YAHOOOOO!!!!

Just came from the Doctor's office and HAD to share...I'm adding beef back into my diet!

This is huge for me!  I'm so excited and my mouth is watering at the thought of it!  Oh, the possibilities!

After three months of only eating chicken, turkey and fish, I had to keep myself from shedding tears of joy when he told me.

A lot of other good stuff is happening - like I'm now down 27 pounds.  I had a three-week plateau at 25 pounds but this week the weight loss started back up.

I started a post about some of the things I've discovered about myself so far in this journey.  I promise I'll get  it finished.  I just wanted to share this awesome news!

World Traveler

From the time I was a baby until I was in my mid-twenties, I'd pretty much traveled to most of the edges of the United States.  From Alaska to Hawaii, from Idaho to Florida, from California to North Carolina, I think I had traveled more than half of the United States.

When I was twenty-one, I served a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  For eighteen months, I served the people of the Quetzaltenango, Guatemala region.

When I was 25, I went on a cruise from Miami to the Western Caribbean - that included Cozumel, Jamaica and the Grand Cayman Islands.

At 26, I went to the United Kingdom and spent nearly three weeks traveling through England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and we even took a weekend trip to Paris.

After being laid off from my job in 2001, I had the opportunity to spend three weeks in China with my bestest friend and her husband.  We went to China, Hong Kong and Macau.

In 2002, I took a job with a small company that produced trade shows around the world.  Yearly, I traveled to Las Vegas, Amsterdam and Singapore.  From those places, I traveled to even better places including France, Madagascar, Mauritius and Japan.  I left that company in 2005 but I didn't let that stop me from traveling.

My first trip to Italy was back in 2007.  I have such wonderful memories of that trip with my cousins.  We started in Rome and traveled up through Italy, into Switzerland and France and ended our trip in London.

In 2009, I went back to work for the trade show company.  With them, I added Brazil to the list of places I'd been.  In 2009 I was able to take my Dad with me to Amsterdam and from there we spent 10 days in Florence and the Tuscany region of Italy.  We also spent a night or two in Brussels, Belgium.  

2010 was the epitome of traveling memories for my family.  I was able to bring my Dad AND my sister with me to Amsterdam.  We went directly from there to Florence and spent 10 days (could have been 7, my brain is fuzzy) together making the best memories.  We even took a cooking class.  Best thing ever.

It was before that trip, my Dad had business cards made - his official title?  "World Traveler".  He handed those cards out like candy.  My dad traveled to Europe both times while in the throes of cancer treatment.  Going to Italy was on his "bucket list", and for sure, that trip did not disappoint.  He didn't let anything stop him from making memories with us.

Since changing jobs in the Fall of 2010, I've mostly traveled between Utah and Missouri. Last year though, we went on our last great adventure together.  We went on a cruise to the Bahamas.  With Donny and Marie.  I loved that so much, I don't even remember the food!

No matter where I've been over the years, I've never worried about what I was going to eat.  I've never been afraid to try local cuisine - even when that meant eating fresh lamb's brain - cooked to our satisfaction, of course.  For the record, I did try a bite and from there went directly to McDonald's for a quarter-pounder with cheese.  Some of the best things I've ever done in foreign countries is eat.  In fact, many of the memories I have while traveling revolve around food.  

Things have changed though and the transition is hard.

Last week, my sister and I met up at the Salt Lake City airport and from there, spent five days in Northern California.  We grew up in the Bay Area so it wasn't exactly an exotic locale as far as food goes.  

I brought my own supply of food I knew I could eat.  I brought cans of tuna packed in olive oil, cut up veggies and hummus, apples and tangelos.   I also brought a couple of packages of chicken sausage with sweet potato hash that I had made and frozen a couple of weeks before.  

We ate at a sit-down restaurant twice.  I'm fairly confident that I ate "safe" food but I'm not 100% sure.  Especially considering the fact that I did pretty well until Sunday.  By Sunday, my fatigue totally caught up with me - to the point that I'm still trying to recover.  Also?  My body got puffy again.  I drank enough water, I took my supplements.  I slept well.  I'm sure it has to do with my adrenal fatigue but at this point, I don't know 100%.  My ankles just barely went back to normal.

We went to our cousin's wedding in Clear Lake and while the food served was beautiful, I forget to mention my food requirements far enough in advance before the chicken was marinated in sugar and grilled and so I ended up eating veggies, mango and lettuce with lime juice for dinner that night.  But hey, let's be honest.  I wasn't there for the food.  I was there to see happiness in motion.  I also caught the bouquet. Who cares about eating wedding cake when you have the bride's bouquet in your possession?  Not me.  Not last week, anyway. 

Lucky for me, my Mom, sister and Auntie were super conscientious of my food requirements and helped me make sure I kept in line.

I found out last week that the two owners of my company qualified for an all-expense paid trip to Barcelona.  Instead of them taking the trip with their wives, they pulled strings arranged for me and a guest to take the trip.  BARCELONA!!!  FOR SIX DAYS!!!  I'm going somewhere I've never been!!!  I'm taking my Auntie Dana and we're taking a little side trip to Italy after.

I'm excited but I'm also worried.  What am I going to eat there?  How am I going to manage my fatigue?  Will I have enough stamina to take day trips and do a bunch of walking?  

Today I have an appointment with Dr. Stadler.  You betcha I'm going to be talking to him at length about the trip I just took as well as my upcoming adventure.  My goal has always been to feel better but now there's a little more to it than that.  I want to be healthy.  I want to eat delicious food without worrying about the type of oil they're using.  I want to eat gelato.  I want to eat fresh Italian tomatoes.  I'm pretty sure I'll be able to, but need to make a plan just in case.

This trip to Spain may be different from other trips I've taken - I may have to take more naps, I may have to slow my walking down and I may have to pack my own cans of tuna.  It will all be okay.

I'm the daughter of Mike Harms.  I'm a World Traveler.  And like my Dad, I'm not going to let anything get in the way of making memories that will last forever.

50 Shades of Gluten

This article is everything I could say but have no authority.  Interestingly enough, the Cyrex test recommended is the same test I had to determine my gluten sensitivities.  Just click on the picture or the link below to read the entire article.

50 Shades of Gluten

So Gradual I Didn't Even Realize It

I told you last week that I would post a current picture.  I took a picture over the weekend, modeling my cute Grey's Anatomy Intern t-shirt that my adorable sister and handsome brother-in-law sent me for Easter.

My sister wanted me to see the significance of the pictures so she did a couple of side-by-side comparisons.

The picture on the left was taken Memorial Day weekend 2012.

The picture on the left was taken in August 2012.

I showed these pictures to some dear friends over the weekend and they said the "before" pictures were taken at a bad angle and that I didn't really look that big.  But I did.  I've only lost 24 pounds so far but mostly, I've lost a whole lot of inflammation.  The difference is shocking.

For me, the knowledge that my system does not react kindly to grains, refined sugar and dairy has made the difference.  See the difference between what I looked like eating that kind of diet and now is enough to keep me going.  Well, that and the fact that I'm down TWO pant sizes and I plan on wearing a dress this weekend to my Aunt's wedding that I haven't worn in almost two years.

I'm so grateful that I'm on the road to health.  The road is definitely long and has ups and downs and I'm really not even half-way to my final destination of complete health AND wellness.  

Now, if I could just get the fatigue under control...

The Sunshine Vitamin

Sunshine.  That was one of the terms of endearment my Dad used when talking to me.  It was also part of my CB (remember CB radios?) moniker - "California Sunshine Girl".  Over the years, the sunshine part just stuck.  I'm not exactly sure how that name came about...I believe it came from a "groovy" t-shirt I had when I was seven or eight years old and it said "California Sunshine Girl" on it with a rainbow, an outline of the State of California, flowers and a VW bus.  I think.  Either way, now that my Dad died, no one really calls me that anymore.  Even if someone did, it wouldn't be the same.

Anyway, I want to talk today about Vitamin D.  Commonly known as the "Sunshine Vitamin", Vitamin D is important for our overall good health and keeps our bones strong and healthy.  What most people don't realize is that Vitamin D is also important in making sure our heart, lungs and brain function properly and helps fight infection. 

We are unique in that our bodies can create our own Vitamin D just from exposure to sunlight.  Unfortunately, most of us don't produce adequate amounts of it and Vitamin D deficiency is a growing epidemic in the United States.  

At my yearly physical in 2009, my doctor and I were discussing at great length, my symptoms of fatigue, feelings of depression, heart palpitations and weight gain.  She had read a recent study regarding the correlation between Vitamin D deficiency and the symptoms I described.  She ordered a blood test to measure my levels - the acceptable level of Vitamin D in the blood varies depending on which report you read (between 30 and 70 is ideal) but my doctor wanted to see mine over 50 nanograms per milliliter.  When the test results came back, my level was 17.  

I started on a prescription-strength dose of Vitamin D and took 50,000 IUs a week.  The recommended daily dose is 400 IUs/day.  I took that prescription for more than a year.  The highest my levels ever reached was 26 and that was back in 2010.  When my level was tested back in January, I was at 23.

My sister and I share many of the same symptoms - fatigue, feelings of depression, being overweight.  When I found out that low levels of Vitamin D could be the cause for this, I immediately told her to get her level checked.  She was at a 13.  I told my doctor and she said that was the lowest she'd ever heard of. 

I also found out that my Mom had really low levels of Vitamin D and was taking a weekly supplement.  Hi.  Why didn't I know this? 

If you are feeling symptoms of fatigue, depression, hazy thoughts - basically the same symptoms as Seasonal Affective Disorder, you could be Vitamin D deficient.  It can be fixed with as little as 10 minutes a day of exposure to sunlight and a supplement.  400 IUs a day is really all you need and you will feel better.  Unless you have extreme symptoms of deficiency - then you should talk to your doctor.

Now, for me, Vitamin D is more important than ever.  There is evidence to support the important role Vitamin D plays in promoting - both directly and indirectly - regulatory and suppressor T-cell populations.  Controlling these is essential in managing autoimmune diseases like Hashimoto's Disease.

I'm taking a super emulsified Vitamin D supplement in liquid form - 10,000 IUs daily. Despite it's bright yellow color, it tastes like fish oil.  When I take it, I tell myself it's like drinking sunshine.

Maybe I am the Sunshine Girl after all.

2nd Runner Up

The 2nd most asked question is not really a question but more of a statement, "You must be feeling so much better!" (the exclamation point included).

To which I reply as if it was a question, "Not yet." (no exclamation point included)

That is the short answer.  No.  I'm not feeling "so much better".  In fact, some days, I feel worse than ever.

Right now I'm going through a hyper-thyroid phase and it's wreaking havoc on my system.  Heart palpitations, extreme cold and intermittent sleep patterns.

The long answer is that there are a lot of positive changes happening and the program I'm on is working.

For instance:

1. I'm losing weight.  This is a HUGE change.  If you haven't seen me in person for awhile, the difference is quite noticeable.  Maybe I'll post a recent picture.  You can really tell in my face.  When I look back at pictures from the last few months and years, my face is puffy.  Not just puffy as in the natural puffiness that occurs with a weight gain but puffy like the Stay-Puff marshmallow guy.  Looking back, you can see the effects inflammation had all over my body.
2. There are more days between headaches.  As I've mentioned before, I'd gone years with some form of a headache every day.  The last time I remember having a headache was Monday.  Today is Thursday.  That is a big deal.
3. There's really no delicate way of putting this...I don't poop as much as I did before.  I was under the impression that the more frequently you have a bowel movement, the healthier your system is.  Negative.  A healthy digestive system should eliminate waste 1 or 2 times every 24 hours.  I'll spare you the details, but suffice it to say that my system was not healthy.  It's getting there.
4. My appetite is controlled.  I don't feel hunger and I rarely have cravings.  I learned this morning though that when I do, it's not my mind playing tricks on me.  It's a physiological reaction.  Yesterday I had the worst craving for a Diet Coke and some Cheez-it crackers.  I didn't give in to the craving and instead, ate a good serving of snap peas and drank some water.  I told Dr. Stadler about it and for that, I got a high-five.  I recognized that my blood sugar was low - my brain was actually producing a request for endorphins (I was a little stressed at work yesterday) and I replied with a hefty dose of protein and fiber.  I did exactly what I supposed to do.  Yay me!  Three months ago, I would have tried to feed that request with gluten and sugar laden foods and, as a result, was causing more damage than good.
5. I feel stronger emotionally about the choices I'm making with regard to my health.  I'm getting excellent care and education about how to treat my body.  This makes all the difference.

Just as he does every week, my doctor makes it all better.  Dr. Stadler is extremely qualified in his practice but more than that, he helps me realize all of the good things that are happening.  He is a doctor, cheerleader, counselor and guru all rolled into one.  I'm grateful every day for him and Red River Health and Wellness.

I still have at least four months left on my program with him.  I really can't wait to see what happens.

I Get That Question a Lot

The number one question I get is, "What CAN you eat?".

I like to call myself a poultry and fish eating vegan.  There is no official classification for this - maybe I should make up my own name for it.  Popescaterian?  Fishpoultarian?  Fishtrytarian? No?  Those don't work for you?  I can't really call myself a semi-vegan because I eat poultry or fish with every main meal.  I need the protein.

What I eat in a typical day looks like this:

Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
I'm combining the list of foods here because I pretty much eat the same types of food for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

• Grilled turkey burgers (I buy the pre-made patties from Costco) with black bean & mango salsa
• Hummus (made with white beans and garbanzo beans and no tahini) with cut veggies
• Salmon - usually pan fried in olive oil but sometimes broiled with balsamic vinegar
• Canned Tuna packed in olive oil
• Chicken 
• Snap Peas - these are very high in protein and make a great entree fresh out of the bag
• Green salad - made with a spring lettuce/spinach mix, radish, orange, red or yellow pepper, cucumber, celery, carrot and avocado.  I make my own salad dressing.  Usually an herb or lemon vinaigrette
• Oven roasted sweet potato, drizzled with olive oil
• Black Bean Soup
• Chicken and White Bean Stew
• Oven Roasted Cauliflower
• Avocado drizzled with fresh lemon and olive oil or balsamic vinegar

Snacks
I eat a snack mid-morning, mid-afternoon and before bed.

• Almonds
• Walnuts
• Fruit - cantaloupe, watermelon, honeydew, tangelo, orange segments or banana
• Honeycrisp apple slices or celery stalks with Almond Butter

I try to eat every 3 hours to maintain a stable blood sugar level but honestly, I'm not always hungry.  I end up eating something small to keep it stable.

Very rarely do I miss the foods that I used to eat.  When I do though, it's big time.  Today I'm missing the flavor of diet soda and crunchy crackers or pretzels.  I miss bread.  I miss cheese.  I miss Mexican food.   In case you didn't know this about me, I should have been born in Mexico.  At the tender age of five or six years old, I was begging my Mom to take us to Taco Bell.  Poor excuse for Mexican food, I know, but even then, I loved it.  When she said we didn't have the money, I said she should write a check because they had a little sign in the bell shaped walk-up window that said they took checks.  As far as I was concerned, she had checks - it was a no-brainer.

It seems like lately, Facebook has become a dumping ground for new recipes people want to try.  What's up with that?  If you post more than two recipes in a row on Facebook, I will hide you from my newsfeed.  It's just what I have to do to protect my sanity.  I've also un-followed all food related boards on Pinterest.  It was making me very sad.

I have created a Pinterest board called Anti-Inflammatory Diet.  I've been collecting recipes that fit the criteria that Red River Health and Wellness originally gave me for the Anti-Inflammatory diet.  Some of the recipes contain ingredients that I no longer include in my diet but I kept them on the board in case someone is out there looking.

Since overhauling my diet, it appears as though I have a ton of restrictions.  The reality is that I'm more free in my diet than I've ever been.  I eat when I'm hungry.  I don't count calories or points.  I'm very careful to eat just the things that I'm allowed and it's working for me.  Sure, I get cravings but I've learned that it's not really the actual food I'm craving.  I'm usually thirsty or in most cases, my brain reaches back in to the memory vault and tries to tell me that in the past, I've used food for reasons other than nourishment.  I'm trying to break that cycle and so far, so good.

So, when people ask me "What CAN you eat?", I simply say, "More than you think..".