Wednesday, August 18, 2021

August state of mind

August midpoint.    Let's just say that so many things have come and gone thru my mind lately.  Recently I did an accidental drive wipe of my phone, effectively eliminating at least 3,000 images and video - most of which were not backed up.  OOPS!  My phone battery would no longer charge, and I was desparate to do the internet fix while I watched the video.  Guess I should have done a back-up first - Lesson Learned!     

To start off the month, we spent a week off-grid camping with family and friends, had so much laughter, tears of joy, commonalities refreshed, and self care time (floating in the lake, painting on canvases).    We even brought the kittens camping!   It was a refreshing week to be isolated and away from the world (still close to home so I could check gardens), that while the delta variant was hitting, we were safely tucked away in a group camp.

That Saturday night, after a family meal of chili, seared steak, jalepeno poppers, and garlicky brussel sprouts, we huddled under the awning of our trailer and a few pop up tents as the rain was unleashed - the first measurable rain since June!   We all agreed it was a blessing as we were together. A little rain (it was almost flooding some areas of camp) coudn't diminish our family time.

I must say, I needed that.  We all camped last year during the covid high season, spaced out in individual sites.  This year was different as we were in an isolated group site, with no phone service, no power hookups and a well for water.   It was heaven.  There is something elemental about being out in the world, just yourself, no tech services (we took images and video - that unfortunately got erased), and games and laughter.  It felt like I became more grounded, my anxiety melted away, and I was refreshed.  

Back in real life, now I'm facing a bigger challenge.  I've woken up feeling nauseous the last few mornings (not pregnant), sniffling, and some minor headaches - and I know what I need to do.   It's time for an AIP reset for a few weeks, try to heal some of my gut and kick this inflammation I've been fighting.  It's not allergies - but it is a reaction.  Wheat, corn, dairy and sugar are my main sources of inflammation, along with legumes and nuts.   Thankfully I've taken as many precautions lately to keep my immune system from tanking out completely.   I even cancelled our annual Gumbo night.  It's such a bummer, but it was neccessary.   We're also under a total fire ban - so our smoker which uses real wood can't be used.    

What is AIP you ask?  It's a protocol delveloped by two wonderful ladies, and the community that they provide is life saving!   It's not a forever diet, it's an elimination plan to reset and allow you to focus on healing your body using lifestyle changes and nourish it with gut healthy healing foods (bone broth time), until your symptoms go away.  I last partook in a full AIP a few years back.   It's time to get back to healthy again and this tool is the way I know how to do it.  

What I'm planning on eliminating for 2 - 4 weeks (or however long i feel it takes):
Wheat products (bread and pasta are being put on hold for a bit).
Dairy (no more cheese or sour cream for bit)
Corn products (fresh corn is okay, but most gluten free people are crying about this)
Added sugars (i don't use excess sugar anyway)
Most legumes (beans, coffee beans.......)
Nuts (sorry family.... just kidding, they aren't that nutty)
processed foods
food additives or premade items

What I'll be limiting
Rice, oatmeal, Eggs, nightshades (tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, pepper, paprika), alcohol, and sugary fruits.

So now you must think - Okay, so what CAN you eat?
From scratch goods, meats, most veggies, berries, salads, soups, stews, and all sorts of other compliant meals!  Can you say Cauliflower rice stir fry!

What's my end result look like?  
This is in no way a diet, or a way to lose weight.  This eating protocol is to help my body kick out the inflammation it's fighting due to the foods I've been eating.   My nasusea is a big red flag that I'm about to get sick with whatever I come near, if i don't act fast!   It does take about 30 days to heal your stomach lining, which will in turn heal my digestion issues, cause less sinus pressure and less headaches, and hopefully - stop my runny nose!     Fall is a great time to do this protocol as there are so many healing soups that are super packed with nutrient dense foods!      I also have an ace up my sleeve.  I'm not as reactive to whole grains or rice, so some gluten free options I can have (hello 5B's in concrete!).

I just looked up to see this long post.    I guess you can say I am passionate about a lot of things.   My family, my health, my garden, our pets, and so much more.   

I am taking the time to read a little every day (yes I use my amazon fire tablet as my kindle), I am setting up an outside painting area to do some additional canvases, and I'm taking my time in the garden to run my hand on my plants as I smile watching them grow and bear fruit (squash is GREAT with AIP).

Life is precious.   You never know when it will end, and you can only hope that the memories you leave behind you with loved ones - are good ones.   May they tell your story for years to come around a campfire!  More to come on my next blog!