How To Stay AIP Paleo When Dining Out

Okay, I'll start with the bad news. The new website is NOT up and running like I'd hoped. I ran into some technical problems late Friday night (actually, it was more like early Saturday morning!).  Unfortunately, the stress landed me a new infection to deal with.  My hubby, being supportive, declared Saturday, "No work Saturday". I, being tired and frustrated, thought that was a great idea.

So, Saturday, we went to the theater to see American Hustle, which was pretty darn good. Those who know me are aware of my love of anything 70's. The wardrobe and Soundtrackwere amazing.  The worst part, was not being able to enjoy the buttered popcorn!  In fact, all I had while watching the movie was a bottle of water. I know bottled water is not optimal; but, I was not going to sit there with nothing to eat or drink.  Note to self: next time bring a banana or kale chips.

After the movie, I was HUNGRY.  We were enjoying our time away from home; so, we set out to find a restaurant with highest chance of approved foods for me.  I chose Houlihan's.  Once we were seated, I perused the menu. I settled on an organic greens salad with grilled chicken.  The only ingredients I would have to leave out were almonds, goat milk cheese, and the dressing.  When the waitress took my order, I stated simply that I have food allergies. I requested the items I needed removed. I also requested that no seasonings be used and asked for small bowls of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. I requested all of my changes with a smile on my face and in a kind manner.  She was very receptive and brought my food exactly as specified.

I believe it's always important to be polite to your waiter or waitress. It also helps if you state that you have food allergies immediately.  It lets them know you're not just being picky or difficult.  You don't have to go into detail because nobody's got time for that.  If something is done not to your specifications, calmly request that it be changed.  Remember, you want them on your side.

Sunday was a bit more of a challenge.  After church, my hubs and I went to a local diner for lunch.  I really wasn't much in the mood for a salad or chicken.  I was going to try something new, the bacon, avocado burger. I began my order the same as the day before. Then, I asked if she could find out if the burger meat was just ground beef.  She came back with the answer of yes.  I, then, ordered the burger with no bun or cheese. Instead of fries, I ordered a side salad with no tomato or dressing.  Since I wasn't sure of the quality of their balsamic vinegar and olive oil, I chose to ask for lemon wedges instead. I would mash the avocado and mix it with lemon juice to create a dressing.  When my food came,I set to work creating a yummy bacon, avocado burger salad.  It was delicious!

It's true, you have to be a bit creative. But, you can dine out and remain safe. Always remember to ask about hidden ingredients or spices.  

Just to be on the safe side, I took two Activated Charcoal capsules at the end of my meal. Everyone with food intolerances or allergies should carry some in their purse or car.  In case you are accidentally exposed to an intolerance, it can help to bind to the toxin and remove it safely.  Anytime, I eat something a little iffy, I pop a couple of capsules.  You shouldn't do this every day.  But, once in a while won't hurt you.

It also helps if you have time to prepare. When I know I'm going to a particular restaurant, I'll check out the menu online.  In advance, I'll decide what I'm going to order and what omissions or substitutions I have to make.  I always keep some items in my purse, like my Stevia .  Sometimes, I'll put foods in a small containerand pack them in my purse.  I do this with Coconut Milk, Balsamic Vinegar, and Extra Virgin Olive Oil.  I'm very discreet about adding the item to my food or drink.  Most people I eat with, don't even notice. If you're going to do this, put the small container in a plastic bag, in case it spills. I haven't had that happen yet. But, it could happen.

I hope these tips help.  It can be difficult to enjoy yourself when you're trying not to get poisoned.  With a little prep work, your dining experience can be much easier to handle.

Hopefully, I will have the new website up tomorrow.  I loved my weekend away from work.  However, I love working too.  I'll be back at it tomorrow.

Until then, goodnight and God bless!

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!

Back On The Sugar Detox!

Well, I said I'd have a decision by today. And, I do.  I'm going back on The 21-Day Sugar Detox.  I've spent the last couple of days spiraling downward in my health.  This has made my decision very easy.

The only foods I had added back to my diet were fruits, pecans, almonds, dark chocolate, and raw dairy.  I think the natural sugars in the fruit have cause my Candida to act up.  I noticed the dark chocolate had not only sugar in it, but also, soy lecithin ( which can cause allergic reactions in some people). And, although I thought I could get away with eating raw dairy products, it appears that is not so.  It does seem, however, I can tolerate goat and sheep milk products.  The nuts don't seem to cause a reaction either, thankfully.

So, tomorrow, I am starting The 21-Day Sugar Detox again.  I didn't want to start today because I had to juice the rest of my fruits, so I wouldn't waste them.  My husband agreed to eat the bananas.  I also needed to restock my grass-fed meats, organic chicken, and veggies for the week.  My shopping trip led to an awkward accident with a shopping cart which you can read about in my post on Facebook.

For this go-round of The 21-Day Sugar Detox, I'm doing level 3 again. But, I'm not doing all of the Autoimmune modifications.  I'm going to allow myself egg yolks, pecans, almonds, sheep and goat dairy, and cooked tomatoes.  If any of these foods cause a reaction, they're out.

Sometimes, the journey to healing takes longer than we hoped.  This can be extremely discouraging.  But, the key is to pick yourself up and do, what you know in your heart, is right. I know now that it's going to take longer to reintroduce foods into my system.  Bottom line is, I was on the right track.  I felt much better than I had in a long time. In reality, The 21-Day Sugar Detox could turn into the 365-day sugar detox.  Or, it could even be the lifetime sugar detox. It's okay. I'll do it as long as is necessary.

I'll fill you all in, as I go along. I'm not going to post updates every day because, who knows how long I'll be doing this detox thang.  Plus, I have so much stuff I want to share with y'all.  Like, did you check out the photo above, of my Super Bowl spread? It was so awesome. I had slow cooker Asian style wings, lettuce cup nachos, and Paleo chicken strips. Yum!  For dessert, I made paleo brownies and frozen banana, mint chocolate chip "ice cream".  Dessert was terrible!  It proved, not everything can be made paleo. Blech!

Besides going back on the detox, I've been creating new pieces for my Etsy shop.  I just love when I get to be creative!  My new line is the Wicked Collection, which is a little more Victorian gothic.  And, I added a couple of vintage pieces, too.  You can see them at Boho and Mo.

Even with so much going on, I still always have time for your comments and emails. Let me know if you have any questions, or want me to cover a specific topic. 

Goodnight and God Bless!

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!