Category: Health

It’s Cleansing Time: 21-Day Clean Program

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So it’s January and I’m super original so I’m trying this cleanse rigmarole again. I knew over the holidays that I was going for it which was most convenient. Oh yes, I’ll have another cookie. A bucket of sausage balls. Another bottle of champagne. You see, it’s all good. I’m cleansing in January. I might have used it as an excuse to be indulgent over the holidays, but I was excited to take on the 21-Day Clean Program. After an attempt that wasn’t so stellar with another program, I’m thrilled to find the right fit for me. It’s basically the elimination diet that I completed in the Spring with an element of detox. I’m over halfway through the program and feeling pretty spectacular!

I have shakes provided through the program for breakfast and dinner complimented with additions such as avocado, blueberries, carrots, peaches, pineapple or whatever strikes my fancy that can be tossed in the blender. Continue reading “It’s Cleansing Time: 21-Day Clean Program” →

Tea Tree Oil-1 Me-0

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I keep wondering why I seem to have so many random mishaps happen. Then I have an ah-ha moment and realize that I’m meant to share them all here with you. In my what will one day be a famous series a la Emily Post. Except I’ll tell you what you need to know before you even know you need to know it. Pretty clever.

So the latest mishap occurred when I decided to try out the merits of tea tree oil for a pesky scalp issue I’ve been having. (Yep full disclosure here) I purchased a bottle of must be amazing cause it’s from Whole Foods tea tree oil and was on my way.  Continue reading “Tea Tree Oil-1 Me-0” →

Kitchen Tales

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I’m prepping to make a crock pot and thought I’d share a cautionary tale. Yep another one. They keep coming so I’m going to keep sharing in the hopes I’ll provide some sort of helpful advice. One of my favorite mainstays on the elimination diet was chicken breasts cooked in the crock pot with taco seasoning. Of course I couldn’t use my normal go-to taco packet seasoning as it wasn’t diet approved so I was pretty proud of myself for putting together my own. Who knew the taco seasoning packet was merely a tasty mix of cumin, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, onion powder, salt and pepper (and probably some other weird preservatives that I definitely do not need). Pretty fool proof and no chopping required which made it an A+ recipe in my book. Continue reading “Kitchen Tales” →

The Loss of Free-For-All Eating, Shopping and Other Guilty Pleasures

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It has been a week since I ended the 21 Day Elimination Diet–part 1 of my journey to figure out what I’m eating that is wrecking havoc on my body. I’m proud that I completed the process, but there is definitely some mourning (and celebrating) that needs to happen over the loss of my previous lifestyle and habits.

Here in no particular order are some things lost along the way–some forever, some for now and some whose future is uncertain…

Forever Lost

1) Time. Point blank it takes more time to eat healthy and to consciously think about every morsel that goes into your body. To follow the elimination diet, careful planning and preparation are a most. It took me until about day 3 when I was starving to get the hang of that. Eating in a pinch used to consist of grabbing my favorite chips and dip from the cupboard. Not really an option when processed foods are a no-no, and hidden ingredients lurking in the most benign of foods make them off limits as well. Did you know there is sugar in EVERYTHING?

2) Money. Ok, to be fair money spent in the pursuit of ones health should probably not be considered a loss. But this is my mourning list, so I’m gonna cry over those dollar bills spent at Whole Foods anyways.

3) Free-for-All Eating. As in, I eat what I want, when I want, and as much as I want. And that goes for drinking too. This mainly applied to queso and chips, wine and mac n chz. Gah, no wonder my body went all toxic and ragey on me. Was it trying to tell me something? That I’m not 21 anymore? My metabolism is failing me?  Oh, the horror. And truth. All good things must come to an end. Goodness gracious, I sound all growed-up.

Lost For Now (I mean forever is a strong word)

4) Peanut Butter Easter Eggs. This was especially tragic as they only come around once a year. Peanut butter and chocolate were most definitely on the not list so I had my first Easter in the history of Easters without them.

5) Free-for-All Shopping: Like free for all eating, free for all shopping was just how I rolled pre life changing experience. I might have a list, but that didn’t stop me from wandering down every aisle, throwing the random delicious treat in my cart and trying every sample I could get my hands-on. Now I have to stay on the outskirts of the fun, and stick to the freshies that run the perimeter of the store. Which is kinda not fair because there are many things on the perimeter like cheese and ice cream that I can’t have.

6) Extra pounds. I was not sorry to say goodbye to the extra pounds courtesy of my free-for-all eating/drinking. I guess everything comes with a price which I was willing to pay in 10 pounds give or take.

Future Uncertain

7) Headaches. Searching for the cause of my daily headaches was a major reason to embark on this process. And since beginning they have all but disappeared! And besides my diet nothing else has changed. Things are still good on the home front and work is still driving me insane especially without alcohol to unwind in the evenings. I’m not sure what will happen as I continue the incorporation process, but hope this one will stay gone!

8) Bread, soy products, cheese, ice cream, sushi, chocolate, beer, wine, and on and on and on. Basically, all the good things in life. Eliminated through the process, and awaiting reintroduction. Every three days, I get to introduce one new item from the no-no list and see how my body reacts. It’s been a week and I’ve tackled eggs, bananas and tomatoes. So far so good. Parting was sad, but the reunions have been great. Of course, it remains to be seen about the others.

Will I have to part with mac n chz for good? Am I allergic to wine? Will a random stash of peanut butter easter eggs appear in my life? Will the pounds return? What will become of me?? Will I still be the Lauren that I have spent years coming to terms with??!!

Tips for Smooth Smoothie Making

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So, one would think that after 21 days of making smoothies every morning I’d have it down to a science. I mean the name in itself suggests a smooth and easy process. How hard can it be?? Throw the ingredients in the Ninja, press a button and it does all the work. Well, for some reason it typically doesn’t work out that way for me.

I’ve decided that maybe I need some written reminders posted by the Ninja to help me out. Maybe the problem is I’m not awake yet. It’s typically one of the first things I do, because I wake-up hungry most of the time (awesome) and need something in my belly ASAP. So that my belly will quit yelling at me, so I can take my vitamins and so that I can drink my green tea. Vitamins and caffeine on an empty stomach are not a good scene. Andddd I can’t have eggs right now thanks to this elimination diet so smoothies it is.

The first roadblock I often hit is getting the ingredients in the blender without making a mess. As in I am really clumsy and somehow spill whatever is supposed to go into the blender all over the kitchen. When it’s blueberries and you are running late for work even better. It’s amazing how those suckers roll under everything, leaving a trail of vibrant purple in their wake and squished blueberries under my feet. Fun times.

The next problem is that when I do manage to finally get everything situated in the blender, I realize I’ve forgotten to put the blade in. I get to dump everything back out that I just worked so hard to get in so that I can put the blade in. As you can imagine that it’s own mini adventure. At this point, I’m ready to call it day.

I continue on, refusing to be daunted and too far in at this point to pull the plug. I breathe a sigh of relief that I am finally ready for the easy part where I press a button and let it go. I flip the switch and it’s making a weird noise and smells like the engine might be burning. Oh right. It’s still on the single serve setting and I’m using a pitcher. Minor adjustment, easy fix and I’m back in business.

The Ninja is finally working now, chewing the blueberries and kale into a frothy mix that I have definitely earned and spraying it out onto the counter and walls. Wait one of those things is not supposed to be happening. Yep, I did it again. I didn’t check to make sure the pitcher lid was closed hence the smoothie murals now decorating the kitchen.

Will I ever learn? Can I ever be trusted to make a smoothie without making a mess? Is there something wrong with me???

Breakfast of Champs

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Typically on weekend mornings we have fried eggs and bacon. It is the one meal in my repertoire that I can do without even thinking. I’ve even gotten the technique down of flipping the egg in the pan without breaking the yolk. I find it a bit thrilling.

Sooooo sad face that this fun tradition has been missing from our lives thanks to the elimination diet. I’ve been kinda at a loss for what to do in its place (I mean seriously. There really is no replacement.) so I usually make a smoothie. I tried making quinoa breakfast cereal once and it was no bueno.

This morning I was craving something sweet, feeling ambitious and resourceful so I decided to try it again. The last go round wasn’t sweet at all, and did not hit the spot. I thought adding an apple might help, but I wasn’t sure how to add it in. I decided to go with my favorite new kitchen shortcut–when in doubt, blend it.

One blended apple, quinoa, unsweetened almond milk,a few drops of stevia and cinnamon thrown in the pot to cook and voila. Breakfast is served.

**I want to point out that a crispy piece of bacon crumbled over the top would be the coup de whoa.**

Chugging the Kool-Aid

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So if you think this blog has turned health-centric you should live with me. I am completely sold on this “you are what you eat concept” and convinced that I am surrounded by toxicity. In my defense, I’m reading Clean which is both informative and very scary at the same time.

The toxicity is in my shampoo (I hate washing my hair anyways) seeping into my brain and probably why it feels like mush half the time. It’s pumped through the vents at my office building clouding my senses which is probably why I feel like a zombie at work. It’s definitely in the box mac n chz I so adore clinging to my insides and poisoning my stomach one elbow pasta at a time. It’s in our laundry detergent leading to a universe of missing socks, jeans that no longer fit and itchy sweaters.

It’s all too much. I give-up!  I’m moving to the middle of nowhere, living off the land and shutting out this toxic world. A place where I won’t be judged for not washing my hair, work zombies don’t exist, there are no shiny grocery stores with boxes of mac n chz calling my name and it’s acceptable to wear stretch pants every day.

Who’s with me???

 

Delicious and Nutritious

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I promised that I would share some of the delish food that we’ve had while on the elimination diet. I can’t believe that we are already 1/2 way through. I can say that we have made some great food discoveries and substitutions to make this  feel less like an elimination diet and more like a culinary challenge. Chopped, anyone?

Here in no particular order are my favs.

1) Almond crusted cod with asparagus. The almonds added some texture, and were our substitute for breading.

Almond crusted cod

2) White bean and kale soup. I did not expect this so be such a popular item on the diet, but it is a staple. It’s rich and savory soup goodness. We might never go back to box soup.

3) Almond butter. With everything. Seriously. I ate a whole jar of it in the first week. It’s yum in smoothies, with celery, apples or in a pinch by itself.

4) Bison burger lettuce wraps. When we discovered we could have wild game we decided to try it. Frankly, we were getting a bit chickened out and wanted to mix it up a bit. We sliced the bison burgers and served them with pineapple salsa (garlic, onion, pineapple, lime juice and avocado) in a lettuce wrap. The salsa made a great condiment! I am a massive condiment lover so that has been really hard for me. I was happy to find I didn’t miss my burger being slathered in mayo, mustard, A-1 steak sauce, BBQ sauce, ranch and whatever other saucy goodness I could add.

5) Salads. When I was growing-up I loved salads. Well I loved ranch dressing so maybe the salad was a vehicle for that, but still I was getting my veggies in. As an adult I’ve learned that making your own salad requires slicing, dicing and chopping– not my forte. And ranch dressing really isn’t that good for me. So salads have been a thing of the past. Well, not anymore. I’m learning it’s really not that hard to throw together a salad. I bought a fun dressing maker shaker thingie from Target which probably helps matters. It lists the ingredients for a variety of dressings with measurements on the side of the container so it’s pretty fool proof.

Now that’s what I call living well.

Elimination Diet

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Sooo, remember that time I did a cleanse and it was intense and not really that fun and and I pretty much hated it?? Well, I’ve discovered a different way to torture myself  cleanse my body and reset for the summer. It’s called a 21 day elimination diet and it’s main function is to determine potential food allergies that may cause a myriad of symptoms that really make life kind of a pain. When my doctor suggested that my complaints might be food related, I wasn’t surprised due to a family history of that sort of thing. Not to mention that summer is coming. Call me vain but I want to be in prime form!

It took me awhile to wrap my head around the idea of eliminating gluten, dairy, soy, alcohol and various other fun foods from my diet for an eternity three weeks. My logical side reasoned that it would no doubt help my daily headaches and other random ailments, but my indulgent side screamed for mercy. As a wise thirty year old, reason won out. I am happy to report that we are on day 7 of our elimination diet. Oh yeah, Garett graciously agreed to join me on this food adventure. I like to think of it that way. We are exploring other food types and options in lieu of our normal fare.

While it takes a lot of planning, prep, patience and dedication to follow this program, it’s been quite a learning experience and eye opener. A tasty dressing can be whipped together in a jiffy. Almond butter is a great alternative to peanut butter. I can make soup that rivals the box soup that’s my go to quick meal. I don’t really miss bread. I really miss sushi. My headaches probably are food related. I have been headache free since embarking on this diet which is pretty flippin awesome.

As we settle into a groove it definitely gets easier. Could this be habit forming?? Yes, please! I can actually say that I am not dreading the rest of this experience. I’m looking forward to continued health improvements and discovering what foods are hot buttons in the reintroduction phase. In the meantime, I’ll be tantalizing your taste buds with tales of our delicious and nutritious meals!

Spring Cleaning

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For the past three weeks I have been on an intensive Spring Cleaning. And not involving my house, but my body. Out here in crunchy Bend the process of cleansing, ridding the body of toxins, is relatively common. Not something I’d ever considered as we all know I’m already screwed since I was raised in the South. And I’d seen too many friends choke down some odd mix of cayenne pepper, maple syrup and lemon in the name of cleansing. To be honest all this hippie-dippie gluten-free and vegan chatter around me made me want to throw-up in my mouth a little.

So what led this highly skeptical, beer guzzling, fried chicken eating girl to decide to embark on a cleanse? And a 28 day one at that?

A) I was brainwashed. With my gullible nature I didn’t stand a chance.

B) I was interested in extending my life span to continue said habits above.

C) The said benefits of cleanse-glowing skin, an increased awareness and clarity of mind, weight loss, and overall feeling of improved health were very attractive.

C) I like a challenge and trying new experiences.

D) I temporarily lost my mind.

It was the perfect storm. The factors above combined with the fact that the cleanse came highly recommended– This is life-changing stuff people! I’d be like the ugly duckling who emerged a beautiful swan after the process. It didn’t take long for my active imagination to turn this into the opportunity of a lifetime. And then my friend Hannah, aka my southern sister, happy hour buddy, totally gets my mentality cause she’s southern too, shocked the hell outta me by agreeing to do it too.

So I did it. Starting April 2 I embarked on the Arise and Shine 28 day cleanse. And I’ll try to keep it short. I had every intention of documenting the cleanse along the way, but apparently denied its treats of booze, meat, chocolate and boxed mac ‘n chz; my body said, Oh no, sister. You don’t get to torture me and then write about it. For whatever reason, throughout the whole process I had no energy to journal about it, blog, write a rant… Nada. The words just wouldn’t come. Well at least now I know what really fuels my creativity.

Basically, my diet during the cleanse was restricted to alkaline forming food–raw, organic veggies and fruit. And fruit only before lunch. You know it’s bad when you are pissed cause it’s 8 pm and you really, really want to eat a banana. I was allowed some cooked veggies (with the idea being 80% raw and 20% cooked); but no oil, salt or pepper which are mainstays in my cooking. Have you tried veggies sautéed in water? Just doesn’t have the same effect.

That’s not a balanced diet! What? But that ground beef is local grass-fed!
What I could eat.
Ummmm yummy. No, technically I was not supposed to be eating flowers.

The program follows a schedule of meals, shakes (bentonite and psyllium) and herbal supplements. So from the time I woke-up until bed time I was ingesting something every hour and a half. While that kept my belly feeling full, I can’t say I ever felt truly satisfied with what I was eating. Let’s just say I most definitely do not have a future as a raw, vegan chef. I stuck with basic. Salads, another salad, more salad, soon I was drowning in salad and the occasional baked potato or quinoa that I was allowed a few times a week. The day I discovered I could have baked Portobello mushrooms was like the Heavens had opened and sent me a present. If I closed my eyes, I could pretend I was eating a steak. Kinda.

But alas, all good bad torturous things must come to an end. On Sunday, April 22 I officially completed 21 days and decided I was done. I’m now working on phasing out of the cleanse and slowly integrating all some of the no-no foods back into my diet. Yes, I said slowly. My reborn digestive system can only take so much. Although a burger with fries and a beer sounds AMAZING. But hey after 21 days of restraint and discipline I’ve learned a few things–I can wait a few more days. But I will add a milkshake to that order.

Would you ever do a cleanse?