Fighting The Wolf Inside Me

 

I truly wanted to be blogging about how great I was feeling. After feeling well for so many days while on The 21-Day Sugar Detox, I thought I was on the road to recovery.  Afterward, I got cocky.  I began adding foods back into my diet I hadn't allowed myself while following the program. First, I added fruits and nuts.  Then, I added raw, goat, and sheep dairy products, mainly cheeses.  I, then, became really bold, and added cooked tomato sauce and eggs.

Boy, am I paying for it now!

Most of my symptoms have returned, with a vengeance!  Argh!

I decided, it's time to bring out the BIG GUNS!

I have been a fan of Dr. Sarah Ballantyne's blog, The Paleo Mom, for quite some time.  Her blog is filled with helpful tips, recipes, and scientific research dealing with autoimmune disease.  She is not just a scientist. She, also, has one of the autoimmune diseases I suffer from, lichen planus.  She knows what she's talking about.  When I saw she had just written a book,  The Paleo Approach. I immediately ordered it on Amazon.  I received it on Thurseday, just in time.

Being that I was feeling so awful, I plunged into reading it immediately.  By the time I finished reading the first chapter, I was in complete AWE.  The science and research she provides is nothing short of astounding.  Due to her writings, I have been able to deduce the exact sequence of events that caused my latest lupus flare.  I have also discovered that I had previously been diagnosed with two autoimmune disorders, I didn't even know were autoimmune in nature, vitiligo and restless leg syndrome.  Why didn't I know?  Because my doctors NEVER told me they were!

I am, now on Chapter Three.  I'm hoping to finish reading the entire book by tomorrow, Sunday night.  I am eager to start implementing The Paleo Approach, as soon as Monday.  I will do a thorough review of The Paleo Approach next week. I can't imagine, based on what I've read so far, that it will be anything less than glowing.  It already seems to be the "Big Guns", I was searching for!

Starting next week,  I will be moving my autoimmune and paleo chronicles to a different blog. I'll have all the details, once I have everything up and running.   Fact is, I started this blog to write about homesteading and sustainable living.  Then, I was diagnosed with lupus and lichen planus.  I started posting about my struggles with these autoimmune disease, and it kind of took over.  So, rather than try to split the information between my healing and homesteading, I'm going to give them each their own space.  That way, you can choose the topic you're most interested in reading about. Of course, you're welcome to read both.

So, next week, I will have my review of The Paleo Approach, and information on the new blog.  

Until then, goodnight and God Bless!

The 21-Day Sugar Detox- Day 20

Hey! There's a chicken in my CrockPot!

Wow! Only one day left of The 21-Day Sugar Detox!  I'm excited and nervous at the same time. I'm sure everything will be fine.  But, I know the task of adding foods back into my diet could possibly bring  back some of my symptoms.  That makes me nervous.

Luckily, I didn't have much time to fret over that today.  It's housecleaning day.  Knowing I would be busy all day, I put my chicken in the Crock-Pot and let it do it's thing.  I scrubbed, wiped, and laundered my day away. At around 3 PM, I ate my lunch, standing at the kitchen counter.  Since I didn't have time to make a proper lunch, I threw some beef from last night's dinner on some lettuce leaves, added some chunked avocado and a splash of red wine vinegar. Voila!

I really have noticed a huge increase in my energy level.  Before this detox, I would wake up tired. I barely had the energy to get dressed in the morning.  Now, I can clean all day with energy to spare.  The second best improvement is the lack of bloating and stomach upset.  My tummy is now completely flat.  I don't worry about eating anymore, because I know my stomach will not hurt afterward.  It's wonderful!

Now, for the downside, my skin is a complete disaster.  My body is detoxing everything; and, it showing in my skin.  I have breakouts on my face, legs, and chest.  In one way, I'm happy. I know these breakouts mean my body is releasing the toxins.  However, I hate looking like a pimply, rashy mess.  I hope this doesn't last too long.

At 6 PM, my chicken was done. I wanted a light dinner. So, I made a simple side salad of arugula, cucumber, avocado, and Greek olives.  Simple and delicious!  The chicken was so tender, it melted in my mouth.  

So, tomorrow is my last day of The 21-Day Sugar Detox.  I will be planning my meals for the week.  What will I do with so much freedom?  I have a few ideas, that's for sure!

I bid you a goodnight.  I can't wait for tomorrow to come! I hope I can get some sleep tonight.  As always, if you need my help, email me or comment below. I'll be back tomorrow with an update.

Goodnight and God Bless!

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