Endoscopy Full Results

My full endoscopy results came in yesterday.

Seems as though I'm basically a dog just out there chasing my tail! 

The Doctor said I definitely have a lot of inflammation, but it doesn't point to any specific cause. If I don't know the cause, I don't know the action - well, the full action anyways. 

I don't have Celiac, though he said that staying away from Wheat/Gluten will probably only help me. The only harm he sees with me eliminating Wheat/Gluten is total daily caloric intake (and me not getting enough). I don't have a problem with this, though! I teach myself daily that when I'm hungry, I eat!

In a few weeks, he wants to do further "exploring" via, you guessed it - more blood tests. I won't lie, it's getting old. Very old! I'm just trying to remain positive. And of course, I'm dotting my "I's" and crossing my "T's" when it comes to being careful with food. Between the two, it's been my best bet against this "fight with my 40 feet of intestines!"

My mom says, "I think you're quite healthy." To her I responded, "I sure am. It's just a bum-tum."

I take each day at a time. Smart (food) choices, healthy (workout and movement) habits - and of course, a smile!

CHEERS!

Online Communities for Health Nuts

Just in case you have never ventured to the DigitalMention Blog, I thought I would share with you the posting I put up there today. The posting was called, "Health Nuts Unite via Online Communities."

There are so many places online for daily support, motivation and overall "acceptance" for whatever your interest is in health, fitness & food. I encourage you to find a community, participate, engage and "show up." You'll be surprised at the connections you can make and the rewards you'll reap from that! (Please let me know of any others I forgot - would love to add more to the list!)

It was another fabulous day for the "Sarah-Food Camp!" No problems to report. Perfectly "perfect" feeling. The only complaint I have is that due to the leg workout around 10:30am, I felt completely famished for the rest of the day. That's okay, though. I just listened to my body, ate and felt no bloat! 

Tonight for dinner I'm going to introduce carrots, as the thoroughly-steamed version. I may have a cup, with some sprinkled cinnamon on top! I'll report back:)

I am supposed to have my Endoscopy follow-up tomorrow. Seems as though my biopsy results are not in yet, so this may be rescheduled. I'm not happy about that. I'm not very patient! 

I'm looking forward to a great night sleep. I worked so hard at the gym today that I have a feeling I'll be out before 9pm!

CHEERS!

Watermelon

Happy 4th of July!

We had a BBQ at our house yesterday. There was so much great-looking food. It was definitely a challenge for me to stick with my own chicken and turkey only!

But then I decided to try the watermelon. It looked so juicy! There is obviously no wheat, gluten or anything I'm not supposed to have in it. I still got worried, since I haven't "ventured out" in 2 weeks (YES, today is the 2-week mark)!

So I ate some. And then some more. And even some for breakfast today! No, not some - like 3 cups! Good news....no bloat! I'm in the "clear" to have me some low-cal, high-water concentration, watermelon!


Now that I have hit the 2-week mark, here is my comprehensive '"Definitely "Okay"" Food List: 

• Turkey
• Chicken
• Beef
• Fresh lemon juice
• Fresh lime juice
• Fresh orange juice
• Coconut Milk
• Coconut Butter
• Cayenne
• Avocado
• GF Flax (grounded)
• Watermelon
• Banana
• Olive Oil
• Coconut Oil
• Garlic + Sea Salt + Olive Oil
• Sea Salt
• Cinnamon
• Honey
• (weakened) Coffee
• (small amounts) Soy Milk
• Red Wine
• Vodka
• 100% Raw, Pecan with Cashew Nut Butter

And here is my (very) "Questionable" Food List: 

• 100% Durum Whole Wheat Pasta (reaction on 7.1.2010)
  

I'm looking forward to even more "Definitely - Okay" Discoveries!

For today, in honor of the 4th, I leave you with....

"I cover my heart with my hat when they fly that Red, White & Blue. Just like my Daddy taught me: How 'bout you?" - Eric Church

Cheers!

Endoscopy: Partial Results

I once read that a "successful" blog is not a "Dear Diary." I do agree, to a degree. But since this is my personal blog where I share with you my "journey" with all things health, fitness & food related, I think it's only fair that I insert the "Dear Diary" portion. I have even dabbled in the idea of changing the name of my Blog to Dear Diary: (something xyz)?

So I digress....

I woke up today, starving! That's why it's called BREAK-FAST. You are supposed to "break" the "fast." (Don't forget that - make sure you break it, each and everyday. Not just when it's "convenient.) But today, not for me. No food, no water - nothing. Today was Endoscopy day! 

I got to the surgery place, where they took my blood pressure and started my IV. One highlight of my day was when the nurse asked, "Wow - your blood pressure is so low. Do you workout a lot? Run? High intensity?" Of course I responded, "Yes." She said '"that's fantastic how "abnormally (yet normal) low" it is!"'

From there, I waited until my doctor was ready. By the time they actually start anesthesiology, you basically have 1 more minute of coherence to roll over on your side. And that's the last I remember. It was over shortly after....leaving you with just a burning throat!

Side Story: While I was waiting to "snap out of it" a little more, I heard a man ask the doctor, "So do I need more Nexium?" The doctor said, "Well, you can either cut your Martini's or take 2 Nexium/day, which is expensive." He laughed and said, "Oh no, not my Martini's." And I could relate to that! Though, if I could manage anything with a change in diet alone vs. the medication I would in a heartbeat! But still....ouch:)

They waited until my husband got there to give him "preliminary" results, as they know patients aren't fully "aware" yet! They told us that they did find inflammation in both my esophagus and my stomach. They took biopsies, which will help determine anything beyond that. 

My followup is next Wednesday. 


I'm not sure what all this means, but it doesn't surprise me that there is inflammation. I'm back to my diet from the "wheat stray" yesterday. Trust me, I will be "testing" those waters again. Just not for awhile. 

Until then, I'm happy, healthy, (un) bloated & internally (currently) screaming....

HECK NO WHEAT-POINT-O!

CHEERS!

Wheat - a Culprit?

If you remember, I told you in yesterday's post that I was going to be doing a 100% Durum Whole Wheat "Test."

Immediately upon finishing my Leg Workout (which, by the way today I was up to 6 sets - so hard!!) I grabbed my 3/4 cup of "wheat." Clearly I was starved. I gobbled it down quickly.

Within a few minutes I got that red dot in my cheek. It's painless, but shows up with certain foods I haven't pinpointed yet. A few hours later I definitely felt a slight bloat. I'm not going to say I was miserable because I wasn't (and then again, I only had 3/4 cup). But something didn't feel right.

I am keeping my eye on this in the next day or so. Nothing new will be added until then, as I want to truly make this a "test." 

Tomorrow I have my endoscopy. We will see if my biopsies find anything. Wish me luck as they "count-me-down" to sleep - 5, 4, 3, 2 (I'm out)!

Until then....

CHEERS!

Coconut-Honey Broiled Chicken

I have a simple, yet delicious recipe I want to share with you all today.

Coconut-Honey Broiled Chicken

• Coconut Oil
• Honey
• Boneless, Skinless Chicken
• Cinnamon

All you do is spread the coconut oil on the bottom of the pan. Place the grilled chicken on top of that. Finally, lightly coat the chicken with honey and sprinkle some cinnamon on as the final "topper!" Broil on low about 30-40 minutes. And wa-laaa, just like that, you have a slightly-sweetened, delicious piece of chicken!


Tomorrow I am doing a slight "test." I have my endoscopy on Friday, so since I have not been bloated one day since Day 1, I thought I would have 1 serving of 100% Whole Wheat (Durum) Pasta (3/4 cup). There are no other ingredients in this except that. I am thrilled for the "test," and then I will not have anything else like it for several days. We'll see if I react! And of course I'll keep you posted:)

 
Day 11 today! I have not introduced any new foods. I'm still feeling on top of the world, and furthermore I have shed a total of 6lbs bloat. Priceless!


CHEERS!

What more do you have?

I was going to take a "rest day" today, but after being tied up by my computer almost 12 hours, I thought a gym session would do me well. And it did!

Only tonight when I went to the gym, I didn't wear my heart rate monitor or bring any specific workout (because I didn't have one) or even bring my iPod. All I brought was a magazine and a bottle of water. I did 40 minutes of cardio, while catching up on overdue magazine chit-chat. By the time I got to the last 15 minutes of my cardio, I wondered, "What more do I have to give to this workout?" It wasn't as intense as my other workouts, but it wasn't supposed to be. And still....I knew I had more to give. So as I walking on the treadmill, for those last 15 minutes, I cranked the incline to 7 percent and also started doing kickboxing punches. 

15 minutes later - that was all I had! I felt great. And happy! 

You have a choice in everything you do in life, whether it's working out, your diet, your attitude or your work ethic. And you must ask yourself, "Am I doing my best? Can I push harder? What more do I have to give? Have I given at least 110%?"


In other news, I invite you to check out my new "Project Bon Bons." It's in the beginning stages, but I am thrilled for it!

Today marked Day 9! Still feeling great - still amazed. I don't think that's going away anytime soon!

(Only new foods mentioned, since day-to-day I eat mostly the same foods.)

Day 9 Food:

• Items from before......plus
• Wild salmon with (fresh-squeezed orange, lemon & lime juice)
• Probiotics

 CHEERS!

Life is Short

The day started out like any other. 

Sunny in California. Starbucks morning with Ryan. And Church. It's hot here today - 100+ degrees. So we came home, grabbed food and headed to the gym. We went to the gym we usually don't go to because it's too big (and quite honestly I despise the "bells and whistles" gyms). Today we did, though, because they have a huge pool there. We figured a hard, hot workout followed by relaxing and dipping in the pool.

We were at the pool for 45 minutes when the commotion began. I was sitting on the pool steps reading my magazine. Ryan was laying out across from me. I saw a couple pointing in the water in the lane across from me. They were confused I think. I was confused by what they were pointing at until I looked in the bottom of the pool and saw a huge dark spot (which was a man). At that point they starting whistling & screaming at the lifeguards. The lifeguards came over, one jumped in immediately, dove to the bottom of the pool, picked the man up and they got him up on the side. At that point, 911 was called. They started CPR. He was not responding at all. The ambulance got there fast and got him on a stretcher, but during the whole 5-7 minutes nothing was happening. He was lifeless. I saw his hand just dangling in the pool. My heart ached. I'm sure he did not make it.

We left the pool and the gym.

All I could and can think about now is how short life is. I asked Ryan on the way home, "I wonder if he was happy today? I wonder what he had for breakfast? I wonder if he was mad at anyone? I wonder what he was thinking before he got in the pool?" 

Life is so short.

We go through life, not knowing when the last day is going to be for us. And I wonder about that. How do I live my life each and every single day? Do I hold grudges? More importantly, do I tell those that mean the world to me that they do mean the world to me? Do I give whatever I can? Do I stop thinking about myself enough to think about someone else? Do I enjoy life without being caught up in too many unnecessary people/distractions? Do I smile enough? Wow....I could go on and on and on.

Today marks 7 days, my one-week mark, of GAPS. I feel good. I feel happy. But I don't really feel like talking about that today. I'm skipping the blog post about my food, workout and anything else related to that.

I'll be back tomorrow - I promise. For today, just a few pictures from the weekend that make me smile. And all this to remember....

LIFE IS SHORT.

Kisses on the Beach

Then normal name is not Kisses on the Beach. It is Sex on the Beach.

I'm talking about the beverage!

Typically you make it (some version of) like this:

• Vodka
• Peach Schnapps
• Cranberry Juice
• Orange Juice
• Optional: Cream on Top with an Orange or Cherry Garnish

I felt like having a drink tonight. Just one. So I concocted my own version. Vodka is allowed for me, so I got creative with it! Here is how I made it. These are all things that the GAP(Sarah) diet allows (and even the normal GAPS diet allows!):

• Vodka
• Water
• Fresh-squeezed lemon juice
• Fresh-squeezed lime juice
• Fresh-squeezed orange juice
• 4 Tbsp Coconut Milk

Clearly this is no Sex on the Beach. There is a missing "sugar" factor to mine. But my version likes me - I think it will like you, too! It's softer and easier on the stomach but still so sassy and delicious! Plus, for every one regular Sex on the Beach, "technically" you could have 2-3+ of these! Need I say more?!

Kisses on the Beach

I had a busy, fun and active day today with my husband and our dogs! Coffee and a walk this morning with the family, a 3+ mile run in the early afternoon and then I went for the first time ever with Ryan to the Driving Range to learn how to hit golf balls! More on that tomorrow...pictures included:)

Did you know there are a ton of great deals on healthy food at Safeway this weekend? Some to mention today:

1. Green grapes - .88/pound
2. Spinach - .99/bag
3. Pre-cut Bell Peppers - .99/container
4. Whole Portobella Mushroom - .99/each
5. Sliced White Mushrooms - .99/container
6. Foster Farms Extra Lean Ground Turkey - Buy one, get one free ($7/for 2)

Day 7 Food:

• Slow-cooked chicken
• Magic Mineral Broth
• Homemade chicken broth
• Extra lean turkey
• Avocado
• Broiled chicken with olive oil, honey & cinnamon
• Raw Coconut Butter
• Extremely ripened bananas 
• Cayenne Pepper
• Flax
• Venti Half-Caf Soy Misto with 1 packet Honey
• White Miso
• Kisses on the Beach
• Artisana 100% Raw Pecan with Cashew Butter
• Probiotics

 CHEERS!

Today: I Love You

Today was just a solid, fantastic day. Didn't win the lottery. Didn't find a cure for anything. Didn't make the Guinness Book of World Records.

But it was still a good day. I woke up at 6am (a major sign all energy is here)! I trucked myself to Starbucks. Yes, Starbucks! I had myself a Venti, Half-Caf Soy Misto with one pack of Honey. What? SOY? That's not a part of the GAPS. (I'll explain later.)

While enjoying this perfect creation I call "life's-necessary-joys," I engaged in my first Twitterview with Joel E Carlson. It was streaming on the St. Paul Pioneer Press. It can be found HERE!  

After that, I went to the gym to do my (updated) Leg Circuit Workout. Fantastic!

And then I just had a great day working, chatting, blogging & engaging with people - all the things I love most! They say if you love what you do, then you'll never work a day in your life. So true! 

Tonight, I went to one of my favorite places in Pleasanton, Ca - Savvy Seconds! I got myself some cute new things on a "savvy" price, but nothing that looks like it came "secondhand!" If you are in the Bay Area, they are a MUST get to!  

I felt phenomenal again today. Sometimes I find myself over-thinking my stomach, wondering if I can feel it getting bloated. Now that's in my head. I'm glad to know it! I realized something today, though (back to what I said in the beginning about Soy). I follow the GAPS Diet, but I'm changing the acronyms. Again, it stands for: Gut and Psychology Syndrome. But what is a "syndrome?" A syndrome is a term used when you don't "really" know what's wrong. It's kind of like Irritable Bowel Syndrome. That's basically what everyone is diagnosed with when all their tests come back normal, but they still complain of stomach problems. 


I don't want to be in that category!


My new name for the diet I follow: Gut & Psycology (Sarah). Why? Because even foods that are "allowed" on this diet, don't actually like me! Take a peek at the "Allowed" & "Not-Allowed" Foods. For example on the allowed list you will see beans & vegetables, most of which I can't eat. I will bloat and be miserable almost immediately. 

However, take "soy" which is technically not allowed. In small quanties, this is okay for me. I don't react. And in my Starbucks Misto this morning, it was less than 1c. for sure. I will not go overboard on soy anymore because I believe that soy intake needs to be moderated for the general population and most definitely for me. But if I don't react, I'm not taking it out just because GAPS says so. GAP(Sarah) says it's okay!

What you start to realize while on GAPS Diet is that once you re-introduce something, you'll know almost immediately if you react. Anyways I do! The basic concepts I hold close to me. After all, they have proved miracles!

Day 6 Food:

• Slow-cooked chicken
• Magic Mineral Broth
• Homemade chicken broth
• Slow-cooked turkey
• Avocado
• Broiled chicken in Olive Oil
• Raw Coconut Butter
• Extremely ripened bananas 
• Fresh lemon squeezed into water and put onto broiled chicken 
• Cayenne Pepper
• Flax
• Venti Half-Caf Soy Misto with 1 packet Honey
• White Miso
• 2 oz. Red Wine
• Artisana 100% Raw Pecan with Cashew Butter
• Probiotics

CHEERS!

Bananas & Balls

Lacrosse Balls, silly!

I ran today! I went at my own pace and absolutely enjoyed it. I took it easy, since my plantar is still not the greatest. It's okay. If I'm going to run occasionally, though, I must roll on my lacrosse ball.
The lacrosse ball looks like this:

And here is a video of someone demonstrating with it: (You don't need to view the whole thing if you don't want!) 

I ate 2 Bananas today. They were so delicious. My one source of sugar! But remember, I can't just have "any" banana, my bananas are supposed to be extremely ripened, like this:

 Day 5 Food:

• Slow-cooked chicken
• Magic Mineral Broth
• Homemade chicken broth
• Slow-cooked turkey
• Lean beef
• Avocado
• A little coffee with Coconut Milk
• Broiled chicken in Coconut Oil
• Raw Coconut Butter
• Extremely ripened bananas 
• Fresh lemon squeezed into water and put onto broiled chicken
• Probiotics

I was amazed with the ease in which I ran, and also the energy that accompanied it afterwards. My fatigue is finally lifting, we are on the home stretch! Gosh that feels good....

Make sure to check out my previous post from today, if you haven't already! 

CHEERS!

Confessing & Truth-ing Upgraded

What started out as me "confessing, truth-ing" and sharing my journey with you has and is evolving into something much more! 

I am excited to share that very shortly I will be announcing a huge new major feature to my Blog! At this time, there is one....I am currently working on the second! Am I telling you this for "self-promotion" reasons? NO! Absolutely not! I am telling you this because this is something you will benefit from as well! And because - the truth is that I am so passionate about feeling optimal and helping you also become the (healthy, happy, passionate, inspired - and - skinny diva) you've always wanted to become! It's not about molding into a "picture-perfect" anybody. It's about molding into a "picture perfect" YOU. And that's the most important "perfect" any one of us can achieve! 

Again, I am not allowed to announce anything yet. On the left-hand side you will see a "Keep Up with Me" and a button which allows you to "FOLLOW." Click that. You'll never miss a posting!

Today was a phenomenal day! It wasn't like my energy was skyrocketing by any means, but it was sustainable energy all day long!
I made it though a hard workout. It felt so great. I didn't feel the urge to nap. And there was no bloat. I added in my extremely-ripened bananas today, too. (Yes, they are allowed....yummy, delicious carb here I am!)

I think you will notice via my "daily food log" that I eat fat. A lot compared to before. But don't let "fat" fool you. All fat is not created equal. And fat is not the enemy! I have only lost weight!

Fat gets a bad name due to the huge amounts of saturated fat that we consume on a daily basis. McDonald's is very open with telling you that a "Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese" has 19g of Saturated Fat.

"The American Heart Association recommends limiting the amount of saturated fats you eat to less than 7 percent of total daily calories.  That means, for example, if you need about 2,000 calories a day, no more than 140 of them should come from saturated fats.  That’s about 16 grams of saturated fats a day." 

In your McDonald's sandwich alone you have gone over. Enough said.

But in foods like avocados, almonds, salmon, olive oil and others, you will get the healthy fats that help (not hurt) you. These are better known as "monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and omega-3 fatty acids." This is not giving you permission to stuff your face with them all day long. They do still contain calories, a lot of them! But what it means is that you should get some in your diet each and every single day. 

I never miss a day without having them!
(Side note: You are thinking, "but you always promote your Coconut-based products to be so good and they contain mostly saturated fat." Never fear, there are different kinds of "saturated fat." If you think it's the "bad" kind, it probably is. Coconut is not. Read more HERE.)

Day 4 Food:

• Slow-cooked chicken
• Magic Mineral Broth
• Homemade chicken broth
• Slow-cooked turkey
• Lean beef
• Avocado
• Broiled chicken in Coconut Oil
• Raw Coconut Butter
• Extremely ripened bananas
• Probiotics

Alright, that's a wrap for me today. Tomorrow I'm throwing a question out for all of you. Stay tuned....

CHEERS!

I'll Make it through...Thank You Mr. Coconut Butter

Have I ever told you before about my Artisana Organic Raw Coconut Butter? If not, now is the time. If so, tough - listen again because it's that good!

Today is Day 3 of my GAPS. Overall, I feel better than I did the 1st two days. But I'm still virtually carb/sugar free. Oh it's so hard! You don't realize it until it's gone. You can say you've given up sugar, but just because you are eating "sugar-free" or "artificial-sugar" products doesn't mean you are actually sugar-free. And that's the rough part. I was thinking, "A sugar-free stick of gum or some sugar-free jello sure would taste great right about now."

But then I remembered a "sugary taste" that I can have (and that I should have) that I haven't had yet (except a little yesterday) - Artisana Organic Raw Coconut Butter. It is so unbelievably good! I just eat it plain, for the calories and for the taste. I try to limit to 2 Tbsp/day, but if I go over, oh well! For "normal" people, you can put this on toast, fruit or any baked goods. For me and for anyone else like me, eating it plain suffices way beyond belief! Do yourself a favor - get yourself some today. You can thank me by posting pictures (you + Mr. Coconut Butter) on my Facebook Page or Tweeting at me!

In other news, I had my doctor's appointment today.  All my tests came back fine. He is still certain there is something going on (obviously) especially since I have cut Wheat, Gluten and Dairy and "magically" I'm better. I have another endoscopy next Friday. This time, he said, "the tube will be longer." And if that shows nothing, he said that I may be the rare (handful) of his patients that don't ever show things by blood work or other tests/panels, yet have an intolerance that is only "cured" by keeping away from those foods.  


I will do whatever it takes to feel better. Whatever!

Day 3 Food:

• Slow-cooked chicken
• Magic Mineral Broth
• Homemade chicken broth
• Slow-cooked turkey
• Lean beef
• Avocado
• Broiled chicken in Coconut Oil
• Raw Coconut Butter
• Probiotics

I had more energy today, but still not a ton. I was able to make it through a 35 minute (fairly intense) workout before I crashed. After the doctor's appointment, I felt tired again. I just need rest because I know the end (of the fatigue) is in sight. And that is super encouraging and inspiring to me!

CHEERS!

Day 1 & Day 2 (and a) Last Supper

GAPS: Day 1&2. It's never easy. It's especially never easy when you start on a Sunday, the Sunday of a huge Country Concert you've been waiting for for months.

But there was no better day than yesterday to start. I knew if I could get through it then, I could get through it any day!

I had my "Last Supper" Saturday night. It was so good. The night started off at the movie theater (Toy Story 3 - go see it!) and we got a jumbo fountain soda drink (yes, a contributor to my misery).

After the movie we went to dinner with a bunch of friends at On the Border. Chips, salsa, margaritas, dinner and then we even stopped for some Golden Spoon on the way home. Stuffed. Satisfied. The Last Supper. 

I woke up in the middle of the night sick. Of course! 

Day 1 of GAPS was very trying, of course. My body craved sugar and carbs. I was tired. But again, I stuck with it.

Day 1 Food:

• Slow-cooked chicken
• Magic Mineral Broth
• Slow-cooked turkey
• Avocado
• Probiotics

Day 2: today - Monday, June 21. A day with two complete extremes of love/hate. On the one hand, instantly - in one day - 2+ pounds of bloat gone. No bloat. None. At all. Guys can appreciate this some maybe, females can and will totally relate to this and people who struggle with any sort of stomach problems will find this unbelievable. Believe it!

But, the sacrifice I paid was a fatigue that was so awful. I am typically wide awake around 6am. Today - 8:20am. And then it was just slump, fatigue and that awful feeling all day. I had to sleep and then sleep some more. I was of no use. I am certain this is all part of the Detox Phase. Day 2 last time was the SAME.

Day 2 Food:

• Slow-cooked chicken
• Magic Mineral Broth
• Slow-cooked turkey
• Avocado
• Broiled chicken in Coconut Oil
• Raw Coconut Butter
• Probiotics

I would have loved a date with Mr. Gym today. I really had every intention of going today, but then I just decided to not force myself. I will tomorrow, even if it's just to get some movement. I know the energy will come back, (especially once I re-introduce bananas) but in the beginning detox and no carbs/sugar it is so difficult. 

I am praying for a better tomorrow. I know it can only go up from here!

CHEERS! 

I Guess this is the "Confessions" Part

Almost a year has passed since I did my first-ever GAPS Day. I can't believe it. Monday, August 3, 2009. Remember? If not, HERE it is.

Here is where I guess the "Confessions" part of my Blog Title come into play. After my first hugely successful "bout" with the GAPS Diet, I stopped. Why? Because quite honestly I got so sick of it. It's so hard to stick to. It's boring. It's blah after awhile. 

But I have been so sick lately. I'm on to a new doctor, hoping that this 2nd opinion is the opinion I'm looking for. If not, like I mentioned earlier, I may seek out the Mayo Clinic. So I had tests done. I get the results this week. (He seems to think Celiac. I don't think it's that - already been tested for that.)

In the meantime, I've just been more miserable. I've been eating what I want, but at the same time I've been watching calories (counting them) and working out 5-6 days a week (via my Summer Workout). But something wasn't adding up. I felt like I was doing things right, but my body was telling me otherwise. Most days I feel like I'm 6-months pregnant - I'm not:)

If I'm to be completely transparent with you, here is a list of common daily foods for me these past few months: Wheat, gluten, dairy, soy, artificial sugars, additives/chemicals of all sorts, heavy caffeine and sugar, sugar and more sugar. And the funny thing is that I tried to be fat-free, sugar-free - always. And I nailed it a lot. But....the miserable feelings have persisted.

I'm exhausted.

I really am.

Time to go back to a time when I felt phenomenal. I sat here today and read several posts from Monday, August 3, 2009 on. Wow! That was refreshing. So refreshing! 

And for once, I'm hopeful again. All I need to do is put the time in. Put my energy in. Put my thoughts in. No one can do it but me, and no one could ever understand why I have to do this but me. 


After so many "wrong" things lately, this is something that I'm going to do for me. I need to focus on me. Once I'm feeling at my optimal again, the world will seem so much more friendly. I'm certain of it!

Here we go.... 

CHEERS!

Trying to Stay Positive

I think that everyone deals with something in their life that could make them a very negative person, if they let it get that far. And I'm not perfect when it comes to this - just ask my husband:) But this has been extremely "trying" for me lately. I have had to think of everything possible to maintain my positivity.

It seems that lately, even when I'm sticking to the GAPS, I'm not doing well with my stomach. These problems are a mystery. I have literally (now) tried EVERYTHING in the book. I don't want to think of it like there's nothing else I could possibly do, but I'm just not sure what I could do anymore. 

Not that anyone really cares, but I've decided to start researching the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

But for now, I realize that I must try to stay positive. So I remind myself that I have the best husband in the world, my dogs who rule my heart, family, friends, a career I absolutely love and the chance for something new each and everyday. 

And I carry these thing with me to keep me staying positive!

Pumpkin Apple Soup

It's icky and raining today, so I thought I would share with you the fabulous soup I cooked last night. It sounds so good, smells so good, looks so good and tastes so good. So is it still GAPS Diet approved for me? ABSOLUTELY! (Side Note: this is a version of Dr. Campbell-McBride's "Pumpkin Apple Macadamia Soup)

Ingredients

1. Olive Oil
2. 1 tsp grated ginger
3. 1 sm onion, minced
4. 3 cups fresh or pureed, cubed pumpkin
5. 1 sm apple chopped
6. 3 cups homemade vegetable stock OR chicken stock (Side Note: YES, I absolutely use my own, homemade stock! There are too many additives and sodium in store bought broth! It's also cheaper to make your own!)
   
7. 1 tsp cinnamon
   

 Directions

1. Cover bottom of a heavy pan with olive oil. Add the ginger and onion.
2. Saute for 3 minutes until browned.
3. Add the pumpkin and apple, and cook 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Pour in the stock.
5. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes until the pumpkin and apple are soft.
6. Add cinnamon. 
7. Transfer ingredients to a blender and process until smooth.
8. Serve in bowls and top with extra cinnamon, if desired!
   

Enjoy!

Mrs. Mango Head

Today began my 3rd week of P90X! Today is also Day 16 with me sticking to my strict GAPS Diet. 

How do I feel? AMAZING!


I did the Chest/Back + Ab Ripper X Workout today. This is my third time doing it and I can honestly say that it still absolutely kills me (in a good way of course)! I shake so much by the end of it, with my muscles capped out in fatigue. I try to do at least one more rep than the previous week. And this is usually all I can do! I feel stronger and in better shape, but P90X reminds me daily that I have a long, long  way to go! 

My stomach, mouth and all "those" problems have been nil yesterday and today! It is always that way almost exactly 2 weeks (to the day) after I start eating only the foods I'm supposed to eat. It is the oddest and most bizarre thing, but it's like clock work. People wonder why I hate to stray so much from my diet - that is why. Two weeks is a long time to deal for one "sinful meal." 

I suspected Tuna this week, though, of making me instantly bloated. I had it for lunch 2 days in a row. Both days I was in a lot of left-sided pain immediately. No Tuna for a few days. I will try it again and see if it is indeed a culprit. 


One food I have been eating that has been sitting perfectly fine with me is the Mango. In California we are so blessed with the amazing, year-round fruit. It's like candy. I ate a whole one yesterday and today! I am fairly certain I may turn into Mrs. Mango Head.



I am not too worried about becomming her, though, because the Mango is so good for you! Did you know that...

• Mangoes are high in Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Potassium, Copper and Vitamin A?
• One whole, peeled mango only has approximately 135 calories?
• Mangoes are High in fiber and are virtually fat-free?

Find out all this an more by clicking HERE. And then go get yourself a delicious mango!

In final Saturday news...I am working on building my own website via a Blogging Platform. I am so excited for this new one! It will definitely have a different "edge" than this one: A "professional," Social Media, Branding and Marketing "edge." Stay tuned!


And as always....Cheers!

P90X: Yoga X

We should never underestimate the POWER of YOGA!

Yoga is not only great for stretching and clearing the mind, but it's also an incredibly hard workout that gets your heart pumping and whole body shaking. I have always loved Yoga and the P90X version was no different!

I didn't know how long the P90X version was, so when I hit play at 5:15am, I was expecting it to be 45 minutes to an hour. Turns out the P90X Yoga is 1.5 hours. This is great, but since I didn't plan for it, I was only able to do a little over half this morning. 

The one thing that I noticed almost immediately was that it was so great for my sciatica! The stretching felt so great! I can't hardly wait for the next time I get to do the P90X Yoga X.


I made a Duck meal for dinner tonight. I had slow-cooked a duck, then sauteed it with homemade chicken broth, freshly-squeezed orange juice and a few orange pieces. We mixed that, then, with broccoli, spinach and asparagus. 

I told Ryan tonight, "I am the most boring wife-cook!" And he responded, "Yeah right...I bet there are not a lot of husbands having Duck tonight made with all-natural, fresh ingredients." And I guess he's right! Cheers!

P90X

Today I took the plunge.

After several weeks of feeling blah, icky, lazy and bloated I am back! I am ready, focused, determined and super excited!


It was Day 2 of GAPS for me, so I felt much better already. I added a few things into the diet today. My diet consisted of: Extra lean turkey, chicken, broth, a small coffee with coconut milk and baked crab legs. I added in the additional probiotics and had my other probiotics, enzymes and multivitamin. Still no carbs, more fats (ie. avocado) or raw almonds. Tomorrow I move into Stage 3 (I can move through the stages faster now that I have already been on the diet and heal faster). Stage 3 means I can add raw egg yolks (though I may cook it), ripe avocado and "pancakes." I will probably only make one egg yolk in the morning and have some avocado. The "pancakes" use flax and veggies, which I'm not ready for yet. I will have a half ripe banana or possibly a full one. Working out a lot with no carbs is not good for you. I don't care what anyone says!


My energy level is way up. It always is when I'm eating the way my body needs to be fed! Thus, I was ready to start full-on with P90X today! For the record, YES, I did my STARTING STATS. I took my weight, did measurements and took pictures. That being said, I'm not sharing those stats. I will wait! I'm so glad I took them all for me, though. It's nice to have a starting place. Starting is the hard part, seeing final results is the best part! 



My workout today was Chest/Back and the Ab Ripper X. Ryan and I bought a pull-up bar last night, some extra weights and bands. Chest and back really equaled push-ups and pull-ups....for 45 minutes! The Ab Ripper X was 15 minutes of abs. 


By the time I was done with the workout, I felt like Jell-O! I haven't been that "shaky" from a workout in a long time. I think I'm in overall fairly good shape. P90X told me differently! But that's the beauty in this program for me. I'm shaking it up. I'm doing something different with my workout. Shaking it Up = Results, and for now I won't accept any thought other than that! 


Tomorrow is the Plyometrics workout. I'm nervous for that one, but it won't stop me from getting it done! I can't wait for all of this!

I'd love to have you join me with all of this. If you currently do P90X, I would love to hear from you! Cheers!