Even Keel

Several people have asked how the diet is coming along. Just to re-cap for those who missed it. I was diagnosed with a very serious case of adrenal exhaustion (and low thyroid, low B-12 and a few hormonal imbalances that result from these other issues). So, in addition to several other treatments, my doctor recommended a sugar free, yeast free diet for at least 6 weeks. This diet helps to clean up the gut and kill off Candida overgrowth. It is also just a good detoxifying kind of diet because you cannot eat processed foods. I eat eggs, veggies, beans, quinoa, and lean protein such as fish, chicken, turkey and a little beef and pork.

So, the first week was HARD. Really, really hard. I had mood swings, headaches and I felt grumpy and hungry the whole time. I also had an adverse reaction to my thyroid medication that was likely initiated by low blood sugar too. I felt like I was having a heart attack, blacked out and could not breathe. It was AWFUL!!!

However, after 7 days on this diet, I began to feel incredible. My moods have evened out. I am no longer hungry. I feel calm and patient throughout the day. I am not craving sugar or flours at all. I even have taken the boys for gelato twice and it did not bother me that I could not have some. I still have fatigue (which is more likely due to my adrenals and B-12 deficiency) but even that has improved. My energy is better than it has been in a few years! I have now been on the diet 11 days and I am really happy with it. I still don't think I am losing weight which surprises me because I am eating SO much healthier than before. As I said before, I don't really have a weight issue but I certainly have 5-10 pounds of flab that I would not mind losing. I cannot exercise yet because my cortisol levels were so low but should be able to very soon.

The only major drawback of this diet so far is that my skin is really awful. I am not sure if it is detoxing or it is breaking out in reaction to the thyroid and adrenal changes and medications but my skin is definitely not doing well. If anyone know more about this, please let me know. I am hoping it will correct quickly.

So, the thing I missed the most were lattes. But I have devised a latte that I am allowed on this diet. It is coffee, unsweetened vanilla almond milk and a touch of agave nectar (that is allowed:) that I heat and whip up with my aerolatte. It makes a delicious latte. The aerolatte is the best invention ever! It works best when the milk is warm/hot for lattes. I have had mine for years and we use it everyday. I mix Harry's weight gain shakes with it too.

Another new food for me is quinoa. I had tried quinoa before but did not love it. Since I cannot have any rice or grains on this diet except quinoa, I am eating this a lot. My favorite way to prepare it is as a hot breakfast cereal. I cook 1/2 cup quinoa with 1/2 cup almond milk and a 1/2 cup of water. Then I add raw almonds (I toast them for a few minutes in the oven), a sprinkle of ground cinnamon and a drizzle of agave and it is DELICIOUS!!! And a small bowl keeps me full until lunch! I have never been a hot cereal fan but this is so good. In a few weeks, when I am allowed to eat fruit again, I might add some berries and maybe even some unsweetened coconut.

If you have not tried quinoa before, give it a try. Although it is an ancient food, it is the HOT new complete protein health food. ALL the nutrition blogs are gaga over it. It is gluten-free, a complete protein, easy to digest and low glycemic!

I have also learned to eat this for breakfast. It is wild caught sockeye salmon with red onions on top. It is actually really good. Just kind of weird for breakfast.

Seriously, it is hard to be creative on this diet with breakfast. I am not a huge egg eater (only veggie omelets for me) so I have to think out of the box.

I am sure most of you were not interested in all of this in the least but I want to journal this so I remember the process and it might help one of you who asked:) Happy Weekend everyone! Today is Harry's award ceremony and Sunday is Kate's dance recital!