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 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 1

So, today is day one of The 21-Day Sugar Detox, buy book here,  for me. Since I was already eating a Primal diet, I am doing Level 3 with modifications for Autoimmune. That means no egg whites, nightshades ( tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, chili powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, or potatoes), nuts, or seeds. It is by far the strictest of levels Diane Sanfilippo recommends. I'm also eliminating fermented veggies, kombucha, and sauerkraut due to suspected Candida.

I decided to follow this particular detox because I am a huge fan of Ms. Sanfilippo's book, Practical Paleo. I really resonated with her story on repairing her own health. She also has a writing style that is motivating and easy to understand. If you're thinking about changing your eating for better health, I highly recommend her books.

The first thing you should know is that I am not a big sugar fiend. I was diagnosed with hypoglycemia when I was twelve years old. I have never had the "sweet tooth" the rest of my family has. I have used artificial sweeteners for years. I'm not proud of it; but, I've used everything from saccharin to Splenda. Of course, in the last fourteen years, I've been using Stevia.  When faced with a choice, I would typically choose a salty food over a sweet one. So, why am I doing a SUGAR detox?!!

The answer is quite simple. Sugar lurks in many foods. I believe I may have Candida. It is imperative that I remove all forms of sugar from my body. Candida feeds off sugar! It LOVES the stuff! I aims to KILL IT! No sugar for me!

This is how day 1 went for me. I woke up raring to go! I went to my kitchen and made my cup of organic coffee. Normally, I would add my stevia and organic half and half, both of which are not allowed on The 21-Day Sugar Detox. Today, I simply added some Organic Coconut Milk. It's definitely going to take some getting used to. While it was creamy, I missed the sweet taste the stevia provides. Go figure!

An hour later, I had a breakfast of beef bone broth and 4 Herb Tea ( which is immensely healing and can be purchased through http://www.herbalhealeracademy.com ). I typically do not eat breakfast because I don't like to chew in the morning. I know it's weird; but, we all have our quirks! Then, I went about my business and hit the computer.

At 2 PM, I had lunch which consisted of two lettuce and grass-fed roast beef wraps. The only food I missed was the grass-fed cheddar cheese I would normally add to my wraps. It wasn't too bad, though. I also made a fresh vegetable juice with a cucumber, celery, a carrot, and half a lemon (limes and lemons are the only fruits I'm allowed). Although it wasn't bad tasting, I certainly missed the green apple I would have typically juiced with it. Back to work I went.

About an hour later, I began to get a bit of a headache. I brewed some Pau d'Arco Tea and added 50 drops of White Willow Bark Extract. Within half an hour, my headache was gone.

By the time I looked up from my computer again, it was time for me to cook dinner. On Saturday, I had prepared an entire organic chicken to use as dinners throughout the week. I cooked from a recipe in The 21-Day Sugar Detox, Lemon Chicken with Capers & Chives. Tonight, I simply reheated the breast in the oven (inside of a parchment paper bag to keep moist). Then, I wilted some spinach and red onion for one of my side dishes. As my second side dish, I wrapped slices of half an avocado with bacon and baked them in the oven on 375 degrees for 40 minutes (until crispy). My dinner was absolutely delicious! I missed nothing!

After dinner, I made my cup of coffee with Organic Coconut Milk. It tasted creamier and less jarring as this morning's cup. Then, I set to work on this blog.

I'll finish off my night with a cup of herbal tea with a tablespoon of Coconut Oil swirled in. I have no real problems to report for my first day. Tomorrow, I'll be adding a workout to my schedule. I'm curious to see what my energy level is at. Day 1 was not bad! I can totally do this!

Check out tomorrow's blog to see how day 2 goes. I'll be posting everyday, for all 21 days. Please, feel free to email me with any questions. Or, you can leave comments below. I promise to get back to you. Email: tmoperillo@gmail.com

Also, you can get updates on my Facebook page: Facebook.com/bohoandmo . Just "Like" my page and join in on the fun!

Yummy Spinach!

Awesomely delicious Bacon Wrapped Avocado

Why I Fight Against Toxins

By now, if you've been reading this blog, you know the story of how Boho influenced my starting this blog and going public with information on removing toxins from your lives.  After much soul-searching, I have come to the decision to share my story.  I hesitated for awhile because I really didn't want to make this blog all about ME, ME, ME.  However, after my fourth doctor's visit in two weeks time, I came to the realization that maybe there were others out there who are going through the same troubles I am.  Perhaps, if I share my experiences, I can help more people than if I just keep silent.  So, here goes it.
Two weeks ago, my doctor determined the symptoms I am experiencing is likely due to an autoimmune disorder.  She is now in the process of determining which disorder or combination of disorders it is.  Each new symptom is a key or marker to which specific disorder I have.  Currently, I have markers for five of them.  So far, I have had attacks to my skin, reproductive system, and gastrointestinal system.  The next month of my life will be spent being poked and prodded to find an answer.  At one point, I will basically be set up like a rotisserie chicken.  I apologize for the mental image of that one.
Now, I'm not looking for sympathy.  The reason I'm writing this is to help anyone who may be dealing with this right now or has in the past.  Like most women, I ignored my own symptoms early on because I was busy caring for everyone else.  Then, when I would go to a doctor with a complaint, they would fail to take me seriously.  I can't tell you how many times I received a simple diagnosis of reflux and was sent away with the latest prescription.  Or, they would do a simple blood test and as long as everything was in the usual parameters, or only slightly high or low, dismiss me without another look. I'm not trying to bash doctors here.  I'm merely saying to keep searching until you find a doctor willing to listen to you and take you seriously.  I've been suffering with these symptoms for years.  Only now, when everything is going haywire at once, did I find a doctor with the answers. I understand this may be hard for some people.  I am very lucky to have health insurance.  I pray for those of you who do not.
Now, I've already started to hear the comments and questions, "How can someone who lives so healthy and green be so unhealthy?  Why bother if I'm just going to end up sick anyway?  See, that natural stuff doesn't work!". And, to that, I say "Shuttie!" To answer the question #1, I didn't come out of the womb being green,   autoimmune disorders are thought by many to be caused by environmental pollutants and there are over 100,000 synthetic chemicals in commerce today, surrounding us in a toxic haze. To question #2, I say that if everyone stopped using all the toxic chemicals, maybe none of us would have to be sick again.  If we send a message to companies that we are not going to use their products or eat their food unless they remove carcinogens, we could create a world that's safer and healthier for future generations. They may not have to suffer the skyrocketing numbers of autoimmune disease, cancer, ADHD, autism, etc. that we've had to endure. And, lastly to comment #3, I answer, just because something is natural, that doesn't mean it's guaranteed to make you healthy.  Just like, if you take a certain medication prescribed by your doctor, it's not guaranteed to cure what ails you.  But, since it's the toxic crap that made me sick to begin with, I think I'm going to give the natural stuff a chance.
Before I start to bore you, I'll wrap this up.  I will continue to provide you with updates on my condition and the latest information on alternative health and wellness.  I promise to keep up the fight against chemicals and toxins.  I will continue to research alternative therapies and report on my findings.
In the meanwhile, don't worry about me.  I have my faith in God to see me through.  I know everything happens for a reason.  I think God just wants me to work harder so I can help more people.  Because, after all, that's why I do what I do.  That is why I fight against toxins.