Amazing transformation... month 5

Well, the hype was true, at least for me.  The right food heals the body.  I feel good. Great, really. Full of energy, and mostly pain free.  I say mostly, because every now and then I get a small twinge, or I wake up with a slight stiffness in my hands.

I'm off of all the antibiotics and supplements except for multi vitamins.  I eat mostly organic plants, beans, some cheese, and a few other things I have tested out. Corn seems to be okay .  Brown rice is okay. Wheat is a no-no. Almost instant arm pain today, after I introduced it. I can have a milk derivative in my coffee, but not cream.   Sugar doesn't hurt me, but makes me exhausted if I eat too much. So I stay away.

So here I am. Living breathing example of the fact that you are what you eat. And that sugar really is poison.

I hope this journey has helped you in yours! Happy eating!

Christina

Day 50 can you believe it!

I just wanted to update everyone on my progress! I live day to day now, with no pain. No fear of cancelling plans.  No back braces.  No pain meds. I feel better than I have in 2 years. Maybe more.  I'm not sleepy. Plenty of energy every day. I'm exercising!! I even started a new business venture!

I've added a couple things into my diet with no problems. I can eat parmesean cheese and blue cheese.  I can't eat cheddar! :( makes my stomach do flips...  I also developed this strange banana allergy! No raw bananas for me. They give me 4 hours of stomach cramps!! After some research, I found out that it is common with this type of diet. The stomach enzymes don't have the power that they used to. At least for now.

I also found that going out to eat is possible, but can be dangerous too!! I went to a restaurant and ordered turkey salad. No bread, I just ate it on pieces of lettuce.  Within a couple hours, and all through the next day, I had fibro pain in my hips!  The dressing they used must have had some sugar maybe, or the turkey was processed with chemicals. I'll never know!  But I only eat salad when I go out now. I bring my homemade dressing, and a bag of seeds for protein.

I'm taking the third round of biofilm strippers now. Then next is the third round of antibiotics. after that I take a bunch more supplements.  The Dr even added some new ones to the list! I'll blog those when I get closer to taking them.

As far as homemade meals go, I discovered a wonderful sauce, made from the bark of a coconut tree, that tastes like soy sauce!! So I whipped up some ground turkey meatballs and made an "orange chicken" sauce with orange zest, rice wine, ginger, garlic, and the  sauce called liquid aminos. Amazing! I wanted to take a picture of them,  but I couldn't wait to eat them up!!

DAY 29 (2nd round of antibiotics)

GREAT NEWS!!!!  With Fibro, as I explained in an earlier blog, many times, after a stressful situation, we get fibro flare ups.  This is when the regular pains that we struggle to deal with become horrible, day crushingly excruciating.  I told my husband, it's like after playing a full contact football game (American :)), while having the flu.  But without the fun part of scoring.  These can last anywhere from a day, to months!!

So, this week, I had a very stressful experience.  The kind that I sobbed about for an hour. (Everything worked out, by the way)  It was 2 days of the stress where you have to call your closest girls and talk about it for 2 hours. So, I was really expecting that aching, pulsing, stiff pain when I woke up in the morning. Okay... none in the morning.  Well, it will hit me in the evening, then.  When the sun sets and it gets colder.  Nope.  It will DEFINITELY hit me tomorrow morning then. Nothing!!!  I couldn't believe it!!

So I'm happy to say that this crazy diet is WORKING.  There's no question in my mind now.  I tell it to as many people that I can now.  That there really is something to the whole "Health food craze".  It makes you HEALTHY!!!  Who knew!!!

BREAKFAST  I have been having random things lately.  Muffins, smoothies with coconut milk, or applesauce with homemade granola.

LUNCH  I decided to add to my list of foods.  The 1st list I was given said NO lentils, but the second source the Dr. gave me said YES to lentils.  This organic soup has only yummy veggies that I'm allowed plus lentils.  It is 6 hours later, and so far, so good.  No ill side effets. Tomorrow will be the telltale day to see if lentils stay on the list or have to go!!

DINNER  Salad with homemade dressing.  Ive made 2 jars now that are my favorites.  Instead of mixing 1 or 2 servings at a time, I'm now using an old glass pickle jar!!

Dressing 1:
1:1 Avocado oil to Pinot Gris vinegar
salt
organic spices blend from Costco.
1 Tbsp. minced garlic.

Dressing 2:
1:1  EVOO to Aged Balsamic vinegar
salt
italian seasonings
1 Tbsp. minced garlic

Almost all the dressings out there have Soy, Sugar, and preservatives!! NOT Mine!!
                                                                                                                                                                     

DAY 24 (Antibiotic 4)

GOOOOD MORNING!!  Well!  Yes, I am well!!  I have been convinced, after 24 days of  healthy eating choices, that yes, what I put IN my body has a HUGE effect on my fibromyalgia.  I'm not convinced that I will never have bouts of pain.  I'm still hoping that eradicating this bacteria will do the trick.  I have decided not to blog every day about it, though, unless Iv'e had a major change in health or pain, or if I come up with some new and exciting meal idea the I just have to share.  I'll also update when I have to switch medications, to document how they are affecting me.

As of now, I have to take another 5 day round of the same antibiotic, as insurance won't allow the other one.  So I'll be back then!!

Until then, I have left you with this wonderful glass of sparkling lemonade.  You can probably guess the 3 simple ingredients by the picture alone!  It was a very refreshing treat!!

DAY 23 (antibiotic 3)

Okay!! I think I'm back!!  I didn't have much of the nausea today, and I had more energy than the last few days.  Thank goodness for medications!  I hope this means that the antibiotic is really doing a number on the bad bacteria.  I was tired in the morning, but later I got a nice energy boost!

I had enough energy to complete 1 11 x 14 painting in acrylic, and start a new one in oils.  I think if you have a disease that keeps you housebound, it is important to do something you enjoy!!  I'm on several Facebook Fibro sites, and we often share our passions.  Even though we may not be able to do them as much as we like, just doing it a little gives a great sense of accomplishment and pleasure!

BREAKFAST  I made some more of that crunchy granola last night. This time I added more honey, and vanilla.  I poured some crumbles over a serving of applesauce.  Yummy.

LUNCH  none. ;(  I wasn't really hungry)

DINNER  (I was starving... lol)  My husband decided that we had to get out of the house.  I scowered the internet for a local restaurant that would have entrees that I could eat.  The Outback actually had a few choices, so we ended up there. (Plus, we had a gift card... Score!)  I had grilled halibut with a huge serving of steamed veggies and a side salad.  I brought my own dressing, and meticulously picked out the cheese and croutons.  The bread though... it kept talking to me as if to say.. "just one biiiite....." My nemesis, that bread.

I had enough leftover for tomorrow's lunch even!

DAY 22 (antibiotic 2)

Gotta Love managed health care!!  My insurance company denied the antibiotic I needed.  They said that I should have tried 3 rounds of immodium first.  Immodium.  Like Pepto Bismol.  Becasue that is going to cure me. NOT.  How frustrating!!  So, I called the pharmacy to see what it would cost if I just paid out of pocket.... $1050!!! for 28 pills!!  OKay, that option is out.  So now I just have to increase my time table a little longer, and repeat the 5 days of the current antibiotics.  Too bad.  These leave a really weird taste in my mouth...  Oh well, all for the greater good of my health, right?

I called the Dr's office today.  I just wanted to make sure that what the internet said was true.  That I was supposed to feel sick to my stomach.  That food makes me nauseous.  That I don't want to move from bed.  And, yep!! She confirmed that it gets worse!! Whee!!  But, then it gets 100 times better. That's what she said.  So I'm holding on to that little thread for now.

I didn't change much in my diet today, so here's a picture of my tall kid's artwork that was published in the school newspaper.  It's actually an accurate representation of how I feel.  Damaged.  Tired with the dark circles around my eyes.  Painfully sore.  But I put on that smile to keep my sanity, and to let the others around me know, that I'm not giving up this fight!!  God willing, I'll beat this to be able to help others through it.

DAYS 20 & 21 (biofilm 4 and Antibiotic 1)

KICKING MY BUTT.  Oh man, I was not prepared for the bad guy bacteria to be released yesterday. Something must have worked on biofilm day 3, because everything I ate on day 4 made me sick. Nauseous.  Stomach cramps.  Lethargic.  Headache.  Cranky.  Dead. Dog. Tired.  My whole midsection hurt.  I even skipped lunch, because I felt so yucky. :(

It was Valentine's day, so I had to run to the store for some gifts for the kids.  2 errands wiped me out. But I still had to make something for me to eat, so my kids helped me make these great cranberry orange muffins.  The kids were happy to dine on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches!!

Today, I started the first of the antibiotics.  My little pill container can no longer hold all the supplements and pills I have to take!!  It's all for the cure though.  I have to keep fighting this fight so I can get better.

BREAKFAST  Smoothie yesterday, and a yummy cran/orange muffin today.  It was made with almond and coconut flour.  I think I like the blueberry muffin recipe a little better.  But I like the orange flavor of this.

LUNCH  Yesterday, I had a nap for lunch.  Today, I had some of the bean/veggie soup.  I think that is the last serving of that!

DINNER  Yesterday, I had a muffin.  Today, I think I'll make thos yummy chicken nuggets for the whole family!

DAY 19 (Biofilm 3)

My kids are great.  They know how much I love candy.  So as we're walking down the Valentine's Day aisle, trying to find gifts for kid #2's class, tall kid #1 proceeds to shield my view from all of the chocolate hearts and sweet nothings that call my name.  No problem though.  I'm not really craving the sweets anymore. What I am craving, though is some variety.  We'll get to that in a minute.

I'm excited to announce that all that hype of me feeling terrible, was just that! I'm still feeling great.(So Far).  I only have 1 more day of this round of the biofilm.  Then on to the antibiotics.  The Dr's office called me today, informing me hat my insurance denied coverage of one of the antibiotics. They actually had to have PROOF that I have this bacteria.  As if someone would be taking all these expensive drugs if they DIDN'T!! Hopefully, that will be handled quickly, and I can go on with the program with little or no interruptions.

BREAKFAST  Cashew butter with sliced banana and sprinkled with coconut.

LUNCH   A salad.  But wait!! Theres more!  I took my tall kid to the mall while we waited for kid #2 to finish basketball practice.  She was hungry, so I grabbed her a burger, and a drink from Orange Julius. You know, that place where they make those tangy smoothies and add some kind of magical powdery goodness into them.   Well, turns out, they have a health conscious version of it.  With almond milk, fruit, and ice only!!  Game On!! One sip... DENIED!!! I could taste that sugar a mile away!! The almond milk  must have had some sort of sweetener in it. 

Although my mouth said YEEEESSSSS!!  My mind said, "you've worked too hard to go out like this".  My heart said "Yea!! Lets go back to the valentine's aisle and blow it there!!!"  So, one more sip (just one, come on, just one won't hurt you...) and I gave it up to tall kid.  Lucky her.  But. now she knows that she can tolerate almond milk smoothies. So, Win!!

DINNER  MEAT.  I had to have some meat.  In junk food form. What's junkier than chicken nuggets!!  I took a breast, cut it into little cubes, tossed in italian seasonings and garlic salt, and then tossed in coconut flour.  I heated a skillet with coconut oil, and fried away!!  And I told you that the avocado dressing would be back.  Don't tell anyone, but the nuggets may actually be the best nuggets I've ever had!!  My kids were mad that they didn't get any.  They already had dinner.  Go away.  Let Mommy have her junk food in peace!

DAY 17 & 18 (Meds BIOFILM 1 &2)

NOTHING NEW TO REPORT!!!!!  I'm so thankful of that fact!! So far, I haven't have any adverse reactions to the biofilm strippers I'm taking!!  Woo Hoo!!!  Yesterday, I didn't eat anything that I haven't already posted, so, I skipped a day.  Did ya miss me?? lol...

I can't believe how good I feel!!  It's almost miraculous in a way.  I hope that others are reading what I'm going through, and are considering dietary changes. I too, was a food junkie, like many of you.  I am now a bona-fide health food freak.  And so far, it really hasn't been all that hard.  Sure, I could eat a cake, if it were in front of me right now, but I think that as long as I don't have it easily available, I'll be okay.  Oh, and by the way, I've lost 3 pounds too.  Side benefit!! 

BREAKFAST  I found a really yummy combo that I really enjoy. Frozen cherries, 1/2 banana, cranberries, 1tsp chia, 1 stevia, and the coconut milk.  I had it at church this morning.  It was a great conversation starter for sure!! And pills. 4 different pills.

LUNCH  I had the yummy salad in the pic.  I'm finding that I may just be able to eat a salad just with cilantro leaves.  I really like them.  That green squishy stuff is an avocado dressing I whipped up.  DELISH!!!

1 ripe avocado, juice of 1 lime, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt, pepper.  Thats it! I used my hand blender, and blended until super creamy.  I could eat that all day.  Dip carrots and celery in it maybe?  It would go great with a hunk of sourdough bread.....lol.... and cheeeeese....

I did take a lovely nap today.  That sunshine just beckons me... I can't help it.  But it was a regular, after church nap.  So refreshing.  I highly recommend taking naps if you can find the time.  Or, make time. Even better.

DINNER  I had some leftover bean/veggie soup, and an eggy blueberry muffin for dessert.

DAY 16 (day 7 meds)

IT'S BAAACK!!  Oh the pain.  My hips and knees and back.  My hips feel like I spent all day in the gym, on leg day, all day.  My knees "pop" in and out with spurts.  My back, well, it's just a pain. With fibro, stressful situations can set off a flare-up.  Last night, both my husband and my fathers are having health issues.  Not life-threatening (God willing), but stressful, none the less.  Something in the brain triggers this response every time.  For me, anytime I cry, the next day I pay for it!  I don't know how fixing a bacterial infection in my gut will affect that part of the disease.  I sure am curious about it, though!  "They" say that it might, so here's hoping!!

So, wish me luck.  Tomorrow I begin taking the pill that eradicates the biofilm that is protecting the bad bacteria in my gut.  Greaaaat.  Let the games begin.  This is supposed to HURT.... WHEE!!! It's okay.  I'll be okay.  Got my bananas, my seeds, my kids to take care of me for 2 days. (Husband is flying out to see his dad).  I also made this fantastic soup to last me a few meals too (see DINNER!)

BREAKFAST  I had an applesauce cup with muffin crumble topping! No coffee today, I was feeling dehydrated, so I just had water.

LUNCH  After my Costco trip, walking around for an hour with horrible hips and legs, I was just too tired to whip up something good. I had some celery, dipped in cashew butter, dipped in granola.  Win.  

Interesting thing about that Costco trip.  I noticed that my fibro fog was back full on too.  During this diet, I have been clear headed.  But this flare put an abrupt stop to this.  I wandered 3 aisles 3 times each trying to buy 3 items.  It was pathetic.  Luckily a friend was with me today, to continually guide me!! God bless friends who understand.

DINNER  I had a fitful nap.  Just couldnt get comfortable.  Not even in the fat papasan chair in the sun.  But that little bit of down time gave me enough energy to throw together an amazing soup.  It was inspired by the grocery store soup, but I kind of blew theirs out of the water!!  I sauteed some onions, carrot slices, celery and cauliflower in olive oil.  Then I added veggie stock, diced tomatoes, black beans kidney beans, zucchini, and squash.  Half of the red beans and tomatoes, I pureed.  Oh, and I also added pumpkin! To spice it up, I used salt, garlic, celery salt, cumin and tumeric.  Tumeric is suppoed to be really great for fibro warriors.  Only thing is, it turned my lovely soup a weird shade of, well,,,, see the picture..lol.  I chopped some fresh cilantro on top.  All it needed was cheese. And bread.  A huge chunk of sourdough bread.  With butter....MMMmmmmm .......no no NO!! bad girl, bad girl! You can do this!!

DAY 15 (day 6 meds)

OOOH BOY.  Truth time.  I'm NOT looking forward to this next battle.  Tomorrow, I finish the first wave of treatment.  The next day, I start the pills that remove the slime that acts as a protector for the bad bacteria that is currently partying in my gut.  Basically, I'm the DEA, busting down the door of a smooth operation, leaking toxic substances into my nice neighborhood of a body.  So, once the door is broken down, all of the bad elements scatter to the 4 winds and wreak havoc.  From my understanding, I may undergo a few days when alot of my symptoms come back.  And bad.  Because instead of a little bit of bacteria causing problems, it's gonna be 2 billion freshman frat girls rushing a sorority inside my intestines.  Talk about party time...  

But, I've had bad days.  Really bad days.  Days where I tried every trick in the book.  Epsom salt bath, massage chair, TENS unit, prescription medications.  Almost to the point of waking up the husband to go ahead and take me to urgent care. Or the ER.  The doctor says describe your pain from 1 to 10.  My 10 is when my appendix almost burst, and I passed out from the pain in the foyer of the ER. Worse than childbirth.  Yea, on my bad days, it's a 9.  

So, I'm ready.  I'll prep the family.  Make some meals ahead of time.  Put everyone on alert for possibly walking to school, or from school.  Charge up my back-up batteries for the phone so I don't have to get up to charge it.  Maybe make another batch of those yummy muffins and granola (TO DO: buy stuff for granola)

BREAKFAST Today, I did the muffin, coffee thing again.  So far, so good!  No adverse reactions to coffee or eggs. Yay me!

LUNCH  I had a late morning smoothie, and a small leftover piece of salmon from last night.

DINNER  I felt guilty that I hadn't been making very kid friendly dinners for the kids, so I made spaghetti.  It was funny, my son asked "which kind of noodles?"  I said the green soy noodles.  He says "WHEW!! At least we don't have to eat the zucchini noodles again!"  MOM:1 KID:0  Sorry kid, the edamame organic noodles are good for you too!!!

I took the tomato sauce from the other day, and poured it on some of the ground turkey that I made into spaghetti sauce for the kids.  (our usual sauce has some sugar in it, so I separated my meat out.)  I ate it without any noodles.  Just a bowl of meat and tomatoes.  Filling and yummy.  Had a quarter of  cantaloupe for dessert! yum!

DAY 14 (day 5 on meds)

THANK YOU LORD, I got my energy back!!  And boy did I!  I had so much energy, I didn't take my after school rest.  I went straight to work.  I called my Mom, (believe it or not, with fibro, just making a phone call can take alot out of you) and got to work.  I set up all of my painting supplies to finish a painting that I had started 6 months ago.  I had energy to call her AND my sis, finish the painting, cook the veggies for dinner, clean up, AND prep for tomorrow!!

I feel like a "normal" person today!!  It was different than a usual "fibro-frenzy" day, because I didn't have a lot of "must-do items on my list.  I just got to take it slow, and spend time doing something just for me. Something that I really enjoy.  It gave me quite a sense of accomplishment today.  (pats self on back)

BREAKFAST  A delicious coconutty eggy muffin.  WITH COFFEE!  Yep, I took the chance.  The eggy muffin didn't seem to affect me adversely,  and 1 cup of coffee was allowed on multiple SIBO sites that I had checked out.  So I dared it.  Really only a half of a cup.  Cause I'm a chicken, and I've been doing so well pain wise.  Usually I take my creamer with a splash of coffee.  Just like my grandmother.  When she lived with us, she asked my Dad for a spoon to stir the sugar into her coffee, and he brought her back a soup ladle.  True story.  So I creamed it up with coconut milk and 1 packet of stevia.  Usually I take 5, so I was doing well.  Interesting fact:  I didn't miss the sugar that much!

LUNCH  I ate the last of the mohicans chicken leg.  And a cupful of seeds.  My husband was worried I wasn't getting enough protein.  The average woman needs 46 grams.  Just with what I had eaten up to this point, plus another 1/2 cup of seeds that I usually have at bedtime, I was already up to 56 grams.  So there you go.  In case you were wondering.  Now I know I can cut down on the seeds! lol (but why? :)

DINNER  Yummy broiled salmon with all of the wilting spinach and spring greens that were left in the fridge.  My hubby cooked my fish separately so he could season it properly.  (Fake butter, white wine, garlic, chives) I took the greens and added onion and garlic, salt and pepper, and cooked them down to nothing.  One kid ate them down in 2 gulps.  The other one... not so much.

DAY 13 (day 4 meds)

EXHAUSTED.  That is the only word for it.  Today, I barely made it to take and pick up the kids from school today.  Such is the fibro way.  I woke up by alarm, hit snooze 3 times, drug myself upstairs to barely get my shoes on and out the door.  Then directly to the couch, where the dog looked at me saying "I have to pee".  Sorry dog.  Hold it until mommy has a little nap.  An hour later, dog was all up in my face, so I had to make a decision.  Muster the energy to let him out or muster the energy to clean up pee.  I chose the former, to my dog's extreme happiness. This kind of tired overcomes almost anything.  The crick in my neck because the pillows were at awkward angles.  The phone next to me that kept buzzing.  I was aware, but immobile at the same time.

I was so tired, I skipped breakfast.  Shame on me.  It may have helped my energy level. Too...much...wooorkkkk...  Unfortunately, it also means I skipped my digestion meds.  Oops.  I hope I don't feel the consequences of that later!!

BREAKFAST  I wish I could say I had those yummy muffins.  I did not. I had nada. zip, zilch.  Not recommended...

BRUNCH?! I was barely on my feet at this point, but I knew I had to take my meds with food, so I grabbed a handy applesauce cup and topped it with the homemade granola.  Perfectly delicious.  Goes great with pills...

LATE LUNCH I had the leftover tuna salad. Straight from the plastic tupperware it was in.  Not gonna lie.  I ate that while laying horizontal on the couch.

SNACK A banana.  I have to get some more... those kids of mine are devouring them, for lack of other sugary sweets in the house.  Which I guess is a good thing, except I'm a little stingy over all this new HEALTHY food... lol

DINNER  See muffins, left.  Yep, Breakfast for dinner.  I finally gave up the chia seed egg substitute.  I gave it a solid try.  I used real eggs in this lovely coconut flour/honey muffin, and added in some frozen blueberries.  Now, these were GOOD!!  Hopefully, I won't see any bad results later from the addition of the eggs.  Time will tell, but so far, so good!

Don't worry, all.  I know that I have to take better care of myself when I'm eating so little as it is.  Just a minor setback, I'm hoping.  Sometimes the exhaustion lasts for days, but as I'm typing this in the evening, I already feel better that I did this morning.  Besides, my hubby has promised that he'll make me some baked salmon tomorrow!! A good guy PLUS a good cook!  He's a keeper!

DAY 12 (Day 3 meds)

Sliced Banana with shredded coconut
and cashew butter with honey

Can I tell you, this diet stuff is CONFUSING!!  The paper my Dr. gave me has a list of YES/NO foods.  The website he recommended has some almost completely OPPOSITE YES/NO foods.  My husband is tearing his hair out while I try to decipher it all!!  I'm reading,reading,reading so much on it, I may have a PhD in SIBO by the time I'm done with this!!  All that being said, I'm not changing much.

Chia seeds are still gross, yet I still eat them.  Coconut milk is yummier than almond milk.  By the way, almond milk is kind of grey.  Not what I was expecting!  Coconut milk reminds me of that creamy goodness I used to drink when I was a kid, and didn't have to watch my cholesterol, and fat intake, etc.  I found out that I love coconut, and not just when it's drowned in chocolate...Mmmmmm chocolate...... NO!! WAKE UP!!! Sorry... lost myself for a minute there...

As far as pain goes, today, I am still blessed by being pretty pain free!  Hallelujah!  My husband always takes the day off after the superbowl (it's also always around his birthday), so we sat around and watched the kind of TV shows that you can't watch when the kids are around.

Shout out to all my Fibro Facebook Followers! If it wasn't for all of your likes and comments, I may not have the willpower to continue this 180 degree diet change!  I know that I'm doing it for my health, but it sure helps to know that someone out there may benefit from what I have to offer!!

BREAKFAST Smoothie with 1/2 a banana, cranberries, frozen cherries, frozen blueberries, chia seeds, stevia, and coconut milk.  My best one yet!! It was the coconut milk for sure!

SNACK  Check out that banana goodness picture!  Heavenly.  For real.  And filling too!

LUNCH  Not a SALAD!!  I had some celery, so I washed and chopped, and filled those lovely troughs with cashew butter.  Then I stuck some granola on top.  Yep. Yum.  Even the hubby went in for seconds on these sticks of crunchy goodness.

DINNER I was craving something... different.  What I REALLY wanted was spaghetti. Wait a minute!! I can make some zucchini noodles and pour spaghetti sauce over! NO! Lol, the canned sauce I use has sugar.  So, The organic diced tomatoes I had had no preservatives and only tomatoes as the ingredients, so I pureed them with my hand blender.  I added in a couple scoops of pureed pumpkin as well (try it!).  Chia seeds for protein, garlic, cumin, fresh basil, italian seasonings, salt, and a splash of red wine finished it off.  Oh yea... all it was missing was a big fat chunk of sourdough bread....  MMmmmm bread...  I'll dream of you tonight!

DAY 11 (Day 2 meds)

Great Day!  I awoke with the slows, but in no pain.  After doing some research on a SIBO website that was recommended by my Dr., I decided to add a few things to my diet that will increase my ability to continue on my path!  It seems like eggs are okay to add in, especially since I'm pretty sure that they don't cause me any discomfort.  It's just so hard to make any type of bakery item without them!  It's super important to continually change things up in a diet, and allow yourself some room to move.  That way, you are more likely to keep going forward.

BREAKFAST  So, remember yesterday I made those mushy pancakes?  Well, today they were a little better.  So I wrapped one around a half a banana and used the pureed blueberries as a dipping sauce.  Now that was yummy!!  I'm really looking forward to adding eggs into this program, though...

LUNCH  Salad!!   This time the whole family joined in.  Everyone even tried out the homemade dressing without complaint!  I think that's going to be a normal thing around the house now.  Who needs all those preservatives, am I right??

After lunch, I was REALLY craving some sweets.  I found a little recipe for sweet granola, that I adapted alot to my personal tastes.

GRANOLA
 2/3 cup coconut flakes
1/2 cup chopped pistachios
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
3 Tbs coconut oil (melted)
2 Tbs honey
1 tsp vanilla

Mix it all up, and cook on a baking sheet on parchment paper at 300 for 10 minutes.  Then put it under the broiler until nice and brown.  WATCH IT!  It goes fast! Like 1 minute.  This was so yummy and crunchy and sweeet!!  My husband says the next batch better be bigger!!

DINNER  I had some celery tonight, so I whipped up a tuna salad on lettuce again.  This time I put in a little mustard.  I don't think I like tuna with mustard.  Note to self:  Don't do that again! lol...

Day 10 (Day 1 on meds)

Today is the day! I shook out 3 of the 4 (still waiting on 1 in the mail) capsules that I've been recommended to take.  (2 probiotics and an antibiotic booster) They didn't smell bad, and they weren't too big. So, down the hatch! 

Today is my husband's birthday.  I got up early, to start making breakfast.  Man... my bones weren't complying.  Achy knees, sore back and hips.  It felt like my leg muscles were each attached to mini weights.  It felt as if each step I was moving through thick mud up to my thighs.  But I had to persevere. So I maneuvered slowly around the kitchen as I made the family some pancakes.  I was tired of my usual breakfasts so I tried something new too.

BREAKFAST  I tried making some pancakes with coconut flour and chia egg substitute.  They were... weird, to say the least.  The chia just keeps absorbing liquid, and the batter just wouldn't "pour".  So I had to drop it by spoonfuls and mash it into a circle-like shape.  It had a strange texture, and a nutty flavor. Reminded me of Nutella! I topped it with some frozen blueberries that I microwaved and added stevia to. Then I blended it with a hand blender into a syrup. Definitely an aquired taste, but palatable.

LUNCH Just a simple salad. Spinach and romaine lettuce. With my homemade dressing and topped with seeds. (Plus a probiotic)

After lunch, I took the husband out to a local Vineyard for a wine tasting.  Good thing I'm not a wine drinker.  But it was difficult staying away from all the wonderful cheeses offered there!  Any time I go out anywhere, I make sure to take foods that I can eat, so I don't get the urge to cheat!  A tangerine and a piece of gum did the trick.

DINNER  Since we were out and about, we went to the store and I picked up some fresh soup from the deli.  It was veggie soup, and I could eat everything in it except the corn.  Another probiotic and antibiotic booster

DAY 9

My supplements are here!!  Starting tomorrow, I'll be taking 4 different pills, some 3 times a day.  I'm not the world's best pill taker, let me tell you.  So this will be fun!! I hope they aren't smelly.  Or big.  I've been know to take different supplements before.  I take a multivitamin, and I've also taken a few other things that are supposed to be beneficial for fibro.  I have to admit, I'm not very consistent with them. But I do believe they are helpful... I'm not taking anything right now, though. Just doing the diet, and ready to begin this encapsulated road to recovery!!

Great news!  I've had another day of energy with no naps!  This is 3 days in a row now.  I'm not in very much pain, either.  I wake up a little stiff,  sore neck and back.  Sometimes stiff hands or a stabbing elbow, but most of it seems to be gone within an hour of getting going in the AM.  Makes me feel like there's something in the diet alone that's doing me some good.  

BREAKFAST  This morning, I had another mash muffin with applesauce.  The mushcakes have firmed up and are much more palatable now! 

LUNCH  I know that I haven't been getting as much fish in as I should, so I created this little meal.  With a can of white tuna in water, I mixed in a couple chopped dill pickles, chopped water chestnuts (for crunchiness because I didn't have celery) and a little bit of mayo.  I think the mayo is cheating, but it was a very small amount.  I'll let you know later if I think I paid for it!!  

DINNER  I was really craving sweets.  Like REALLY.  So I cut up a tangerine, a slice of cantaloupe, and an apple.  I ate it with a nice topping of honey/cashew butter.

SNACKS  I've just been grazing here and there... A handfull of seeds, some fruit, and water water water!

DAY 8

ENERGY ALL DAY AGAIN!!!! For fibro warriors, this is rare, especially after a full day of tornado cleaning the house and errand running.  I went through the whole day with plenty of energy to spare.  Is the diet working already? Or is this just coincidence?  Only time will tell.

This is just the first step.  Cleaning out all of the negative toxins that are already built up in my system.  Then, I start the supplements and herbs that boost my immunity.  Next, I have to take a compound that scrapes all of that BIOFILM off of the bad bacteria.  Then I take the antibiotic that kills the bad bacteria. Unfortunately, it also kills the good bacteria.  So then I take a heavy duty probiotic and some natural herbs that promote the health of said bacteria.  

Sounds like a lot of work, right?  2 months of all of this intense stuff?  Believe me, it's not as bad as not being able to attend functions with my kids.  Or not scheduling more than 1 thing to do in my day for fear of not being able to accomplish it.  I'm doing this!!

BREAKFAST  Same ol smoothie.  Sorry, I don't have a lot of breakfast creativity, not to mention the fact that I am NOT a morning person!

LUNCH  I got the pleasure of eating lunch with a 3rd cousin I've never met.  We have a massive family reunion coming up and she is the head coordinator.  Funny how far the bloodlines reach.  She's loud and non-stop talkative with creative over-the-top ideas just like me!!  We were 2 peas in a pod!  Can't wait to see what it's gonna look like with 300 of us in one place!!  I told her about my diet restrictions, and she was down to try one of my salads with homemade dressing.  I wanted to make a good impression, so I sliced up a nice red pear on top.  Totally did the trick!

DINNER  Check out that plate!! It looks like what I used to eat!  My husband baked that beautiful chicken making sure that all the ingredients were on my OK list.  The creamy mashed stuff is NOT potatoes!  I steamed up some cauliflower (1/2 a head), then used the processor to basically puree it.  Added in some garlic, chives, salt and pepper, and Bing! Yum!  Both kids ate small portions of it, even though neither is a fan of cauliflower.  I consider that a win!

SNACKS I've mostly been snacking on my favorite seeds, and cashew butter and apples.

DAY 7 POW!!!

THAT'S RIGHT!! POW!!!  Man! Did I have amazing energy yesterday! Don't get too excited.  That"s how it is with fibro.  5 days of feeling like you have the flu (minus the fever and throwing up), then BAM!  You feel like you can conquer the world.  Which you literally try to do.  There have been so many things left on the to do list.  Laundry dusting shopping grab that mysterious thing that has been peeking out from under the couch vacuum sweep mop what is that smeared on the window bathe the dog ring around the  toilet stock toilet paper where is that insurance form due tomorrow shower take one and clean one find other shoe switch the laundry put something away in closet reorganize closet and so on......  WHEW!! I did it!!!

Now, CRASH.  I haven't yet.  We always do.  I've heard it called fibro-frenzy.  Or fibro-hurricane. We know better, but TRY to stop us.  Nope, not gonna happen.  We NEED that satisfaction of accomplishment.  I feel guilty for all the days I was unavailable.  Now, I feel GREAT!! WOO HOO!

medicine/supplement update   Everything is officially ordered.  I may need a full time assistant to make sure I get all of these meds in when I'm supposed to!! 

DIET UPDATE:  I'm eating all the same things.  I think it's working.  I feel extremely sorry for those people living in my house as my body is processing the fact that I'm no longer coating my intestines with  preservatives and chemicals.  I think the fiber is doing a number on all that bad bacteria.  It's dying. I can tell.  LOL... everyone in the house can tell that something is happening in there, and bad stuff is making it's way out... poor husband.  Good news is, I found all my scentsy pots (fragranced wax melting lamps) and they are being put to good use!!!

BREAKFAST  Another mush cake on applesauce (I gotta find a new recipe)

LUNCH  A SMOOTHIE!! Way to shake things up, right? I'm getting good at these!  This one way perfectly sweet and runny.  I don't like them too thick.  They have all these seeds and chunks in there anyways so...  OH!  BTW, if you are going out anywhere after you drink one of these, it is imperative that you CHECK YOUR TEETH!!  You don't want to go in, talking to your boss about how you're underpaid, and not know that you have a big black blueberry skin on your bicuspid, and some tiny black seeds in the front gap.  Swish before you leave.  Trust me on this one!

DINNER   See that lovely pile of noodles over there? Pasta, right?! NO!! Better than pasta!  It's curly squash and zucchini.  I love the stuff.  You can substitute it for all kinds of noodly dishes.  This happens to be a pesto.  Made with homegrown basil (pictured), garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, chopped onions, oh and for this one, I spiralized a few carrots too!  Toss and heat for 10 minutes and Yum Yum!!  (I used to top it with parmesean cheese.  Next month, next month) The husband really likes this one.  One kid gave it a thumbs up.  The other kid eats it so he can get back to playing video games.  Such is life.

DAY 6

So I skipped a day!  Not really, it's just easier to get the time to write in the morning, so i thought i'd start doing it the next day instead!!

Amazing what modern medications will do for you.  I feel like most of my fibro symptoms are back. I have brain fog again, pain is creeping in, and I find myself sleeping the day away, only to wake up with little to no energy left to do anything.  I contacted my Dr. to see what the hold-up was on some of the meds and supplements I've been waiting for.  Turns out, some of them were no longer available, and substitutions had to be made!  So glad I called in and asked!  It's really important that you take control over your health.  I don't just take what anyone (including my doctors) say without researching into it a little.  No one knows your body, your symptoms, your pain, your circumstances like you do. There is so much easy access to information now, that there is no reason not to get more involved.

It's taking a lot of time and patience for me to try to fix this fibro.  It surely isn't an easy road.  But I figure, 2 months of hard times vs. a lifetime of pain/suffering and not being able to do things with my family like I used to... well, for me there's no other option!!  I will make it through this!!  And if this doesn't work out, I'll move on to the next process of elimination.  And on and on until we run out of things to try.  And even then, I'll still keep a look out for new things to tell my Dr. about! There's no giving up in this girl.  I can do All things through Him who strengthens me! (Phil.4:13)

BREAKFAST Nothing new here, I just took a mush cake from yesterday and crumbled it on top of a cup of applesauce.  I liked it better this way!

LUNCH  Spinach and spring greens salad with avocado, onion, seeds, and homemade balsamic dressing (see yesterday's post for recipe)

DINNER  I was in the mood for something warm and cozy, and I thought how much cozier can you get than soup?  I had some veggie broth (organic non-gmo, etc etc) and I spiralized a zucchini and a squash.  I also added a few carrots, some italian spices, and salt.   Yum!  All that was missing was a big hunk of bread and cheese... sigh.... those were the good ol days!  

DAY 5

PAIN!!   It's the norm when you have fibromyalgia.  Sometimes, you get a break for a while.  Sometimes, the pain feels like you just came from playing a football game while having the flu.  Sometimes, you feel absolutely fine, and out of nowhere, WHAM!! you get a stabbing pain in between the bones of your knee.  Or ankle, or elbow.   Chronic back pain, muscle spasms, headaches.  All invisible.  So we have to monitor ourselves carefully, so that we can do the things that are most important to us.

We went to church today. It can sometimes be difficult because there is a lot of standing without moving.  My knees don't like that! I was moving pretty slowly, as my meds are fully out of my system, I think.  My lower back pain is creeping in.  I could feel the heaviness of my leg muscles.  As if they were each moving through quicksand.  During church, the Pastor had a great message that can be used in any walks of life.  It was about PRIORITY.  

He said that priority means the #1 thing that is most important.  The word priorities didn't even become a word until the 1900's.  Because there should be only 1 Most Important Thing.  Basically, the advice was: don't worry about many things.  Concern yourself with only few.  Or one.  (paraphrased from the story in Luke 10:38-42).  This story was about Mary making Jesus her first priority.  Be we, as fibro warriors must do this in all aspects of our lives.

Yes, the house must be cleaned, the food cooked, the shopping done, work to get to, bills to be paid.  But we must choose those priorities wisely, when your energy supply is cut in half, or worse with an autoimmune disease.  When things get overwhelming, remember to concern yourself with only one.  The most important one at this moment.  So, slowly but surely this morning, after I got dressed, (no, I didn't make the bed!) I made sure to get my important breakfast.  This diet is a very high priority in my life right now!!

BREAKFAST   Smoothie.  Today, I changed it up.  I added fresh cranberries with my frozen blueberries, half a banana, almond milk, stevia packet, and chia seeds.  YUM!

SNACK  I had been waiting for this all day!!  This was the wonderful cashew butter I discovered at the grocery store yesterday.  I mixed it with some raw honey.  Seriously, I think I could live on this.  

I had been doing some research on breakfast foods that fit the parameters of my diet.  I came up with a muffin recipe (banana ) that used no eggs (chia seed substitute!!), coconut flour, and no sugar!  I had some time and energy, so I whipped up a batch.  Smells good... I hope they taste good too!!

The pain is gone, but I'm still moving a little slow... I'm looking forward to starting taking the supplements that start the bacteria removal process.  Only a few days away!

LUNCH   Today I had a spinach salad with half an avocado, and some sunflower/pumpkin seeds.  I whipped up a homemade dressing.  In a small plastic container, 1 sprinkled some salt, dried italian spices, a small spoon of diced garlic, and 1:1 balsamic vinegar to extra virgin olive oil.  YUM YUM!! That's going into the "use again" category for sure!!

 SNACK  applesauce cup and more seeds.  With my husband.  Now we're both seed addicts!

DINNER   Time to try out the muffins!!  Packed with protein from all the nutty ingredients, I figured dinner was a perfect opportunity to try it out!!  As you can see by the pictures, I changed up the original recipe by poking in some cranberries and blueberries into the little cups.   They were... different!  They had a yummy sweet taste.  But the dough didn't really stick together.  It was quite mushy, actually, so instead of a muffin, it was more like a cobbler.  With fiber.  Lots and lots of grainy fiber.  I took out one of the mush cakes, and served it up with a bowl of ripe cantaloupe.  It made quite a nice pairing!  I think it would be great with a cup of coffee. (which I can't have).  

Shopping list 2

"Stop eating my seeds!!!" I scolded my husband half-heartedly.  Unless you want to take me to the store!  So away we went.  I've been looking at alternatives to smoothies for breakfast, and I found some great recipes for pancakes and muffins, using the ingredients below.  Plus, I just discovered CASHEW BUTTER.  Why has no one told me about this wonderful goodness made in a grinder while you stand there watching!!  I cant wait to mix in some raw honey and dip some apples in there....

Cranberries (fresh, organic)
Coconut flour (did you know that you only use 1/3 the amount of regular flour because it expands?)
Sunflower seeds (bulk)
pumpkin seeds (bulk)
Organic, unsweetened coconut milk (I'm hoping I'll like this better than Almond milk.)
Avocados (gotta get in that good fat)
Organic coconut oil
Cashew Butter  mmmm-mmm!
Cantaloupe (I didn't know I liked these so much!!)
Another $60 well spent!

AS REQUESTED: Medications recommended by MY DOCTOR

ATTENTION!!!  I AM NOT YOUR DOCTOR!! 

Do not follow any protocol, unless instructed to do so by YOUR DOCTOR!!!

That being said, if you're interested in sharing what I'm doing with your Dr. Here's the list!!

Before I started this diet, my doctors had me trying different things for pain.  Different things work differently for different people, keep that in mind.  What did/didn't work for me may have opposite effects for you.  Fibromyalgia is a trial-by-error disease!!

The first med I was on was Tramadol.  Worked like a charm.  Except it made my face freeze in a weird seizure-like state when I began to fall asleep.  My husband playfully nick-named it the "angry rabbit".  I asked my (previous) doctor about it, and he said that was not a side effect.  I found a blog online that had a whole troop of people who had experienced the same symptom while using it. So I stopped.  Remember your Mom telling you, "don't make that ugly face, it may stick that way".  Well, I didn't want mine to stick, so I switched!

The second med I was on was Celexa. It made me stay  up allll night.  No matter how early I took it in the morning.

The next doctor wanted me to try Low Dose Naltrexone.  It has to be compounded at a special pharmacy.  It worked almost immediately with very little side effects (some stomach upset in the middle of the night for a few days).  I was on that until my Dr. asked me to start this diet.  I asked him if I could go off of the meds for the purpose of this blog.  He agreed, and said that he often recommends patients wean off meds periodically.  (DO NOT DO THIS WITHOUT MEDICAL SUPPORT!)

So now, the meds I'm on are mostly natural herbals, and a couple antibiotics.

Womens Multi-Vitamin (from Melaleuca)
Digestive Enzymes
Antibiotic support
Thera-biotic
Lipoic Acid Bismuth (Antibiotic)
Tinidazole (Antibiotic)
Max Probiotic
GI Microbe-X
Allicillin

There is a complicated schedule for when/how all of these are taken... like rocket science!!  Different people's systems grow different types of bacteria.  This combo is for my particular brand of bacterial overgrowth!!

I'm willing to try all of this, because I no longer want to punish myself by adding pain and suffering to my life, solely by the nutrition mistakes I have made in the past.  I want to destroy that past sugar-holic, and live pain-free.  I am truly hoping that these changes not only affect me, but also my children and husband.  So that they don't end up unknowingly putting themselves in a similar situation.  so...   I'm FIXING MY FIBRO WITH FOOD!!!

DAY 4

SUCCESS!!!  I made it over the sugar hangover hill!!  No more pounding headaches!  Took less time than usual, actually.  (Yes, this is not my first time going sugar free).  Woke up nice and naturally again today!  Had a quick shower; the lower back was complaining and groaning this AM, but the hot water fought its way into the stiff muscles there, and I overcame!

SHOUT OUT TO MY SUPPORT GROUPS!

Fighting fibro (or any other invisible disease, for that matter) is difficult.  Often, no one understands you, even health care professionals.  Family and friends feel helpless or deny what is going on.  Please just know, to all those who support me, you are SO appreciated!!  I have a great Dr. now (after trial and error of many).  My family now understands that it's "make your own dinner night" if I'm passed out on the couch at 5PM. My friends check up on me.  The places where I volunteer know that when I say I need a break, that I really mean it.  Even the Fibro Facebook Groups that I follow are a huge source of wisdom, advice, and more importantly, a listening ear, when no-one else is available. If you are suffering, hug your support people today!  If you're that support person, THANK YOU. If you're unsure about someone in your life who is suffering, get educated.  There's nothing nicer than someone doing some research, and understanding what you're facing.

BREAKFAST   Return to smoothie!  Banana, blueberries, blackberries, chia seeds, almond milk, and a little stevia and ice.  Yum!!  I made it extra large, because Saturday is GAME DAY for my son's basketball team!  They won! 50-28.  After all that cheering, I thought I'd be exhausted. But, the only thing I was was starving!!  So quickly, onto:

LUNCH   Turkey Wraps.  I grabbed a handful of spinach/spring lettuce, some paper thin slices of red onions, half an avocado, and wrapped that inside of a slice of free range, hormone free turkey.  A little salt, some balsamic for dippin, and voila! Quick and satisfying.  I was feeling a sweets craving right after, so I peeled a beautiful honey tangerine.

CRASH! Yep, nap time... When the exhaustion sets in, I can sleep through most anything.  Even the neighbor boys coming over and playing Minecraft for an hour.  Sure, I should have dragged myself out of the double-wide papasan chair and went downstairs. But......can't....move..... 


SNACK  YAY Sunflower/pumpkin seed mix!  I cant stop eating the salty crunchy yummie guys...

REMEMBER:  WATER WATER WATER!!!  My Daughter constantly hands me a full water bottle to help my progress.  Thank you sweetie.

DINNER   The prospect of having another salad was daunting... so how about a cooked salad!!! lol.... I remember growing up how my friend talked me into eating the pile of wilted spinach that sat in the little square compartment of the cafeteria tray.  She said she loved it, as I watched her sprinkle vinegar on the top.  Well, if it works for Popeye...  So that was tonights inspiration.  A blast from the past.  Did you know, that when you take fresh baby spinach and cook it down, (I used a canola oil butter substitute), a whole pot turns into like 1/3 of a cup.  I kept adding, and adding.... It just took a few minutes until I had a nice little pile of green goodness.  I added a green onion, and some seeds for protein.  Paired up with thin slices of Honeycrisp apples with Himalayan pink salt on top... mmmmm.

DAY 3

GOOD MORNING!!

I am blessed! I woke up this morning naturally... No alarm clock, as both the kids have a teacher in-service day and therefore, no school.  I am lucky.  Most fibromyalgia sufferers have troubles sleeping.  Not me.  I can sleep from 9 to 9 if allowed!  As I lay in bed, I do the check up:  Ankles hurt?  Nope. Legs hurt? A little twinge in the right knee. Not bad. Hips? Good. A little twinge in the right elbow, between the bones. Shoulders? Always that stiff/sore feeling in my neck and shoulders that never goes away.  Like the saddlebags on my hips.  Headache? Nope! Maybe I'm lucky and I'll not have a sugar hangover today!!

So I hop on out of bed, thinking about the chia seed pudding waiting for me in the fridge.  I made it last night as it has to sit overnight before you eat it.  I'm skeptical.

BREAKFAST Chia seed pudding with half a banana.  My son promised that he would try it with me, so I called him in.  Once he saw it, he quickly went back on his promise.  It was a slimy, grayish bowl of goo.  But it smelled good. I told him I can't do it without him.  He needs to be my hero today... He actually tried it.  By his face, it made me brave enough to try it too! Not bad!  As long as you don't look at it while eating!  I ended up eating off all the bananas, then warming it up in the microwave.  No improvement.  I'll be going back to smoothies tomorrow!

 3 days off my pain meds, and so far, so good!  I usually take LDN every night to manage my pain.  I consulted my Dr. about going off while I was doing this diet, and he agreed.  He also mentioned, that if I start to feel pain again, not to go too long off it, so I will take that into consideration.  I can already feel my energy level rising, too.  I didn't need a nap yesterday.  Today, I'm venturing outside with the kids and the dog to the dog park!  Wish me luck!!

Dog park success! Came home with a tired pooch, no dog poop on anyone's shoes, I got in some exercise, and the kids had fun!!  I think my meds are still in my system, though, because I still don't feel like I need a nap!  AND, I think i may make a Costco run, since my kid just informed me that we need dog food...TODAY. Before meds, I only scheduled 1 activity per day. Whether it be shopping, or volunteering.  For me to have energy to do 2 things, well...!!  Is the food affecting me already?? Maybe......?

SNACK  ate a half cup of sunflower and pumpkin seeds and my go-to cup of applesauce

LUNCH  See yesterday's dinner!  I forgot how much I really enjoy eating healthy!  I really love that bowl.  I used to add corn, chips, and jalapenos to it too.  Only 27 days till I get to add in some new foods!!  I wonder what I'll try first.  Probably cheese.. Mmmmmm cheese...

DINNER I had a slice of Wild Caught- Sockeye Salmon, in a garlic balsamic glaze, with a large slice of cantaloupe.  Usually, I like salmon.  Tonight's was fishy.  My husband says that's because of the way I cooked it (ie: without a ton of butter and wine).  I have one more piece to eat from the same fishy.  Maybe I'll grill him...

Good News is, I'm still feeling great!  Even my husband is noticing that I have more spunk than usual!  Woo Hoo!!

DESSERT I have a hard time after dinner. I always crave something sweet.  So I raided my husband's gum stash!! This is working, people!!!

 

DAY 2

Woke up feeling pretty good! Had a bit of a headache last night, but I'm sure I'm having sugar withdrawals.  (It's a thing... Google it!) I've been off my meds for 2 days now, and haven't felt a big difference in pain so... YAY!!

BREAKFAST - I guess I better start using those nice ingredients I bought yesterday, so I'm gonna try a smoothie. Blueberries, half a banana, some Chia seeds and almond milk for protein. I didn't realize at the store that the almond milk doesn't really have much protein. I'll look next time at the coconut milk and cashew milk to see if I can get more protein from them...

BREAKFAST UPDATE!! So I had to modify the smoothie.  I haven't ever had almond milk before.  And Chia seeds are stronger than gorilla glue.  Man, you add some water to those babies, and they swell up and stick together forever.  I may have to invest in a sandblaster to get them out of this cup...

So after blending and tasting... well, it was very.... nutty. Maybe an aquired taste.  So I added a packet of Truvia (which is an allowed sweetener made from the stevia leaf) and some crushed ice to make it go down easier.  It's not so bad now!!  

SNACK  I had a tasty honeycrisp apple, sliced up thin with lemonjuice and salt on it.  Just like Dad used to eat them.

2nd SNACK? PRE-LUNCH?  Lol... I was hungry! What??!  So I downed a little mixture of sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds.  Found out I'm not as fond of the pumpkin, which is okay cause they're like 5x more expensive!!

LUNCH  I had a beautiful salad that I whipped together with some fridge ingredients.  Some Spinach/spring lettuce, red onions, sun dried tomatoes, Japanese cucumbers, sunflower seeds and aged balsalmic vinegar.

2 things: Nightshade plants are known to cause inflammation in some people, and some diets tell you to stay away from them. I don't have a problem with them.  Also, you have to watch out for vinegar.  Most of it is grain derived.  This particular one comes from grape mush...

But here comes the headache......  My poor brain needs some SUGAR!! I can tell i'm doing well when the headaches come.  2 more days and the headaches should be cleared out.  Strange how you can become addicted to the white sweetness of wonder!

SNACK half a tangerine

DINNER a lovely bowl of greens, black beans, cilantro, lime, and avocado. With a little salsa. Yum!

TO EAT AND NOT TO EAT!!! The list!

Bio-Reset Core Elimination Diet (Recommended by my DOCTOR for 1 month)



Meats- Cold water fish 3x/week, free range poultry 1x/week, and grass fed beef 2x/month

Dairy- Rice and Nut Milks

Legumes- Black and Kidney beans

Fruits- Most of them. Pitted fruits, Dark berries and Melons are best.  No Strawberries or pineapple

Vegetables- All except Potato, Eggplant, Peppers. (Majority of my diet is to be Green Leafys)

Starches and Grains- NONE!

Soups- Clear veggie or bone broth

Drinks- Herbal tea, fresh fruit/veggie juice, water

Nuts/Seeds- Pecans, flax, chia, pumpkin, sesame, sunflower, and butters allowed from those nuts

Sweeteners-  Raw, organic honey, Stevia



That's all folks!!  After this month, I get to incorporate foods back into my diet, one at a time.  This will tell me what triggers pain, headaches, stomach pains, fibro fog, and exhaustion.

Shopping!!

1. My first suggestion.  before you change everything you eat, make sure you have the new foods available BEFORE you start the diet!! I figured I could just make due, but WRONG!! bad idea.  I walked around the house in a frenzy, trying to ignore all the kid's snacks, while talking to myself about just putting it off until tomorrow!!


Wow! Did I need that! Here's the list of goodies I got from Roths grocery.

2 servings of wild caught sockeye salmon
Bulk Chia seeds
Bulk pumpkin seeds
Bulk sunflower seeds
Unsweetened vanilla almond milk
Unprocessed turkey slices (free range, no hormones)
Cantaloupe
Bananas
Organic applesauce cups
Green leaf lettuce
Frozen blackberries
Frozen blueberries
small tub of veggie oil butter spread (non dairy)
2 ice creams for the kids. Cause, you know, finals week.

I have to learn not to give snacks as rewards!! Maybe next week....

$62 if you're keeping score...

So for my after lunch snack, I downed a half a cup of sunflower seeds, and I'm snacking on the cantaloupe now. Not my usual go to foods, but so far so good!

I'm supposed to keep well hydrated too.  I'm usually so good at that! Not today. I've got about 16 oz in me is all... gotta keep chugging!! (As I empty my glass into the sad plant beside me)

I'm not feeling hungry at all yet, so there's that! I like eating 6 times a day! (Recommended)

DAY 1

Here are my BEFORE CRAZY RADICAL DIET stats:

Female
5'3"
136 lbs
Stay at home Mom of 2 kids
Active (when possible) in church and schools


BREAKFAST  Applesauce cup (treetop organic, non sweetened)

Haaaahaha! Should have thought this through better.  I have nothing to eat.  Wait, theres a few organic applesauce  cups left.  So I ate one.  I better go shopping.


LUNCH  Another applesauce cup, and a bowl full of steamed broccoli with salt and lemon pepper

I was too tired to go shopping.  I lied down with my dog in the double-wide papasan chair, covered up with a snuggly blanket, and fell into a coma-like sleep.  Fibro is known to cause extreme fatigue.  Not your normal, I'm tired, ill just take a nap, but so exhausted that my arms and legs feel like they are tied to weights that I cant lift.  I am aware of what's going on. For example, I know that I have to pick up my kid early today, so I kept an eye on the time.  When I woke up, I flexed my toes, wiggling them into life. Then my feet. I worked my way up until I was able to open my eyes.  And MAN was I starving!!!

After searching the pantry (kidney beans or diced tomatoes were my only choices there), I had to delve deeper into other areas for food.  In our garage refrigerator I found an old bag of cut up broccoli that my kids promised to eat and never did.  I steamed it in the microwave.  Ug, I cant use butter.... So I seasoned it with Johnny's Seasoning salt and some lemon pepper.  Pretty tasty, actually! Score!

SNACK I cut up this beautiful cantaloupe, and planned on splitting a half of this juicy specimen with the kids. They weren't interested,  so more for me! I was planning in eating just a quarter..... or how bout half?!

DINNER  At least it was at dinner time. Dinner for me is usually a pork chop, with a side of rice or potatoes, some homemade gravy, and some sort of veggie. Dinner tonight was a bowl full of spinach/spring greens (gmo free, organic, all that jazz). I took 2 slices of the free range turkey slices and stuffed the greens on it and rolled it up. Like a wrap. With meat on the outside. An inside-out wrap. I can have fancy balsamic vinegar , so I used that to give it some kick. Pretty yummy! I wish I would have remembered that I had tomatoes to put in it.

NIGHT SNACK No carbs after 6PM. Carrots and balsamic vinegar sounds good......