Why Whole30?

Mostly, I am neurotic and always doing something.  It might be 100 consecutive days of working out, a cleanse, giving away something every day for 30 days, waking up at 4:30 am to go the gym 3 days a week, betting against myself using PACT app.  You know, crazy shit…all the time. I had heard of the Whole30 a few times.  A friend completed one and I was intrigued.  She said that she felt great and was sleeping better.

So, being me, I did research.  A lot of research.  I checked out their website, their book, blogs of people that had completed a Whole30, articles in semi-reputable magazines, yadda yadda yadda.  Then I saw an article that sealed the deal.  It was about a person with Psoriasis that completed Whole30 and got some relief. WHAT?! Relief from our uncurable condition? The plaques of itchy dry skin? The one that requires me to apply peanut oil saturated medication to my head for at least 4 hours multiple times a week? The one that also requires me to take methotrexate (low dose chemo) which makes me sleep for hours on end and feel like crap WITH NO RESULTS. The one that makes it so people think I have lice because my head itches so bad that I think I might cry if I don’t scratch it?  The one that has totally taken over my torso, looking like I have chicken pox? The disease that has annihilated my self confidence? The one that has completely removed dark colors from my wardrobe.  Requires me to do a quick “swipe  and shake” of my clothes when I enter a room.  SIGN ME UP.  Whole30, I’m with you. Oh, I might lose some weight?….bonus.

So, I studied the list of compliant foods, started following Whole30, Whole30recipes, and multiple whole30 adherents on Instagram.  I printed recipes, bought everything I needed, including some new spices and sauces, and embarked.

I already do meal prep on Sundays, so that was not an adjustment.  What was an adjustment was reading labels.  EVERY SINGLE LABEL, and discovering that sugar and soy are in almost everything. AHHHH!  Stay away from anything in a package or box is what I have learned.

So, here are my tips and tricks for a successful Whole30:

Food, Spices, Sauces

• ·         Avocado, all the avocado
• ·         Aidell’s Chicken and Apple Sausage
• ·         Eggs (you should probably just get a chicken)
• ·         Cashews
• ·         Canned Coconut Milk (yes, I know Starbucks carries it, no, it has crap in it that is not coconut or water)
• ·         Whole Chickens
• ·         Coconut Aminos
• ·         Coconut Oil
• ·         Pork shoulder
• ·         Bacon (go to Whole Foods and buy this. You have to splurge and you don’t want added sugar)
• ·         Sweet Potatoes
• ·         Lara Bars (check the ingredients, vanilla extract is a no no)

Kitchen supplies:

• ·         Crock pot
• ·         Veggetti or spiralizer
• ·         Good knives
• ·         Kitchen scissors
• ·         Slotted spoon
• ·         Tons of Rubbermaid containers (or whatever you use)

Ok, go. You’re ready.

Just kidding.  Check out Whole30.com for lists of compliant foods and the basics for the program.  But, basically: protein, healthy fat, veggies.  Cook with healthy fats,  add them to your meal (nuts in moderation, avocado….) don’t use things with added sugar or nitrates, no dairy or grains, no soy or corn or legumes (that means peanuts and beans…and other stuff). Don’t look for “paleo cookies” or other items that are technically compliant, but totally cheating because they are just a fake version of something that you are completely addicted to…like ice cream.  The point is to clear your system out for 30 days, then reintroduce things slowly so that you can pinpoint what your body is sensitive to.

I cook 3 or 4 main dishes on Sunday and portion them out.  I also portion out all of my snacks.  I then prepare some “just incase items” like a container of shredded pork, a ton of hard boiled eggs, pre-cut veggies, etc.  That way if I am feeling hangry, I just grab some stuff and cook it up.

After my first round of Whole30, I felt great. Then diet coke and I sort of started an affair that ended with me eating three boxes of Girl Scout cookies.  We broke up. You aren’t going to go hungry, but you will most likely have a wicked headache for the first few days.  Oh, and you’ll also feel waves of violence when people are eating sweet treats of delight in front of you.

So, is my Psoriasis gone? Nope. Is it better? Yes.  Autoimmune diseases are sometimes tied to inflammation, and cutting out certain foods helps with that, so I have experienced a little bit of improvement.  The other shitty thing about autoimmune diseases is that people usually have more than one, and I do.  BUT, I read an article yesterday about a person experiencing my secondary autoimmune disease and has adopted a Whole9 approach to life (check out the website or book), and her diagnosis was REVERSED. WHAT?!  So, fingers crossed, but I honestly don’t care that much….I feel better when I am eating healthy, and I am a person that needs guidelines, so this is perfect. Holler at your girl if you want some recipes.