Week 3: Progress Report

Well, this past week has been really difficult for me. I have felt really down and have ended up eating all of the wrong food. Chocolate and ice cream have been the main culprits. Needless to say, I have felt worse because of what I have been putting into my mouth.

I have continued with the Kefir and some of the other bits including sprouting bean and seeds. I haven't really had any juice or Kombucha, and my meals have been glutenous. I am back on it though. I still intend to research the link between mood and food, but my energy levels have been so low the past week that I haven't really been able to do anything.

I had a really emotional day last week too, which is what kicked off the bad eating habits, I was crying at everything - poor hubby didn't know whether to laugh or cry!! In case you're wondering he mainly chose laugh and this made me cry more! I am putting this uncharacteristic emotional wreck down to healing crisis or 'withdrawal sadness'.

This week I have increased my Kefir to 300ml per day in a smoothie and I will increase Kombucha intake towards the end of the week. I am going to make some Kefir cheese, which is yummy and really easy to do. I am thinking that I need to increase my protein intake slightly too as I don't seem to be eating that much and with the lack of carbs, this will effect how I am feeling.

I am finally getting to see my Rheumy this week. Thursday morning I will be there with bells on. I was supposed to see him in June but apparently they have a long waiting list at the moment.

Sorry this post is late - I will endeavour to get next week's out on time and even get something done mid-week for you.

Hugs and spoons to all who need them xx

Week 2: Progress Report

This week has been more difficult than last week, in every aspect. I have hit healing crisis and been left with very few spoons, but for once I am happy to feel bad. I'm starting to get rid of all those nasty toxins. I have had a few restless nights, my restless legs have been giving me hell at night (in my arms as well as my legs), I've had indigestion and headaches (not very bad, but I haven't had caffeine for about two years so I'm not going through that withdrawal). My joint pains have got worse over the past few days too.

I thought about not mentioning my bad side effects as I really want this blog to be positive, but I decided that honesty was better and that over time you would see the positive effect the changes are having. On the plus side, I have dropped some weight off of my tummy and you can see the difference! I have a lot of weight to lose so this has made me very happy.

This week I upped my dose of Withania; I'm now on a full dose every day. I'm having a smoothie most days with 100ml of Kefir in it. I have continued eating well, but had some chocolate and a slice of birthday cake. I felt both with 24 hours of having them, although that could have been the healing crisis. I have juiced, but not as much as last week. 

I will be starting to drink Kombucha this coming week and I will be starting at about 100ml per day with juice (it tastes like Apple Cider Vinegar so will take some getting used to). I will continue taking a half dose of my herbal tonic but I will be taking it daily rather than every other day. Bone broth will be made this week and used as stock for soups and sauces. I will also be using Slippery Elm for indigestion and Psyillium Husk to encourage some movement as constipation has been a real issue.

I will continue my research into what could help me on the road to recovery and I promise to share what I find of use. I hope you have all had a really good week and I'm sending out hugs and spoons to those who need them xx

Getting Better Means A Bit Of Suffering First.

I have tried so hard to avoid a severe 'Healing Crisis' and I think so far I have managed it, but this doesn't mean that I haven't had negative side effects from all the changes I have made. From headaches to indigestion to the smelliest pumps known to man!

In the first week I had so much energy, I just didn't know what to do with it. This week it is the complete opposite. My energy has disappeared, I'm struggling to sleep at night and when I do sleep I'm having really vivid (and strange) dreams.

Unfortunately, you cannot completely avoid Herxheimer Reaction. If you think about the amount of high sugar, high gluten, high caffeine foods you have eaten over the years and possibly your entire life, your body is not used to the amount of goodness that you are pumping into it at the moment and rebels (think teenager and you have an idea). The good news is that this only lasts for a relatively short time. Obviously, this amount of time varies from person to person, but the average is one to two weeks.

So what is a Healing Crisis?

Basically a Healing Crisis is what happens when bad bacteria die off and release toxins into the blood at a faster rate than your body can deal with. You will feel a general worsening of your symptoms. You may feel more tired than normal, you may feel sick or have a bad headache (I will include a list of possible symptoms later in the post).

The important thing to remember is that it DOESN'T LAST LONG! It is a positive sign and will be over soon. DO NOT stop what you are doing, you are cleansing your gut and removing lots of toxins. You can't clean a car without getting a dirty bucket of water and these side effects are your dirty water. Keep telling yourself that you will feel the benefits of all your hard work soon.

I am reminding myself about how I felt last week and that I will feel like this again in a week or two and that is enough to keep me going. Getting healthy the natural way is a long path and although I would like a quick fix, there just isn't one. Yes I feel like I've been run over by a bus at the moment, but once the Healing Crisis is over, I will be able to stop that bus like Wonder Woman!

What are the side effects?

Right, here goes. A healing crisis can bring on many symptoms and they can get quite bad. They include:

• headache
• acne
• joint pain
• depression
• general aches and pains
• muscle pain
• boils
• fatigue
• insomnia
• congestion
• being over emotional
• constipation
• diarrhea
• hot and cold flushes
• night sweats

A Healing Crisis can also cause past health issues to come back to the forefront such as chest infections, shingles and viral infections. A very common one is sinusitis. The reason these illnesses reappear is because they have been laying dormant in the body and the release of toxins has awakened them. The good news is you will become much better at fighting them off than you were before you changed the food you are feeding it.

I promise you that it will all be worth it.

What causes a Healing Crisis?

Well, as I have said, it is the big change of eating healthy that causes a Healing Crisis, but some things are more likely to cause it than others. 

Eating healthy.

The fact that you are filling your body full of vitamins will cause it to expel toxins and make you feel rubbish for a short time. Cultured foods that are high in probiotics and coconut products - all of which you should be adding to your diet  - are the main culprits. Introducing them slowly will help to reduce the symptoms, but basically the more toxic your body is, the worse your symptoms will be as a rule.

Supplements.

Introducing supplements to your diet can cause a Healing Crisis. Vitamin B12, probiotics and herbs should also be introduced slowly, if you choose to use them.

Therapies.

Some treatments and therapies can cause a Healing Crisis to occur such as: chiropractic treatment, psychotherapy, acupuncture and homeopathy.

A period of fasting can also induce a Healing Crisis.

Is it worth it?

YES!!!!

The old saying 'no pain, no gain' really does apply here. Do not give in. You will feel so much better after the crisis has passed. Keep in mind that the only reason you feel bad is because all of the nastiness that has been accumulating in your body is being kicked out. You will probably be tempted to give in and go back to your old habits, but stay strong. You can do it! Just take things slowly. If you have started drinking 250ml of kefir a day, cut it back to 100ml, if you have just started taking vitamins daily cut them back to every other day or reduce the dosage. If you have stopped caffeine completely - keep it up, don't be tempted to shift the headache with more caffeine.

If you love your body, it will love you back.

Kefir - A Probiotic Miracle Drink

In my Happy Kombucha delivery this week was a teaspoon on milk kefir grains. Never has such a small amount of something done so much good!

I started using kefir last year when it was recommended by one of my health professionals and it made a really big difference really quickly. I am really hoping that it will do the same this year. Today was the first batch (out of only two) that was suitable to use so I wasted no time and swapped the coconut milk in my smoothie for some probiotic goodness.

What Kefir Looks Like - Grains And Final Product

The word kefir is derived from the Turkish word 'keif' meaning 'good feeling' and has been used in European and Asian folk medicine for centuries. I has been used to treat a broad range of conditions and hopefully will be something that you will consider adding to your regular daily routine.

There are two varieties of kefir grains. One for milk and one for water. We are going to look at the milk kefir grains in this post.

Firstly, although we use the term 'grains' they are actually not grains, but in fact a collection of live organisms. You add milk to your grains and they feed off of the lactose (the sugar in the milk) and turn it into lactic acid. Because of this many people who suffer from a lactose intolerance can digest kefir without any problems.

Kefir can be made with full fat cow or goat milk and can even be made with some nut milks such as coconut milk, but the nutritional benefits are not the same with non dairy milks.

It's really easy!

Making your own kefir at home is simple. All you need is a glass jar, kefir grains, full fat milk, a piece of cloth and an elastic band.

Add one teaspoon of grains to the jar then add 250ml milk pop the cloth over the jar and secure with the elastic band. Place your jar in a warm place, away from drafts and leave for 12 - 48 hours depending on the heat. When it is ready it will have the consistency of pour-able yogurt. 

Once it is the correct consistency you will need a plastic sieve and funnel to drain the kefir from the grains. Place in the fridge. I store mine in glass bottles until it is cooled and ready to use.

You will notice that the grains increase in number as you brew your kefir. These grains can be frozen or dehydrated or handed out to friends and family.

Kefir after 24 - 36 hours at room temperature. 

You should not allow the grains to come in to contact with any metal.

Nutritional Values

OK, so I mentioned nutrtional values. So let's look at that for a minute.

A 175ml serving of Kefir with contain roughly the following, depending on the type of milk you use to 'feed' the grains.

Calories 100
Saturated Fats 6g
Carbohydrates 7g
Protein 6g
Sugars 6g
Sodium 88mg

Now we move on to the mineral content

Calcium 21% RDA
Magnesium 5% RDA
Phospherous 20% RDA
Riboflavin 19% RDA
Iron 1% RDA
Calcium 21%
Plus traces of potassium, copper and zinc.

Then there's the vitamins

Vitamin A, Thiamin, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B6, Niacin, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin E and Vitamin K2

That is serving jam packed full of goodness!!!!

Kefir can help fight bacterial infections!

Some of the key probiotics in kefir are thought to help to protect against infection. One probiotic in particular known as Lactobacillus Kefiri is unique to Kefir and studies have shown that it can impair the progress of bacteria such as H. Pylori, E Coli and Salmonella.

Kefir can reduce the risk of Osteoporosis.

Because kefir contains vitamin K2, the calcium is easier for your body to absorbs and there have been studies that have shown that kefir can actually improve bone density and help to prevent fractures.

Kefir can help to improve digestion.

Taking a regular probiotic can help to re-balance the friendly bacteria in the gut. There is also evidence that taking a regular probiotic such as kefir can help with a wide variety of digestive problems.

Kefir can help to reduce allergies.

It is thought that kefir can suppress the inflammatory responses that cause allergies and asthma.

Immune System

A lot of blogs and other sources claim that kefir boosts the immune system. Obviously as a lupus sufferer, this worried me. Having researched deeper into the subject I discovered that it does not boost immunity, but regulates it. Basically, it promotes a healthy immune system which is what we are all after!

It made a huge difference to me last year, I was able to avoid some viruses and the ones I did get did not hit me anywhere near as hard as they normally would... I could even visit the supermarket without getting ill!

I think it took a longer exposure to infect me than normal, but this is just my opinion.

Some resources for you

I have been asked about resources that can help you to understand AIP so here is a list of sources I use.

The Paleo Mom Sarah Ballantyne PhD is the best selling author of The Paleo Approach and The Paleo Approach Cookbook as well as an award winning blogger.

Autoimmune Paleo I used The Autoimmune Paleo Cookbook to help start me off. The book contains a two week meal plan which I found very useful.

Wellness Mamma (not all AIP) A website with lots of recipes and ideas to help you maintain AIP.

There are lots more websites, blogs and video blogs for you to find out there, but hopefully this will be enough to get you started and as I find more resources, I will post them here for you and add them to the link list.

Week 1: Progress report.

WOW!

At the time of writing this, I am seriously feeling the difference of the changes that I have put in place over the past week. I want to just do a quick run through of what I have been doing and how I have been feeling.

Over the last week I have cut right back on gluten. The plan had been to cut it out altogether but I fell off the wagon a couple of times and had a doughnut and a slice of toast. I can honestly say that my energy levels were much lower the day after I had something with gluten in it. Other than these two slip ups, I have been quite good. I have eaten loads of vegetables, meat and some fruit. I started juicing and drinking smoothies made with coconut milk.

I have been taking a small dose of withania every evening. This was given to me by a qualified herbalist and is not suitable for people on certain medications so please get advice before you start using this or any other herbal treatment.

My energy levels have been higher and, on one day last week, I managed to get through the day on just a 15 minute power nap!!!! I am sleeping a lot better too.

Lupus Awareness Month

When the first of October came calling, I not only started to think about Halloween decorations, but also about Lupus Awareness Month. For the past year, I have 'ignored' my health. I am a great lover of cake and chocolate, of pasta and roast potatoes and I have seriously indulged in them all.

This time last year though, I was eating clean using the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) as a starting point.
I was brewing my own kefir, making bone broth and soups, cooking clean meals and eating masses of vegetables. I was drinking mainly herbal teas and I was seeing a herbalist monthly.

I went through a stressful period when I lost my job and fell completely off of the wagon and over the past year or so it has seriously shown in my health.

I have got to the point that I have to get better. I rarely leave the house during the week. I nap daily (3-4 hours is a nap right?), my joint are so painful and so is everything in between. I am catching viruses left, right and centre and my sex drive has completely vanished! There is more too, but I don't want to bore you too much.

This diary is going to be my way of making sure I stick to the new regime and allowing me to share anything that I find helps. I plan to keep you updated on food, supplements and tonics, research I find that could be of use and more. I will also try to explain why I choose one thing over the other.

So hopefully I will be eating tasty, healthy and good-looking meals, remembering to take my tonics teas and supplements and finding lots if useful hints and tips to share.