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Is Paleo the way to go?

We has a great IBS Support group last night. I think it was great that we all shared experiences with our digestive issue. Here is an experience I had about a year ago that I have lately been contemplating going back to. I hope my experience helps others find their right choice.

I always find this diet very interesting and wish I could pick it apart and utilize certain aspect of it. Why couldn’t I? This is exactly what I did one year ago and what I sometimes do in practice (remember I do not rubber stamp anyone). One year ago I experimented with a modified Paleo knowing that I could not follow it strictly. I can say it greatly changed how I felt and my eating habits. I shared this tonight with our group and her is a synopsis for a week in a modified paleo diet. I plan on doing this again since I have not been as strict with it since becoming pregnant with our third child but in few short months I can guarantee you I will be back to this.

Day 1 of this journey and boy did I have a bad day yesterday. I mean a really bad day, food wise my husband and I went out for the first time in awhile,no kids. I have two great little boys one is 9 months old and the other is 4 years old. As most parents know you love your children with all your heart but sometimes we need a break. So not only did we go out and have a few drinks, when we got back I decided to make pasta and a pound of pasta went pretty fast between my husband and myself. With that being said today is a new day and our Paleo experience begins.

We tried this about two years ago with a couple of my dietitian friends. Did I mention I am a dietitian? Yeah I am a dietitian that teaches about moderation and finding the right balance for you. Yet somehow after kid 2 I have been unable to lose the last 15 pounds (in all honesty I would like to loose 30). So here we are today, day one of my new paleo experience and seeing where it will lead me. The hard part about today is that I am not at home. We are at my parents which is great, but not conducive to the first day of my experience. I get by with eggs, pork, steak, salad, guacamole, salsa and cheese. Yes, i said cheese. What I felt that with my last paleo experience I could not stick to it because there are a few staples that I love and want in my diet. Good cheddar cheese is one, the other is beans. SO I WILL NOT FORGO THESE ITEMS.

I’m hoping this experience helps both my husband and I on a path to better health. The summer months are approaching so that means my garden will be thriving. I think this is great because the other difficulty I had with paleo was the increased expense it had on our budget. I am looking into different options in the future though and a CSA is one of them.

Day 2 and I feel better prepared, after I go into the city and gave a lecture I will be on my way home and have a marinade with pork chops already prepared and ready to go. My husband and I are trying to be smart about this and will shop for our diets right when we get back stocking up on fresh fruits, vegetables and meat. I hope this marinade is great tonight, let’s keep our fingers crossed but I’m feeling great! And my husband also reports that he is feeling great too.

Lunch was thai spicy meatballs over a salad. Instead of soy sauce I used Tamari. The difference one is made from wheat the other soy. To go with the pork chops inside out egg roll, again with Tamari.

Inside out egg roll

Half head Babbage sliced thin

Basil garlic Marinade

1 cup basil

3 TBs garlic minced

3 Tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

I will feel you in tomorrow on how it tasted.

Day 3 of my modified paleo experience and I feel great! It’s amazing how everyone experiences things differently. My husband has never been so miserable. Menu today:

Gumbo

Stir fry

Garlic lemon chicken

Roll ups

Day 4 I should label this paleo is the way to go… or at least modified Paleo. First day of going to work and eating Paleo and I still feel great, although yes I continue to eat cheese (I just can’t seem to give it up) I feel markedly better with higher energy levels and less bloating. I don’t know if it’s in my head but the eczema on my hands have seemed to disappear as well. Again am I crazy? I guess we will see since I’m not even a week into it. Dinner tonight I got a spiralizer!! Yay! My husband wanted to know why I am so happy about this. Who wouldn’t be? Today’s menu

Breakfast Smoothies

Snack Pear

Lunch paleo gumbo, kale and onion salad

Snack grapefruit

Coffee at least two cups black

Dinner Salad (pre-made bowl) veggie pasta, steak.

Day 5 I used my spiralizer last night and it was amazing!! This opens up a whole new world for me in regards to “pasta”. Since again I do allow myself to have cheese this can get really interesting. I am going to try out some almond flour for breaded chicken cutlets and will let you know how this works. I’m excited that I have more options! I’m also excited to try new recipes to share with my patients. I think this journey will not only aid in my quest for health but also in helping others in their own health journey. Today’s menu:

Breakfast berry spinach smoothie with turmeric and ginger

Snack apple with peanut butter

Lunch leftover gumbo, chicken and salad with oil and vinegar

Snack grapefruit

Dinner poblano bake

Mexican hamburger

Day 6:Today I want to talk about the one word that can make people cringe… Poop, yes I said it poop. My last paleo experience my friends and I all discussed poop and how on this diet all of our bowel movements significantly changed. I would not say it was for the worst or that going a few times a day is a bad sign but ugh.

Day 7: Today we are having company, lets see how this works out? I know my husband and I feel great on this diet, but subjecting others to this is another story. I can tell you I will make pasta for everyone and have naked chicken parmesan (remember I allow cheese). Instead of dessert we are gonna have fruit salad, this in my head is much better for the kid. The Menu:

Antipasto

Italian style green beans

Broccoli rabe with garlic and oil

bread less chicken parm

watermelon , blackberries, apple and pear

The funny part about the whole night is the kids loved the fruit! They didn’t miss the cookies at all! Itl just goes to show that kids will eat what you give them.

Day 6 of my experience and today might be tough! We have a kids birthday party to go to that is 1 ½ away. Problem 1 you know there is nothing there that you can eat, and problem 2 you don’t want to be rude.We also went out to breakfast at the diner, eggs and fruit are always good! Luckily our friends are awesome and it worked out ok. No one noticed that I didn’t eat, my husband did eat ¼ slice of pizza and thought it was delicious! It probably was and If I was just doing this for weight loss and not my other health issue I probably would have partaken. I had some neat off of the sandwich they had (yes cold cuts aren’t the best but at least it had some lettuce, tomato and cheese). We stopped on the way home at Starbuck and got an cheese and fruit container each sans crackers.

That night I didn’t think was going to be much better as we were not going home but to my parents. Again not in your own environment can be tough. Again it was ok, I cooked dinner squash spiralized, with all natural sausage tomato sauce, delicious!

Desert trail mix with cashews, walnuts and a little craisins for sweetness ( figured if that the worse that I’m doing pretty good) Today’s menu

Salsa omelet with fruit salad

Innerd of a sandwich

Fruit and cheese plate (starbucks)

Sausage and squash

Trail mix

Day9- Lets see how today goes, I have mastered a lot of tricks so far. I think the easy part of this is how supportive my family is. My husband is great! He can’t believe that my eczema is gone! And my arthritis is doing great! He is feeling good. Although he did have a guys night out with his friends last night so I’m sure he partook in a few libations. Hey we need to be real! Realistic is our name.

First Bump in the road. My husband had one too many libations and the whole family stopped for a bagel. In my head I’M like bagel I can deal with this no biggie…. Well that was until everyone was eating a bagel in the car. It’s not that I wanted the bagel, but i was hungry and there was nothing I could eat. So… I went home and had two chicken burgers with leftover sauce and spiralized zucchini. Tell you what it hit the spot! Now I know I don’t get violently ill like some when they eat gluten dairy or corn but the fact is that if all my autoimmune issues cleared up taking them out why not stick with it?? I hate when people judge others that they don’t need to be on a GF diet or any specialized diet and they think it is all in their head. Today’s menu

3 egg omelet with cheddar and salsa

1 apple

1 halo

2 pc chicken burgers with squash and tomato sauce

Breadless Cuban

Homemade BBQ sauce

Day 10 and still feeling great! Eczema has not returned and my joint are feeling amazing. Working half days for most of the week and you would think that would make this easier but it actually makes it harder. Trying to get the kids feed, bathed in bed and still feeding myself something healthy is difficult but doable I just need to plan.Today’s menu:

Chicken noodle soup

Fresh mozzarella salad with Britney olives

Leftover chicken parm with string beans

Fruit salad
I can truly say that I not only followed this regimen for 10 days but I followed this for many months to come. It opened my eyes to a lot of new recipes and ways to prepare different items. My road block came when I was pregnant with our third child and was nauseous and not feeling well. I can definitely say though that processed starches are not as big a part in my diet as they were and fruits and vegetables are definitely more abundant.

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