Stat Counter
Wednesday, November 26, 2014
Monday, August 25, 2014
Self-Talk and Being Our Own Best Friends
Dear Readers,
On my own personal journey from illness to wellness I have changed many things. One of the things that I have changed is the way that I talk to myself.
I used to beat myself up for what I perceived as failures and ways that I had let myself down.
And I found this to be highly counter-productive. Some people may respond to short term self-criticism. Long term, it is not a great strategy. It becomes defeatist and a narrative that is hard to get outside of. You end up believing all of these false beliefs you have told yourself.
So I started being kinder to myself and speaking to myself as if I were talking to my best friend.
This was a game changer for me. Once I changed my inner dialogue I truly started to think differently about who I was as a person. I started to value and believe in my own worth.
It was a relatively simple thing to do, but took a decades for me to get to this point.
Being a women, the media and advertising has told me that I need to perfect every single part of my body. And if I was not perfect, that with some product, clothing item, or specific makeup item...I would me MORE. I would be more beautiful, have more of a perfect body, whatever.
And men, you also have your own set of standards that have been put in front of you via the media and ads...This is something that pertains to everyone. We are being told we are not enough.
I'm here to tell you that what you have been told by society and possibly through your own self-talk is not true. You are enough and you are worth value.
When we start to talk to ourselves in ways that are productive, loving, and with supportive language, going after our goals is a little easier.
Treat yourself well and be kind with with the words you choose to tell yourself.
You are the only you, you have. Take care of yourself. Once you support you, you can start to go after goals, hopes, and dreams more easily.
Be kind. Be your own best friend. Speak to yourself as if you were talking to that friend that you care a lot for. Positive self-talk leads to positive actions. And positive actions create better interactions between those that you love and care for. In the end, when you care for yourself, you care for others.
Miss Oakley
On my own personal journey from illness to wellness I have changed many things. One of the things that I have changed is the way that I talk to myself.
I used to beat myself up for what I perceived as failures and ways that I had let myself down.
And I found this to be highly counter-productive. Some people may respond to short term self-criticism. Long term, it is not a great strategy. It becomes defeatist and a narrative that is hard to get outside of. You end up believing all of these false beliefs you have told yourself.
So I started being kinder to myself and speaking to myself as if I were talking to my best friend.
This was a game changer for me. Once I changed my inner dialogue I truly started to think differently about who I was as a person. I started to value and believe in my own worth.
It was a relatively simple thing to do, but took a decades for me to get to this point.
Being a women, the media and advertising has told me that I need to perfect every single part of my body. And if I was not perfect, that with some product, clothing item, or specific makeup item...I would me MORE. I would be more beautiful, have more of a perfect body, whatever.
And men, you also have your own set of standards that have been put in front of you via the media and ads...This is something that pertains to everyone. We are being told we are not enough.
I'm here to tell you that what you have been told by society and possibly through your own self-talk is not true. You are enough and you are worth value.
When we start to talk to ourselves in ways that are productive, loving, and with supportive language, going after our goals is a little easier.
Treat yourself well and be kind with with the words you choose to tell yourself.
You are the only you, you have. Take care of yourself. Once you support you, you can start to go after goals, hopes, and dreams more easily.
Be kind. Be your own best friend. Speak to yourself as if you were talking to that friend that you care a lot for. Positive self-talk leads to positive actions. And positive actions create better interactions between those that you love and care for. In the end, when you care for yourself, you care for others.
Miss Oakley
Friday, August 22, 2014
Challenging the Definition of Failure
Dear Readers,
Something has been on my mind for a while and I need to talk about it. There is this horrible, scary, and defeatist word that has been uttered in every aspect of my life: at work, with family and friends, and on social media.
What word has me so compelled as to write a post all about it?
FAILURE.
That word has me fired up and I want to share how I think and feel about failure.
First of all, I don't believe in it. Yes, I believe it is an actual word. But I no longer feel it applies to me. There was a time in my life I let it define me and sat in shame and fear so paralyzing...I could not move forward with my life. And then things went from bad to worse and I literally had nothing left. I did not have a job, my health was in shambles, and I had walked away from a decade long relationship. I was living in a town by myself without family and had no other options. It was only then, when I was out of options, that I had to confront this word. It was at my lowest low, that I had to...needed to...and decided to...change how I thought, felt, and responded to that awful word...Failure.
And I am so glad I did.
As I researched the word and what it meant to so many people I found a common theme. From teenagers to grandparents: no one wanted to fail. Some, like me, sat in paralyzing fear of the unknown and never tried what they wanted to try or lived how they wanted to live out of fear of failure.
Having seen the bottom and knowing my only option was up, I threw away how I interacted with failure and decided to replace it with another word: INFORMATION.
Failure is not a destiny or a way of life. It is a boldness to try something new or different with a hope or dream attached. With trying this new thing or going after a dream, we learn information about ourselves along the way. That information is valuable data that can be used to re-assess and re-apply to new tasks, hopes, and dreams. The more things we try and goals we are bold enough to wish to achieve, the richer our data is about ourselves.
Today, I work as a Counselor and on a daily basis I ask my clients to trust the process and confront their fear of failure. I explain my approach to this word and we talk about "the worst thing that could happen" if they went after a goal of theirs. We also talk about "the best thing that could happen". Generally, after going for a goal, neither the best, nor the worst fear occurs and the client lands somewhere in the middle of the attainment of their goal. They also have richer data and information about themselves. And here is pride in going after something one once thought they could or should not. And that counts for a lot.
Last year I started a small business. And it was exciting. People asked me time and time again if I was scared of failing...and I felt that question was ridiculous. There was no way I could fail at doing something I loved and would do anyway. After starting this company, I ended up not losing everything I owned (the worst thing that could happen) and I also am not retired and living the good life in a tropical location (the best thing that could have happened). I landed somewhere in the middle. And I learned a lot of valuable INFORMATION about myself and about starting a business. This information and learning has been distributed to others...and they either started their own businesses...or decided to go after a goal of theirs. There was a ripple effect in my life when I went after this goal and dream of mine. And it most certainly was not a failure.
When I decided to be bold enough to look failure in the face: I realized it was not this scary and feared word that I once gave all of my power it to. It was my own face in the mirror staring back at me. When I started to love and accept myself, I let go of this word entirely and replaced it with a new word: Information. Because that is what you learn when you go after hopes and dreams and try new things.
Be bold. Do not give all of your power to one single word. Do not let others force their beliefs and power of this word on your hopes and dreams. Your hopes and dreams deserve to be validated, and honored with the learning of new data. There is valuable information for you to learn about yourself. So go after what you want, see what happens, and take this new information about yourself and apply it to other hopes and dreams in other aspects of your life.
If you do decide to look failure in the face, you may notice your own face staring back at you. Love that face and accept it. I am here to tell you the road is less rough and the surroundings more beautiful after you accept the face of a person that has been with you this whole time.
Miss Oakley
Something has been on my mind for a while and I need to talk about it. There is this horrible, scary, and defeatist word that has been uttered in every aspect of my life: at work, with family and friends, and on social media.
What word has me so compelled as to write a post all about it?
FAILURE.
That word has me fired up and I want to share how I think and feel about failure.
First of all, I don't believe in it. Yes, I believe it is an actual word. But I no longer feel it applies to me. There was a time in my life I let it define me and sat in shame and fear so paralyzing...I could not move forward with my life. And then things went from bad to worse and I literally had nothing left. I did not have a job, my health was in shambles, and I had walked away from a decade long relationship. I was living in a town by myself without family and had no other options. It was only then, when I was out of options, that I had to confront this word. It was at my lowest low, that I had to...needed to...and decided to...change how I thought, felt, and responded to that awful word...Failure.
And I am so glad I did.
As I researched the word and what it meant to so many people I found a common theme. From teenagers to grandparents: no one wanted to fail. Some, like me, sat in paralyzing fear of the unknown and never tried what they wanted to try or lived how they wanted to live out of fear of failure.
Having seen the bottom and knowing my only option was up, I threw away how I interacted with failure and decided to replace it with another word: INFORMATION.
Failure is not a destiny or a way of life. It is a boldness to try something new or different with a hope or dream attached. With trying this new thing or going after a dream, we learn information about ourselves along the way. That information is valuable data that can be used to re-assess and re-apply to new tasks, hopes, and dreams. The more things we try and goals we are bold enough to wish to achieve, the richer our data is about ourselves.
Today, I work as a Counselor and on a daily basis I ask my clients to trust the process and confront their fear of failure. I explain my approach to this word and we talk about "the worst thing that could happen" if they went after a goal of theirs. We also talk about "the best thing that could happen". Generally, after going for a goal, neither the best, nor the worst fear occurs and the client lands somewhere in the middle of the attainment of their goal. They also have richer data and information about themselves. And here is pride in going after something one once thought they could or should not. And that counts for a lot.
Last year I started a small business. And it was exciting. People asked me time and time again if I was scared of failing...and I felt that question was ridiculous. There was no way I could fail at doing something I loved and would do anyway. After starting this company, I ended up not losing everything I owned (the worst thing that could happen) and I also am not retired and living the good life in a tropical location (the best thing that could have happened). I landed somewhere in the middle. And I learned a lot of valuable INFORMATION about myself and about starting a business. This information and learning has been distributed to others...and they either started their own businesses...or decided to go after a goal of theirs. There was a ripple effect in my life when I went after this goal and dream of mine. And it most certainly was not a failure.
When I decided to be bold enough to look failure in the face: I realized it was not this scary and feared word that I once gave all of my power it to. It was my own face in the mirror staring back at me. When I started to love and accept myself, I let go of this word entirely and replaced it with a new word: Information. Because that is what you learn when you go after hopes and dreams and try new things.
Be bold. Do not give all of your power to one single word. Do not let others force their beliefs and power of this word on your hopes and dreams. Your hopes and dreams deserve to be validated, and honored with the learning of new data. There is valuable information for you to learn about yourself. So go after what you want, see what happens, and take this new information about yourself and apply it to other hopes and dreams in other aspects of your life.
If you do decide to look failure in the face, you may notice your own face staring back at you. Love that face and accept it. I am here to tell you the road is less rough and the surroundings more beautiful after you accept the face of a person that has been with you this whole time.
Miss Oakley
Monday, July 21, 2014
It is Okay to Love Myself, Imperfections and All
Dear Diary on the Internet,
It has been a while and that is okay. Life gets busy. There has been a topic that I have been drawn to lately and want to get it out there, so here I go.
I am a woman of a certain age. An age where the pressure to hide this age is constant. It is plastered throughout the media in every avenue. Commercials tell me ways to be more beautiful, magazines show advertisements of products to mask my age, and the internet has every tip imaginable on how to look younger. The list goes on and on.
And it bothers me.
Why? Because I love who I am.
I love my imperfections and appreciate what my body is capable of doing. I feel beautiful.
This has not come naturally though. It has been a long journey to self-acceptance.
Throughout the years I have probably hated every single body part of mine and tried to do something to perfect it.
Here's a couple areas of myself where I always thought I would one day improve and therefore be perfect:
Up until my wedding I did not like my back. Then I started trying on wedding dresses and I started to like this back of mine for the first time. Why? Because my back has always had my back. Because it is strong. Because it is a part of me.
My nose was something I took issue with for years. When I was in my teens the big plan was to get a nose job. Then I realized that I have the same nose as my brothers. And if I changed it, it would make us different. So I decided to embrace it. I have a great sense of smell and it gives me character. It's a good nose.
There is a gap in between my front teeth. I have had braces twice in my life. And closed the gap. And you know what? I didn't like it. Why? Because I did not look like myself. So I let the gap come back. And I love it. My teeth are healthy and strong. Without them, I would not be able to enjoy the great food that I eat every day.
Why am I telling you my imperfections? Because it has been a long road to get to this point and I am not going to let society tell me to change myself after I have worked so hard to love myself as is.
I am perfectly imperfect.
Society says I need to be vigilant about hiding my age and need to look youthful. And I find this absolutely insulting. Because I like my age and I like that I look older.
Why should I bend for society anyway? Society doesn't know me. I know me. And I like who I am.
In recent decisions to go against this model of perfection I am told I should be...I have decided to let my gray hair be and not cover it up.
This decision has not been supported by ONE other female in my life. And although it saddens me. These other women are not me. My responsibility for self-love is only towards myself. It is not my job to take ownership of what other people think of my decisions. My responsibility is to myself and to accept me. And I do.
I think the gray that is starting to show up in my hair is really beautiful. It is like natures natural highlights. And I am going to go with it.
The whole point of this post is that it has taken me decades to become comfortable in my own skin. And now that I am there, I will not let one other person let me think that I am not beautiful just because I am getting older.
It is also okay to love yourself as you are. Today, I am the best version of myself. Tomorrow I will be one day older, and I am going to choose to embrace what that brings. This is how I chose to think about life. And it has made living more enjoyable.
So I am going to go ahead and love myself. What is the worst that could happen?
Miss Oakley
It has been a while and that is okay. Life gets busy. There has been a topic that I have been drawn to lately and want to get it out there, so here I go.
I am a woman of a certain age. An age where the pressure to hide this age is constant. It is plastered throughout the media in every avenue. Commercials tell me ways to be more beautiful, magazines show advertisements of products to mask my age, and the internet has every tip imaginable on how to look younger. The list goes on and on.
And it bothers me.
Why? Because I love who I am.
I love my imperfections and appreciate what my body is capable of doing. I feel beautiful.
This has not come naturally though. It has been a long journey to self-acceptance.
Throughout the years I have probably hated every single body part of mine and tried to do something to perfect it.
Here's a couple areas of myself where I always thought I would one day improve and therefore be perfect:
Up until my wedding I did not like my back. Then I started trying on wedding dresses and I started to like this back of mine for the first time. Why? Because my back has always had my back. Because it is strong. Because it is a part of me.
My nose was something I took issue with for years. When I was in my teens the big plan was to get a nose job. Then I realized that I have the same nose as my brothers. And if I changed it, it would make us different. So I decided to embrace it. I have a great sense of smell and it gives me character. It's a good nose.
There is a gap in between my front teeth. I have had braces twice in my life. And closed the gap. And you know what? I didn't like it. Why? Because I did not look like myself. So I let the gap come back. And I love it. My teeth are healthy and strong. Without them, I would not be able to enjoy the great food that I eat every day.
Why am I telling you my imperfections? Because it has been a long road to get to this point and I am not going to let society tell me to change myself after I have worked so hard to love myself as is.
I am perfectly imperfect.
Society says I need to be vigilant about hiding my age and need to look youthful. And I find this absolutely insulting. Because I like my age and I like that I look older.
Why should I bend for society anyway? Society doesn't know me. I know me. And I like who I am.
In recent decisions to go against this model of perfection I am told I should be...I have decided to let my gray hair be and not cover it up.
This decision has not been supported by ONE other female in my life. And although it saddens me. These other women are not me. My responsibility for self-love is only towards myself. It is not my job to take ownership of what other people think of my decisions. My responsibility is to myself and to accept me. And I do.
I think the gray that is starting to show up in my hair is really beautiful. It is like natures natural highlights. And I am going to go with it.
The whole point of this post is that it has taken me decades to become comfortable in my own skin. And now that I am there, I will not let one other person let me think that I am not beautiful just because I am getting older.
It is also okay to love yourself as you are. Today, I am the best version of myself. Tomorrow I will be one day older, and I am going to choose to embrace what that brings. This is how I chose to think about life. And it has made living more enjoyable.
So I am going to go ahead and love myself. What is the worst that could happen?
Miss Oakley
Friday, January 17, 2014
Fix Your Food, Fix Your Health: An Overview of The AutoImmune Protocol (AIP), Paleo Diet, and Reflections of My Two Year Journey
Dear Readers,
A couple months ago, I did a 30 day trial of the AutoImmune Protocol Diet (or AIP.) A friend of mine decided to do it for health reasons and I did it along with her to support her. Additionally, I was curious if any of the foods that are restricted on AIP were triggers for me. I have been eating Paleo for about two years now. I'm allergic to dairy and gluten and they both caused many health issues. I did not know this, instead I thought I was very sick and had to be on numerous medications. Little did I know that it was my lifestyle and what I was eating that was making me sick. Paleo restricts both dairy and gluten and since following it I am now off of approximately 12 different medications for various issues. I stick to Paleo because I have underlying conditions. It's not a "diet" for me. It's a healthy lifestyle and a way for me to manage my health without medications. I've healthier and feel better than...well, than ever. I have never felt this good on a consistent basis.
In the past I had been diagnosed and medicated for the following conditions:
Migraines
IBS
Cervical Cancer
Acid Reflux or GERD
Anxiety
Depression
Insomnia
Fibromyalgia
Lupus
Acne
Allergies
Asthma
A weird sweating disorder...And a bunch of other conditions I cannot remember off the top of my head.
Through lifestyle changes and a complete nutrition overhaul, I am now on ZERO medications and have NO health issues. This is first for me. I spent almost three decades being sick. I now am healthier and happier than I ever have been.
For Lifestyle Modifications I did the following:
Left a long-term relationship that was not working
Left a sales career that was very stressful
Went to Graduate School
Changed Careers
Started Exercising Daily
Quit Drinking Alcohol
Stopped Using Medications
Adopted a Paleo Diet
Found a Partner that Embraced my Lifestyle
Consistently Evaluated my choices to see if what I was doing, was actually working. This involved a lot of self-reflection and was a process.
This was not easy. But it has been worth it. That is my back story and what led me to try AIP for 30 days.
I am constantly "experimenting" on myself and this is yet another experiment.
My goal with AIP was to try and see if I can heal any other remaining issues in my gut. That is what AIP is for. It is used to heal issues in the gut that are causing you autoimmune health issues. AIP is THE BEST diet for anything autoimmune you have going on. If you have symptoms of a "leaky gut" AIP may be for you! Here are leaky gut symptoms: (You can find the source at: 9 Signs You Have a Leaky Gut)
1. Digestive issues: gas, bloating, diarrhea, IBS
2. Seasonal allergies or asthma
3. Hormonal imbalances such as PMS or PCOS
4. Diagnosis of an autoimmune disease such as rheumatoid arthritis, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, Lupus, Psoriasis, or Celiac Disease
5. Diagnosis of Chronic Fatigue or Fibromyalgia
6. Mood issues such as Depression, Anxiety, ADD, or ADHD
7. Skin issues such as Acne, Rosacea, or Eczema
8. Diagnosis of Candida Overgrowth
9. Food allergies or food intolerance's
Any of these things look familiar? If so, read on.
Again, AIP is not a "diet" to lose weight. I have never and will never be on a diet.
AIP is a nutritional solution to fix medical conditions WITH FOOD, NOT MEDICATIONS. It's something you do when you have tried everything else and you want to feel better. And you want to do it without prescriptions and side effects from those medications that create new issues.
Also, it is important to state that I have gone from being dependent on doctors and medications...to now being dependent on myself. I. I also am off EVERY SINGLE ONE of my medications. And I did this alone, by experimenting on myself and not under the medical model. (Note: this is not for everyone. This worked for me and that I all I can attest to.) When I first drafted this, I had not seen a doctor for two years. I have since went in for a yearly physical and my doctor was astounded! She said I was a completely different person and asked me how I did it! So, I told her. She was shocked and could not believe I was not on ANY medications. I have since gotten my labs back and I am in perfect health thanks to my newly adopted lifestyle choices.
The last two years I have been following the Paleo diet. Again, it is not a "diet" to lose weight. It basically consists of foods that our ancestors ate. A lot of whole foods, good meats, and vegetables.
What is not allowed in Paleo: Grains, Dairy, Soy, Legumes, Processed Foods, Refined Oils, and Sugars. Basically all food that cause of a lot of medical conditions:
What is allowed: Delicious meats and vegetables/fruits.
If you ever consider going Paleo, focus on what you CAN have: wonderful foods. Not what you cannot have. That makes it feel restrictive and it's not. I have enjoyed delicious paleo foods for over two years and have had zero complaints.
Here is a food pyramid for Paleo:
AIP is still Paleo, just with some additional limitations. The limitations are due to health conditions that may be the culprit of certain restricted foods. Again, AIP is not a "diet" but a way to fix several autoimmune issues.
Here is what is included in AIP:
The difference between Paleo and AIP:
- See more at: http://www.phoenixhelix.com/2013/05/19/what-is-the-paleo-autoimmune-protocol/#sthash.JT8Afo2y.dpuf
In addition for 30 days you must avoid:
No alcohol (fine to use in cooking, but not to drink)
No stevia
Nothing that comes from a seed, which means no cocoa, coffee or seedbased spices
No emulsifiers or thickeners (guar gum, carrageenan, etc)
No NSAIDs – Caution: if you are taking NSAIDs to control the pain of autoimmune disease, do not stop taking them cold-turkey.
Fruits Limit fruit to 2-5 servings per day. -
See more at: http://www.phoenixhelix.com/2013/05/19/what-is-the-paleo-autoimmune-protocol/#sthash.JT8Afo2y.dpuf
To further reflect on the two year process up to this 30 day AIP challenge:
For the last year or two I also have not really drank. At all. And I have been eating healthy. 99% of the time I already follow a Paleo nutritional diet. The only times I have gone off Paleo were accidental (eating out, or eating someone else's cooking.) What I have found with this is that I now longer use the excuse of social obligations to binge eat or drink. Now, when I go to something, it is because I WANT to be there. It's not to serve a hidden agenda of mine. Yes, turning down drinks and fun food is sometimes hard. However, if I'm truly honest with myself: those things no longer serve my greater purpose. I no longer am attached. I have given myself permission to not drink. For the first year of my not drinking, I "fake drank" while with other people. And this felt in-genuine I also felt like a phony and that was living a double life. So in year 2 of not drinking: I started telling people that I no longer drink. And you know what?? They were okay with it. Why? Because I was okay with it. Not drinking is a personal choice and it has nothing to do with being Paleo or not. This is included because it has helped me along my journey. Also for AIP, alcohol is off limits. Which was fine with me, as I no longer drink.
That being said...
Here are my reflections at various times along my 30 day AIP Journey: Of note: I thought I would really miss eggs, chocolate and fruit. Below is a the diary I kept along the way:
One day in: This may be hard, even for someone that already eats Paleo. I have been off eggs and nuts for about a week already in preparation. I think I'm going to really miss tomatoes and mushrooms. Also, the above stated eggs and nuts. I think I'll really miss those guys. As long as I can have avocados I know I will be fine. My feeling is that "an avocado a day, keeps the doctor away."
Two days in: Spices can change things up in magnificent ways! I'm loving basil, garlic, and cinnamon right now.
Three days in: I have lost cravings for everything I thought I craved. I am now re-defining life. Everything is okay. Life is okay. I can do this. No longer do I want chocolate or even to sweeten things with stevia (my version of sugar.) Right now all I want is squash, vegetables, and good meat/seafood.
Six days in: We went to a wedding and I ended up bringing my own food. I suspected that there would not be any AIP foods available, and I was mostly right. Although the food they had looked delicious...so did my dinner that I brought. So as to not be rude, I went into the bathroom with my cooler and dumped my food onto my plate. And you know what? No one at my table cared. It was hard to pass up the delicious cupcakes, but I no longer crave anything really so it was fine.The girlfriend that I am doing AIP with, was also at the wedding and brought her own food as well. We were glad we kept to AIP and did not fall off track. I really do want to see how good I can feel and if I have any remaining issues with certain food groups.
One week in: I no longer have cravings for anything. Except squash. It's fall now and squash is very "in." Right now I am eating is for nourishment. I have been able to be more productive and can prioritize my wants versus my needs.
Week two: This was a really busy week. I had a conference, wedding, work, school, and workouts... and had to juggle all the areas of my life. I tried to plan as best that I could. My main goal was not to be hard on myself when I was put into situations that I could not control and therefore had to eat something that may have had a non-AIP spice on it. This was mainly at the conference and at the wedding. At the conference I had some chicken with a glaze on it and I'm not certain what was in the glaze. I tried eating in my car the food I brought, but I only had 3 minutes and couldn't chew it fast enough. Then at the wedding, I ate what I could that was AIP. However, again, you don't know what spices are used and how everything is cooked and prepared. Also, I was exhausted from the week before. So, I did the best I could and that is okay with me. I got a lot of things done this week, yet felt scattered. However, I did work out a lot and almost surprised myself with how much energy I had in the gym!
A couple months ago, I did a 30 day trial of the AutoImmune Protocol Diet (or AIP.) A friend of mine decided to do it for health reasons and I did it along with her to support her. Additionally, I was curious if any of the foods that are restricted on AIP were triggers for me. I have been eating Paleo for about two years now. I'm allergic to dairy and gluten and they both caused many health issues. I did not know this, instead I thought I was very sick and had to be on numerous medications. Little did I know that it was my lifestyle and what I was eating that was making me sick. Paleo restricts both dairy and gluten and since following it I am now off of approximately 12 different medications for various issues. I stick to Paleo because I have underlying conditions. It's not a "diet" for me. It's a healthy lifestyle and a way for me to manage my health without medications. I've healthier and feel better than...well, than ever. I have never felt this good on a consistent basis.
In the past I had been diagnosed and medicated for the following conditions:
Migraines
IBS
Cervical Cancer
Acid Reflux or GERD
Anxiety
Depression
Insomnia
Fibromyalgia
Lupus
Acne
Allergies
Asthma
A weird sweating disorder...And a bunch of other conditions I cannot remember off the top of my head.
Through lifestyle changes and a complete nutrition overhaul, I am now on ZERO medications and have NO health issues. This is first for me. I spent almost three decades being sick. I now am healthier and happier than I ever have been.
For Lifestyle Modifications I did the following:
Left a long-term relationship that was not working
Left a sales career that was very stressful
Went to Graduate School
Changed Careers
Started Exercising Daily
Quit Drinking Alcohol
Stopped Using Medications
Adopted a Paleo Diet
Found a Partner that Embraced my Lifestyle
Consistently Evaluated my choices to see if what I was doing, was actually working. This involved a lot of self-reflection and was a process.
This was not easy. But it has been worth it. That is my back story and what led me to try AIP for 30 days.
I am constantly "experimenting" on myself and this is yet another experiment.
My goal with AIP was to try and see if I can heal any other remaining issues in my gut. That is what AIP is for. It is used to heal issues in the gut that are causing you autoimmune health issues. AIP is THE BEST diet for anything autoimmune you have going on. If you have symptoms of a "leaky gut" AIP may be for you! Here are leaky gut symptoms: (You can find the source at: 9 Signs You Have a Leaky Gut)
1. Digestive issues: gas, bloating, diarrhea, IBS
2. Seasonal allergies or asthma
3. Hormonal imbalances such as PMS or PCOS
4. Diagnosis of an autoimmune disease such as rheumatoid arthritis, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, Lupus, Psoriasis, or Celiac Disease
5. Diagnosis of Chronic Fatigue or Fibromyalgia
6. Mood issues such as Depression, Anxiety, ADD, or ADHD
7. Skin issues such as Acne, Rosacea, or Eczema
8. Diagnosis of Candida Overgrowth
9. Food allergies or food intolerance's
Any of these things look familiar? If so, read on.
Again, AIP is not a "diet" to lose weight. I have never and will never be on a diet.
AIP is a nutritional solution to fix medical conditions WITH FOOD, NOT MEDICATIONS. It's something you do when you have tried everything else and you want to feel better. And you want to do it without prescriptions and side effects from those medications that create new issues.
Also, it is important to state that I have gone from being dependent on doctors and medications...to now being dependent on myself. I. I also am off EVERY SINGLE ONE of my medications. And I did this alone, by experimenting on myself and not under the medical model. (Note: this is not for everyone. This worked for me and that I all I can attest to.) When I first drafted this, I had not seen a doctor for two years. I have since went in for a yearly physical and my doctor was astounded! She said I was a completely different person and asked me how I did it! So, I told her. She was shocked and could not believe I was not on ANY medications. I have since gotten my labs back and I am in perfect health thanks to my newly adopted lifestyle choices.
The last two years I have been following the Paleo diet. Again, it is not a "diet" to lose weight. It basically consists of foods that our ancestors ate. A lot of whole foods, good meats, and vegetables.
What is not allowed in Paleo: Grains, Dairy, Soy, Legumes, Processed Foods, Refined Oils, and Sugars. Basically all food that cause of a lot of medical conditions:
What is allowed: Delicious meats and vegetables/fruits.
If you ever consider going Paleo, focus on what you CAN have: wonderful foods. Not what you cannot have. That makes it feel restrictive and it's not. I have enjoyed delicious paleo foods for over two years and have had zero complaints.
Here is a food pyramid for Paleo:
AIP is still Paleo, just with some additional limitations. The limitations are due to health conditions that may be the culprit of certain restricted foods. Again, AIP is not a "diet" but a way to fix several autoimmune issues.
Here is what is included in AIP:
The difference between Paleo and AIP:
| Eliminate Permanently | Eliminate for 30 Days and Reintroduce |
| Processed Food | Eggs |
| Refined Oils & Sugars | Nightshades (both vegetables and spices) |
| Grains | Nuts |
| Legumes | Seeds |
| Soy | Dairy |
In addition for 30 days you must avoid:
No alcohol (fine to use in cooking, but not to drink)
No stevia
Nothing that comes from a seed, which means no cocoa, coffee or seedbased spices
No emulsifiers or thickeners (guar gum, carrageenan, etc)
No NSAIDs – Caution: if you are taking NSAIDs to control the pain of autoimmune disease, do not stop taking them cold-turkey.
Fruits Limit fruit to 2-5 servings per day. -
See more at: http://www.phoenixhelix.com/2013/05/19/what-is-the-paleo-autoimmune-protocol/#sthash.JT8Afo2y.dpuf
To further reflect on the two year process up to this 30 day AIP challenge:
For the last year or two I also have not really drank. At all. And I have been eating healthy. 99% of the time I already follow a Paleo nutritional diet. The only times I have gone off Paleo were accidental (eating out, or eating someone else's cooking.) What I have found with this is that I now longer use the excuse of social obligations to binge eat or drink. Now, when I go to something, it is because I WANT to be there. It's not to serve a hidden agenda of mine. Yes, turning down drinks and fun food is sometimes hard. However, if I'm truly honest with myself: those things no longer serve my greater purpose. I no longer am attached. I have given myself permission to not drink. For the first year of my not drinking, I "fake drank" while with other people. And this felt in-genuine I also felt like a phony and that was living a double life. So in year 2 of not drinking: I started telling people that I no longer drink. And you know what?? They were okay with it. Why? Because I was okay with it. Not drinking is a personal choice and it has nothing to do with being Paleo or not. This is included because it has helped me along my journey. Also for AIP, alcohol is off limits. Which was fine with me, as I no longer drink.
That being said...
Here are my reflections at various times along my 30 day AIP Journey: Of note: I thought I would really miss eggs, chocolate and fruit. Below is a the diary I kept along the way:
One day in: This may be hard, even for someone that already eats Paleo. I have been off eggs and nuts for about a week already in preparation. I think I'm going to really miss tomatoes and mushrooms. Also, the above stated eggs and nuts. I think I'll really miss those guys. As long as I can have avocados I know I will be fine. My feeling is that "an avocado a day, keeps the doctor away."
Two days in: Spices can change things up in magnificent ways! I'm loving basil, garlic, and cinnamon right now.
Three days in: I have lost cravings for everything I thought I craved. I am now re-defining life. Everything is okay. Life is okay. I can do this. No longer do I want chocolate or even to sweeten things with stevia (my version of sugar.) Right now all I want is squash, vegetables, and good meat/seafood.
Six days in: We went to a wedding and I ended up bringing my own food. I suspected that there would not be any AIP foods available, and I was mostly right. Although the food they had looked delicious...so did my dinner that I brought. So as to not be rude, I went into the bathroom with my cooler and dumped my food onto my plate. And you know what? No one at my table cared. It was hard to pass up the delicious cupcakes, but I no longer crave anything really so it was fine.The girlfriend that I am doing AIP with, was also at the wedding and brought her own food as well. We were glad we kept to AIP and did not fall off track. I really do want to see how good I can feel and if I have any remaining issues with certain food groups.
One week in: I no longer have cravings for anything. Except squash. It's fall now and squash is very "in." Right now I am eating is for nourishment. I have been able to be more productive and can prioritize my wants versus my needs.
Week two: This was a really busy week. I had a conference, wedding, work, school, and workouts... and had to juggle all the areas of my life. I tried to plan as best that I could. My main goal was not to be hard on myself when I was put into situations that I could not control and therefore had to eat something that may have had a non-AIP spice on it. This was mainly at the conference and at the wedding. At the conference I had some chicken with a glaze on it and I'm not certain what was in the glaze. I tried eating in my car the food I brought, but I only had 3 minutes and couldn't chew it fast enough. Then at the wedding, I ate what I could that was AIP. However, again, you don't know what spices are used and how everything is cooked and prepared. Also, I was exhausted from the week before. So, I did the best I could and that is okay with me. I got a lot of things done this week, yet felt scattered. However, I did work out a lot and almost surprised myself with how much energy I had in the gym!
Week three: This week has started with me feeling exhausted. And that's due to both this AIP protocol and my busy life. I am okay with this. It is starting to get hard, but I'm dedicated to it. The first and second weeks for me were more of like an AIP honeymoon. Now, I'm more tired. However, I'm okay with being tired. There is an upside to this! For the last week I have been super focused at work and school. I'm not sure if it's because I'm tired or what, but I am getting more things done. I am dedicated to AIP, because I feel like I owe it to myself to see how good I can feel. And I want to know for sure which food groups give me issues. Right now I am more task oriented and not so much fitness oriented. I may have pushed myself too far last week as far as exercise goes. So far this week, I have stuck to lighter workouts such as yoga and pilates. As I write this, the week is only half over, so we shall see what the rest of the week brings.
Week four: I did it! 30 days are done! I didn't really miss any of my favorite foods, except eggs. That will be the first thing I add back in. Four week of no chocolate, what a first!! I have become more productive during my time with AIP. Now I am going to start adding in foods with the use of a food sensitivity tracker to see which foods give me issues.
Now after doing this for 30 days it is SUPER important that you re-introduce foods one at a time to really determine which food groups give you issues. I am a fan of technology, so I used this app: BulletProof Food Sense App This app tests your heart rate in the morning. Then before you eat meals you test again, and then at different increments after you eat. This gives you factual evidence as to what foods give you issues.
I am posting this a couple months after doing AIP and there are some foods that I just really never added back in: Nuts were one of them. They make me bloated. So I now eat them rarely and just a couple at a time. Also, I never really added tomatoes back in as they give me mild acid reflux. I eat them time to time, but before I ate them everyday and did not realize they caused me issues. I also now eat a lot less chocolate and fruit. I have them both on very rare occasions. I love chocolate, don't get me wrong, I just got used to not having it and sometimes forget about it! I have found that fruit has a lot of sugar and fructose in it and unless I lift heavy one day, I really don't have it. On average I will have 1-2 pieces of fruit a week.
I still to this day stick to Paleo. I am highly allergic to both dairy and gluten. Dairy causes severe inflammation, bloating, and acne for me. And gluten gives me migraines, makes me feel tired, and I get brain fog when I eat it. So, although I did this for 30 days, it is not something that I will need to do long term. If you are having any of the above autoimmune/leaky gut symptoms AIP may be something you need to try.
It is important to note that every single person is different. And that means a different diet. And although Paleo and AIP worked for me, they may not for you. Although, I think we all can agree that gluten overall is bad for just about every single person. There is a lot of conflicting information on the internet about AIP and you know what? That's okay. The reasons it conflicts is because it is written by individuals with their own stories and their own unique needs. The most important step in the process is that you are willing to TRY SOMETHING NEW. You are willing to experiment on yourself. After all, you are worth it. Had I not done the AIP 30 day challenge, I would not have known that nuts make me bloated and tomatoes sometimes make me burp. It was worth it. Also, I have stopped eating as much fruit and chocolate and I have been able to lean up more. But, that is for another post.
Please let me know if you have questions! I post a lot of my Paleo meals on Instagram! You can find me at: http://instagram.com/myhealth_llc Also, I tweet health and wellness related information on twitter: https://twitter.com/MyHEALTH_llc
Had I not done this, I would have never known my trigger foods. Have you ever thought about how food is related to health? Are there any food experiments that you have done? Are you sick of being sick and wondering if food has anything to do with it? If so, ask questions! Get curious! Your health is your business and you have the right to know have food impacts your health!
I have a couple other health self-experiments that I am going to share with you on the blog as well. So look forward to that!
Be Well,
Miss Oakley
Owner of My HEALTH, llc
Rehabilitation Counseling Graduate Student
Career Coach and Job Developer
Wellness and Health Enthusiast
Week four: I did it! 30 days are done! I didn't really miss any of my favorite foods, except eggs. That will be the first thing I add back in. Four week of no chocolate, what a first!! I have become more productive during my time with AIP. Now I am going to start adding in foods with the use of a food sensitivity tracker to see which foods give me issues.
Now after doing this for 30 days it is SUPER important that you re-introduce foods one at a time to really determine which food groups give you issues. I am a fan of technology, so I used this app: BulletProof Food Sense App This app tests your heart rate in the morning. Then before you eat meals you test again, and then at different increments after you eat. This gives you factual evidence as to what foods give you issues.
I am posting this a couple months after doing AIP and there are some foods that I just really never added back in: Nuts were one of them. They make me bloated. So I now eat them rarely and just a couple at a time. Also, I never really added tomatoes back in as they give me mild acid reflux. I eat them time to time, but before I ate them everyday and did not realize they caused me issues. I also now eat a lot less chocolate and fruit. I have them both on very rare occasions. I love chocolate, don't get me wrong, I just got used to not having it and sometimes forget about it! I have found that fruit has a lot of sugar and fructose in it and unless I lift heavy one day, I really don't have it. On average I will have 1-2 pieces of fruit a week.
I still to this day stick to Paleo. I am highly allergic to both dairy and gluten. Dairy causes severe inflammation, bloating, and acne for me. And gluten gives me migraines, makes me feel tired, and I get brain fog when I eat it. So, although I did this for 30 days, it is not something that I will need to do long term. If you are having any of the above autoimmune/leaky gut symptoms AIP may be something you need to try.
It is important to note that every single person is different. And that means a different diet. And although Paleo and AIP worked for me, they may not for you. Although, I think we all can agree that gluten overall is bad for just about every single person. There is a lot of conflicting information on the internet about AIP and you know what? That's okay. The reasons it conflicts is because it is written by individuals with their own stories and their own unique needs. The most important step in the process is that you are willing to TRY SOMETHING NEW. You are willing to experiment on yourself. After all, you are worth it. Had I not done the AIP 30 day challenge, I would not have known that nuts make me bloated and tomatoes sometimes make me burp. It was worth it. Also, I have stopped eating as much fruit and chocolate and I have been able to lean up more. But, that is for another post.
Please let me know if you have questions! I post a lot of my Paleo meals on Instagram! You can find me at: http://instagram.com/myhealth_llc Also, I tweet health and wellness related information on twitter: https://twitter.com/MyHEALTH_llc
Had I not done this, I would have never known my trigger foods. Have you ever thought about how food is related to health? Are there any food experiments that you have done? Are you sick of being sick and wondering if food has anything to do with it? If so, ask questions! Get curious! Your health is your business and you have the right to know have food impacts your health!
I have a couple other health self-experiments that I am going to share with you on the blog as well. So look forward to that!
Be Well,
Miss Oakley
Owner of My HEALTH, llc
Rehabilitation Counseling Graduate Student
Career Coach and Job Developer
Wellness and Health Enthusiast
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)