Day 30 Celebration

Time to Do the Happy Dance!

We've made it 30 days!  What a journey it has been.  For many of us it is the just the beginning.  Many of us are continuing on the AIP plan.  Others are going to modify, add back foods and/or go Paleo.  What ever you do, this was a great start!  I encourage you to stay in our group for support and encouragement what ever you decide to do.

The good news. I added up the amounts of weight people reported losing so far and the total is

171 pounds! 

That's right, in 30 days together we have combined weight loss of 171lbs.  Plus, there are people who are waiting to report their weight loss after completing Day 30.  So, that total is going to increase.  I am so proud of all of you!  That is a lot of weight.  I am sure the total is much higher, but I can only count what has been reported. So if you haven't reported, please let me know!

Many of us lost weight, but more importably people are reporting having more energy, less pain and feeling better overall.  Some people have not had as good of result, but I think that it may take more time.  Don't give up, it takes some bodies longer to heal.  Remember that changing your eating habits is not something you do for 30 or 60 days, it is a total lifestyle change.  A new way of relating to food. I know there have been many people who went off the program and ate "regular" food.  The consensus of those folks seems to be it wasn't worth it.  Most of them reported feeling terrible and having immediate negative effects.  That should teach us all something!  Food can be medicine or poison.

“The food you eat can be either the safest and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison.”  ― Ann Wigmore  

I'm looking forward to moving forward with you all and continuing our weight loss and healing.  Yesterday I announced that I have started a new website called Whole Life AIP and beginning  tomorrow I will be blogging there as well as changing the name of our Facebook Group.  But it is still the same place for support, encouragement and motivation. Thank you for all your participation in this June Challenge.  Now, lets's keep the momentum going!

Congrats to everyone!  I'm so happy you are part of this group!

In the spirit of vibrant health,

Day 29 - Whole Life AIP Launching

The beginning of something new . . .

Something happened during this Challenge.  I have a better understanding of my body, learned I had a histamine intolerance issue, lost weight and the most important thing - I have found a new direction in my life.  I knew last year that I was being called to write about my illness and what it represented to me.  It started last summer when I was diagnosed with a parathyroid tumor.  That brought attention to my throat, AGAIN!  I had been dealing with Hashimoto's for nearly 30 years and living with on-again, off-again issues.  The tumor forced me to begin looking at things in a new way and when I did, things started to change.  I mean really change!  As a matter of fact it was so profound that I have written a book about it called Becoming Zia: A Tale of Transformation and Rebirth. I hope to have published soon!  But, my story continues.

After the initial transformation my life began to take on a new focus and I knew I had to heal my body, mind and spirit.  I understood that my dis-ease was bigger than just the food.  Changing the food and eating AIP has been amazing and after many months of eating well the changes have been profound and I plan to continue following AIP.  However, I realize that it is about more than just the food.  It is about creating an inflammation free lifestyle.  

So that is what I have decided to do.  I've created a new website called Whole Life AIP.  It has four areas - Food/Nutrition, Body/Mind, Spirit, and Lifestyle.  It's a place for me to share my healing journey in hopes of helping others.  It is a bigger picture of AIP, one beyond the food and takes a look a peoples entire lives and what may be missing. It's also a place for me to write, which is my passion.  Plus writing about these topics will keep me connected to my own healing process while I am learning how to live my whole life with more vitality and passion.  My new site also has affiliate links to products that I endorse and is a means for me to support my website and blog. 

There is a Quiz on the first page of the new website to help you determine what areas of your life may be causing you inflammation.  I hope you take the Quiz and let me know what you think.  I would be thrilled if you all followed me on this new adventure and were part of my new healing philosophy. Starting on July 1st I will begin blogging on the new site and I'll be adding new content weekly.  It's exciting! You can subscribe to the blog by filing at the form on this page.

Also beginning July 1st I will be changing the Facebook Group to the Whole Life AIP private group.  It will continue being a place to support everyone in any way they need it - with food and eating AIP, body connection, losing weight, recipes, learning about loving kindness, sleep, how to reduce stress, etc. I hope you continue to participate.  It's about your whole life and living it fully!

Thanks for all your support during this Whole30 Challenge and I look forward to even more! Let's get healthy together!

Check it out now! Whole Life AIP and take the Lifestyle Inflammation Quiz!

Tomorrow is Day 30 I am looking forward to all the check-ins with weight loss totals and all the symptoms that have been relieved!  Get ready to share your story!

In the spirit of vibrant health,

Day 28

Food Report and Check-In

Food

Breakfast: Cantaloupe and grilled chicken

Lunch:  Mixed greens, romaine, pear, and chicken (blended in the food processor with coconut milk, salt and pepper)  It was pretty good.

Dinner: Ham, peas, and baked potato 

Check-In

Something strange has happened today.  I realized that since I have been home I have to fight the urge to snack.  When I was in Seattle I didn't even think about having snacks.  But since I've been home it has been really hard.  Not exactly sure what to think of it.  I do know that it is always hard for me to come home.  When I am there life is full and I feel like I am going 65mph.  Then, when I come home life seems to come to a screeching halt and I am in the 20 mph zone.  My neighborhood is quiet, no kids running by or people walking babies in carriages or dogs barking.  It is such a contrast.  It's hard for me to slow down and make the adjustment.  So I've found myself being called to the TV and the refrigerator.  I have a new webpage I am trying to get launched by Sunday and have been working on that a lot, but it's so quiet and I get a little bored and head towards the kitchen.  I feel a haze or veil of depression coming over me and I am trying to fight it.

Learning to bloom where I'm planted has been my goal since I moved here.  Some days I do okay, and other days no so well. I realize that eating or using food to soothe the boredom and discontent is not the answer.  It's interesting how eating healthy and following the AIP brings up all kinds of stuff - physical and emotional.  Today I have to remember to treat  myself with loving kindness and maybe do something nurturing, and not eat food I don't need!

Day 28 is over and I'm glad!  Heading to bed early, looking forward to a new day.

Day 27

Food Report and Check-In

Food Report

Breakfast: coconut milk, peach and hie smoothie

Lunch:  organic, grass feed ground beef, onions, and zucchini

Dinner: Mixed greens, green onions, cucumber, radishes, grilled chicken breast, olive oil

Check-In

Today seemed pretty easy food wise.  I have made some similar choices, but the food tastes good and is fulfilling.  It is simple and easy.  I realized that the best way for me to cook, now that I have this histamine issue to address, is to go to the grocery store every couple of days.  That way the food is fresh and it gives me more options.  Fresh is best when it comes to eating low histamine.  So tomorrow I am going to figure out food for the next few days and shop.  I think I'm going to try a recipe that I didn't get to make in Seattle, Ginger and Garlic Beef and Broccoli. At the beginning of the challenge I was anti smoothies, but since my histamine reaction and loss of appetite for meat, I've become a fan.  Coconut milk makes such a good base and peaches are coming in season, so I am a happy girl.  I'd love to add protein powder, but not sure what to use.  I think I'm going to add that in after day 30, after some investigation. 

Tonight I went to a talk about using essential oils for healing.  It was really interesting and I learned a

lot.  There was a woman who spoke about healing her Hashimoto's disease using peppermint and lemongrass oils.  Quite intriguing.  I've been interested in oils for years and I know that they effect me and can alter my emotional state.  But what I learned tonight is that they can change things on a cellular level as well.  Time to do some research and learn more about the possibilities of using essential oils to heal inflammation.  I already use lavender for sleeping.  Every night I spray my pillows with it, and it works so well that just smelling it makes me feel sleepy.  So I know it works!

Hope all is going well with everyone.  The posting on our Facebook group has slowed down quite a bit, so I hope it's because everyone is out there having fun because you have so much energy!

Day 27 down . . . three more to go!

Day 26

Food Report and Check-In

Food Report

Breakfast:  Coconut, peach and ice smoothie

Lunch: Chicken breast cooked in coconut oil, mixed greens, carrots, radishes, green onions and cucumber.

Dinner: Grilled chicken, zucchini, tomatoes, onions, salad.

Check-In:  I'm feeling nearly back to normal today. It has been an adjustment, but it is good to be back in my own bed.  It's also good to be back in my own kitchen and getting re-acquainted with my knifes, pans and cooking supplies. It's funny how you get used to a kitchen and a rhythm so quickly. My kitchen seemed like a foreign place to me yesterday, I had gotten so used to cooking at my daughters, but it only took a couple of meals to get back in sync.  However it did get me thinking about flow.  Having a kitchen that flows well, where things you use a lot are within easy reach and conveniently placed makes meal prep so much easier.  I also thought about tools, and how there are many that make working in the kitchen more simple.  In order to make life long changes in the way you eat, creating a kitchen that supports ease of cooking and preparation is a must.  Today I decided to do an inventory and a simple study of my work flow to see if there is something I can do to make things more efficient.  There are several things I've determined already.  I realized that my measuring spoons and cups are in a bowl high on a second shelf, that is inconvenient to reach.  It's a simple thing that is easy to fix. It may seem like a small thing, but things like that add up and take extra effort and steps to get the job done.  

Today I saw some people I haven't seen since I left in May. First I went to the salon where I get my nails and hair done and as soon as I walked through the door they noticed. "Wow, you've lost weight!" It was really nice to hear and even better to know that it was showing.  I felt it, but I wasn't sure others could see it.  I then went to dinner with some friends who also noticed and told me how good I looked and how bright my face looked.  Afterwards, I went to a meeting and a few people there also noticed my weight loss.  It felt really good.  I don't know how much I have lost during this Whole30, but I know the total from when I started in January is over 50 pounds.  It is really starting to make a difference. It is happy result of following the AIP and changing my relationship with food.  I'm losing weight, feeling healthy and pain free, and thinking clearer.  It feels pretty great! It sure makes giving up all the foods much easier to do. 

Three days to day 30!  Can't wait to hear all the positive results people have to report! 

Day 24 & 25

Food Report and Check-In

Day 24:

Breakfast: coconut milk, peach, hemp smoothie

Lunch: grilled chicken and watermelon

Dinner: hamburger patty and sweet potato

Day 25:

Lunch: chicken breast, summer squash

Dinner: grass feed, organic hamburger, onions, zucchini, apple

Check-In:

The last two days seemed to have gone by so quickly.  Yesterday I was sitting with my granddaughters playing Qwirkle and today I am home looking at a pile of mail and an empty refrigerator. My plane flight was delayed yesterday and I didn't get home until nearly midnight.  Making the Whole30 a priority has been my goal and continuing to eating clean.  I missed breakfast this morning because there was nothing at all to eat.  After unpacking and getting a bit reacclimatized I headed to the health food and grocery store.  It is such a stark contract in resources between the abundant Seattle area and the high desert of California.  As much as I try to accept the reality of where I live, it is hard.  The grocery store where I shop has only a small organic section and a few organic meats choices.  But, thankfully I have that.  The closest Whole Foods or Trader Joe's is over an hour away. Tomorrow is the Farmer's Market and I will head there to see what I can find.  It's time to fill up the refrigerator with lots of fresh fruit and veggies!

I am feeling good, nearly back to normal after the histamine attack. But I am still aware that I have to make different food choices. Since I am starting with a clean slate and empty refrigerator it is going to make it far easier.  On Day 25 I feel like I am just getting warmed up and I've decided to go beyond the 30 for at least another 15 days.  It seems like I am getting a better understanding of my body and my food sensitivities. It's been an interesting 25 days! 

Hope you are all doing well and figuring out what you plan to do next.

Day 23

Food Report and Check-In

Food Report

Breakfast: Cantaloupe

Lunch: grass feed, organic beef cooked with onions served on mixed greens

Dinner: Maggiano's Chopped Salad

Check-In:  My last full day in Bellevue.  I've been here since May 23.  That's a long time.  When I first came it seemed like June 24 was so far away, now here it is upon me.  It has been a wonderful time.  I've enjoyed spending so much time with my granddaughters, getting to bond with Chris on a deeper level and connecting with Elisha in her everyday life. It's been super busy with end of school year activities and I feel so grateful to have been able to be a part of it all.  We had a fun and hectic weekend at The Great Wolf Lodge, a Girl Scout outing to a parrot sanctuary, a 9th birthday celebration, a school concert,  Young Author's Day, a women's Sounders game, a Mariners game, Bella's soccer games,  Zoe's swim meets, and an elementary school graduation.  Plus I got to meet Judi from our group in person!  I  also visited my niece and saw my nephew Karl who I haven't seen in 15 years.  Memories I will cherish.

The idea of doing a Whole30 while I was here came about on a layover at the San Jose airport on my way to Bellevue.  Elisha wanted to do a detox and was investigating programs and I was looking for something for them to do too. I really wanted them to try the AIP.  Unbeknownst to either of us we were both looking at the Whole30 plan nearly at the same time. I texted her from San Jose - my laptop open to the Whole30 page. I asked what she was doing and she texted "reading about the Whole30." Kismet! Once I arrived we hatched a plan and I decided to start the Facebook Group to give us added motivation.  I was hoping maybe 10-12 people might join is.  Boy was I surprised when nearly 40 people joined within minutes and over the next week over 200 had agreed to participate!  It was so exciting and such an affirmation of support.

Now, here it is Day 23! The time has gone by so fast. All three of us are feeling better and I know Chris and Elisha are feeling different - they even look different.  The detox is over and they have moved into the high energy phase.  There has been no sitting around, vegging out around here!  However, things have changed since I got sick. That sort of began a derailing of the plan here at the Mitchell's.  I'm not sure they will fully recuperate, but I think they got a taste of feeling good and that's all that matters. Once you start feeling better it's hard to go back to eating the old way and especially how it makes your body feel.  For me, I'm in this for the long haul.  They may be thinking I'm a little fanatical, but I have a dis-ease to put into remission!  Thankfully I am back on solid ground and ready to face the next phase of my healing and begin the process of learning about histamine intolerance (HIT). Plus I am going to kick this Whole 30's butt! Only 7 days to go.

Today is an excellent day!  I am sitting at the park watching my granddaughters play with their friends. The weather is beautiful.  School was out today and it's their first day of summer.  You can smell it in the air!  What a joy it is to be part of this passage.  There's something about the first day of summer break - filled with an overwhelming sensation of freedom and a big dose of anticipation of the fun ahead. I'm going to take the spirit of this day home with me.   

Tomorrow will be a day in the air with a huge change of climate at the final destination.  My desert life awaits. So long beautiful Washington! But, I'm ready.  Ready to get back into my own normal routine and cook in my own kitchen again.  First stop after the airport will be the grocery store.

Onward to Day 24 . . . . 

Day 22

Food Report and Check-In

Food for the day

Breakfast: peach and leftover hamburger patty

Lunch/Dinner: Chopped steak, Romain salad (not pictured) and baked sweet potato at Claim Jumper

Check-In: Last night I was up again with some stomach issues.  Today I figured out it was the red cabbage slaw that had vinegar on it - the vinegar is high histamine. And it could also be the cabbage.  I have lots to learn.  Since I was up several hours last night, I slept in this morning.  That felt good.

Today I meet my niece Jennifer for some shopping and lunch.  I was a bit nervous about eating out.  We picked Claim Jumper.  I thought I would have lots of choices. Which I did.  But, the whole experience was one of the worse I've had in a restaurant.  This was the first time in my life I didn't leave a tip and that was because our server didn't get one thing right.  I was very specific when I ordered about what I wanted and how I wanted it prepared.  Pretty simple, a chopped steak with grilled onions and dry baked sweet potato, a dinner salad with olive oil on the side - no tomatoes, onions or croutons.  I know it is a pain to have picky customers but he seemed okay with it.  He got the salad right. But, when my dinner arrived, the meat was covered with some brown sauce and was piled high with mushrooms (which I dislike immensely) and the potato is over flowing with butter. I looked at it, looked at him and said "this isn't what I ordered". He just looked at me blankly.  I told him again I wanted the chop steak with onions and a dry baked sweet potato.  He says "I can take it back to the kitchen and scrape the mushrooms off." What? I can't believe he says that and I tell him, "No, I need it the way I ordered it."  He takes my plate away and what seems like 20 minutes later he returns with a dry chopped steak, no onions, and the same butter soaked baked sweet potato. I had to send it back again! I was about ready to walk out.  It was terrible. It is hard enough to try to eat clean, but with a server that is obviously not interested in doing his job, it makes it so much harder.  I was furious.  We left him a note explaining why we didn't leave a tip.  We would have told him, but after he dropped off our bill we never saw him again. Somehow I don't think he'll get the message. 

On the drive home I thought about it and wondered if I was just being over sensitive because I've been sick. My conclusion, no.  You should get what you want and I have to make my health a priority and I can't expect someone else to take care of me.  But what I can expect is to have a restaurant give me what I ask for.  Then I realized that today I am feeling kind of angry that I have to deal with this all.  That I have a disease the requires I have to watch everything I eat.  And then I have this histamine issue, something new I have to deal with too.  I'm feeling like my nine year old granddaughter Bella when she doesn't get her way "It's not fair!" That's it.  I want to stomp my feet and cross my arms over my chest and just shout "It's not fair!"

I want to go to a restaurant and just order off the menu and eat what ever I feel like eating.  I want to eat dessert and have a nice hot cup of coffee with cream. Sadly, I know that is not possible.  I know that feeling good and getting healthy is far more important.  My I can still pout, can't I?

Thanks for listening to my rant!  It's been a long, crazy, painful, educational week.  Glad to see Monday come.  

Day 22 down  . . . eight days to go.

Day 21

Food Report and Check-In

Ahh . . .things are feeling a little more normal.

Breakfast: pear, Refresh peppermint tea 

Lunch:  chopped salad - romaine lettuce, mixed greens, kalamata olives, radishes, stir-fry chicken topped with Creamy Ginger Lime Dressing (recipe below).

Dinner: grass feed, organic beef patties cooked with chopped onions, cilantro cauliflower rice, and purple cabbage and carrot slaw

Check-in: Thankfully I am feeling nearly back to normal today and by lunch time I was back into the swing of eating my new AIP way.  Because of the histamine reaction issue I had to eliminate some more things --some fish, cured meats, most vinegars, bananas, and a few other things.  But, over all it doesn't seem to be that difficult.  I am still feeling a bit queasy so I am taking it easy.

I only have three days left in Seattle and then I am heading home to California. It is going to be hard to leave my family.  But I have people who love me waiting at home too.  It's been wonderful to have this month to be part of their lives and all the activities.  Plus starting the Whole30 Challenge and having our own support group.  Meal planning and preparation has been more enjoyable and I have been inspired to experiment with recipes.  I am going to certainly miss Chris doing all the shopping and putting all the groceries away!

That said, things started to fall apart while I was sick.  I wasn't able to hold up my end of the meal prep and meal planning.  Chris and I tried to pull it together a bit yesterday, but then it feel apart again.  I realized today that I had to focus on getting my food together and they've been on their own.  It's been a busy, running around kinda weekend for them. I also realized that on Tuesday I will be flying away and we are all on our own again.  It's been a great experience and I hope they continue staying strong.

Many people have talked about continuing on past 30 days.  I am planning on continuing on too.  It's something each person has to decide.  But I also think our Facebook Group is a great place for support and help during re-introduction and beyond.  I have something in mind and I hope to have it ready to share with you by the end of next week.

That's it for Day 21.  Hope you are all doing well this weekend.  It's been a little quiet. However, we have gained about 15 new people over the past week or so, which is awesome!  Some people are just starting their Whole30 and others have already been doing it.  It's so great to see this group growing and people getting healthy!

Congrats to all of you for making it this far!

In the spirit of community,   

Day 20 Report - Histamine Awakening

Histamines are about more than just seasonal allergies.

The last few days have been very interesting.  Having a histamine reaction to food that then set-off a strep throat virus was something I could never imagine.  I’ve never had strep throat before, but what I realized was I’ve had food related histamine reactions most of my life.  I just didn’t know what they were. Somehow I just thought histamines were something to do with seasonal allergies. However, since I have been stuck in bed trying to recover for the last several days, it’s given me plenty of time to contemplate the situation.

First, I am grateful that I’ve been following the autoimmune protocol for nearly five months, and especially grateful that I’m doing this Whole30.  Because of eating so clean I was able to experience a food reaction without any doubt. When I first went AIP I wondered how I would know if I had a reaction.  I was totally disconnected from my body. Now I hear it loud and clear and that is a thing of beauty.  Having the histamine reaction was eye opening.  Having it along with strep throat - pretty awful! But a bounty of clues that are getting me closer to vibrant health! Yes, I’m working towards vibrant health!

Secondly, understanding that the reactions I’ve had to foods throughout my life have been related to histamines is invaluable.  I never really understood how it was related to food or histamines until this happened to me.  But once I started doing some research I clearly saw a pattern.  Many of the foods on the “avoid” list are foods I’ve had issues with - either intestinal or digestive and they were usually fermented. Others, like alcohol, especially wine, makes me get flushed, immediately. It’s been embarrassing at times. I’ve also been dealing with Rosacea for years and now I think it may be related.  Recently, doing some food re-entry tests I’ve found that I am sensitive to eggs and shrimp.  Both having high histamine levels. It seems to be the common denominator. 

Finding this link is helpful to me in fine tuning my protocol so that it suits my body. Yes, it means that I have to add things to the “avoid” list, which seems to be getting pretty long!  But, I am willing to do that if it is going to help me.  I’ve done far crazier things, that were far less healthy.  Like Optifast. A shake based plan that I followed for three months, no food what so ever! Or, the Master Cleanse - lemon juice, cayenne pepper and maple syrup for 12 days-nothing else.  And there are more, but you get my point. This is different, it is about healing my body from the inside out and it starts with the food.  Finding the right foods that fit my unique body and having it functioning in harmony is my goal.  Thanks to this freak experience I am just a little bit closer. 

Thanks to all of you for your get well wishes and prayers.  It was a rough few days, but it was so good to know there was a kind, loving, supportive community out there holding me up!  You guys are awesome! So happy to be on the other side!

Are you ready for the 10 day count down?

Day 17 & Day 18

Food Report and Check-In

Not much to eat during the last 48 hours . . 

Food: coconut and peach smoothie, half of a baked sweet potato and a few bites of rice (not AIP)

Check-in: The last 48 hours has been sort of a blur of fever, pain, sleep, hot showers and going to the toilet.  I can't remember a time that I have felt so sick.  I finally decided that I had to go to the doctor because I was not getting better and I really had no idea what was going on.  Chris took me to Urgent Care and thankfully it wasn't too crowded and I was seen right away.  The doc was nice, understanding, and concerned. After talking with me and checking me out she did a few tests and it turns out I did have a histamine related food reaction, but I also have strep throat.  She said the histamine reaction probably sparked the strep virus - a "perfect storm". Most likely I was exposed to it by being around all the kids lately.  If I hadn't had the histamine reaction my body probably would have been able to fight it off. But when I did, it just set off an environment that let the strep virus flourish and it was a double whammy.  I went from feeling great to terrible in less than an hour.  Once the strep flared up then I got the fever, sore throat and all the other symptoms. 

Needless to say my AIP eating has been off.  I have no appetite, and actually no hunger.  The food reaction is still firmly intrenched in my mind and body, and honestly I am not sure what to eat.  Since my throat it so sore I can hardly swallow I made food choices based on that. The doc told me to eat while rice because it is easy to digest. And since my digestive system is still reeling from 3 days of diarrhea I thought it might be a good idea.  However, I could only eat a few spoonfuls.  

They gave me an injection of penicillin at Urgent Care and I have begun to feel it kicking in.  My throat is less sore and my fever has subsided.  The body aches are much less too.  That is part of the histamine reaction, so I am hopeful that it is settling down as well.  I know I needed to have the anti-biotic, however I know it will kill all bacteria, good and bad.  That is a set-back for my healing my gut. But there is nothing I can do about that but keep moving forward.  Right now, I'm just focused on feeling normal again.

Hoping Day 19 I can get out of bed!

Day 16

Food Report and Check-In

Oh what a day . . . .

Breakfast: bacon, zucchini, carrots, slices banana and peach

Lunch: soup made with left over chicken sausage, green onions, grated carrots and zucchini and chicken broth.

Dinner: nothing

Today started out as a very good day.  I was up and making breakfast for the family.  After breakfast I washed up some lettuce and spun it in the salad spinner.  It filled a gallon size zip lock bag.  I made some garlic-ginger salad dressing made with coconut milk and olive oil.  Then, I made some bacon coco-roos with smoky salt.  They turned out really good.  I was feeling pretty productive.

The rest of the morning I worked on my new website and at around 1:30 I decided to get some lunch. My throat was a little sore from yelling so much at the baseball game on Saturday, so I decided to make some soup. I used the left over chicken sausage, some broth, and veggies.  While it was cooking I tested my first brew of kombucha and realized it was ready.  I was very excited. I poured it into single serving bottles and put it in the fridge. I tasted it and it was good. It was really bubbly, so I new it had fermented really well.  I was pleased that it had turned out so good.  I served up my soup and took a bottle of kombucha to drink with my lunch. 

After lunch I went back to work on the computer.  Within just a few minutes I started feeling very tired.  I decided to lay down on my bed for a short rest.  I could feel my face getting hot and it felt like it was burning.  I got up and went into the bathroom and looked in the mirror and my face was bright red, really bright red!  I began to feel worse and worse.  My throat began to hurt more and felt like it was closing up, my body started to ache - my legs and arms especially.  I knew immediately I was having a reaction to something I ate or drank.  Could it be the kombucha?  I grabbed my laptop and started searching "kombucha red face" and found several hits.  After a few minutes of investigating I realized

that I was having a histamine reaction.  When I looked at the list of food that cause it I realized that I had several today and then the kombucha, which must have been way stronger then the kind I normally drink from the store. My face felt like it was burning and my throat hurt so bad.  It had come on in a matter of minutes and I couldn't really believe it was happening.  And it only got worse. I got a fever (102.6), I felt like I was burning up, yet I was very cold, even shivering. I took a hot shower and got into bed and tried to get warm.  Then the diarrhea started.  Then a pounding headache.  Then aching in my legs, arms and lower back.  I was freaking out.  How could this be happening to me! I have a bad reaction to anti-histamines so I know I couldn't take those. I wasn't sure what to do.

When Elisha came home from work she suggested we go to Urgent Care.  I didn't want to do that.  I can't take anti-histamines, and I didn't want to take antibiotics. We tried Tylenol and it seemed to help a little.  The redness in my face started to subside, but the fever stayed.  Along with the stomach churning, diarrhea and my entire body ached from head to toe.  It was just crazy.  I tried to go to sleep and woke up off and on to go to the bathroom and at 2 am I took another hot shower to try and get warm.  I had a room heater in by bedroom, an extra blanket and I was still freezing. It was a long night.

This morning I woke up feeling pretty awful, still feverish and freezing.  After another hot shower, more Tylenol and a coconut milk/peach smoothly that Elisha made me, I started to feel a bit better.  I went back to sleep and slept to early afternoon.  I'm up, showered (again) and dressed now and writing this post.  I am beginning to feel better, but definitely not back to normal.  My throat is still sore, my body still aches, but the fever is gone.  My digestion is still wonky.  That was the most bizarre thing I have ever experienced. 

Now I have to look into the whole histamine issue.  From what I have read so far I think that it has been a life long issue.  I've had reactions to some foods - especially fermented foods my entire life.  I just thought everyone did.  Now I know differently.  I also have to re-think the kombucha, which makes me really sad.  All this time I have been thinking it's been helping me, and maybe not.  I'll have to investigate further.

The one blessing from this horrible experience is the awareness.  There was no way I could ignore my body. It was sending me a very loud message.  That is something that could only be made possible from doing this elimination program.  Eating clean and then having a reaction is teaching me about my body in ways I never experienced before.  I know it sounds strange, but I am glad this happened.  It will help me fine tune my healing.  I've been suffering with an autoimmune disease for nearly 30 years and I'm not going to ignore it any longer.  This is recovery.  

On into day 17 . . . 

Day 15 - Halfway There!!

Food Report and Check-In

Great food day!!

Breakfast:  Yummy chicken sausage with sweet potato and banana patties.

Lunch: AIP Friendly Rainbow Wraps and jicama "fries". (See recipe below)

Dinner: Outback Steak House - prime rib, baked sweet potato and salad.

Check-In:  Today was my birthday.  It is the first time that I have spent it with my granddaughters so it was a pretty wonderful day.  It was also Father's Day so we were having a combo celebration.  I am feeling pretty great and it seems like everyone else is too.  No complaining or crankiness.  Everyone is getting up and moving around early, which is not the normal state around here on the weekends. I can see the changes in Elisha and Chris, I wonder if they can see it too.  It is amazing what healthy eating can do and how the changes start happening so quickly.  We are just 15 days in and I know they are both feeling so much better.  Me too.  My energy level and stamina have improved.

Speaking of that.  Yesterday we went to a Mariners baseball game in Seattle.  The game started at 7:10pm and I had been going since early morning.  I'd taken my oldest granddaughter out shopping for a elementary school graduation dress, shoe shopping and out to lunch.  Then after lunch we went shopping with Elisha and then home for dinner.  After dinner we headed to Seattle.  We parked a couple of blocks from the stadium on the third floor of a parking garage, and our seats were on the third floor.  We walked, climbed steps, and then had to do it in reverse on the way back to the car.  Not once during the entire day did my knees bother me, I had no aches or pains or back problems. I was never out of breath.  I had energy through out the day and night -we didn't get home to nearly midnight. Eighteen months ago I could hardly walk because of arthritis in my knees, every step was painful.  I felt tired, sick and weak most of the time.  I was living with achey bones and constant pain because of my undiagnosed parathyroid tumor.  It's hard to believe that is all gone.  Most of it happening since starting AIP in January.  Last night was such a great remember of why I am following this program.

 Congratulations to everyone who is doing this Challenge.  No matter what day you are on give yourself a pat on the back for choosing your health!  I'm so proud of you!

Day 14

Food Report and Check-In

Food Report

Breakfast:  Avocado wrapped bacon and fresh fruit sprinkled with coconut flakes.

Lunch: NOT AIP - I ate sushi at lunch - California roll, salmon roll and some tuna.  

Dinner: I nearly forgot to take a picture, I was hungry.  So the dinner pic is of a half eaten plate.  But it was a delicious dinner.  Mahi-mahi, spinach cooked in coconut milk, roasted cauliflower and sliced cantaloupe. 

Check-In:  It's past midnight as I am writing this.  We just got home from a Mariners baseball game.  We had a great time.  I am so tired, but I made a promise to myself that I would post my food everyday.  So here it is.  I have much more to say, but it will have to wait until tomorrow.  Well, actually it's already tomorrow.  But you know what I mean.

Onward to Day 15! 

Day 13

Food Report and Check-In

Lots of good food today!

Breakfast: Sliced ham, sausage ball, sliced plum and peppermint tea.

Lunch: Salmon grilled with dill and coconut oil, greens, zucchini noodles, lemon juice and olive oil drizzle. Kombucha to drink.

Dinner: Crock pot ham hocks with all kinds of veggies --carrots, celery, onion, cabbage, and parsnips. We served it with a fruit plate and lemon coco-roos. (A new recipe I developed that I will share with you soon.) The ham-hocks and veggies cooked all day and it turned into stew.  The flavor was so good!  We had enough to package up leftovers for two lunches next week. (BTW - the Dinner picture isn't my plate - it was a pic of the table.)

Check-In: Chris and I did meal planning today for the next few days.  We are getting pretty good at this.  We sit down at the table with cookbooks, a laptop, and a notebook.  We start planning, first we check the refrigerator and freezer to see what we have, then we begin looking things up on the internet, checking the Pinterest Board, and brainstorming ideas.  Chris starts a shopping list and within a few minutes we have breakfast, lunch and dinner planned out for at least 4-5 days.  At the same time we put the meals into Cozi.com.  It's a free online calendar and planning system.  If you haven't checked it out, you should.  It has a section for meals and recipes. It even has a shopping list feature. We fill in three meals each day and it posts in the calendar.  Everyone in the family is connected to it, so all they have to do is check the calendar to see the meals and who's responsible for cooking.  I'm still trying to figure out all the ways to use it, but so far I am impressed and will definitely use it when I go home.  We found some new recipes to use for the week and even came up with a few of our own that we're going to experiment with.  Today my granddaughter and I made the Lemon Coco-roos - she loves coconut and I thought it would be good to teach her how to make a healthy snack. Chris thought I should try making basil-avocado aioli for topping fish, so I'll try that out this weekend. He's making a meatball and faux-noodle dish. After we fine tune some of our ideas I'll share them with you. The best part of meal planning is that Chris does all the grocery shopping.  He is really good at it!  Plus he came home and put it all alway, too. How can I get this service at home . . .? 

It's been a long, busy week, everyone's feeling tired tonight. Although tired, spirits seem good and all the grumpiness is over.  We are having conversations about gut health, digestion, micro-nutriants and way to many conversations about poop. But, it's awareness.  That's part of the Whole30, learning to pay attention to your body and what it's doing.  Since we are eating so healthy and so clean it is far easier to be aware of how our systems are working.  It pretty awesome really!

How are you connecting with your body?  Have you noticed anything new?

Day 12

Food Report and Check-In

Pork Day

Breakfast: Sweet Potato Banana Pancakes with avocado/ham wraps.

Lunch: Shopping at Whole Foods so I decided to eat lunch there.  Carrots, cauliflower, kale with sliced Applegate ham and kombucha.

Dinner: Grilled pork-chop, apple sauce and Ginger Garlic Parsnip Noodles. The noodles turned out really good and tasted delicious.  It really seemed like noodles.  I will definitely make this one again.

Check-In: Pretty uneventful day today.  Everyone seems to be feeling good, no complaints.  Elisha was having a little foggy brain issue this afternoon - but I think that was from not getting enough sleep last night.  Chris is feeling good and is overcoming his crankiness.  His energy is increasing and so is his creativity.  I'm feeling good and am also experiencing a flood of creativity myself. I'm excited about the new project I'm working on, but I can't tell you about it yet, but soon!  All I can say is it will continue where the Whole30 ends.

We are into a groove here and I realized today that we've eaten out as a family only once in 12 days! That is pretty amazing.  I've eaten out a few times on my own, but certainly not as many times as I usually do.  I think the meal planning we are doing is really making the difference.  Shopping, cooking and planning ahead so that meal preparation is more simple and having breakfast and lunch food easily available is the key to success.  It seemed like hard work at the beginning but we are getting better at it every day.  Planning makes all the difference!

So long Day 12!  Day 13 here we come!

Day 11

Food Report and Check-In

Food Report

Breakfast: Bacon Braised Brussel Sprouts and a fresh peach

Lunch: Mixed greens with sliced ham, avocado, radishes, green olives with olive oil and cranberry vinegar, carrots and kombucha.

Dinner: AIP Meatloaf (leave out the fennel seeds and mustard), brussels sprouts and mashed sweet potato.

Check-In:  Seems we are all feeling pretty good today.  We're in a groove and things are running smoothly. Much better than yesterday. It was a busy day and I am just getting to writing this post and it's nearly 11pm.  Happy to report my energy level is good.

Below is the information from the Whole30 timeline about what to expect in the days ahead.  As we start Day 12 tomorrow be prepared for boost of energy and the possibility of cravings!  But also pay attention to the second paragraph and get out your journal and write if you are having cravings. See what comes up.

Keep up the good work!  On to day 12 . . . 

Days 12-15: Boundless energy! Now give me a damn Twinkie.

Hurray! The slump is over! Your pants fit again! Your energy levels are better than normal – you’re downright Tigger the bouncing tiger! But something weird is happening. You’re dreaming. Not crazy nightmare or strange surrealist dreams, either. Incredibly normal and realistic dreams – about donuts. Or Twinkies. Or Snickers.* In your mind, sometimes you get caught and feel guilty. Sometimes you just brazenly eat the contraband. But then, the feelings start following you into the waking hours. Suddenly, you’re craving things you don’t even like. (For me, it’s Diet Coke and Twinkies, for Melissa Hartwig, it was fast-food cheeseburgers!) Your co-workers’ heads transform into giant Girl Scout Cookies as you gaze on in disbelief. Seriously, you’ve almost hit the halfway mark, and now this?!

All joking aside, though, this phase gets really intense and for some people. This is the part of the program where our minds try to drive us back to the comfort of the foods we used to know. Our food relationships are deeply rooted and strongly reinforced throughout the course of our lives and breaking through them is really big deal. Journaling can be especially enlightening and helpful during this phase, and helpful for reflection later. Take some time to jot down what you’re craving, how you’re feeling and what tools you’re using to work through the cravings.

*The cravings people get, and the dreams they often have, rival those of pregnancy. One person told me they craved pickles and Doritos (together) during this phase!

- See more at: http://whole30.com/2013/08/revised-timeline/#sthash.kQdJGGG5.dpuf

Kombucha Recipes

What I learned at the Fermenting Class

Last Thursday I attended a Fermenting Class held at the PCC Market in Isssaquah, Wa.  PCC is a lot like Whole Foods, plus they have a great kitchen/demonstration classroom.  The teacher was from Denmark and really knew her stuff.  She’s been making all kinds of fermented foods for as long as she can remember.  She started the class off by giving us the basics of fermenting, which was very interesting.  But, I was anxious to learn about making kombucha! 

If you don't know about kombucha it is a fermented tea that is rich in amino-acids, probiotics, antioxidants, trace minerals, B vitamins and more.  It has a bubbly, natural effervescence   It's roots are in ancient China, the recipe traveled to Ruissa and finally made it to the US in the 70's. Today is has become very popular because of it's gut healing properties. I've been drinking it daily for a few months and I know it has helped with my digestion and elimination.  Much better than taking probiotic pills.

Now, back to the class. She finally started the actual demonstration. There was a  tray with several bottles of kombucha onto the counter.  She started pouring it into glasses and two assistants started passing it out. Each of us got a good size glass. It was sharp, bitter, yet sweet.  It tasted better than the store bought.  Her experience showed.  She began to explain the process and explained it to us step-by-step.

Here are recipes.  To make kombucha you have to use sugar and black tea.  The sugar gets used up in the fermenting process and the caffeine in the tea is minimal. She warned us to always use glass containers and wooden utensils.  No metal!

Kombucha Tea 

1/4 cup organic sugar
3 cups hot water
2 black tea bags
1/2 cup kombucha from another batch
1 Mother Culture/Scoby 

Add sugar, hot water and back tea bags in a glass jar.  Let it stream, covered, until it reaches room temperature. Remove tea bags and add 1/2 cup kombucha from previous batch. Add the Mother Culture/Scoby and cover with a coffee filter or cloth and secure with a rubber band. 

Let sit for from 7-30 days, depending on how sour you want your tea.  Normally it is best after 2-2 1/2 weeks. A good temperature is 70 degrees. Haze or while spots may form and they are okay, but green, black or orange colors  forming on the Scoby are not. The Mother will become brown from the fermentation process.  Every time you make a new batch of kombucha it creates a new Mother Culture/Scoby, which you can give away or use to make two new brewings in separate jars.

If you don’t have a Mother Culture/Scoby here is how to make one. 

Making you own Mother Culture/Scoby 

1/4 c organic sugar
2 cups of hot water
2 black tea bags
1 16 oz bottle store bought kombucha 

Add sugar, hot water and black tea to a glass jar.  Let it steam until it reaches room temperature. Keep covered.  Remove tea bags and mix in store-bought kombucha.  Let it sit at room temperature covered with a coffee filter or cloth, secured with a rubber band until it forms a Mother. (The mother is a thick coating that will form on the top of the tea.) Remove the scoby and save the liquid to use in making kombucha.  It may take 7 - 30 days to form. 

After she went through the process of making kombucha from a scoby, she told us she had another way to make it that was easier and quicker.  Of course we were all interested in that! Once she explained the process a couple of times it finally sunk in and we could see the beauty of this method.  Here is what she told us.

Quick Kombucha 

1 16 oz bottle of store-bought kombucha (1/2 cup in each bottle)
1 32 oz bottle of organic juice - no sugar added (1 cup in each bottle)
4 qt-size jars with lids 

Divide the bottle of store-bought kombucha into four glass jars.  Divide the juice equally into each jar.  Fill the rest of the jars with water.  Put on lid and set on the counter for 2-7 days or until it is done.  Test it for taste and fermentation.  It’s done when it has some bubbliness and it tastes good to you. You can then use some of this batch to create the next batch.  You will never have to buy kombacha again or use a Mother Culture/Scoby.

I made the Quick Kombocha the next day and I have the jars sitting on the counter.  I am anxious to see how they turn out in a few days.

It was a good class and I learned a lot.  I feel totally comfortable trying to make it now without any concern about the process.  Even making the Mother.  The cost savings is high.  Store bought kombucha cots about $3 a bottle. Making it yourself is practically nothing.  Just the cost of tea bags and sugar. Quite a savings, especially if you are drinking it everyday.

There are lots of great websites where you can learn more.  Here are a few:

I Quit Sugar

The Kitchen

Whole Life Eater

Or, you could check out the following books:

Wild Fermentation: The Flavor, Nutrition, and Craft of Live-Culture Foods by Sandra Ellix Katz.

Fermented: A Four-Season Approach to Paleo Probiotic Foods by Jill Ciciarelli