Grain Free/Primal/Paleo in January 2011!!!

[suzukiaustin]

Happy New Year!!! 

I thought I would steal the privilege of starting the thread for January for my own selfish reasons...anyone interested in posting a "Grain Free Resolution" for this month?  I'm not saying for the year...it's always hard to keep that up, but if we make something into a habit for a month, it's easier to stick with it in the long run...

So here's mine:  Put seaweed in every batch of kale.  That's it.  I think I can do it!

I'm going to a funeral for my brother-in-law at the end of the week.  He died of colon cancer at the age of 55.  It's going to be hard for me because I really loved him and I know that he could have lived longer had he eaten better. (Well, only God knows...)  No one would listen to me when I asked them to make him bone broth and to get him off the sugar.  In his final weeks, they were giving him Ensure to help him gain weight.  My goodness...I won't even comment on how that made me feel.

Anyway, think of me when I travel with my 2 month old and when I'm at the reception surrounded by family members who are digging their graves with their forks and spoons.

Edit to add:

Better yet, don't think of me...pray for my family to see that they can take their health into their own hands.  Let me be an example of just that and let me be compassionate and kind when the questions about my 'dangerous' diet arise.

(I have a good recipe to come.  In a time crunch now.)

Edited by suzukiaustin - 1/3/11 at 11:55am

[_ktg_]

subbing!  I'm up for a 30 day challenge - November & December threw me off my game so I'm back now!!

I'm also getting more serious of rooting out all the gluten from my diet - pesky spice blends!! *shakes fist* 

My resolution:  I'm adopting ok stealing from my DS2's book - Eat a rainbow everyday  in terms of tracking my intake of fruits & veg for the day.

DH is on board with healthy eating (with grains though) and even better the kids seem to be gravitating to eating better as a concept, not actually yet embracing the idea since they are 4 & 2. I plan to win them over with the "Rainbow" idea and maybe making a board for our house to track ourselves and bribery may be involved... hello playmobil .

[Punchy Kaby]

I need to get back on the wagon!!! It has been horrible since Thanksgiving. I am addicted to grains. I'm taking the 30 day challenge and to help me along I am giving up sugar a week at a time  I know, it's weak. But after 7 days if I know I can have a little tread I make it will help me get through.

I know I can feel better, I'm so bloated and I got sick right after Christmas. I haven't been sick since I went grain free in August.

Here's to feeling better!!

[Sieren]

Me too!!

Me and my DH have been primal for about a year now, so now I'm focusing on tweaking our diet so it is the healthiest possible.  I have autoimmune issues to heal from (MS) and he has some weight to lose yet (but doing well!)  We've recently started eating more seaweed (I like cutting up pieces of kelp in roasts and stir frys, and just eating raw or toasted dry kelp and dulse myself, YUM!) and getting our vitamins from food sources--Dr. Ron's Organ Delight and Pancreas (for me, for digestive enzymes) and Blue Ice Fermented Cod Liver Oil (not nearly as gross as I thought it would be!) and Butter Oil (much yuckier than I thought it would be, LOL.  Maybe its just the "butter pecan" flavor...).  Going well, so far!

Also, I have to remember to stay hydrated--whenever I forget to drink enough water, I find myself having trouble breathing.

[Koalamom]

Here is to a new year and the first month going grain free.  What am I saying, I was mostly grain free for lots of last month, but that is when I realized that I feel really amazing without grains.  Oh but doesn it still count if I eat a little rice?  Dh is on board but he has a piece of toast on his way out to work in the morning.   Speaking of work, we would not be able to afford the increase of meat eating if it weren't for Dh's new job working on a grass fed organic beef farm.  He gets free meat in addition to the pay.

Thinking of a resolution...

[neverdoingitagain]

Originally Posted by bluebirdmama1 

    He gets free meat in addition to the pay.

Thats hawt. 

 All I get is free junk food 

 I've started the 30DONN from Marksdailyapple(30days of no nonosense) rather than the Whole30. Its too restrictive considering what foods I have available. Instead, I'm cutting all grains(again. It was a bad month), kicking the coffee habit, getting rid of sugar(again...sigh) and something else...I think I'm reducing my dairy intake. The lack of coffee is going to my head.

[cmb123]

I'm not usually good at keeping up with these threads, but since I finally caught it at the beginning I'm gonna try.

I'm commiting to grain free as well, I was doing really well for quite a while, then slowly they crept back in and then the holidays came....yuck. I feel like crap.

I'm cutting way way back on sugar as well, and will maybe give it up completely at some point, but one thing at a time.

[sellendie]

Happy New Year primal/paleo buddies! I am committing to really keeping up with my primal/paleo recipe blog this year. All of my recipes are entirely grain, legume, sweetener (artificial or natural), and white potato free.  Check it out if you get a chance -http://lifeasadreger.wordpress.com/

DH and I are on day 5 of the Whole 30 and feeling awesome. I love the challenge of a super strict month, and am excited to see how I feel without any dairy or booze. We both feel like we have already dropped a few of the pounds that we gained after going off the rails for the holidays, even in just these few short days. Also, I finally got a family member on board to try a primal diet for a month. So keep your fingers crossed that they feel as good as I did and want to continue with it. My brother has a myriad of physical ailments that I think could be dramatically improved if they give this way of eating a chance.

[neverdoingitagain]

Ok, so maybe I'll start after my birthday  I've had cheese the past two days, but I've stayed away from grains(except rice on monday...dh cooked and it was a casserole so I couldn't skip it) I've also had stevia in my teas. AND thats why I'm doing 30DONN and not Whole30. 

 I haven't had coffee in 3 days. I actually feel pretty good. 

I think I will modify my 30DONN to include some dairy, and try to wean myself off stevia. And add nuts. Just some.

[_ktg_]

Checking in... and so far pretty good at adding more veggies & fruits back into my diet.  It was scary to see how blank it was without them, but I think I just miss the variety that season is not able to offer.  Lots of green because of salads, but some red & orange too.  Yellow is stumping me right now as I'm not keen on bananas (too much sugar for me) and summer squash is not in season.  So any ideas of yellow fruits & veggies? 

Confession time: I have been eating grains - only 1 meal/day as I'm plowing my way through our leftovers for work lunches.  *damn you tasty jambalaya!*   

BUT I'm hoping to turn a corner tonight and be grain free the rest of the month.  I will check out Mark's 30DONN to see what is up with that program.  

[gabbyraja]

Originally Posted by _ktg_ 

 So any ideas of yellow fruits & veggies? 

We had yellow peppers tonight... Grapefruit is also in season. Star fruit and those little prickly-pear thingies?

[newcastlemama]

Hey!

I am here in my 3rd trimester! (This is my second primal pregnancy). My resolution is to keep up making bone broth based soups/stews and take my cod liver oil daily.

I made a version of this tonight and the kids loved it too! Paleo Morroccan Chicken Soup

http://cosmopolitanprimalgirl.wordpress.com/2010/01/03/paleo-moroccan-chicken-soup/ 

I added coconut milk and added some hot sauce to my bowl (since the kids can't take all that cayennne).

[_ktg_]

Originally Posted by gabbyraja 

Originally Posted by _ktg_ 

 So any ideas of yellow fruits & veggies? 

We had yellow peppers tonight... Grapefruit is also in season. Star fruit and those little prickly-pear thingies?

I'm on a red pepper kick, but blanked about yellow ones   I'll have to check out star fruit next time I'm at the store, I've never had it before

Originally Posted by newcastlemama 

Hey!

I am here in my 3rd trimester! (This is my second primal pregnancy). My resolution is to keep up making bone broth based soups/stews and take my cod liver oil daily.

I made a version of this tonight and the kids loved it too! Paleo Morroccan Chicken Soup

http://cosmopolitanprimalgirl.wordpress.com/2010/01/03/paleo-moroccan-chicken-soup/ 

I added coconut milk and added some hot sauce to my bowl (since the kids can't take all that cayennne).

Oh my goodness that looks and sounds heavenly!  I'm adding it to my stockpile of soup recipes!  mmmmm I love spicy too!

[neverdoingitagain]

_ktg_ : Its actually a challenge created by a forum member there named IniQuity. Its pretty much whatever you make of it, whatever your nonsense is.

[neverdoingitagain]

PS. I totally bombed my challenge so far I suuuuuuuuckkkkk!! 

No sugar: fail

no grains: had rice and oats...fail

no dairy: is that edam cheese and baybels over there?...fail

No coffee: WIN! 

hey, 1/4 isn't that bad...

[GuavaGirl]

newcastlemama:  I'm very interested in the whole paleo pregnancy thing.  I've noticed,(just from reading a few blogs), that women have trouble staying paleo while pregnant, especially in the first trimester (understandable).  What has your experience been?  Can you compare it to your non-paleo pregnancy?  

I've also been wondering about calcium.  When I was pregnant my midwife really stressed 4 servings a dairy/day.  

[Ravenlunatic]

Hi ladies, so glad I found this thread (again?)... I have been grain , sugar, and diary free since last February and going strong.  My new years resolution is to keep improving my intake of only healthy items.  Right now I have added eve primrose oil and cod liver oil to my diet.  I also need to really increase my water intake daily.  I can't wait for more recipes... I do get bored with my same old food.

[Punchy Kaby]

Raven-sounds like you are doing great! Glad to have you around. Can you share what keeps you on track during stressful times and or special times like the holidays? I find that on a day to day basis I do ok, but as soon as I go out to dinner for a special occasion, I am tempted to have a treat and the slope is slippery, one treat leads to everyday.

I'm on day 3 of no grains and no sugar, I resisted temptation for both on my date with dh last night.

I am getting more and more annoyed by gearing people say, 'i follow a healthy diet, you know no red meat, low fat, no butter.' grrr. It takes all my willpower not to go off on my soap box. On new years eve I was offered proudly some fat free brownies. Yuck.

[newcastlemama]

My definition of paleo is no grains or dairy but I still eat peanut butter, ferments, vinegars, dark chocolate and all those technically non-paleo foods
 

My non-paleo first pregnancy went really well (I did the omni- Brewer diet and was active). I had all day sickness until 12 weeks. But, I had severe PPD after he was born.

My second pregnancy was vegan and I had a miscarriage and hemmorage at 13 weeks and was sick the whole time(I was also on antidepressants for PPD so who knows)

My 3rd and this (4th) pregnancy have been TF paleo. I stay gluten and dairy free until 16 weeks when the nausea ends. I just survive on whatever sounds good even if it is gf grains. I have had worse morning sickness my last 3 pregnancies with this one being the worst. I going to be working on my liver function before I get pregnant again to see if that helps.  I am more tired this pregnancy than the others but I think that is from having 2 other active kids and one of them has never really slept well so I need to rest more. Oh I did not have PPD after baby three and don't think I will have it after this baby either.

I do long simmered bone broths and greens (like kale/collards) for calcuim/minerals and I take prenatals. I only developed one cavity during my last (paleo) pregnancy and that was in a tooth that was mostly filling anyway so it was pretty weak. (I used to have lots of cavities before TF and targeted supps so I feel good about that). I eat by cravings and it works for me. I have been eating more carbs this pregnancy than my last...it feels like I need it so that means more root vegs and fruits when I want. My last pregnancy I craved tons of red meat and ate it but my ferritin was low so that amde sense.  I do aim for the 100 grams of protein a day (Brewer diet recommends) but I I eat that pretty effortlessly since I am a protein type. I eat gf grains very occasionally (like 2x a month) usually when we are out.

I would prefer to eat grains and dairy (and my family does BTW) but I have chronic Lyme's and they give me horrible inflammation at this point. I am pickier when I am pregnant and sometimes I just want some yogurt or cheese and it would be convienient but it is a no go. 

Hope that helps!

Originally Posted by GuavaGirl 

newcastlemama:  I'm very interested in the whole paleo pregnancy thing.  I've noticed,(just from reading a few blogs), that women have trouble staying paleo while pregnant, especially in the first trimester (understandable).  What has your experience been?  Can you compare it to your non-paleo pregnancy?  

I've also been wondering about calcium.  When I was pregnant my midwife really stressed 4 servings a dairy/day.  

[newcastlemama]

I know! People hear I eat healthy and they automatically figure I am a vegetarian. Then they look really confused when I eat some steak and well buttered vegs!
 

Originally Posted by Punchy Kaby 

I am getting more and more annoyed by gearing people say, 'i follow a healthy diet, you know no red meat, low fat, no butter.' grrr. It takes all my willpower not to go off on my soap box. On new years eve I was offered proudly some fat free brownies. Yuck.