What happened to Wonder Woman?

It has been over a year and a half since I have been sick.  I mean no sickness what so ever!  When I changed my eating habits by removing all grain and all sugar from my diet, my body felt like I had attained a super power.  Changing my eating made my extremely high blood pressure normalize, my migraines virtually disappear, my fibromyalgia vanish and my IBS completely resolved itself.  In addition to all the wonderful health benefits, I happened to lose a significant amount of weight in the process. 

 I started to take good health and feeling amazing for granted.  Did I stop appreciating how great I felt?  Was I bragging to much about how I turned my health around?  Maybe. Unfortunately,  I was just hit over the head with a 2x4.  Wonder woman can still get sick.    About two weeks ago I was struck down with feeling very fatigued and mentally fuzzy.  I got on the scale and gained five pounds practically overnight.  WHAT?  My digestive track was starting to do things it had done in the past.  I couldn't figure this out..  I hadn't changed ANYTHING!  I started to play around with my food intake a bit in hopes to resolve the issue.  I added a little more oil here, a little fermented food there and started  taking probiotics.  Nothing helped, my condition continued to worsen.  I noticed my ankles looked extremely swollen while doing yoga one evening.  You tend to look at your ankles quite a bit while in the Downward Dog position.  I decided to go the doctor, apparently my superpower in this area had been weakened. 

By the time I reached the doctor's office, I was in severe pain in my abdomen and back.  Instant diagnosis of diverticulitis!  My old nemesis had come back to wreak havoc on my body.  I have since been flat on my back in bed in pain and on MEGA doses of very strong, not so pleasant antibiotics.  I am three days into treatment and still not feeling much better. I am not allowed to eat anything, except clear liquids.  I am severely missing my avocados and farm eggs.     As I have much time on my hands, I have been thinking quite a bit.   The memories of being this mentally fuzzy, lethargic, and in pain in the past,  has rocked me to the core.  This is how I use to spend most of my days.  I may not have been flat on my back in pain all the time, but I NEVER felt good.  I was always feeling groggy, tired, bloated, achy in some part of my body.  The last time I had diverticulitis, it was about 5 weeks before I went to the doctor because being uncomfortable and bloated was my norm.  In the past, I was just used to feeling yucky, so I would ignore symptoms until things got dangerous.

I have come to a couple of conclusions while laying here writhing in pain.

1. I never want to go back to feeling this crappy again.
2. Even though I thought I had a super power and the fountain of youth, no one is completely invincible. 
3. If I wasn't so  aware of my body, its changes, what goes in and what comes out :) ,  I may have missed the fact that something was terribly wrong with me until I ended up in hospital or worse.
4. I am extremely grateful for my health.
5. People live like this ALL the time and don't know there is another way.


I am so thankful for the positive changes in my health over the last year and half.  I think we forget how bad off we were until we are forced back into that miserable state.   I am so thankful for Dr. Atkins being the pioneer of the Low Carb (no grain/no sugar movement), Jimmy Moore for inspiring me to trying to change through his own story, and for all the Paleo/Primal folks who are shouting from the roof tops to stop eating processed food and grain.   I probably drive people crazy with my harping on about how bad grain is sugar is for our bodies.  I know I make people cringe when they see me eating high fat foods.  However, I cringe when I see the people that I love eating the typical American diet of processed, chemical laden, sugar filled and  low fat foods.    I felt physically ill the other day when reading face book comments about how margarine is so good for you and butter is so bad. NO, NO, NO!!!!  Margarine is CHEMICALS!  Butter is REAL.  Our society has tricked us into believing that these low fat, processed foods are good for us.

I have just been rudely reminded about how bad it feels to feel sick all the time. I never want to go back there again.  I know now that I am not invincible.  I will still get sick on occasion.  However, it is on OCCASION, not the NORM.   Aren't you sick of feeling sick?  Aren't you tired of feeling tired?  Aren't you tired of being on medications for blood pressure, cholesterol, depression, fibromyalgia and migraines?   Aren't you curious about the onslaught of chronic diseases and cancers that our plaguing our nation? Do you think about all the chemicals and genetically modified products that we are feeding our children?  If I took all the chemicals that are in just one product that we feed our kids and put it on a spoon without the fancy "food" disguise, would you let me feed it to your child? 

  I am pleading with you to stop filling your body with these things.  I am pleading with you to just try to eat REAL UNPROCESSED NUTRITION. There are so many free resources on the web now to help you make an easy transition. Its not as hard as you are thinking it will be.  I challenge you to try it for 30 days.  I challenge you to try just  one month of no sugar, no grain, no processed chemical laden food. You will be amazed at what is waiting for you behind the curtain of chemicals, sugar and grain.  Push the curtain aside and take a glimpse at what "healthy" feels like.  You can feel better, you can take control. It will be so worth it. I promise.

IT IS YOUR CHOICE.......

 

OR

Okay....off my soap box...back to bed for me.  Wonder Woman will be back soon.

- Lumpy Out

Day 6 Primal Family Conversion

Yippee! My husband is SOLD OUT on eating a grain free/sugar free life!  I am so thrilled! He said today was the best he has felt in a very long time! I feel like I have a partner now in this particular journey. My girls are not as thrilled about the prospect of a long term sugar/grain free lifestyle.  My youngest child (almost 5) is doing  pretty well with all the changes, but follows her sister's lead in excitement.  My oldest child (11) seems to have a deeply addicted hold on sugar and grain.  She refused to try the No Pasta Lasagna and mostly consumed salad during dinner the last two nights.  I am not sure where to go with her.  I obviously don't want to be so super obsessive that it pushes her way completely from this lifestyle change. I do feel motivated to continue this journey with them, even if it is not 100% devotion to it.  We explained to both girls today that living this primal lifestyle will be difficult.  We conceded to the fact that they will be allowed to eat one sugary treat each day and during special occasions.  I will slowly try to ween them off that without their direct knowledge.  Today was the last day of the "official" fast.  Not sure what tomorrow will bring!

Day 6
Breakfast: Banana/Egg Crepes (4 eggs, 1 ripe banana mushed well, Cinnamon, vanilla), blueberries, bacon
Snack: apples with nut butter
Lunch: Roast Beef and Swiss Rolls, cukes and carrots with garlic hummus
Snack: oranges and trail mix
Dinner: Left over No Pasta Lasagna, tossed salad
Snack: full fat yogurt (sugar free)

Day 5 Primal Family Conversion

Sickness still lingers in my house.  Sickness is preventing a full commitment by my children to this "conversion" process.  It has been a little disheartening to say the least.  However, my husband seems to be on board for long term lifestyle change at this point.  He did ask me an interesting question today though. "Why? Why should I change and make this a long term lifestyle change? What benefits should I expect from giving up sugar and grains?"  I started to quickly respond with listing all the benefits, however I soon realized that the benefits were MY reasons why I do what I do.  The benefits I have experienced doing a Low Carb version of Primal/Paleo have been endless.  First and foremost, I am a cancer survivor, so keeping my body's environment free of  sugar is beneficial to prevent a recurrence of my cancer.  My health benefits have been significant, including: significant reduction in my blood pressure, decreased migraines, diminished symptoms of IBS, diverticulitis, significant weight loss and fibromyalgia.

 However, my reasons can not be HIS reasons.  He is a very healthy and active 50 year old, who has never had high blood pressure, weight problems. or  any significant health issues.  He has always been very active and in very good shape even while eating tons of carbs and sugar.  So why should he give these things up and will it change his health for the better?  I was actually hesitant to answer, because honestly I did not know the answer.   I scoured the Internet for some answers.  The biggest reason for him to maintain this lifestyle is PREVENTION.  Eating a lower carb, higher good fat and good protein diet can help prevent the development of high blood pressure and cancers.  There is also evidence that he won't be as "foggy brained", distracted, have less of the aches that come with ageing and less tired from sugar crashes.   He seems satisfied with these answers for now and is willing to give it a solid effort for the long haul! Yeah!  I am so happy that he is finally on board with my lifestyle changes.

Day 5 Meals:

Breakfast: Raspberry, Banana Protein smoothie with coconut milk and whole milk
Snack: Homemade trail mix (every type of seed and nut I could throw in)
Lunch: Burger with no bun, salad and orange
Snack: Orange
Dinner: No Pasta Lasagna (cabbage leaves and zucchini slices replaced the lasagna noodles, and the rest of Lasagna made in typical way) and spinach/tomatoe salad
Snack: Sweet potato fries, cukes with ranch dressing

Day 4 Primal Family Conversion

Day 4:

Well today was a little disappointing.  My youngest daughter is feeling fine, but my oldest is still down for the count with a high fever.  We took a trip to the doctor's office early this morning.  I thought our doctor was going to have a stroke when my daughter told her she was fasting.  I had to quickly explain that it wasn't a full fast, just sugar and grains, before she reamed me out!   After examining her and determining that it was just a virus, Gatorade and cereal were her prescription!  Upon hearing the prescription, my daughter promptly hugged the doctor!  So one member of our family is officially off the sugar and grain fast for the time being.  I understand the reasoning on one hand, but on the other hand feel as though putting poison crap in her body isn't going to make her virus go away! I did relent, however.  If anything was accomplished in this half week of no sugar and no processed grains, it was to realize that at least one member of my family is truly addicted to the stuff!  

Breakfast: "chocolate" nut butter and banana milk shake, peaches
Snack: No sugar all natural fruit leather
Lunch: Baked Potato, Bacon, Cheese (*we are consuming dairy in experiment), whole milk
Snack: Fruit Salad and Carrots
Dinner: Home made Chili and full fat cheddar cheese (*we are consuming dairy in experiment), tossed salad and orange juice
Snack: Peaches

As I am typing out our meals, I am realizing that it appears that there are large quantities of fruit each day.  As a disclaimer, I would like to add that I am not personally consuming this much fruit or white potatoes.  As my goal is continued weight loss and decreased sugar in general, I limit my fruit intake.  So if you are partaking in these menus for yourself for weight loss, these may not be the best examples.   These menus are specifically for my children and husband, none of whom need to lose any weight.  My main goal for this week is to decrease their dependence of processed  sugar and grains.

*Oldest daughter also consumed Large bottle of Gatorade, 2 bowls of Krave cereal and whole milk (not part of the sugar and grain fast)

Day 3 Family Primal Conversion

Today was a little easier on me then the two previous days.  Both of my children have some kind of virus and have been laid out on the couch for most of the day.  They haven't had much of an appetite, so my need to cook a lot of food was slightly diminished.   The sickness also allowed me to clean my house because home school was cancelled due to illness :).  My oldest daughter is still having some melt downs over missing her favorite sugary cereal.  I am attributing this to her illness as well! My husband actually caved and gave her a small bowl of it at bedtime.  UGH!  His argument made some sense to me however.  He feels that because she is so sick and has been craving the same thing each of these three days, her body may need something in it to push her out of the illness.  For me, being off sugar and grains for over a year and 4 months, I would not have caved so easily.  However, maybe he is on to something in this particular case.  Anyway, as of tomorrow, she is back off the sugar and the grains.   We are almost half way through the week, and I am feeling reinvigorated to feed my family REAL food.

Day 3 :

Breakfast:  "Chocolate" Nut Butter/Banana Milkshake*
Snack:  Full fat yogurt
Lunch: Left over beef stir fry, olive oil fried zucchini
Snack:  Grapes
Dinner: Roast  Chicken, Carrots, Homemade French Fries (I did not eat these due to carbs)
Snack:   Mixed Berry Yo'Nanna

Day Two Family Primal Conversion

Ugh! Yup, I said it! Here let me say it again....UGH!  I think day two has been harder on me then anyone else in the family!  Two thoughts keep going through my head over and over.  The first thought is "I really wish I didn't know how much better for them REAL food is"!  The second thought is "Was I INSANE to do a sugar and grain fast at the same time as a media and technology fast?"  Holy Smokes, WHAT was I thinking?  Okay, since most of you won't ever be as insane as I am do both things at the same time, I won't go on and on about the media fast. 

I feel like I have been on my feet for hours cooking and my kitchen is a royal mess!  Gone are the days of popping frozen chicken nuggets in the microwave or pouring a quick bowl of cereal and milk.  I am not a kitchen girl. I do not love to cook or for that matter, I don't even really enjoy cooking.  So switching my entire family to "REAL" food is a much more daunting task then I realized.   During the next week, I am going to have to figure out a way to streamline this process or I might end up in a ward at our local hospital. 

DAY 2:

Breakfast: Cantaloupe, Strawberries and a "Chocolate" Nut Butter/Banana Milkshake*
Snack: Fruit Salad
Lunch: Homemade Chicken Tenders* (with Almond Meal), cukes, carrots and strawberries, homemade Kefir drink
Dinner:  Beef stir fry and Cauliflower Rice
Snack: Strawberries and grapes

*Recipes to follow soon

Day One Family Primal Conversion

Today was the day!  My husband and children have agreed to give up sugar and grain for at least one week!  I have one week to convince them that the food still tastes good and fills them up!  I will be updating daily on our progress!

Day 1:

 Today was a little tougher then it should have been because of my lack of preparation ahead of time. I didn't make it to the grocery store until late this afternoon. My kids were complaining of hunger for most of the day without sugar and about how unfair it was that we couldn't go to a fast food restaurant while we our out. My oldest child was having a complete melt down at the end of the evening, over the temptation she was facing over a box of her favorite sugary cereal. I was able to divert disaster by making a Yo'nana desert for her without sugar. Tomorrow, I will spend a few hours baking and creating snacks that will fill the void of not having "sugar and processed" snacks.
Our meals today consisted of:
Breakfast: Apple Pancakes made with coconut & almond flour, homemade applesauce and nitrate free bacon.
Snack: pineapple chunks and blueberries
Lunch: cheese chunks (*note our family does use high fat dairy), strawberries, homemade trail mix
Snack: Healthy sweet potato fries, cukes and carrots with ranch
Dinner: Awesome Roast in slow cooker with onions, mushrooms, carrots, sweet potatoes and broccoli
Snack: Yo nanna Blueberry/Banana desert with fresh blueberries on top and 2 nut butter balls each.