When I was diagnosed with SCC, I started researching and thinking. I thought to myself that I needed to figure out how to make myself healthier, and I needed to start at point A and move forward from there. Which in turn led me to begin with my thyroid. The thyroid is the motor of our bodies and if a person thinks it's not that important...well, they're wrong! Just google the function of the thyroid and everything it is connected to. MIND. BOGGLING. Upon a search one day I ran across a blog that talked about autoimmune diseases (more importantly, Hashimoto's). What turned out in a reading frenzy that day ended up being me 6 weeks later.
After much reading, analyzing, and soul searching I decided to take on the challenge of the Autoimmune Protocol. It's Paleo but think strict. This diet eliminates gluten, grains, nuts & seeds (and all spices that contain them), legumes, dairy, eggs, processed foods, alcohol, nightshades (tomatoes, peppers, potatoes) and anything that might contain them (like some vitamins and definitely NSAIDS). Oh, and fun. BAH!
What the what?
First, I never had a 'withdrawal' headache. Prior to the AIP I have been on numerous and sometimes very costly diets. With every one of the them I would have a headache. I chalked this up to the caffeine or sugar withdrawals. Not with the AIP. Nope. Not one single headache.
Second, I ate without counting anything. No points, no calories, no fat grams...no counting.
I do plug data into My Fitness Pal because I've realized I have a tendency to not eat ENOUGH calories. My goal is 1200-1400 calories a day, and without keeping up with it, there is no way I'd eat enough. I am just not hungry-zero cravings.
This has been a definite lifestyle change. After the first week I told my husband that this was it. No more diets. My brain fog had lifted drastically, many symptoms I had lived with for YEARS were gone, others were dramatically improved. It was amazing. Never have I done anything that made me feel this good. In truth, I had energy that I forgot was possible. I had forgotten what feeling good felt like.
Last week I visited a new endocrinologist (and I think he's fabulous, and also the 6th doctor I have visited about my thyroid issues). After reviewing all of my medical history and having a very thorough discussion, he suggested the possibility of having Celiac disease. This had never been mentioned prior to this visit with any doctor (even my Holistic doc), but I must say that none of the previous doctors delved into my medical history, lab work, or anything else as much as this doc had. I had LOTS of blood drawn and am waiting for all the lab results to come in. I am excited. Why? Because I want to know how my body has changed in the past 5 weeks (it was 5 weeks to the day when I went for that visit). I want to see if my white blood counts went down. Did my antibodies go down to normal or even HALFWAY normal levels? And what did the Celiac panel reveal (although these tests can be inconclusive)? Either way, I feel healthier and that's what matters. I started at point A. I'm working my way through it in order to move to point B.
Something I've considered is the fact that in previous diets they were always done to lose weight. On the AIP my goal wasn't for weight loss, it was for health. I know with AIP it is 100% on...there is no cheat day, no cheat meal, no cheat bite. This has helped tremendously knowing that if I cheat, I am starting back at zero. It also helps when I repeat in my head (that is poison, that is poison...then my mind sing-songs "That girl is poison..") when I am craving or just plain wanting something processed.
We used to be fast food junkies, which has come to a complete stop for me. No McDs, Sonic, Simple Simon's Pizza, KFC, Starz...you name it-gone. I have been to Chick-fi-la twice (while we had a day out of pocket) and I ordered gluten friendly and stuck to the confines of the AIP. I have eaten at Texas Roadhouse twice and ordered gluten friendly and stuck to the AIP. Did I want a roll? You bet! But I knew I would defeat everything I had done in the past 30 something days.
Another thing I have considered is the type of diets I have done. I have done Weight Watchers (twice), Nutri-System, Atkins, two different Candida diets, 21 Day Fix, and Advocare 24 day Challenge. Out of all of them, I was most successful on Advocare. But nothing matches to the success I am seeing on this diet. None of those diets made me feel good. None of them cleared my brain fog. I'm not saying they aren't successful for others, because I know they are..I'm saying they weren't right for me. And if I really do have Celiac disease, it makes sense. With having malabsorption issues, it feels like a piece of my puzzle was found.
In the past 6 weeks I have seen major improvements to my health. I have a better sense of knowing what I need, where I am headed, and how I want to get there. My family has been a supportive component, as well as my friends. In the next six weeks I hope to make more lifestyle changes, challenge myself to try new things, and improve upon what I have. In the past six weeks I have lost just shy of 20 pounds. <----which is a consequence of the AIP, not an intentional reason for the diet.
In the past six weeks, I actually feel good. And that is worth all the trial and error, banishing fast foods, and prepping my AIP foods! With that said, whoever came up with 21 days of doing something makes a habit...well, that may be true, but I still want a Coke. And pizza. And Bottlecaps. And BBQ sauce. And spaghetti...and a Texas Roadhouse roll...and...
It's taken me a long time to get to this point and I'm just glad I didn't give up, give in, or quit---because there's always an after. So keep on keeping on, find what makes you feel good, what makes you happy, and remember, it's there. We just have to find it.
P.S. These bottom pics were taken a little over 4 weeks into AIP. The comparison pic (on top of each one) weren't even taken at my heaviest weight. I see a smile in each one, but that is not a reflection of how I felt or what I was going through at that moment.
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