Am I neglecting you?

I have been neglecting my blog of late, I am aware of that.

One reason is that I don't feel I have a huge amount to report health-wise. I have not yet been feeling any kind of mind-blowing, miraculous recovery from all that ails me. That said, I do think that I have slowly been progressing (with the occasional set back.) What I'm noticing is that as I follow the paleo tenets more religiously, I feel all the more crappy when I stray. Its getting easier to just avoid certain digressions (a glass of wine here, an ice-cream with the kiddos there) as I end up with an awful migraine or some other such nuisance when I indulge in non-paleo fare.

One other wonderful result of my paleo efforts is that I feel my whole house-hold is eating a lot healthier. They are not all on a strict paleo plan, but seeing as I am the primary source of food in our home, there is a lot more vegetable and fruit consumption as I strive to creatively fill the grain void.

Though I have been neglecting my own blog, I have been avidly reading other people's blogs. This has probably also contributed to the neglect, as I realize other people have much more interesting info, recipes, etc... things to post. I don't really have anything note-worthy (or should I say blog-worthy.)

From reading other blogs, I am realizing that there are many interpretations of what is "paleo" (or primal, ancestral, whatever....) Most everyone agrees that grains are a problem, but from there on out practices run the gamut from almost pure carnivore ( http://theprimalparent.com/2011/07/27/the-carnivores-dilemma-a-diet-of-just-meats-and-fats/ ) to the more inclusive folks over at Health-bent ( http://www.health-bent.com/f-a-q )

I have also been reading some VERY interesting stuff about exercise, that throws some of my past practices and beliefs on their ear (but make an awful lot of sense!!!!) Here is some of the stuff I have been pouring over-

About "cardio":

http://www.archevore.com/panu-weblog/2009/11/1/cardio-causes-heart-disease.html

http://www.archevore.com/panu-weblog/2010/3/21/still-not-born-to-run.html

I also like the Weston Price Foundation website, it featured a good (non-favorable) review of the Loren Cordain book (the book that I got started with.)

http://www.westonaprice.org/thumbs-down-reviews/paleo-diet As I mentioned, I love debate if I am not a part of it. Though I am quite strictly Paleo, the way I feed my kids is closer to the Weston Price model of nutrition.

Finally, I made a nice paleo recipe for dinner last night that I figured I'd share-

Pork Chops & baked apples

Ingredients: 6 boneless pork chops, 1/2 cup almond flour, 1/2 cup dessicated coconut, 1 T garlic powder, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 T onion powder, salt & pepper (if your version of paleo allows it), 4 small apples (peeled, cored and sliced), 1/4 cup ground cinnamon.

Directions: Preheat toaster oven to 400. Pound and flatten the pork chops. Put the almond flour, coconut, garlic powder, olive oil and salt&pepper in one bowl. Put olive oil in another. Dip pork in olive oil and then into the flour mixture to coat both sides. Put apples in toaster oven and bake 10-15 minutes. While apples are cooking, pan fry the pork chops until golden brown on each side.

Health-bent

I have spent a good portion of the day reading recipes (and other things) on the "Health-bent" website:

http://www.health-bent.com/

So excited to try these recipes. They look amazing and some of the articles were really inspiring.

I am glad to say that my nauseousness is lifting a little bit each day. I am a little less tired too. I went out of the house today! Except for one dr appt, that's my first excursion in 10 days. I went to Whole Foods and bought some fun ingredients for some of the recipes on Health-bent.

Also, in case anyone is wondering, I have lost 7 lbs since starting this trial. Not that that is really the point of this for me (though of course its not unwelcome) but I figured I'd make note.

This omnivore has a dilemma

I think I have mentioned this before, but this little trial of mine is not an easy one for me. Not because I have not spent most of my life trying all sorts of ridiculous and extreme eating regimes, but probably because of this fact. (How was that for an artful double negative!?)

I am totally over food restrictions! I don't have a problem with cutting back, eating less, eating wisely, eating healthfully, but I have a grave difficulty with the idea of eliminating things from my diet (not of course, things like pesticides, artificial food coloring, high fructose corn syrup and the like). I have finally come to a place in my life where I am pretty content in my skin. Of course, I wouldn't mind losing a few pounds but only if the process of doing so is comfortable and in line with my lifestyle, otherwise I'm fine the way I am. I believe in quality over quantity, good food, moderation in all things, blah, blah, blah. So, to have it suggested that whole groups of food like "cereal grains", "dairy", "alchohol" (yes, that is a food group in my mind!) etc... could be the culprit in these health problems that I have always faced is really difficult for me to swallow. Man, I have just finally gotten somewhat sane about food!!!!!

It has been even more than just conceptually difficult for me in the last week. I had surgery on my sinuses exactly one week ago today. I had assumed it would be a pretty minor ordeal, but recovery has NOT been easy. (How the hell do people get addicted to plastic surgery???? Surgery BLOWS!!!) It has been a week now and I still feel wretched. The headaches and intense nausea have only started to slightly lift today. I am still dizzy and exhausted. With constant nausea, fare like pork chops and green beans is just completely unappetizing. Nothing on my "extreme-strict-autoimmune-paleo OK list" sounds ok to me.

So, I have been allowing myself what I consider a "gateway" food- potatoes. I am Irish. I like potatoes. A LOT! When I feel sick, they are the only thing I can conceive of eating. When I was pregnant (and nauseous) with my son, I only wanted mashed potatoes. With my daughter, I only ate stew that was mostly potatoes. With this nausea all I wanted was broth and potatoes. And so it has been.

Though, I am certainly convinced there could be merit to this paleo theory of autoimmune issues and I am a proven champ at crazy eating regimes, I feel reluctant to commit to an austere "universal" approach to this way of eating. I see myself as a "generalist." What I do generally doesn't have to be universal. What I eat most of the time doesn't have to dictate my always. I am being pretty fastidious about grains, dairy and alchohol, but I am not completely convinced of the problem with potatoes, rice, beans. I might need to do a little more research for a good argument. (I don't like to participate in arguments, but I like to read them!)

I am also not saying I will never consume grains, dairy or alchohol again. (another double-negative!) Faced with something fabulous, I will indulge. But, for the day-to-day of sustenance, its not that hard to steer my eating in a certain direction.

So, when I saw my surgeon yesterday for my post-op appointment, he indicated that the dire state of my membranes was caused by problems with inflammation. Here was I thinking all along that the sinus infections were causing problems with my lupus. It hadn't occurred to me that my lupus was likely responsible for my sinus issues (among other things.) Inflammation is the key word here folks, when we are talking about autoimmunity. Inflammation is what the paleo experts claim we can avoid through this way of eating. So, I remain resolute in my trial yet aiming for a modicum of balance in my extreme.

progression

Though, I have still been feeling intermittently crappy this week, I am attributing it to other things (the constant, chronic sinus infection aggravating my lupus.) I talked to my ENT yesterday about it and asked if the chronic infection could be responsible or if I should be seeing a rheumatologist too. He said that he definitely believes it could be the cause, that many people who don't even have lupus feel like they have chronic fatigue syndrome when they have chronic sinus infections. He also said that before he had his surgery, he felt like he had a flu for 7 months. My surgery is scheduled for next Wednesday and I am really optimistic that the surgery combined with this approach to eating will have me feeling a lot better soon.

One very wonderful thing I am noticing while eating this way, is that I am not very hungry. I used to be hungry all the time. I ate 5-6 small meals (or meals and snacks) a day. They were always healthy and nutririous but I would get very light-headed, dizzy and shaky (and cranky) if I didn't eat regularly. I was always thinking about what and when I would get to eat next. I got out of bed specifically with thoughts of breakfast on my mind. That has quite dissipated. I still think about food a lot, but I am not really hungry. I don't even want breakfast for a few hours.

For the first 10 days, I was eating lots and lots of food. I wasn't counting calories or anything, but I was snacking on nuts and berries between meals and eating hearty portions of all of this wonderful, yummy food. A little disappointed with the fact that I wasn't making much headway with this "baby-weight" (if you can still call it that 3.5 years later) and interested in testing this new found lack of hunger, I decided that while I was going aggressive on the auto-immune paleo track, I would also cut calories and see how I do. Since reading Ray Kurzweil's book about life extension and also about the Okinawan's longevity I have been interested in calorie restriction anyway. I just don't have an interest in it, if it makes me miserable (I am done with that lifestyle!)

So, for the last two days I have limited myself to 1200 calories a day, no nuts, no alcohol, no nightshades, no eggs, etc... Yesterday I ate:

Breakfast: 1 pink grapefruit

Lunch: 4oz grilled salmon, salad with lettuce, 1 grated carrot, mushrooms, half an avocado, balsamic vinegar and a dash of olive oil

Snack: an apple and approximately 20 cold shrimp

Dinner: 1 pork loin chop (recipe here: http://gavanmurphy.com/herb-grilled-pork-chops/print/), green beans (cooked in the slowcooker all day with garlic and chicken broth) and 1/2 roasted beet.

Evening: 1/2 apple and Wild Sweet Orange Tea with 1 tsp honey

The wonderful thing is I feel fine and I am not hungry. I think starting out with a relaxed approach and unlimited amounts of the "right" foods got my body ready and regulated my hormones. If I had just jumped into this restriction, I probably would have found it really difficult. Not that I haven't pushed through difficult in the past, but I have done WAY too much of that and I am not interested in living like that anymore. I refuse to return to disordered eating and work everyday to strike a balance that is healthy and sane. Though I do firmly believe that much of the disordered eating of my youth was tied into that fact that I felt miserable and diet was at the heart of it. I just didn't have the solution. I have been dancing around it my whole life.

I am eager to see if this is the solution...

to be or not to be

I have always worked very hard trying to be a bon vivant. It's not my nature, but its what I aspire to. My inner ascetic has a much louder voice. I would like to do things because I enjoy them, be more process-oriented rather than product-oriented, that whole human-doing rather than human-being thing.... I am working on it really and I think I have gotten a lot better in my "old age" (yes, I am regularly being reminded that I am getting old lately, thank you.)

What does this have to do with my paleo trial, you might ask? Well, I think that is the reason I have been resistant to jumping into a very strict form of it. I get a little uncomfortable with inflexibility around food (I'm sure a knee-jerk reaction to the fanaticism of my youth- which was oh so long ago, I hardly remember!) Anyway, I was extra flexible last night and I have been REALLY flexible around my favorite vice (wine) all along. Alcohol is not recommended at all on the paleo thing if one has an auto-immune disorder (but I chose to ignore that, in deference to the inner bon-vivant I am trying to nurture.)

Anyway, I'm feeling pretty crappy today and yesterday. Ugh. So I think the time has come to really put this theory to the test and do it properly. So, along with grains, legumes and dairy, I am going to do a week without wine and really limit eggs, nuts and tomatoes too.

(If you are interested in reading more about the connection between grains and autoimmunity, this is a good article to begin with: http://www.beyondveg.com/cordain-l/grains-leg/grains-legumes-1b.shtml#autoimmunity or "The Paleo Diet" by Loren Cordain)

The lowdown

Just in case the Paleo term is a new one to you- it refers to a way of eating that emulates that of our hunter-gatherer ancestors. Essentially, I am cutting out ALL grains, legumes and dairy. Not really that radical for me, as I have often been on high protein plans, or some gluten-free thingy. The theory is that these agricultural advancements are wreaking havoc on those with auto-immune conditions (and people with many other conditions- like syndrome X, etc...). I don't care to have a debate about agriculture (or anything else, I don't like debating, honestly!) I have been dealing with Lupus for the majority of my life and will gladly try anything that seems to show promise, whether the evidence is anecdotal, scientific or both. In this case, it seems to be both. There is a lot of very interesting information out there about it!

so far, so good

Maybe its a placebo effect, maybe just part of the usual ebb and flow of my condition (who knows) but I do think I am feeling improved. I had more energy today than I had last weekend. Of course, not bouncing off the walls energetic, but I spent the day running errands, tidying up, laundering and cleaning and I didn't need too many breaks. Last weekend, I could barely get myself off the bed. I feel less like my limbs are wet dishrags and I am having less joint pain.

I am also just really enjoying what I am eating. As I already mentioned, I am not on a "strict" paleo plan just yet. So, there is a lot of variety. In fact, I feel like I am eating a lot of food, I am eating until I am full and loving what I am eating. Before this, I was usually always hungry and trying not to eat. What I am doing requires prep, but once I have enough of the right foods around me and a plan for dinner in place, it actually seems less work than my former laissez-faire approach to meals.

Yesterday, for breakfast I had leftover salmon, with spinach, onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, an egg, etc... sauteed. It was delicious and filling. (Not something I would crave, but very satisfying once I am eating it.) Lunch was leftover pork and some leftover broccoli soup. Dinner was broiled rockfish and yellow squash (grilled with olive oil.) I was satisfied and full throughout the day. We went to a concert last night (a very rare occurrence, since having kids) and I had a glass of wine and a martini. That was quite decadent, and not very paleo I know, but it sure was fun.

Today for breakfast I had an amazing smoothie. I made it with frozen raspberries (organic, of course), coconut milk, spinach and a banana. It was really delicious and I couldn't even finish it all. For lunch, I bought some ready-made food from whole foods because I was out running errands. I had rosemary chicken, sauteed acorn squash, green beans and cabbage. For dinner, I grilled chicken breasts (pounded and marinated in lemon juice, olive oil, rosemary and garlic.) I also made Loren Cordain's mashed Cauliflower/Squash recipe, because I liked it so much the other day. Today, it kind of reminded me a bit of baby food though. I think I blended a little too much. It was still really good though (I kind of always liked baby food!) I also roasted a variety of beets and had a dessert of blackberries with cashews, almonds and brazil nuts.

I am getting so much fruit and vegetable nourishment in my diet now and it feels really good. I always did, but its really been bumped way up. I am never hungry and I am eating a lot. I am enjoying this way of eating a lot. I also feel like I am wasting WAY less food. I use all of the leftover for breakfast. Leftovers got thrown out a lot before. Also, other family members are eating this food that I am making for me and it is getting a lot more fruit and vegetables into their bodies.

So far, so good! (maybe I'll be able to get back into regular exercise at this rate.)

You are what you eat?

I started my paleo trial on Monday. Today is Thursday. I have also been reading more and more blogs and books. I guess, so far, what I am doing is not "strict, auto-immune paleo." I have eaten eggs, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, nuts... I have even had a glass of wine. I am not sure that I am totally ready for strict, auto-immune paleo just yet. I should be, considering I have been feeling so crappy, but I guess I am hopeful that my relaxed paleo attempt will be sufficient.

On Monday, I had two eggs, mushrooms, tomatoes, onion, half an avocado and a banana for breakfast. I am sure I snacked on apples and walnuts. I can't even remember now what I had for lunch. For dinner I had ahi sashimi, Loren Cordain's Broccoli soup and broiled sweet potatoes.

On Tuesday, I had two more eggs, spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes and avocado for breakfast. For lunch I had a yummy salad (from a restaurant) with flank steak and squash blossoms. For dinner, I broiled salmon coated with sesame seeds (and some olive oil). I made roast beets and yams to go with it. I also made a yummy salad with spinach, blackberries, nasturtians and walnuts. It was one of the best salads I've tasted. (I used a little balsamic and olive oil as dressing.) I had a glass of red wine before bed.

On Wednesday, I had leftover salmon and a banana for breakfast. I was really busy all day and had forgotten to pack a lunch, so I didn't eat til dinner. (That is pretty crazy for me. I am usually hungry every two hours. Skipping a meal is unheard of.) For dinner, I made marinated flank steak and mashed cauliflower and squash (both from Loren Cordain's book). They were delicious. I was hungry later and snacked on some cold shrimp, some nuts and an apple.

Today, for breakfast I had the yummiest meal. I had two eggs, with leftover beets, spinach, tomatoes, onion, mushrooms and half an avocado. It was just so delicious and I was so full afterwards. (I usually never feel full.) Mid-morning, I had a snack of cold shrimp, some blueberries and walnuts. For lunch, I had a salad with shrimp, leftover salmon, avocado, red pepper, tomatoes, cucumber. It was OK, not terribly exciting. I was full though. Dinner was a roast sirloin pork (recipe is here: http://www.bakespace.com/recipes/detail/Honey,-Garlic-and-Sage-Pork-Sirloin-Roast/18398/) I threw yams, carrots and onions in with the roast during the last 30 minutes and it was a lovely, easy meal. I even took a photo.

So far, I am enjoying the food I am eating and I am not finding it too hard to have enough food with me throughout the day. It does require prep and forethought though. I am less hungry (which is a relief.) I am not sure how much better I am feeling. Though I have not been spending my days lying down. I still would like to lie down, however.

I will keep charting what I am doing and how I am feeling and we'll see how this whole thing goes.

Intro

I was diagnosed with lupus (SLE) when I was 15 years old. I had already been quite sick and visiting doctor after doctor, trying to figure out what was wrong with me, for a long time. I have subsequently been told I have fibromyalgia, Hashimoto's, etc... whatever, my body just doesn't function properly. I have spent most of life trying every "alternative", "conventional", "crazy", "food/fitness related" means of coping with my assorted health problems. Fitness and nutrition have always been a kind of obsession and I have always been convinced that somehow diet is the key to figuring out how to manage my health. I have taken so much time that I wish I had been spending on other pursuits, reading about nutrition, fitness, health, etc...

I have tried vegetarian, vegan, raw food (including a radical foray into raw meat, a la Aajonus Vonderplanitz), juice-fasting, master cleanser, zone, gluten/dairy free, blah, blah, blah, blah... Usually ending up somewhere in the high-protein/low-carb arena, because it seems to be where I function best. During times when I am on a physical upswing (though never feeling particularly energetic or "good") or when I am trying something to see if it helps, I have finished a couple of triathlons, many century rides, an AIDs ride, a pilates certification, a year of daily 5am bikram yoga classes, etc... Exercise, when I can do it, makes me feel better and helps my pain, so I have at times been quite obsessive...

Five years ago, I got pregnant with my first child. After my son was born, he had such horrendous colic that I turned to diet again as a solution and cut out all wheat, dairy, cruciferous vegetables, citrus, soy etc.. I was mostly living on meat, vegetables, fruit, rice, beans and oats. I also drank no alchohol, because I was nursing. I felt OK during this time and thought I had finally found a way to have carbs in my life. My daughter was born two years later. I didn't need to regulate my diet for her and so was just trying to eat "healthy and normal." I was feeling kind of crappy and also not losing about 20 extra pounds of nagging baby weight (and I was not happy about that part.) I went gluten-free, thinking that was the reason I felt OK after having my son. I started to feel even worse (I think it was because I got really creative with all of the other grain/bean options.) Totally fed up with feeling awful, constantly trying "diet (food plan)" after "diet" I even tried to emulate a friend's experiment with being "French Skinny." Unfortunately chocolate croissants, baguettes and brie were definitely not my savior (damn it- why can't it be so!)

Lately, I have just been feeling worse than ever, with nearly weekly sinus infections, regular bronchitis, joint pain everywhere and problems with my left knee if I try to run or bike. I am not doing any exercise, because I am so tired and sore and I seem to get a sinus infection (fever, chills, sore throat, etc)... everytime I exert myself. I am trying to get work done (painting or music) and all I can really accomplish in the day is barely being a taxi-service and cook for my two kids (I wouldn't call it parenting, because I am so tired that I don't have the energy to be the parent I want to be.) This has been escalating for the last two years.

So this last weekend, I was lying on the bed (mid-day) after putting on a movie for my 3-year old (again, not the type of parent I want to be) and I started yet again to research nutrition and lupus. I decided to google "grain-free diet and lupus." I came across a reference to research by Dr. Jean Seignalet and his study of paleo diets in people with automimmune disorders. I read some blogs about lupus and/or paleo diets and was really fascinated by what I read. Quickly, I downloaded Loren Cordain's Paleo Diet to the Kindle app on my phone. I feel like I have been dancing around this answer, slowly circling my way in for my entire life. I am quite convinced this might be just the thing. So, here I am, attempting a "new" (old) way of eating, yet again. Still hopeful that I can gain some control over this condition through what I eat. I am blogging about it because, well, I enjoyed reading other people's blogs and it seems kind of fun. Also, if it does help, I would like to chronicle the progression. Here goes.....