my seat and set up my area with my special coffee mug and water bottle. There was no way I would let my system be contaminated with their bottled water and flavored coffee of unknown origin. Yep, I have become that girl. Returning to the food table, I examined the spread. I realized, there was not one food I could eat. Not one! Luckily, I'm used to fasting. So, this was no big deal. I went back to my seat and sipped my filtered water.

Normally, I hang around after meetings to chat a bit. Not today. The snow had started falling half an hour ago. I just wanted to get home, get into my sweats, and make something to eat. My little Fiat was covered in snow. After brushing it off, I began the drive home.  The ride was slow going. I HATE driving in snow!

I felt such relief pulling into the garage. I prayed a thank you for God seeing me home safely.  Boho rushed me at the door. I love the way she's so happy to see me, no matter how long I've been gone. I threw all of my things down in a heap, walked to my closet, and slipped into my sweats. After putting away my stuff, I made myself something to eat, a bacon, avocado lettuce wrap.

After lunch, I thought about how I was feeling. It has been weeks since I experienced any gastrointestinal symptoms. My joints are still hurting. But, I think that has more to do with me running out of my joint supplements. My rashes have greatly improved. The butterfly rash on my face is now hardly noticeable. In fact, every one of my symptoms has improved in some way.  Yay for me!

I spent my time before dinner chilling. I read a little, did a crossword puzzle, and viewed pins on Pinterest.

For dinner, I baked Italian Sausage Bagels (one of the pins I found on Pinterest). I couldn't make them exactly like the recipe because of my food restrictions. I made the appropriate changes.

I served them with Arugula and avocado stuffed into them.  I also sauted some slivered brussel sprouts with bacon, red onion, and Balsamic Vinegar.  Dinner tasted wonderful, even with the changes.

I decided to write this blog post immediately after dinner. I really wanted to spend the rest of the night chillaxing. Silver Linings Playbook is on Shotime tonight and I want to watch it again. I really like that movie.

Tomorrow will be a short post. It's Sunday, you know. I don't like to work on Sundays. But, if you need any encouragement, drop me a note either in email or comments.

Enjoy your weekend!

The 21-Day Sugar Detox- Day 12

Ugh! What a terrible night's sleep I had! Insomnia, bad dreams, sweating, nausea, and a headache were just some of the suffering I dealt with last night. Needless to say, today I'm totally fatigued. I guess since our bodies typically heal while at rest, mine is just doing what it's supposed to do. Stinks though!

Well, I had to change my housecleaning day to today instead of tomorrow because I have a catechist's retreat to attend. So, exhausted, I move about, doing my chores. I did three loads of laundry and cleaned the entire house, including the oven. By 2 PM, I was done. I fixed myself a little lunch of leftover chicken legs, asparagus, and olives. Quite random, I know. But, today was not the day to argue with myself.

After lunch, I had some work to do for my shop, Boho and Mo. Some of my pieces may be featured on bookcovers.  I'm trying to work out the deal. And, I'm in the process of writing an ebook, which requires a ton of research. Both of these require brain function I may not have today. But, I've got deadlines; so, I have to push through it. Just as I started to make progress, the buzzer for the dryer went off. This is exactly the reason I clean on Saturdays, not workdays. Argh!

Finally, it's time to cook dinner. I really needed some comfort food; so, I decided to try to replicate one of my favorite Cajun dishes, Dirty Rice, paleo style. For the rice, I would use cauliflower rice. I set about cooking it as I normally would.  When it was time to add the rice, I instead added the cauliflower rice. I sauted it as I normally would. The only difference was the lack of rice and cayenne pepper.

I served my Paleo Dirty Rice with a side salad of arugula, peeled cucumber, and half an avocado.  The faux Dirty Rice wasn't bad. It certainly wasn't as good as the real thing. Next time, I think I'll add a little more bacon fat. I think it would taste better with some organic chicken gizzards. But, boy, are those hard to come by. I've been searching online and everywhere, trying to find them. Cayenne pepper would have helped,too.  I'll keep trying until I perfect it. Then, I'll share the recipe with all my Cajun food lovers.

After dinner, I settled into the sofa to write this blog. When done, I think I'll head to bed early. I have to be up early tomorrow morning. Ugh!

Today was not so good. Losing sleep last night did not help. It's not that I felt sick. I just didn't feel as good as I have been. I give it a big thumbs down! Boo hiss!

Hopefully, tomorrow is a better day. I have to prepare food to bring with me to the retreat. There is always a ton of food at these functions. I know I can have none of it! I can't even eat the dish that I'm slated to bring to pass. Now, that stinks! Whatever, I'll just have my lettuce wraps, I guess.

Once again, this blog is to share the real ups and downs of the detox process. I keep it real for y'all. If I'm having a bad day, your going to know about it. Likewise, if I'm having a good, "lollipops and unicorns" day. When you're trying to heal, you have to take the good with the bad. If someone tells you they were healed in a day, they are FULL OF IT! It doesn't work that way. You have to make an effort.

If you are ready to start healing, do it! The sooner you start,the sooner you can get this detox phase over with. And, if you need someone to encourage you when things get rough, email me or comment below. I'll be right there with you! Tmoperillo@gmail.com

The 21-Day Sugar Detox- Day 11

Woo-hoo! I'm over halfway through The 21-Day Sugar Detox!  I'm starting to believe that this regimen is not so hard to follow on a long term basis.  While I'm happy I'll be able to add some foods back when I'm done, I have the confidence of knowing I can do it slowly and carefully.

The easing of my gastrointestinal symptoms is reason enough to adopt a more constrictive eating plan. I haven't suffered from the gas, bloating, diarrhea, and constipation that was a daily occurrence. I'm also quite confident the ulcer in my stomach has disappeared. The burning sensation in my belly is a thing of the past. I plan on getting another endoscopy in a couple of months to prove it.

Oh, and another huge plus is that my hair loss has slowed to an almost normal range. Now, I know it's the result of the combination of remedies I'm treating myself with; but, I know my diet is part of the cure.

Today, hunger was not an issue. As usual, I fasted until 2 PM, when I ate two of the chicken legs I prepared last night, raw cucumber sticks, and half an avocado wrapped in a slice of bacon. I peeled the cucumber, because I read in my research that sometimes microscopic mold can grow on the skin, inside the fridge. Since I'm on a mold-free plan due to my Candida, I thought it was best not to take the chance.

This afternoon, I did have a headache. I just worked through it, figuring I am still dealing with "die off" symptoms. Eventually, it cleared. I've been taking two drops of Oil of Oregano under my tongue for the past couple of days. It's supposed to be very effective in treating Candida and a myriad of other ailments. It seems to be doing something because the "die off" symptoms have increased. If you ever try it, be prepared for the mouth burn! The first time I placed the drops under my tongue, the burning sensation was almost unbearable. The next time, I was more careful! I left my mouth open and kept my tongue up. This way, the air could cool it down.  I read it could be rubbed under the feet to work just as well. I may try that at a later time.

For dinner, I cooked a Braised Lamb Shank, served with Coconut Lime Cauliflower Rice and Vegetable Gravy.  By far, this was best dinner yet! I ate the lamb in true caveman style, bone-in. After braising for three hours, the lamb was just falling off the bone. Who says you can't have a great meal with autoimmune modifications?

Now, don't get me wrong.  It's not like all my symptoms have all disappeared.  I'm still breaking out with a zit here and there. And, my worst rash is still on the mend. Obviously, when we are suffering from autoimmune disease or other harsh illnesses, 11 days is not long enough to cure all that ails us.  But, at least I'm working on healing myself.  The fact that I notice improvement at all is proof I'm on the right track.  Rather than covering up my symptoms with pharmaceuticals, I'm curing my disease. That takes time and sacrifice. I know I'll come out ahead in the end!

As always, if I can help you, let me know! Tmoperillo@gmail.com

All questions you submit via email are kept strictly confidential.

Goodnight.

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.