Why Is AIP Paleo So Hard To Follow?

So, I'm a little annoyed right now. I just spent an hour on Pinterest, trying to find an AIP paleo recipe for blackberry cobbler.  Needless to say, I found nothing.

But, that's not what really annoyed me. What put me in a snit, was the many recipes I clicked on that said they were dairy or allergen free, then proceeded to have ingredients listed including almond flour, butter, eggs, or/and buttermilk (yea, like that's not made with milk). That's not allergy free in my book!

While I can appreciate people trying to make a buck, jumping on the paleo bandwagon, without properly researching it, is just mean.  It's hard enough on those of us who must eat this way because of health reasons. To search through recipes that claim to be allergen free, only to discover they indeed contains allergens, is terribly disappointing.

To those of you who create paleo recipes, please consider the fact that there are many food allergies that people suffer from. If your recipe contains almond flour, consider that someone may have a nut allergy.  If it contains eggs or dairy (this includes cheese, butter, cream, BUTTERMILK, etc.), someone may have an allergy to those ingredients.  This would render your recipe simply primal or paleo (no dairy, as far as I'm concerned) not allergen free. And, these are just a portion of the allergies people experience.  Heck, some people are allergic to coconuts!

All I'm saying, is that perhaps, you want to use some different terminology, to not mislead your audience.

Well, that's enough about that.  For those of you who are in the same boat I am, take heart. Most of us will be able to add foods back eventually.  It really hasn't been that tough on me. I haven't been thinking much about the foods I can't have.  I've been much too busy trying to create new recipes of foods I can have (blackberry cobbler is one of them). 

It just hit home last night, when one of my students in RE class asked what food I was giving up for Lent.  I thought about it for a bit. Hmm, I've already given up so many foods. I don't think I can afford to give up any others.  Finally, I answered my student, saying, "Well, since I only eat meat, veggies, and fruit, I'm not going to be giving up food for Lent.  I'll find something else to give up."  My answer brought gasps and expressions of horror from the little ones. I ended up answering question for 20 minutes on the yummy foods I couldn't eat, and how I could possibly survive without candy and cake. Kids are so funny!

These are the kinds of things that make eating this way so hard.  It's not the diet itself that's so tough.  It's the misinformation out there in internetland, and the misunderstanding from society that makes our journey difficult.  I can't tell you how many people have said, to my face, that this whole, grain free thing is all a hoax.  Others have rolled their eyes at me when I've explained my diet. RUDE!

Don't let anyone, or anything deter you from your goal of getting healthy!  Let them roll their eyes!  We'll see who's left standing in the end!  All I know is, I haven't had to visit my doctors, or the hospital, in four months. Now, that's progress!

And, now for the good news! I should have the new blog up and running by Sunday!  It's going to be specifically dedicated to paleo and autoimmune health.  I'm putting the finishing touches on it right now.  With this new blog, I'll be able to focus on providing you with Autoimmune approved recipes, health updates, and DIY beauty and housecleaning products. I'll post you as soon as it's released.

Once the new blog is online, this blog will include topics ranging from alternative health remedies, DIY, repurposing, natural pet care, gardening, and whole food recipes. Basically, anything that has to do with living a holistic and sustainable lifestyle will be covered.

Hopefully, you'll enjoy both blogs!  If there are any particular topics you would like me to cover, let me know. Should you have any questions you need answered, let me know. I welcome everyone's imput. 

Email me: tmoperillo@gmail.com or Comment below.

Until next post, goodnight and God bless!

 BOHO AND MO

Did I Stay? Or, Did I Go Paleo?

So, after blogging for 22 days in a row, I figured I deserved a couple of days off.  Although, it was nice to have the time to work on other things, I missed writing.  Besides, I have been getting tons of emails asking whether or not I stuck with a paleo diet after my 21 days was done.  The answer is YES. I stuck with it.

The only foods I've added, so far, are some fruits and Dark Chocolate Bar.  Happily, I've been able to make my fruit and veggie juice again. And, I'm able to enjoy my bananas, too!

On Saturday, it will have been thirty days since I stopped eating nightshade veggies.  I can then start adding them back into my diet, one by one.  I've already decided to start with cooked tomatoes, since they're the least inflammatory.  If I don't have a reaction, I can keep them in my diet.  But, if I do have a reaction, I have to remove them and try again in three weeks.  We'll see how that goes.

I've decided to stay paleo, for the most part.  I will try to add some raw dairy or goat and sheep milk products from time to time. I actually bought some goat milk cream cheese and sour cream in preparation for when I'm ready.  I'll be using them to make some treats for Super Bowl Sunday.  That night should be a real test whether or not I can handle eating those foods.

Since finishing The 21-Day Sugar Detox, I have no desire to go back to my old way of eating.  I have felt so much better, I don't want to feel sick again. The program taught me to eat within certain parameters.  It taught me to appreciate the foods I am allowed.  At the same time, it showed me I could live happily without the foods that hurt me.  For that, I am grateful.

I'm going to take tomorrow off from blogging. I will return on Saturday with some yummy recipes for a paleo Super Bowl Sunday.  For tonight, I'll leave you with some photos of some of the meals I've cooked this week.  I'm working on compiling a cookbook with recipes I cooked during my detox.  Those of you who asked for the recipes should have them soon.

As always, should you have any questions or need my help, email me or COMMENT below.  Tmoperillo@gmail.com

Goodnight and God Bless!

Results from The 21-Day Sugar Detox

This is me before I went grain free.

 This is NOW!

I lost 5 pounds on The 21-Day Sugar Detox!  So, the results are in.  My total weight loss since going grain free is 21 pounds!  And, that's not even the best part!  The best part is how healthy I feel.  I now have the energy to get through my day without having to take a rest break, or two, or five.  My stomach issues have, for the most part, completely disappeared.  I no longer have to run to the bathroom every time I eat.  I feel AMAZING!

I know today, I could have gone nuts and eaten everything I've been avoiding for the past 21 days.  But, I didn't.  I did enjoy a small square of Dark Chocolate Bar and a banana.  But, other than that, I kept the same diet.  I don't want to go back to the foods that made me feel sick and sluggish.  This paleo regimen is a keeper.  I may go primal on some days and add some raw dairy.  But, that's as far as I'm going to stray.

In case you are just beginning to read my blog, I'll give you a little background.  About six months ago,  after a year of feeling awful, I ended up in Urgent Care and multiple doctors' offices four times in one week.  I had unexplained internal bleeding, my hair was falling out in clumps, walking was painful, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, and gurd were everyday occurrences. Oh yea, and, I had hives and rashes all over my face and body.  Several medical test showed a fibroid tumor in my uterus, a stomach ulcer and hiatal hernia, pockets of inflammation in my intestines, small polyps in my colon, gluten intolerance, and finally, lupus.  That's where I drew the line. I decided to forgo further testing.  The doctors wanted to do more testing and start me on a series of drugs which included steroids.  I refused.  In fact, I refused all medical treatment.  I chose to heal myself.

So, as you can see, this detox was just another step in the healing process.  I know there are many more to go.  

I'm going to leave you with a couple more pics. I apologize that they are selfies. I hate doing selfies. But, my husband was working all day and couldn't take them for me.  Also, excuse the fact that I have no makeup on and my hair is a mess.  I've been sewing all day and didn't have time to fix myself up.  I thought about cropping my head out of the photos; but, I thought that would look weird.

If you have any questions, please leave them in comments below or email me.  Tmoperillo@gmail.com

 Look! I have a waist again!

 No more tummy!

The 21-Day Sugar Detox- Day 19

I'm writing this post as the wind howls around me.  I can hear it banging against the windows. It's a bitter cold, windy night.  I am, however, tucked under my Snuggie, with a fire roaring in the fireplace.  I have just experienced a very good day.  Another good day is under my belt.

I thought I'd go into more detail for you, on what constitutes a good day.  A good day for me means, I have the energy to do the things I need to do. It also means, my pain is at a level I can tolerate.  Since I've gone completely grain-free, my gastrointestinal problems have almost disappeared.  I actually went grain-free two weeks before I started The 21-Day Sugar Detox.  By grain-free, I mean no rice, wheat, corn, or gluten-free mixed flours. I only use Coconut Flour or Almond Flour.  But, the energy and pain levels improved after I began this particular detox.

As a bonus, this program has taught me I don't need those grains anymore. I've been able to find substitutes for all my favorites, pasta, rice, potatoes, and bread.  I've also learned to like foods I didn't much care for before, butternut squash and brussel sprouts. It's taught me how to ADAPT.  Most people view living without these foods as a loss or punishment.  Before this happened to me, I thought about it that way too.  Now, I think about those foods as a punishment.  If I eat them, I'll get sicker.  I could eventually lose my life by eating them.  If that's not the definition of punishment, I don't know what is.  Food does not make us happy.  Food sustains our life.  We should eat to live, not to be happy.

Obviously, we want to eat foods that taste good.  I eat many foods that taste absolutely delicious.  These foods nourish and heal me. That's the difference!  These foods don't harm me.  Yes, it's harder to do. I mean, I can't just pop into any restaurant and order off the menu nonchalantly. I have to plan more, prepare more, and cook more.  But, my life is worth it. Isn't yours?

Speaking of delicious meals, I roasted a beautiful, grass-fed rib roast for dinner.  It was perfectly cooked, medium rare.  On the side, I served mashed cauliflower with Coconut Milk and chives.  Does that sound like I was suffering?  I can assure you, I was not.

Trust me, I know taking that first step to changing your eating habits is tough.  You question your resolve, your strength, and your willpower.  I had to change my way of thinking.  I am not punishing myself. I am keeping myself alive.  So what if I can't eat real pasta again.  I can walk up a flight of stairs, without pain again.  So what if I can never enjoy a regular birthday cake again. I don't have to cover the rashes on my face under layers of makeup, because they aren't there anymore.  Those are trade-offs I'm willing to make!

So, I ask that you take all this in.  Isn't your life worth saving?  If you need any help getting started, just email me or comment below.  Having been through it, I can help you make the transition.  All you have to do is ask.

And, for those of you already on your journey, hang in there. You're proving your health and your life is worth saving. Congratulations!

The 21-Day Sugar Detox- Day 15

It's a Monday. But, it's also a national holiday! I decided to take the day off.  It's kind of weird to take a day off when you work for yourself. I guess I could have felt guilty, if I didn't have so much to do. You see, along with eliminating foods from my diet, I'm also eliminating clutter from my life. Last week, I started with cleaning out my workroom.  When I was done, I had bags of donations for my local charity. My workroom was organized, which lessened my stress. Today, I tackled my closet.

I toiled for hours, purging the contents of my closet. I tried on every pair of pants, jeans and skirt. If it didn't fit, I chucked it. Since eliminating grains from my diet, I've lost 20 pounds. I am now back to the weight I was before this lupus flare began. This is a clear sign that I am healing. Inflammation causes weight gain. That's a fact. Five more bags of donations is what I had once I was done, and a feeling of accomplishment.

Believe me, things aren't always glamorous here at home. Today's lunch was a can of sardines and an avocado with a squeeze of lime. Exciting, I know.

Once my gourmet lunch was eaten, I needed to fill some of my herbal capsules. I was running low on my Tumeric and Cat's Claw capsules. I like to make my own because that way I know exactly what goes into them, pure, organic herbs. I always order my herbs from www.mountainroseherbs.com or www.hearbalhealeracademy.com. I've done business with them both for over 15 years.

I guess I was craving fish because I baked cod for dinner. I placed the cod filet in a Parchment Bags with some fresh spinach. I made my approved version of fish and chips by baking some zucchini chips on the side. I probably could have coated the fish with coconut flour. But, while on The 21-Day Sugar Detox, I'm trying to stay away from all flours. No, let me correct that. I am staying away from all flour. I love breaded foods! I think it's better for me to try to break all cravings NOW.

All in all, today was a good day. I'm thinking things should continue to get better for the next 6 days. Don't get me wrong. I can't wait until next Monday! In fact, I've already decided which foods I will be adding back immediately. Bananas, almonds, chocolate, and egg yolks will be the first foods I enjoy. I understand that I need to add foods back slowly. But, bananas are not very high on the inflammatory list.mi think I'm safe with that one. The other three I have to be more careful. So, I'll be sure to start with a teeny amount. I think that after this 21 days, I deserve a little treat. It's going to happen, yep.

Purging your life of clutter is part of healing. I believe it's good for your soul. Ridding your life of junk, whether it be foods, clothes, negative thoughts, or destructive people, can be healing for your body, mind, and soul. If you need help getting started, I offer my help to you. You can do this. Comment below or email me privately. I'm here to help. Email: tmoperillo@gmail.com