Ditching my Whole 30 for a simpler plan

I know, I planned to get back on the Whole 30 wagon.  I did for one whole day but kept having this crazy nagging feeling that I needed to do something else.  I have been studying about the affects of the Autoimmune Protocol on people who have autoimmune disorders/diseases.  

Some of you know that I have Lupus but I also have Fibromyalgia and Hashimotos.  They really all go hand in hand and the symptoms overlap a lot for each of them.  I call it my autoimmune mess!  

I need to say, up front, that the Whole 30 elimination experiment is brilliant and when I did it in May 2015 it was very helpful in teaching me more about listening to my body and knowing about things like "no brakes" foods for me or things that I was sensitive to in my own diet that I should avoid.  I had every intention of doing it again this month but, again... the nagging feeling.

My body has been telling me to go simpler.  I have removed some of those restrictions that are part of the Whole 30 in order to give myself a less stressful, yet completely successful, experience.  I decided to go with what I already know.... I have reactions to dairy (mostly lactose), soy, wheat/gluten, and sugar and then the occasional reaction to certain corn products (I suspect GMO or super processed).  

I decided to take the book by Eileen Laird (Phoenix Helix) that I just read and use it as my ultimate reference for what I can and cannot eat to heal my gut.  The book is called called A Simple Guide to the Paleo Autoimmune Protocol.  Healing my gut and feeling better is my primary goal right now.  I am not looking to lose weight, although I won't fight that, or fit some image of super fit.... I just want to feel better!

So, four days ago I restarted...

I have had no sugar, wheat/gluten, dairy or soy since then.

I have also added the restriction on certain nightshade vegetables.

I am keeping eggs, coffee (one to two cups per day tops) and potatoes for now but if things are still not feeling better in two weeks I will ditch those, too.  I want to take it on a day to day basis at this point.  

Here is my stack of reference books and cookbooks to keep me focused right now.  I have one more book coming the end of September from Dr. Amy Myers on the thyroid called The Thyroid Connection.  

For those on this journey I am giving you a list of blogs I frequent to help me understand this process.

A Squirrel in the Kitchen

Phoenix Helix

Angie and Mickey at Autoimmune Paleo

Grazed and Enthused

Still On the Journey... September Plan for Food

I am heading toward another Whole30 journey for the month of September.  This time I am adding the AIP (Autoimmune Protocol) restrictions.  I just finished this book to help me with my planning.  Eileen Laird is the AIP blogger at PhoenixHelix.com.  This is not an all inclusive guide but it is very helpful for those who are starting and want to understand more about the Autoimmune Protocol for reducing inflammation in the body.  If you have an autoimmune disease/disorder then you, likely, suffer with some kind of inflammation on a regular basis.  

I have Lupus (SLE) and Fibromyalgia and my biggest battle seems to be with the arthritis that comes with it.  I have triggers that are external such as the rise in barometric pressure, excessively hot summer days, lack of sleep, and overexertion.  

I have food triggers, too, that I discovered last May (2015) during my last Whole30.  I struggle with soy, wheat, corn, dairy and a whole slew of preservatives and chemicals found in many prepackaged foods.  Since May 2015 I have struggled to keep those things out of my diet and have found that I seem to be sensitive to the nightshade plants as well.  I need to be back on track after all the crazy summer eating while we were traveling and dealing with a bazillion changes in our lives as a family.  Well, maybe not a bazillion... but it felt like it.

The book gives a good overview of what you should NOT be eating and then an extensive list of things you can eat in abundance.  It gives you helpful information for setting up your kitchen before you begin.... which is what I am doing this next week.  It gives you a basic grocery list, how to deal with spices that may be causing issues and how to make your own blends.  She addresses eating out at restaurants and travel tips, and my favorite... HOLIDAY EATING!

She encourages you to write everything down.  Keep an eating journal and a symptom journal as you go.  She even shares common mistakes and how to troubleshoot as you move through the changes you are making.  I wish there had been a more extensive list of resources because I know they exist but she really just shares things from her website and a few friends that she has worked with in this realm.  She has loads of personal experience so it is all great information.  The book is very practical and can help you right away as you start your journey to feel better.

I will be using this book in conjunction with the Whole30 book and website resources and It Starts With Food from Dallas and Melissa Hartwig.  I highly recommend everyone read It Starts with Food before you dive into the Whole30 plan.

Something you need to remember is that this is not a diet to be sustained longterm.  It is meant to be a 30 day elimination plan.  Once you get the junk out of your system you start reintroducing things back in.  The goal is to see how you tolerate them until you build a healthy eating plan for you that does not trigger inflammation and sickness in your daily life.

If you have any questions on this please feel free to ask and I can answer or point you to an answer.  We should never have to be on this journey alone.  I am grateful for my fellow sojourners that encourage me daily.  No man is an island.... 

I will be sharing, in the coming days, about two other resources I will be using through this, too.  They are from Amy Myers MD and address Autoimmune and Thyroid issues specifically so stay tuned for those resources.  She certainly warrants a separate post.

PS.  This is not a book sent to me for review.... it is just one in my stack that I wanted to share.  I paid real money for this one!  LOL