Whole30 Results

My husband and I completed the Whole30 a few weeks ago!  We're pretty proud of ourselves, but to be honest, we're not planning to go back to our previous eating habits, so  there's no major hurrah over the ending.  It's only the beginning.

If you've read my previous posts describing our experience during each week, you know that we had planned to continue eating the same way.  But I'll bet that what you really want to know is whether or not we've had any major changes as a result.  Did we lose weight?  Did our various health concerns improve?  Are we back to eating like we did beforehand?

Did it work?
Remember our list of symptoms?  Here it is, including their status post-Whole30 with 100% honesty.  It did change our lives as promised in a lot of ways, but with regard to our health, the song remains the same.  Wellness takes time...and commitment...and in my opinion, naturopathic care.  So while we aren't cured, we are feeling better and have made yet another step level up in our journey.     

Jen's list:

·Cyclical breast pain - still present from day 20 on, but less intense. 
·Anxiety - somewhat better.
·Allergies - these got worse!  Allergies will probably be something my ND and I are always chasing.  But who knows?  My next treatment plan tackles them pretty aggressively.
·Rarely sleep through the night - I continued to sleep poorly for weeks on the Whole30 until I remembered the book "Potatoes Not Prozac".  Now I have sweet potatoes before bed and I sleep SOOOOOOO much better.  (I call them "Sleep Potatoes" now.)
·Sugar cravings - mostly gone.  These days my food longings are more like memories than cravings, and they're much easier to manage...or I just crave good stuff (hello caramelized onions!).
·Intermittent musculoskeletal & myofascial pain - this is better, as I expected, since any time my inflammation is down my pain is down.  Clean diet + exercise always keeps my pain tolerable.
·Itchy scalp - ha!  I hadn't thought about this at all since we started the Whole30!  GONE!  :)
·Twitchy at night - 95% gone.  I think of this as my version of Restless Leg Syndrome.  Whatever it is, in the past I would lay in bed, or on the couch late in the evening, and feel like I couldn't stay still from the waist down. It's pretty rare now.
·Lingering bronchitis & ear ache - GONE GONE GONE!  I had bronchitis for almost two months before starting the Whole30 and it utterly disappeared by the end of day two.  (Hello!?  Sugar!)
Also, the ear ache is gone unless I overdo things like raisins. 
·Occasional reappearance of tinnitus - it was pretty much gone for weeks before the Whole30, but it hasn't come back, and that's nice too.
·Dry hair - I don't think my hair is less dry (cuz I've been too lazy to go get it cut I think) but it's for sure not shedding as much as it has been.  Moreover, my leg hair is thicker.  Not exactly desirable but good from a health perspective.
·My hands sometimes fall asleep at night depending on how contorted I am sleeping.  Still dealing with this; will discuss with Dr. Birr at next monthly appointment.
·Gallbladder pain which I usually get from coffee, gluten, and sugar during the second half of my cycle - still the same; avoiding coffee and sweets keeps the pain away.
·Asthma during aggressive cardio the second half of my cycle  - no difference (although the really hard riding season has yet to start).
·Multiple Familial Lipomatosis (genetic encapsulated lipomas on my thighs & glutes) - no change, but I didn't expect it.  It's pretty clear that surgery is the only way to get rid of these bad boys.

My husband's list
·Minor but persistent psoriasis, eczema, & dermatitis and dandruff - no change yet, but we just stopped eating nightshades to try that approach.
· Unusual head rushes unlike any typical dizzy spell or vertigo - no change on the normal Whole30 except that each episode may be less intense.  We'll see what the nightshade elimination brings.
·Brief but substantial sinus reaction to most meals - gone!  GONE!  This has been an issue for years and years.  Exciting eh? 
·Circulation issues; his hands and feet are always cold - and they're still cold.
·Constipation - gone as long as he follows the "P*** Protocol" detailed later on.
·Arm bumps; Keratosis Pilaris - no change; trying to affect by removing nightshades.
·Fungal toenail - same.
·An occasional large, painful zit - none that I have seen.
·Early waking; can't go back to sleep - he's sleeping much better and longer.
·Intermittent fatigue - gone.  The Energizer Bunny has moved in with me.
·Cranky & blurry eyes if food is not RIGHT on time -  no change, but he's less likely to be hungry these days, given how much care he takes with getting enough food.
·Sinus headaches - none since starting the Whole30.
·Plugged ears - only once since starting W30.
·Elbow pain  - turns out this is musculoskeletal and prevented with good alignment and regular maintenance of glute and core strength.
·Historical shoulder pain - none since Whole30...even after putting in a massive 10 foot tall garden fence.
·VERY systemically sensitive to poison ivy; if it gets on him in one spot, he can have breakouts everywhere as a result.  Fingers crossed this one won't get tested any time soon!

So there you have it!  I will post another update on our symptoms in a few weeks since we're sticking with the diet and have now removed nightshades from the pantry.

Just a note on the exhaustive list of symptoms: I included our biggest health complaints along with symptoms that come and go depending on how clean we are eating & how closely we are following our Naturopath's advise.  The truth is, a lot of this stuff doesn't really bother us terribly, but as naturopathic patients, the goal is to address the root cause of your ailments...and if there's a symptom, there's a root cause.  That's why I included it all; to find out how an eating plan like the Whole30 effects them all. 

But weight!  There's more...
Weight loss.  I know that's what everyone wants to know.  :)  I lost 5 lbs, which may not sound like much after 30 days of such healthy and controlled eating, but it took me 3 years of dedication to lose 40 lbs, so I'm thrilled.

My husband's weight loss was probably more than he'd have liked (he's always been fit, trim, and is usually the only guy in the room with a healthy weight) but losing it has really motivated him.  I'm so impressed with his new determination to put on muscle weight.  (And I'd be lying if I didn't say I like checking out his "results".)  Today, he works hard to eat the right things while making sure to get extra calories that are still clean and beneficial. 

Thoughts after the first four weeks...
On the less-than-fun side, we both developed some digestive symptoms that weren't there before the Whole30.  For example, I dealt with quite a lot of bloating before Dr. Birr knocked that out for me.  My husband had some heartburn for a time, which was new for him.  But honestly, any major change in diet has the potential to affect your digestion so we didn't worry too much, and we're good now. 

I have a few opinions on the Whole30 that some may not love.  I think the crazy strictness definitely sets you up for obsessiveness.   When your goal is to foster a healthy relationship with food, the super-strict rules were a little much.  I don't think the rules should change, but I think there ought to be more discussion about healthy expectations.  I was thrilled to see this post from the authors on that topic:

http://whole9life.com/2012/12/the-january-whole30-progress-not-perfection/

After I read it, I was happy again.  It was insane to me that someone might feel a failure because they are a PIECE OF FRUIT or snacked between meals because they were starving.  That blog entry discusses the issues in a great way.  Pursue health, not perfection!   

I also think the limitations on seeds and nuts is a little over the top.  I get that we shouldn't be eating seed oils (gross) but a reasonable amount of nuts and seeds is healthy!  When we were off nuts and seeds, our bathrooms visits were really a step in the wrong the direction.  According to Dr. Birr, seeds especially do a fabulous job of absorbing water and bulking up your poo (sorry if TMI but we talk about poo in our world).  She's right.  Once the seed consumption resumed, so did our healthy bathroom trips.  With a proper balance of omega 6's and 3's, nuts & seeds are welcome in our house.  They're filled with nutrition.

Speaking of TMI stuff...Having trouble in the constipation arena?  Check with your naturopath to see if the "Poop Protocol "is ok for you to try (our term, not the ND's).  A little applesauce and a tablespoon of ground flax washed down with Magneleuvres once a day works so well we had to name it!  Hello regularity!    

Another thing that could use more airtime in the detox world is your mental state.  It seems like it's a given that you will be miserable for awhile and that you just have to wait it out.  But I'm here to tell ya, some of us just need carbs!!  Mood problems while cleansing is not necessarily a need for sugar or just detox misery.  Without some kind of starchy, healthy carbs in my life, I have a terrible tendency toward irritability, worry, and apathy.  Nothing seems pleasant, or worth it, or remotely do-able.  But alas - not long after a small serving of sweet potatoes or squash and I'm content and comfortable.  Be aware of that; you may be one of those folks who needs the carbs more than others.
 

Yep.  That's about it.  For the most part, the Whole30 was a great way to do a winter/spring cleanse.  There's so much info on the Wold Wide Web on the program that there's a built-in support network to get you through the rough parts, compare notes, and find recipes.  We're glad we did it, and we're especially glad we did it together!  ...But it's far from over.  Stay tuned for future adventures in eating for wellness naturopathic style!  My next couple of posts will focus on the food that really made a difference for us.  I hope you enjoy it.   (The homemade sausage recipe is next up!!  Woohoo!)

 

Whole30 Week Four

We've got week four of the Whole30 under our belt!  As you may know, the Whole30 is a nutritional reset designed to restore healthy digestion, eliminate cravings, and create a positive relationship with food.  I'll soon post our results, from weight loss, to effect on symptoms, to our overall opinions on this process.  But first, let's cover this last week. 

FOOD REVELATION:   Caramelized onions are my new favorite food.  (Seriously.  Over chocolate.)  Each week I've pointed out some new culinary learning that happily changed our kitchen; week four made me realize I should have mentioned caramelized onions on day one!  Slice them thin, salt, and saute on low for as long as it takes for them to get brown and delicious.  (About 25-30 min for me.)  Then enjoy them with EVERYthing.

And now some things I noticed during week four...

Observation #1: I'm happy to report that we have both reached the point where emotionally, food equals fuel.  It's no longer the immediate answer to stress.  It's not the primary means to celebrate success.  It's not replacing something that's missing.  It's fuel!  Delicious, yummy energy.

At first on the Whole30, with no sugar, food can seems like something you are either missing, or that is controlling you...particularly if you had an unhealthy relationship with food.  But if you continue to eat this way long enough, the healthy approach becomes habit (versus just a set of rules).  Food becomes more friendly.  It's energy.  And a way to take care of yourself and show your love for someone.  And it's even uplifting!  As I've said before, doing something the right way perpetuates itself.  So it goes with healthy eating. 

Here's an example of how our perspectives have shifted: we've discovered that it doesn't matter if there aren't "breakfasty" foods available in the morning; we eat whatever fills our protein, veg, & fat template.  For example, leftover pork & peppers plus avocado = fuel!  Morning food doesn't have to be eggy or pancakey.  Also, if we try a recipe and it's not that great, we finish it anyway because it's fuel even if it isn't super-tasty.  When the Whole30 started, it felt so much like our entire lives revolved around food.  Turns out that the lesson we needed to learn was that it doesn't!  Hurrah!  And we don't mind the time that is "consumed" by food because of the innumerable benefits.  (As a lifelong sugar freak, that's a fun one.)     

Observation #2:  A new diet brings new recipes, and we've been getting a kick out of playing around in the kitchen together.  But after a month I noticed that I felt like we always had to be "creating".  Here's the thing!  We don't have to all the time!  Before the Whole30, we had certain dishes fairly regularly because we liked them and they suited our lifestyle.  It took us awhile to figure out that we can continue to do that with our new recipes.  So now, braised pork and sauerkraut is a staple; meatloaf muffins once a week?  Sure!  I could eat chicken apple salad for lunch seven days out of seven. 

HOW IT'S GOING

My bloat is way better.  My monthly naturopathic appointment focused primarily on digestion and after about a week on the new treatment plan things settled back down to normal.  Today, I'm finding that the bloated feelings are occasional, increasingly rare, and thankfully not painful (as opposed to feeling like some kind of parasitic alien was blowing up birthday balloons in my gut).

In all honesty, we didn't really notice the fourth week start or end; we'd stopped counting days.  All is well and we have nothing to report from our fourth week...except that we are not stopping on day 31.  We're not planning any re-introduction.  We're not celebrating with any particular food.  I intend to make paleo pumpkin muffins, but I'll only sweeten with applesauce and I won't be eating them as a pastry.  (They're fuel!)

Other tidbits:  When looking for recipes online, I search on my ingredient and "paleo" or "paleo auto-immune".  This yields a wealth of Whole30 friendly recipes since there is such a large community of cavepeople out there.  If you're unsure of the rules, add "Whole30".  The number of people out there working on their nutrition is supercool.

A suggestion: when planning and executing your own Whole30, do it one week at a time.  Think about your meals for a week.  Plan your workouts for a week.  Approaching this in chunks was a huge boon to our attitudes; we weren't burdened with more than we could handle.  It reminds me of how we learn math.  Until you learn to add & subtract, and then multiply & divide (etc) you can't fathom a quadratic equation. 

NOTABLE MEALS

We made Chicken Parmesan this week; holy cow.  (Holy fowl?)  For breading, we used almond flour.  For pasta we used spaghetti squash.  And at this very moment while typing I realize that we didn't seem to miss the garlic bread.  (Fun!)

Make homemade tartar sauce with avocado!  One avo, plus mayo, chives, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and capers.  Mmmmm.

Another super delicious/quick meal for us is a burger on a portabello cap.  Cook both with salt, pepper, and coconut aminos, then smother caramelized onions over the top.  Trust me: these will make you forget cupcakes.  At least for awhile....

We started precooking omelet filling to amp up our morning veg intake.  This version is fab: saute onion and the stems from Chard or other greens, along with zucchini plus dijon and rice wine vinegar.  Add greens and enough full fat coconut milk to create a little sauciness; cook until soft & reduced to your liking.  In the AM, add a plop of the mixture to your pan, reheat, crack 2-4 eggs over it, mix until cooked.  

WEEK FOUR RECAP:

We are not planning to stop our Whole30 eating habits.  My husband has a lot more energy at this point, but I've yet to feel any major physical benefit.  But believe me, I'm not complaining.  The increased healthy food intake as a household is awesome.  Having a partner in all of this is awesome.  The new recipes, changes in attitude, and even the effect on people around us is awesome.  Enough so that I'm willing to beat that adjective to death.  (At least I didn't use "amazing".  Uhg.) 

Finally, since this is my own blog & I can express my opinion freely, those folks who are weighing themselves on the Whole30? Even though it's not allowed? Cheaters.  :)  I wanted to check the scale as much as anyone, but I also wouldn't have minded getting a lightly flavored, decaf mocha latte & I'm not doing that either.

Stop back in to see our results from the Whole30 in a few days!