Tuesday, December 31, 2013

On the brink.....


Seems fitting to post for the first time in over two years doesn't it? Alot has happened and changed in my life since my last post back in 2011 and some things were not for the better such as my health. We have had job changes, moved into a new house, worked more than I care to remember and most of all, neglected all the things I know to be the most important; my health. When I last blogged two years ago I was in the thick of visiting my naturopath every two weeks and taking natural supplements to control my immune system and bring down my inflammation. I was feeling better than I had in a long time and felt like I was finally gaining control over my body again. I decided to pick up a part time job to help me establish an identity outside of my home that would be solely for the purpose of an outlet. Needless to say, jobs changed and my fun part time job became a weekly 40+ hour necessity to help ends meet. One thing that came out of it was I finally pursued my desire to be a Makeup Artist and learn everything I ever wanted to know about the world of makeup. I, being a 32 yo woman at the time who only wore mascara, had a lot to learn but it kept me motivated since it was all new. However, on the flip side I was working so much that I completely neglected my health and began a slow decline that has ultimately landed me back at square one. My appopintments to see my naturopath started taking a backseat and became farther and fewer between. My eating habits became about what was quick and convenient and not necessarily healthy. Gluten, Soy, Dairy and Eggs became staples in my diet again and at first I didn't think anything of it because the side effects weren't prevalant.




Fast forward almost a year later to Summer of 2012 and I found myself taking a haitus from work due to debilitating anxiety attacks that I had worked so hard to get under control. The kind that make you want to never leave your home. The reality of where I was physically started to set in and I realized just how far I had backslid into negative health again. I was lethargic all day experiencing the mid day slumps where I felt completely wiped out from that 2-5 pm window. I was suffering from the aches and pains all over my body and relief was minimal if any. I hadn't taken my supplements in months and was eating whatever I craved and cravings were at an all time with sugar. I had managed to undo everything I worked so hard to accomplish with my health. I knew better and inspite of knowing how to live and eat I chose what was easy and the path of least resistance. The hardest part was that I slowly started gaining weight and no matter what I did the number of the scale just kept creeping up. I knew my insulin resistance was spinning out of control and my body was holding onto everything it shouldn't be resulting in a vicious fight that I was clearly losing.




All that to say this, even though I hate to be where I am, I now know even more why I have to live and eat a certain way. I am that person that things have to be real and relevant for and sometimes that comes with a hard lesson. The good thing is that it is all fixable and I have complete control of doing just that.




Two books I have been reading that have further solidifed the drastic changes I have make in 2014 are Wheat Belly by William Davis, MD and The 21 Day Sugar Detox by Diane Sanfilippo, BS, NC. Chances are if you are gluten sensitive or suffer from Celiac Disease, you have probably heard of Wheat Belly. It is a great book that breaks down wheat and the reasons why we shouldn't eat it. It has in depth explanations as to what exaclty gluten is and how it is created and what it does to the human body. There is a lot of information but it is good information that helps put the whole gluten thing in perspective. The 21 Day Sugar Detox is a book that was referred by Danielle Walker who is a best selling author of the cookbook Against All Grain. Against All Grain is a great cookbook that simplifies the conversion of various cooking substitutes for everyday recipe ingredients like flour and such. Back to the 21 Day Sugar Detox, I looked into this book as I knew with the coming new year that I needed to do something drastic to start it off on the right foot. A detox would be the perfect thing but I wanted a detox that would yield life changing results, not just cleanse my organs. I ordered the 21DSD book and the next day ordered the cookbook. Amazon had the best pricing out of any retailers I could find and it wasn't available in my local Half Price Books due to being fairly new. The 21DSD book does a great job of giving specific instructions on how to partake in the detox, what foods to eat and includes recipes and specific foods to eat. Diane even does a great job of including the various most common allergens for people with each recipe whether its nightshade vegetables, eggs, fodmaps, nuts or seafood. The recipes are all gluten free, grain free and dairy free and follow the Paleo lifestyle. As with any detox, she clearly explains that the first few days to week will be the hardest and it will vary depending on how much your body needs to correct through the detox. I am excited to start this with my husband and have it be the kickoff into 2014 for clean eating and getting back on track. I will be posting regularly and sharing my experiences with the detox and how it is going for us. If you want to join in, there is a group starting on January 6 via Diane's blog www.balancedbites.com. This is a great opportunity to establish accountability and support all at the same time and who knows, you might make a friend or two. :)



I look forward to a successful 2014 in reclaiming my health and happiness!!




Happy New Year and New You!




Much love,


Brooke