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Even Keel

Friday, May 21, 2010

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.


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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!


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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.


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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!

22 comments:

  1. Kim, I'll have to try your quinoa recipe! We've tried it a time or two, and we didn't care for it. I do like the quinoa pasta, though! ;)

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  2. Kim, so glad to know you are starting to feel better! I LOVE quinoa..never had it as a breakfast cereal but will try it. I usually make a cold salad with edamame, tomatoes, cucumber and green onions, you could dress it any way you like, it is sooo good! AND I LOVE my "frother", we could not live with out ours either...however for protein shakes we could also not live without our Magic Bullet! :) Have a great day! xoxo

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  3. I think you are doing great! I had to do something similar when I was prego with my 2nd son and it was very HARD at first (exhausting really) but then it got much much better and I started to feel good again too. I am so happy for you that you are on the other side now and hoping some of your other issues resolve quickly.

    PS I think the skin stuff may be a very good sign. The skin is one of the body's biggest detoxing channels. And its worth noting, based on your photos, no one can notice the skin issue. You look great!

    Keep up the great work and keep inspiring us all on parenting, health, decorating, photography, etc! :)

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  4. Kim, I just made an appt w/my doctor and will discuss (on Tuesday) these "very same symptoms" to him! He has adjusted my thyroid medications several times to no avail! I feel very tired, and can barely stay awake during the day, much less in the evening! I feel like I'm struggling each day to stay awake! I've said to myself MANY TIMES, something just does not feel right!! That "diet" looks a little odd, but if that's what it takes to get the "old me" back, than so be it!! As someone w/thyroid (graves disease), some of the symptoms can be mistaken for a slew of other things! Thank you so much!!!

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  5. BTW...are you "ALWAYS COLD"! I'm here in Southeast TEXAS and the temperature here is 80PLUS degrees and I'm sitting here w/a heater on!!! I use a heater everyday, esp at work! Everyone in the office looks at me w/raised eyebrows!!!!

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  6. Oh Kim! I have HUGe respect for your being able to do this. I can imagine how hard. YOUR plates are gorgeous though!lol
    Congratulations to Will and love kate's very pretty bedroom!!
    I also see so much hard work in all you do. I hope you are still getting some rest time!!

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  7. I LOVE quinoa! I eat it in the form of a meatless "burger" sometimes and it is DIVINE! I will get the recipe and send it to you next week as it might be something you can indulge on.

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  8. Hi Kim.

    I love quinoa. When I'm cooking it, I add the organic chicken flavored Better Than Bouillon from Costco to the water and it tastes really good. I'm addicted to it!! I actually prefer it to the Japanese rice I've grown up with my entire life.

    The skin matter you mention is what happens to me when I eat low-carb with absolutely no sugar for a week or so. I joke that for a 44 year old, my skin can sure react like it did when I was a teenager. It goes away fairly soon and I've been told it's because my body is releasing toxins from my system. (Yuck!!).

    Take care!!!

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  9. Kim,
    I've been praying for you. Glad to hear you are feeling better. When I did my cleanse in March my skin broke out really badly. I was told it was all the toxins etc coming out. It nows looks amazing. Hang in there, it will get better and you'll look better than before (if that's possible :)
    Enjoy your weekend!

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  10. I am very interested in your diet and how you're faring on it, Kim! Thanks so much for the update. So glad you're feeling better already.

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  11. Good for you, Kim ... I know how hard diet changes are! Mine is practically the same as yours (I don't do any grains though and do eat fruits). Your body does adjust - it's been over 1 1/2 years for me. Best thing I have EVER done for myself!

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  12. I love this post too! I have bought quinoa before, but I've never cooked it :) I was telling Jeff about this. I don't like oatmeal or anything like that, but I'd be willing to try this. It looks good. Keep the posts coming! :)

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  13. I know how difficult it is to be on a restricted diet... I am allergic to sulfates, sulfites and several other preservatives. Makes it challenging at times. Glad to hears things are going so well (despite the breakouts) for you!

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  14. You amaze me... and you know, I actually like quinoa! :)

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  15. Good for you! You're doing a great job. I would struggle.

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  16. So interesting...and I'm thrilled you are feeling better already!

    I eat a lot of quinoa. I like it best in a salad. I add all sorts of raw veggies (cawliflower, peppers, tomatoes, onions, zucchini, carrots, garlic...anything) with some olive oil (and you could add any type of vinegar or lemon if you liked..don't know if you can have vinegar). Anyway, it hides a bit of the bitter quinoa flavor and everyone always asks for the recipe.

    Do they have you on lots of supplements?

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  17. I am sure your body was going through some serious withdrawals those first couple of days, but it sounds like you are finally past that:)

    I love Quinoa....and this recipe sounds really good!! I will have to give it a try!

    Have a wonderful time at the recital today:)

    Lisa

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  18. Kim, I can't even imagine having to be on this kind of strict diet... I have wanted to do a 7 or 10 day detox and I can't even bring myself to that. You are such an inspiration for those of us lacking willpower and fortitude. From this to no shopping during lent... you are my hero! Good luck and I'm so glad it is working for you.

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  19. I am so glad you are seeing some results from your diet! I also can't believe you're eating fish and onions for breakfast!! lol... I wish I ate that healthy. Can't wait to see the recital pics!

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  20. Thanks for sharing about the Quinoa! I try to live by the low glycemic food "diet" and try to have the majority of my daily calories come from proteins. I also should not eat gluten... so this sounds like it would be Great for me!! And, I love agave nectar. I gave up fake sugar about a year ago, and it has been great.
    AND, I eat smoked salmon for breakfast almost every day and people think I am strange for it! I put onions, tomatoes and capers on it!

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  21. Dear Kim

    So glad you ae feeling better
    I have a very low thyroid problem too and I dont have the break outs but have suffered with all the other stuff too!
    I have no thyroid at ALL
    So I think ig I lived closer to yu you would be my new BFF to sit in the porch with and talk about what we could do to fix different things to help the health issuses
    you look wonderful Surely surely these days will get better and much easier fir you as well too and your energy will return
    too you amaze me as well also!
    hugs cindy

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  22. Which thyroid medication are you on? That's another thing my dr wants to change. She wants me to stop the "synthetic" one and move to something more "natural". She mentioned the Armour Thyroid as a possibility.

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Thank you for your kindness.