Whole30 Challenge

Due to the health issues I've been dealing with, I've been given two options for treatment. Surgery, which I've been told by my doctor, probably won't help beyond providing a definite diagnosis, and hormone therapy, which scares the crap out of me. I contemplated both of these options for a few days, did my research, and decided I couldn't go through with either. I firmly believe there is a more holistic way to heal my body.

I began talking with a friend of mine who is a chiropractor and also studies alternative medicine. He suggested an eating plan called the Paleo Diet, which kicks off with a Whole30 Challenge. He has been following this eating plan for over a year and swears he has never felt better. The plan focuses on the way man used to eat before modern, processed food entered the picture. The first 30 days focuses on just lean meat, eggs, vegetables, fruit, nuts, nut butters, olive oil, and vinegar. You can also use herbs and spices to flavor your food. You can drink water, black coffee, or herbal teas. Absolutely no dairy, grains, legumes, alcohol, or other oils are permitted. After the initial 30 days, some small indulgences can be consumed, including butter, dark chocolate, red wine, and wild rice. The idea is to eat whole foods as much as possible to decrease the amount of inflammation in your body. Also, we consume far more carbs than we need, so this eating plan gets back to the "original carbs" created by nature.

I originally tried to eat a mostly "animal free" diet around this time last year. It helped initially, but what I noticed was that I quickly replaced usual protein sources with artificial sources like protein shakes and bars. I also started eating wayyyyy more carbs than I used to in the form of crackers, breads, and pastas. The result? I've put back on the 6 lbs I lost and added a few more. I feel bloated, and gross, and my pain has returned.

So this new plan is going to be my plan for life. I think it sounds very wholesome, it makes sense for my body and my specific issues, and it doesn't sound like something I can't do with a little preparation. Also, I realize that there will be some times where I just want a cupcake. And I will probably have one. And life will go on.

I started today at Day #1, and besides an annoying withdrawal headache, I felt pretty good. I wasn't hungry like I thought I would be, but I also got to eat A LOT. Here are my meals from today:

Breakfast:
- 2 eggs, scrambled
- Fresh peach
- Cup of herbal tea

Morning Snack:
- Almonds

Lunch:
- Salad with romaine lettuce, shrimp, tomatoes, mushrooms, snap peas, and red wine/olive oil vinaigrette
- Celery sticks w/ almond butter (a little strange compared to peanut butter, but I like it)

Afternoon Snack:
- Banana

Dinner:
- Grilled kabobs with Angus Beef Tips, Peppers, Onions, Mushrooms, Squash, and Zucchini
- Strawberries


Steve is planning to follow this plan pretty closely as well. I love that I have his support. And I just found out that my friends want to do another Biggest Loser Challenge. I have a feeling this diet is going to really help me out. ;)

Humbled

This will be post #1 for the day, because I feel like I have two pretty exciting things to talk about. First, I've been incredibly humbled this week. I was in extreme pain on Sunday night and Monday, and then again on Wednesday. I ended up going to my gynecologist Wednesday, which provided no answers and left me more frustrated, and then I went to the ER that night because the pelvic pain was so severe. No one ever gave me a straight answer of what was wrong. Could be a ruptured cyst. Could be endometriosis like always, but worse. Or it could be fibroids, which I have. I went for an ultrasound today which led to more confusion with my doctor and less answered questions. Through the midst of this I've been wondering, "God, what am I supposed to do? How do I handle this pain and how do I keep dealing with it?" Turns out, I was asking the wrong question.

Tonight at church, Pastor Spells spoke about how we react to situations and the fact that other people are watching us. We may not understand our trials, but we have to realize that others see us going through them and they doubt God if we doubt Him. I can't sit here wallowing in my own self-pity. There is a purpose to this pain or ailment or whatever is wrong. I may not understand, and I don't have to like it, but if I trust in God, eventually I will see good come out of it. I applied the same principle to my self-doubt and jealousy issues lately. Is that really how I view myself? Is it how God views me? No and no. So when those nagging, annoying thoughts creep into my head, I need to tell them to GET OUT! I've been living in FEAR that this pain, or these thoughts, will never go away or be controlled. That fear is not of God.

For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of POWER, and of LOVE, and of a SOUND MIND.
~ 2 Timothy 1:7

This scripture is what I need to remember in these moments of doubt, because I have no reason to fear.

Stuck in a Moment

I'm not really sure what's wrong with me lately. I feel like I've been in a permanent bad mood for weeks now. I've tried to hide it, hold it in, not make a big deal of it. It finally came to a head very embarrassingly at lunch today with a few of my closest friends. Thank goodness it was with them because they are probably some of the most understanding people I know.

Part of my foul mood is due to teaching summer school and taking a second grad class. I'm tired and overwhelmed and I really just need a break. I know that people who are not teachers work all year long, so I really shouldn't complain about not having a summer. The problem is, as teachers, our work follows us home all throughout the school year. It's draining and exhausting. Summer is our only time to try to attempt to recharge our batteries before going through it all over again in the fall with a new group of kids. I'm worried that I'm going to be starting this year feeling exhausted and worn down. Not good when you need energy and enthusiasm to try and motivate a group of 4th graders.

I think the other part of my funk has to do with jealousy. And I can't even begin to say (or write) the reasons that I'm jealous. They sound really stupid when I try to put them into words. I'll just say that there are some things I know I need to get over. I'm too old to be worrying about such dumb crap.

On a lighter note, Steve asked me what I was doing. I told him I was writing. He asked, "Are you blogging? What are you blogging about? Menstrual cycles? The Steelers? Your feelings?"

I couldn't stop laughing.