Health rollercoaster
I’ve been on a health rollercoaster this week. My body has been going through periodic purging sessions after I’ve eaten something it didn’t like. A few days ago, I had a craving for some kind of cracker or bread. After reviewing the ingredients in the Simply Almond flour crackers we buy at Costco, I thought they would be ok. The ingredients are just almond flour, cassava flour, sea salt, rosemary, and olive oil. But a day later, my body was purging again.
How do I know? I feel my innards gurgling after I eat and then I get gas and some degree of discomfort. Then my bowel movements are runny, smelly, dark brown or black, and sticky.
Today, I feel much better having gone through the purging. Yesterday I started with a Green Smoothie for breakfast after having my delicious black coffee (I’ll explain how I make this in a bit). Lunch was a green salad with half a can of wild-caught salmon, and a dressing of fresh squeezed lemon juice, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. I sprinkle organic garlic powder, Mrs. Dash Garlic & Herb, and dill on the salad for spices, then add some ground pepper when I toss it. I repeated that same meal for dinner, adding four green olives. No snacks in between. I also drank 120 ounces of water throughout the day including 16-18 oz of electrolytes.
My coffee recipe
I order ground, dark roast coffee from Mexico via Amazon. It’s called Simpatico, and is organically, shade grown by small farmers. The coffee is smooth and low acid. Because I’m sensitive to the caffeine, I use ½ decaf and ½ regular. Both are dark roast which is a smoother flavor. I use a pour-over brewing method using a two-cup coffee filter holder placed over a thermos.
My Process:
2-3 rounded scoops of regular and 2-3 rounded scoops of decaf. Then I sprinkle nutmeg, 3-4 whole cloves, ground cardamom, and finally powdered cinnamon over the coffee grounds. Sometimes I use cinnamon stick broken into pieces.
I shake the coffee filter cup to mix the spices into the coffee grounds, and then heat hot water in our Kourig, pouring three max brews of water over the grounds and one small or medium brew after pouring myself a large mug. My sweetener of choice is the Pyure brand of powdered Stevia, available on Amazon. No additives, just Stevia powder.
Weight is stabilizing
My weight seems to be stabilizing around 180-181, and I want to lose another 10 pounds to stabilize in the low 170s. I did not get my exercises in yesterday, but I will today. Those include 20 minutes or more on a stationary bike, 15-20 minutes of core exercises, stretching and Pilates, and sometimes a 20-22 minute walk either in the house or outside. The weather is going to be in the low 70s today, so a walk outside would be welcome.
The exercise helps strengthen my muscles and support me in all that I do. I feel stronger. I am noticing that the diet and the exercises combined are helping to reduce the neck, arm, and thumb pain from the arthritic cervical discs. This is a big motivator for me to make time in my day for exercise. Additionally, I tend to see a 1-2 pound drop in my weight the next morning when I get my exercise in, especially the bike, and I follow the eating plan I described earlier. Even if I have a piece of wild-caught fish at night with vegetables or a salad, I will still drop weight if I get my exercises in.
The upshot is that this eating plan is working for me. I am motivated to continue with it as a result. My biggest concern is eating out and how to eat properly when visiting friends away from home. I may have to just do a serious purging when I get back home.
That’s it for now. Feel free to share your comments or questions. I would love to hear about your experience if you’ve tried the Plant Paradox eating program. We can help one another and share stories.