Paleo Plans

About 2 years ago when I was trying to figure out my health issues, I learned about the Paleo diet from a Natural Family Planning Facebook Group. I tried it out for about 6 months and had great  results. I lost weight, had more energy, and just felt better overall. I gave up on the diet as life got hectic and we moved a few times. Now we are going back to this lifestyle. (When I say diet for the rest of this entry, I mean way of eating not a temporary weight loss tool.)Why? Well, there are a number of reasons.
Obviously the health benefits are first and foremost. When we eat processed foods we are eating a diet full of chemicals and lacking in the vital nutrients our bodies need. Many of the chemicals in processed foods are phytoestrogens. This means they act like estrogen in your body and drive your estrogen levels up. If you are someone that needs more estrogen this could seem helpful, but it impairs your body in the long run. For someone like me who has more than enough estrogen, the effects are ruinous upon our systems. When we lack vital nutrients from our diet, we cannot run body processes correctly. How can your body create the correct level of hormones if it doesn't have the necessary building blocks? A whole foods based diet like Whole 30 or Paleo ensures that we are getting those vital nutrients without any fillers or chemical products mixed in. If you can afford to eat organically, that will be even better.
Weight loss is another reason that I am returning to this diet. When your diet does not have the proper nutrients, it begins to believe it is starving and acts as such. It builds up fat stores to protect it in the time of famine. This means that no matter how much you exercise, it will be difficult to lose weight. Once your body starts receiving the nutrients and hydration that it needs, it will begin to shed those unneeded fat stores. I have experienced great success with weight loss eating Paleo before and am excited about what I will see as I turn down this road again.
Finally, energy and vitality mean a lot to me as I begin to run a side business on top of my hectic schedule. When I eat clean and get the nutrients my body needs, I have plenty of energy to get through the day. I have no need for a nap or a cup of coffee to pick me up.
If you have never heard of the Paleo diet before, you are probably wondering what it is. Well, it is a whole foods based diet. It eliminates dairy and grains. Some forms of the paleo diet also remove citrus, tomatoes, peppers, eggs, and nuts. It is a diet often used for individuals with autoimmune diseases and can be helpful for children with Autism and ADHD/ADD. When I explained this diet to my mom, her first question was "Well then what do you eat?" This was my question at first too, but I honestly ate better on this diet than I did off. It forced me to try new foods, many of which I found I liked. It also forced me to learn delicious new recipes. The food includes soups, salads, stir frys, steak, burgers. The only limit to the food is your imagination.
I am very excited to start back on this journey. If you would like more information about this diet, I highly recommend
These websites:
www.paleoplan.com - gives tons of great paleo recipes
http://nomnompaleo.com/ - family blog about eating paleo (also recently started a podcast)
These books:
The Paleo Approach and The Paleo Approach Cookbook by Sarah Ballantyne (also has a podcast and Facebook group)
Beyond Bacon: Paleo recipes that respect the whole hog by Matthew McCarry
Well Fed and Well Fed 2 by Melissa Joulwan
The Frugal Paleo Cookbook by Ciarra Hannah
The Paleo Diet and The Paleo Diet Cookbook by Loren Cordain

What does your diet look like? Have you ever considered eating paleo before?

Happy Mother's Day to Every Mother!

I've been crying a lot the last two days. I am just dreading Mother's Day. Last year on Mother's Day we were excitedly awaiting the arrival of Taylor Grace, but this year I am remembering that we lost her. I am feeling quite alone in this too. I am still a mother and I know this to be true, but no one else seems to remember this. So I sit home alone remembering that I don't have a baby to hold while everyone else is out celebrating their blessings. I decided this was not how I wanted to spend my weekend, so I decided to share my struggle with others. The love I received is beyond measure. I am so glad to have friends that have experienced loss as well. I am not happy that they know the hurt I do, but rather that we can hold each other up when the one is hurting. My goal this weekend is to share my story so that other women who faced similar loss know they are still remembered and loved, so to all you women out there: those struggling to conceive, those who have conceived and lost, and those who still have babies in their arms today- Happy Mother's Day!

For those struggling to conceive, I pray that you will soon know the blessing of having a baby in your arms as well. May God raise you up and bring you peace this very difficult weekend.

Hey Doc... I'm sorry.

     The three months since I visited the doctor are more than over. I'm not pregnant yet, and now I have to go see my doctor and admit that I have not been charting or taking the Metformin. The charting is pure forgetfulness on my part. I wait until bed time to chart and then fall asleep without recording my daily observations. Then I fight with my alarm clock in the morning and finally climb out of bed forgetting to temp or use a pregnancy or ovulation test. Basically, I suck at charting. Before you comment, yes, I have alarms and notes to remind myself, but they never seem to actually work to remind me.... I'll have to remember to change the times on the reminders.
     Now I will be calling my doctor and dragging my tail in to explain how Metformin and Clomid will never be a part of my plan. I will get pregnant naturally, or not at all. I will have to get updated hormone tests. Once we see the test results, we should be able to tweak my diet and exercise plans to address any problems. In the meantime, I will be going back to gluten and dairy free, as well as increasing my cardio workouts.
Do you have any advice for talking to the doctor about different options? Any suggestions to naturally improve hormone levels and fertility?