What's changed in two weeks

I have never cooked this many meals of this variety in such a short amount of time. It may not seem like much to some, but for me it's a whole new world.  And I'm lovin' it!!

NEW FOODS/MEALS:
Cauliflower Puree with Poached Eggs
Grilled pork chops and carrots with cinnamon, nutmeg, cayenne pepper and butter rub
Kale Pesto
Spaghetti Squash Omelet with Kale pesto
Pecan Crusted Chicken
Zesty Steak Salad-Olive oil, red wine vinegar and Dijon mustard dressing
Kale Chips
Spaghetti Squash with Kale Pesto and smoked salmon

For the first few weeks of Paleo I was making scrambled eggs with chicken and vegetables. Though I am not sick of that meal, I really enjoyed the change this morning with the Spaghetti Squash Omelet.  What I like about using the squash for breakfast is that now I have a good start to what I will make for dinner.  

Over the weekend I read a lot about which vitamins are best for the skin, how they help, in which foods they are most prominent and which supplements I should be taking if any. So, I will be sure to write a blog summarizing what I learned. 

To wrap up week 2 of Paleo, I have to note that while my skin is not perfect, it is making good progress. I am still experiencing some daily breakouts, but the pain is lessening and I can see that the inflammation is going down. However, there are still bumps and redness.  I have also noted that the change is progressing down from my upper jaw and cheek area toward my  lower jaw and chin.  From my understanding, breakouts in the lower jaw and chin area are driven by hormones, so I figure, as I get my hormone levels balanced, this area will be the very last to clear up. 

Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night or in the morning because your ear was hurting from sleeping on it for too long or incorrectly? Well, if not ...then I don't know what to say... but if so, then you will understand this next part, maybe. For awhile there I would wake up in the middle of the night from the pain of sleeping on my breakouts. I would have to get up for an ice pack, so that my face would relax and to decrease the inflammation. (I am sorry if that's gross, but if you are reading this then you are either currently living with acne, have lived with it or just interested for whatever reason.) Anyhoo, my point is, I haven't experienced this for over a week. :) I'm taking that as a positive sign; something must be working properly.

Aside from aiding my acne, I think following Paleo is helping with my moodiness, irritability and any other hormonal ups and downs I experience regularly. Over this last week I noticed that I have felt more consistently relaxed, focused and happy. It is hard for me to imagine that just changing my diet has made this difference, but I have read and heard that carbohydrates (the bad ones) do affect your hormones which in turn impact your mood. So, I will give this argument some credit.  Though I didn't start this diet for the possible mental health benefits, I wanted to let readers, who are looking for something in that arena, know that cutting out bad carbs and dairy may be beneficial for them.

All in all, I have witnessed no negative changes thus far in the process of eating Paleo.

Kale Chips for a snack

I tried baked Kale at my parent’s house a few weekends ago (only because my dad forced me!) and liked it more than I thought I would... I've been thinking about them ever since.  I have been eating almonds for snacks along with fruit or vegetables, but desire a change. At the Saturday Market today I bought a bundle of organic, locally grown Kale and made some chips. :)

The recipe below I found online and liked it for its simplicity. I didn't really follow it exactly. I used olive oil and sea salt for seasoning- I just eye balled the amounts, which turned out to be far too much salt, so I will have to change that next time. Eventually, I'll try some other seasonings. Also, I only cooked them for 14 minutes and they came out just right.

Kale is a good source of calcium, fiber and vitamins A, C and K (among others); and is found in several Paleo recipes I have come across, so I better get used to the flavorful dark green leafs.  Due to all the nutrients found in the vegie, it is said to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects on the body.  Score! 

While I am sure I will be talking more on Kale later as I continue my research, I will leave you to this recipe for now and encourage you to try it.

Kale Chips

Ingredients:

• 1 big bunch kale;
• 2 tbsp oil, melted (I used olive oil);
• 1 tbsp lemon juice;
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste;
• Place the kale in a bowl and massage the melted cooking fat into them
• Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the lemon juice and combine well

Preparation:

1. Preheat your oven to 300 F
2. Wash the kale thoroughly under lukewarm water, drain and pat it dry.
3. Cut the stems off of the kale leaves and cut the leaves to obtain chips of similar size.
4. Place the kale in a single layer on a baking sheet and place in the preheated oven for about 35 minutes, until crispy. Check on the chips about every 12 minutes and toss them to make sure none of them overcook. Some parts will still be soft and this is desired

Sprinkle with extra sea salt if desired and enjoy

Motivated for a Change

I am about to embark on an adventure I never thought I would; I am going Paleo.  I am experimenting with this new diet for the next thirty days in an attempt to help clear my skin and note any other health benefits I notice along the way.  I have perpetually dealt with acne and irregular periods; and now I am also riding the infertility wave.  This is my quest to overcome their greediness and take charge of their influence in my life.

I first learned of Paleo a few years ago when my aunt gifted me with a book on it and have been skeptical of it since.  What changed?  Well, I am 27 years old, married and continue the incessant fight against acne.   Growing up I was really active in athletics; I went skiing every weekend through the winter, was playing soccer every spring and fall, went swimming throughout the year and each year of high school I was dancing on the Drill team.  That being said, growing up I tended to eat poorly since I never gained any weight.  Unfortunately, since the age of 14 I have struggled with acne; at first chocking it up to teen hormones, but now I am realizing it may be more. During high school I started getting more into exercising and eating slightly healthier food, but I definitely didn't skimp out of the sweets and wheat products.  I would commonly use the excuse that "I worked out, I deserve this".  Since I was exercising regularly and not gaining significant weight, I felt I could eat and drink anything I wanted; and though I didn't struggle with a weight issue, I did continue to struggle with acne. Even in the more mild times my skin still wasn't clear, but neither I nor any of my doctors ever pinned it to be an insulin issue.

Dealing with acne is embarrassing, painful, awkward and depressing. It is difficult to have confidence in yourself when you are wearing a mountain range on your face.  When you stand there face-to-face with someone its difficult to have a conversation since all you can think about is what your face looks like and wondering what the person staring at you is thinking.

When acne started for me, I was around 14, it was in the shape of little bumps all over my forehead.  I remember asking my dad about it and he tried to reassure me by saying they were just “sweat bumps”.  However, that was quickly diminished when I told my cousin that and she laughed and said, “Yeah, um those are zits”. So, that is how it all began and I really wish there was an end.  

In high school, I started using prescription medication and birth control to lessen the breakouts and regulate my cycle; they worked for awhile. I was able to get to a point of clearer skin that didn't make me want to hide any time someone looked at me. That was around age 17. I continued with birth control, but when I was about 20/21 I started breaking out again; however, this time it was with cystic inflammations and surface level zits. I was also getting headaches regularly. I saw a dermatologist who put me on strong medication (not Acutane) that made the situation way worse and left me in excruciating pain. I remember working one morning, I was working the opening shifts at Starbucks at the time, and about three hours into my shift I just had to go home. My face felt on fire (I honestly don’t think that does it justice), it was as if someone was ripping off the first three layers of my skin as I was standing there taking drink orders. On top of that, I still had huge breakouts and fire engine red skin; it was the worst time of my life. Granted, I understand that when you go on acne medication it typically gets worse before it gets better, but it was awful and I wish it upon no one. Eventually, my skin did clear up again and I could stop the medication. Though the acne remained in control, it was still there, hovering; new volcanoes sprouting regularly.  When I was 24, nearing college graduation, I had another huge cystic breakout. At this time, I was living with my now husband, and that was the last thing I wanted to go through. As though that wasn't enough, I didn't have health insurance, so I had no way of affording medication.  I just lived with it; graduated with it; and got a full time job with benefits, so I could fix it… again.  However, I had to wait 90 days to get the health insurance.  It was just after spring graduation that I started my job/career and that summer I took a graduation trip to Japan to visit my brother.  I loved showing up after not seeing him for a couple years with the skin I had. I finally got health insurance and a chance to clear up my skin, for the umpteenth time, a few weeks after returning home.  A few months later, I was engaged to be married to the man who stuck by me through it all; the man who called me beautiful every single day.

Now, here I am, with yet another huge cystic acne breakout.  This time however, I am doing things differently.  Obviously, acne medication clears up the breakout, but it doesn't fix the problem.  I am determined to get to the root of the issue and squash it once and for all!  So please join me on my journey to finding peace with with body with which I was blessed.

Recap of Pre-Paleo week

My introduction week of Paleo wasn't as difficult as I had projected it to be, however I was also a little more lenient with the intake.  For instance, I allowed myself heavy cream in my coffee rather a dairy substitute- coconut or almond milk.  The Paleo books I am ready say to cut out all dairy for the initial 30-day cleanse, and after that you can bring it back into your diet accordingly.  By accordingly, I mean how that particular product makes you feel after you have purged it from your system.  The transition from dairy to coconut or almond milk isn't difficult for me, since, up until a month ago, I was drinking it in my coffee and cereal.  However, I will admit that the first time I tried coconut milk, I was not on board, but now I love it!  I stopped drinking it a month ago to see if it was aiding my skin breakouts, but with its end came no results in either direction. Another food category the Paleo diet eliminates is grains, about which I was hesitant kick out because they are everywhere, in everything and taste delicious in most forms. okay, more on that later, right now is just about getting started on Paleo. Aside from those two food groups, dair and grain, the Paleo lifestyle doesn't really cut out much else. Paleo guru's encourage you to eat organic fruits and vegitables, grass-fed meet, free-range chicken and eggs and wild fish (not farmed). However, most acknowledge that such a diet is not affordable for everyone and recommend purchasing the leanest meats non-organic and the fattier meats organic-grass-fed.  This is because most of the toxins found in the meat will be stored in the fat cells and if you eat this meat you ultimately consume those toxins. Some day, when I own my own house, I will buy part of a cow from a local farmer to store in a giant freezer, but as it is now I do not have enough room in my 2-bedroom apartment and I am not carrying one up three flights of stairs.

Before starting the diet/life change, I feared I would feel less satisfied and more frustrated by not getting to snack on my normal food. Silly me! By eating more meat; full fat dairy (not even a lot of it); avocados and a bountiful amount of vegies in my breakfast eggs and lunch salads; and fruits and nuts for snacks throughout the day, I was barely hungry for dinner.  I actually felt fuller longer, cravings subsided and didn't feel bloated after or between meals. I felt all around better; more consistent energy, happiness, focus and determination ruled my day.  What a change that makes when you have to work for 8 or more hours a day!

Since Justin is not quite on board with my diet, yet ;), we still have a bunch way-non-Paleo foods in our fridge and cupboards. Which made the week a bit more difficult in times of ravenous hunger. I would LOVE to delve into his homemade strawberry ice cream, but I know that at this point in time it will only set me back. I have a purpose for this new food plan and I really don't want to set myself back, so my solution was to cut up all my vegetables, boil some eggs and stock on fruits over the weekend, so that I was well prepared for any meal or snack. It is now Tuesday as I write this and how thankful I am for doing that! It makes meals so much  less daunting of a task and makes grabbing for healthy snacks more convenient. By the way, this is not a revolutionary concept for me, it's just not something I ever did.

Though the goal of this food plan is not to lose weight, I am tracking my weight and how I feel. I will note, however, that I did lose a few pounds over the week, just by eliminating grains. My goal with this is to clear up my skin and I am really hoping it works; I am so over dealing with acne and I don't want to just be put on medication again.  I am unsure how the change in diet the last week has affected my skin; it doesn't look any better, but I am hoping that it may just be getting worse before it gets better. I have been taking pictures of my skin each morning in order to see the potential change, which better be coming soon!

So, today (Sunday) was my last day on Pre-Paleo and will now begin my 30-day challenge on the Paleo diet. I had my last piece of homemade pie and angel food cake with local strawberries and whipped cream. I made both items from scratch for the first time ever, so I had to taste my creation. They were delicious and I am so happy I those treats.  No more dairy unless its coconut or almond milk, no more legumes, no more sneaky bites of ice cream or chocolate, no more crackers or pasta. 

I have cut all my vegetables, precooked some chicken for my breakfast and lunches. So, I will just have to decide which meats I want for each dinner, find a tasty recipe, cook it and enjoy! 

Day 3 Pre-Paleo

For breakfast I had the same as day 2, but I added half an avocado. For lunch, I had the same salad, except without the dried cranberries and feta cheese.  For snacks I had Almond butter (instead of peanut butter) with celery sticks and carrots with hummus.  For dinner, I experimented with cauliflower and mashed them with a little butter and heavy cream. I didn't use very much of either and it was plenty of flavor, so I plan to use less of each next time.  I wasn't able to get it as smooth as mashed potatoes, but I have to admit that I prefer mashed cauliflower over potatoes.  I did add in a treat for dessert, which was a cup of strawberries with less than a table spoon of heavy cream. 

According to the Paleo book I am reading, coconut milk is the best substitute for dairy; it recommends getting it in a can.  However, I am having a difficult time finding that in the store.  I will have to check out Trader Joe's or the COOP this weekend, so that I am prepared next week.  Another substitute for dairy is Almond milk, but since it has a large amount of omega-6 fat in it, it is not as good for you as coconut.  

Since I have stopped eating processed sugar (I guess aside from the dried cranberries), crackers, rice, cheddar cheese, bread and such I have noticed a difference in how I feel. I don't feel bloated and I have been more focused at work, with fewer bursts of energy and sugar crashes.  I can only imagine it gets better from here.

Day 2 on Pre-Paleo

Day 2 of Pre-Paleo was good as far as food and no-cravings went, but I received a screaming headache around 3:30 in the afternoon.  At first I attributed the headache to low blood sugar, even though I had snacks to tide me over until my lunch break. However, it wasn't until after finished lunch that my headache set in.  So, if it was low blood sugar, I do not understand why it set in after I ate lunch.  I'll start from the beginning, so I can get an accurate reading on where I went wrong. 

For breakfast at 7 am, I ate two eggs scrambled with red bell pepper and chicken seasoned with salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and fresh oregano. Mmmm, even better than my eggs on day one. 

At noon I was feeling the hunger pangs, so I ate an apple, some celery sticks with almond butter and a handful of local strawberries.  At 2 pm I had another handful of local strawberries thinking that I would be good, but by 3 pm I was starving and craving an actual meal.  So, just after 3 pm I sat down to enjoy my lunch.

For lunch, I had a salad with chicken, cucumber, feta cheese (I am all out of feta cheese, so worry no more), dried cranberries and black beans with apple cider and olive oil for dressing.  Unless I pick and dry my own cranberries, I will have to ditch those from my salads.  

Just after finishing my salad, I started feeling the onslaught of a headache and by 5 pm it was slammed in my face. I could barely keep my eyes open at that point. It wasn't until I got home at 5:30 that I took Ibuprofen, a nap and about an hour later I was good to go. 

For dinner around 7pm I made a new dish out of a primal approved cookbook I am borrowing from my parents. I made Spice-rubbed grilled pork and carrots. One thing about attempting this diet, I have excuse to try new foods with which I never dare to cook.  Pork is one item I very rarely buy; maybe once a year.  I have also never grilled carrots or pork for that matter. The rub I made was with butter, cumin, cinnamon and chile powder mix. I rubbed that all over the carrots and pork then placed them right over the flame on the grill. I grilled each side for about 5 minutes with the grill cover open. When that was done, I moved the food to a cooler section of the grill, closed the lid and let them cook for additional three to five minutes. Viola! The pork was cooked to perfection, but the thicker carrot pieces should have been cooked longer. 

In any case, it was a completely delicious and filling meal.  Usually, after dinner I crave something sweet, but the cinnamon in the rub was a sufficient sugar fix. 

As long as I can keep my fridge and pantry filled with Paleo-friendly food, so I don’t snack on Justin’s snack food, I think I am going to like this way of eating.

Until day 3 :)

Day 1 on Pre-Paleo

Day one of Pre-Paleo week was June 24th. The first day of full-fledged Paleo will be July 1st. I am using this week to familiarize myself with the expectations of Paleo and to weed out all of my non-Paleo food products in my cupboards.  This weekend my in-laws are having a family picnic as Justin's brother's going away party, so I will see how well I do...  Day 1 was a good start, but there remain several items that need to be removed from my diet, which I describe below.  For breakfast, I made two eggs scrambled with 1/2 an avocado and red pepper seasoned with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. I had 2 cups of coffee with 2% milk, which I have to replace with either whole milk or whole cream. Why? I believe it is because of all the additives that are in less-fat dairy products.  This breakfast was a much welcome improvement from my typical scrambled eggs with ketchup, which I can no longer eat either, unless I make a Paleo-friendly version. I ate a handful of almonds and carrots with hummus for a mid-morning snack.  The hummus definitely needs to go since it is processed and not homemade.  Whether or not homemade hummus is okay with Paleo, I am not exactly sure yet, but I will know soon enough.  For lunch I ate 1 cup of Whatcom county strawberries and a salad. My salad consisted of lettuce, tuna, red bell pepper, cucumber and feta cheese with an apple cider vinegar and olive oil dressing.   Delicious! The one ingredient I need to remove is the feta cheese, since that is not allowed in Paleo. Later, I had some fruit for a mid-afternoon snack.  For dinner, I had the same salad I had for lunch and a bowl of steamed broccoli with olive oil.  I wasn't really prepared for starting Paleo, so I had nothing else to eat.  One great thing I noticed was that I did not experience any cravings throughout the day.  Unfortunately, I was super-duper tired around 2 pm, trying really hard not to fall asleep at my desk.  Other than that, it was a good day.

I did go shopping later on and got some "Paleo" approved items, some of which I have never purchased, eaten or cooked with before in my life.   I want to try "turnip browns" which replace hash browns, so I bought a few Turnips. I also picked up a Rutabaga, which I am excited about trying. I got a spaghetti squash which I will use to make a scrambled egg dish for breakfast as well as a replacement for regular spaghetti noodles.

I don't think this diet will be too difficult... The biggest challenge I see is forgoing the desserts and occasional beer, which I thoroughly enjoy.  Although, maybe I can weave it back into my diet after my month long trial on a Paleo diet.

See, I am already trained in hunting and gathering... for water! For everything else, I will be utilizing my local grocery. :)

Thanks for reading!