Experimenting

For the past few months I've been experimenting with my diet.  I was suffering from achy joints.  Like pre-arthritis.  Especially in my knees and lower back.  A good friend of mine is gluten free and said when she eats gluten the first place she feels it is in her lower back.  I thought that was interesting so I began to do a little research.  I found this blog wheatbellyblog.com.  Wow, it was so interesting to read the success stories of people who have suffered from all sorts of health issues, but after taking wheat out of their diets they are cured.  There is a ton of info about how wheat has been so genetically modified that our bodies don't know what to do with it and how it causes multiple health problems.  I decided to experiment eating grain free for a couple weeks.  Guess what? Back pain; gone! Knee pain; way better! My skin; clearer! I cheated one day and had a couple pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.  The back pain was back the next morning!!  I couldn't believe it was that obvious. I also found this blog wellnessmama.com.  She has all sorts of great info about eating grain-free, making and using your own chemical free products, etc.  She hosted a 30 day challenge of eating grain free/sugar free.  I decided to give it a try.   I did it.  At first it was hard.  But, after a couple of days the craving for sugar and carbs is gone.  I felt great! I lost 10lbs. within the first couple of weeks.  My skin was clear, and the back pain and knee pain was gone.  Well, the 30 days came and went.  I started to eat normal again.  It seems like once I cheated, all the cravings for sugar and grains came back with a vengeance.  The back pain didn't return as fast as it did the first time, but my skin was breaking out like crazy! 

I decided to start over again.  This time I thought I'd start with a juice cleanse first.

I did it for a week.  Not exclusively juice, but close.  I lost 6 lbs., my skin cleared up, and I felt great!

Then, the holiday weekend hit, I caved, ate a bunch of junk, then felt like junk.

So here I am.  My babes is one this week.  I have a long way to go to get my pre-pregnant body back.  My knees and back are hurting again.  You think I'd have learned a thing or two from the experimenting I'd been doing.  Do I know my body does better without sugar? Yep!  Do I know my body does better without grains? Yep! I'm I eating both of those things? Yep!

I really do believe that most health problems come from what you put in your mouth.

As Hippocrates says- "Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food"

So here's my plan.  

One week juice cleanse.  

Then, follow this:

1. Eat only real, nutrient-dense food. Eliminate all processed, packaged foods and choose organic, sustainable animal proteins that are fed their species' appropriate diet. Eat plenty of leafy green vegetables and healthy sources of fats like coconut oil and avocado. 
2. Eliminate all gluten, grains, refined sugar, hydrogenated oils, dairy and legumes.

I'll keep you updated on my progress.  Wish me luck!