The one nutritional rule of thumb we all can agree on

With all of the variety of nutrition books I have read and have been reading lately (i.e. The Paleo Diet, The China Study, Devil in the Milk, Omnivore's Dilemma, In Defense of Food, Diabetes Solution, etc...), I've gained a much broader knowledge of nutritional concepts and controversies out there.

The one bit of nutrition advice it seems like most everyone can agree on, though, is that it is best to make a majority of your diet organic, local fruits and vegetables.

From my limited experience and understanding, if a person can do this then they are 90% of the way to a healthy diet.

After this we all need to make a decision about consuming animal products (meat, dairy, eggs), grains, and legumes. My story so far points to the Paleo Diet working very well for me. But I'm in the process of re-examining my intake of animal products. I have a deep respect for those who go vegetarian or vegan for the sake of peace, the environment, and/or social justice.

Why you haven't heard about the A1/A2 milk issue

This quote from the book "Devil in the Milk" by Keith Woodford, wonderfully summarizes why most people have not heard about the A1/A2 milk issue...

"One question that people often ask me is why should Fonterra [New Zealand's largest dairy co-operative that markets over 95% of New Zealand's dairy production and about 45% of the world's internationally traded dairy products: they produce/sell mostly A2 milk] oppose A2 milk? The reasons are complex but they are encapsulated in a quote from Warren Larsen on the Four Corners programme:

'There's one thing in marketing you always need to understand. You never do anything that destroys the category. Nothing. And in this case, that's precisely what the A2 Corporation, in my view, has done.'

Stripping aside the marketing jargon, what Larsen meant was that promoting A2 milk would have to be done in a way that did not destroy the overall market for milk. A2 milk would therefore need to be marketed in a way that did not cast doubts on A1 milk! Clearly that would be a challenge!

The reason Warren Larsen argued this way is that although it is not particularly difficult for farmers to change their herds over to being A2 milk producers, it does take time. In fact it takes about two cow generations of breeding, and this means about 10 years. The important point here in relation to 'destroying the category' is that while such a change in the herds is occurring, dairy companies such as Fonterra still have to sell a huge amount of A1 milk. So from a dairy company's perspective it would be much easier if A1 milk was a non-issue. And once A2 Corporation started arguing that A1 milk was a health issue, rather than just saying that A2 milk had special positive attributes, then the knives were out on both sides."

Type 1 diabetes caused by A1 milk?!?!

A few days ago I typed in "type 1 diabetes and dairy" into a Google search, just to see what might come up.

Since I've discovered my body feels SOOOOOOO much better when I don't drink/eat dairy products, I was lactose intolerant as a kid, and I've heard rumblings of clinical studies on cows milk causing type 1 diabetes, I've had a nagging suspicion for a couple years now that dairy is related to my endocrine plight.

Well, here's an article that came up that has me fired up!!!!: Why some dairy causes heart disease and diabetes and some doesn't

This article explains how dairy with the A1 beta-casein protein (as opposed to dairy with the A2 beta-casein protein) is linked to causing type 1 diabetes! ...as well as heart disease, autism, and schizophrenia.

I wanted to know more about this, so I ordered the book "Devil in the Milk: Illness, Health, and the Politics of A1 and A2 Milk" from Amazon.com and started reading it today (click on the link or pic below to learn more).



The more I learn about the wicked web of health and politics and money, the more I am discouraged. And I have started writing songs about this - my first song being about the dairy industry. People need to know about how the truth gets swept under the rug when money and powerful corporations get involved. It breaks my heart.

So... a huge passion of mine is figuring out ways to align incentives with doing good. How can we align incentives such that dairy farmers make their cows into A2 cows that produce A2 milk?

New Paleo Cookbook by Loren Cordain!

Great news! Loren Cordain, the guy who wrote "The Paleo Diet" is coming out with a cookbook! This is great news because the only cookbooks I've been able to find are online ones that I had to print out myself (which is super expensive!).

You can pre-order Dr. Cordain's book on Amazon. (click on that link to do so! I just did!) And it only costs $13!

No cavities!!!

For the past few years I have had cavities every single time I went into the dentist. Well, good news: I went to the dentist this week and no cavities since going Paleo!!!

The Paleo Diet 101

I made a "cheat sheet" for some friends who were interested in trying the Paleo Diet. Here are the basics and some helpful hints from my own journey.
-Andi

The Paleo Diet 101

NO:
- dairy (i.e. milk, cheese, ice cream, yogurt)
- grains (i.e. wheat, corn, rice)
- legumes (i.e. beans, soy, peanuts, chick peas)
- salt or sugar

YES:
- veggies
- fruits
- lean protein (i.e. meat, eggs, seafood)
- nuts
- seeds

OK OCCASIONALLY (from my experience, not technically Paleo):
- fermented foods (i.e. pickles, tofu, beer)
- potatoes (sweet potatoes are better than regular potatoes)
- ezekiel 4:9 tortillas/bread (try to limit to no more than 1-2 per week)

GOOD SUBSTITUTES:
- dairy: almond milk, coconut ice cream
- grains: zucchini spaghetti, spaghetti squash, almond meal
- legumes: almond butter (instead of PB), nuts
- salt: spices (i.e. onion powder, garlic powder)
- sugar: honey, agave nectar

HELPFUL HINTS:
- TREND your eating toward Paleo. Keep in mind it is pretty much impossible to go all Paleo this day in age. Don't beat yourself up if you slip up and eat something you're not supposed to. Try to limit non-Paleo meals to 3 or less per week, though, to get the full benefits.
- find good substitutes for foods you like to eat. This will help you stick to the diet.

The great thing about soup...

Check out the lunch I ate yesterday! I used up almost all of the veggies we got from our CSA to make the "Fall Harvest Soup" and the only thing un-Paleo about it is the small can of blackeyed peas in it (and a little salt). What a great way to use up all the fennel we've been getting! And the great thing about soup is that you can throw so many ingredients in it and it still (usually) tastes good!

The carrots are a new fave of mine: steamed carrots with fresh dill and a little bit of honey on top.

Zucchini was just sauteed in a little olive oil.

Someone at work commented on how small my apple was. That has been a new joy for me: discovering the size that fruit is "meant to be." I no longer eat chemical laden apples on steroids. And something I have discovered is that most fruit (i.e. peaches, apples, pears, plums) from our organic farm never has much more than 15 grams of carbohydrate in it. Compare this to a conventional apple at the store, which usually has around 30 grams of carbohydrate in it. I don't think we were meant to eat that many carbs in one piece of fruit....

The dessert you see is from a Paleo cookbook I got online. It helped me use up all the pears we got in our CSA share last week. Basically it is just pears, a bag of frozen blueberries, almond meal, and a little honey/agave nectar. As well as some spices like nutmeg and cinnamon. Yum!

The avocado was me "cheating" - they were on sale at the store and I couldn't resist.

Went to my acupuncture appt. yesterday and was told that this diet has been a great thing for my overall health and digestion. I couldn't agree more!

Food, Inc. and The China Study

Last night was a big "food" night for me. I watched the movie "Food, Inc." and started the book "The China Study." If you've never heard of either of these things, here is a little synopsis.

Food, Inc. (<-- click on that link!) is a documentary-type movie about the food industry. It shows the "dark side" of where our food comes from and how it is produced nowadays. It interviews people such as Michael Pollan (author of The Omnivore's Dillema) and Joel Salatin (Polyface Farms), and advocates eating local, organic food. It was great to watch with one of my roommates who may be inheriting a family farm soon and actually have the opportunity to do it right. The one gripe I had about this movie was that it was too serious - I wish they would have injected a little more humor into it. But it is very informative and inspiring! I was so happy to be a part of a (local, organic) CSA after watching it. Next challenge: figure out how to help people who can't afford to eat like this be able to eat like this. SAME Cafe seems to be doing a good job of this - I need to visit that place soon!

The China Study is a little more controversial for me. So far I've only read the first chapter and some strong claims have been made that essentially a vegan diet (no meat, dairy, eggs) can reverse and cure things like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. I really want to believe that a vegan diet is the way to go b/c I don't like killing animals for food (and I am trying more and more to figure out how to bring peace to the world in every way possible), but one question pops to mind in response to his claims - which makes me less apt to believe his findings fully: why did the eskimoes have low rates of heart disease on a diet of mostly all seal meat? (I know the omega-3 to omega-6 ratio is good in seal meat...) I do, however, believe that the author, T. Colin Campbell, has something very right: more fruits and veggies make for healthier people. Looking forward to hearing what else he has to say.

Delicious dinner last night

Sea scallops, broccoli, carrots (seasoned with fresh dill and honey), a local organic peach, and coconut milk ice cream (non dairy).

Yum!

The Paleo Diet cures Depression?

I just read a story about a woman who "beat Depression" by changing her diet to a basic form of the Paleo Diet: no wheat, dairy, caffeine, or corn.

Here is a link to the article on MSN.com: How I Beat Depression and Weight Gain

I hadn't thought much about my mental health and how the Paleo Diet can help it b/c I don't have any major mental health problems, but I do know that this diet generally just makes me feel better. I would be interested to hear if someone I know with Depression went on the Paleo Diet and if it made a difference in their mental health.

I do know that an "extemporaneous" part of the Paleo Diet - exercise - really, really helps my mental health. When I am feeling stressed or anxious, if I just get a good, hard workout in I feel "cured." And really, that is part of the Paleo lifestyle so it can't be separated from what is known as the Paleo Diet.

One last thing: I have been learning that chocolate makes me feel bad. I've tried eating dark chocolate (without dairy) but I still don't feel great afterwards. I think this is one thing I need to work on eliminating from my diet. Wondering if there is something comparable I could replace it with that is Paleo-friendly?

Non-pump A1c at 7.1%

I took an "insulin pump holiday" this summer so the infusion sites on my stomach could heal up a bit. Also, I wanted to see how my A1c would compare on the pump vs. shots while I did the Paleo Diet.

My last A1c (while on an insulin pump and eating Paleo) was 6.2%.
My current A1c (while doing shots and eating Paleo) was 7.1%.

So the pump seems to be better for my blood sugars than shots. I will say that I have done more "cheating" this summer, however, than when I first had my A1c measured so it is not an entirely direct cause-and-effect relationship.

An A1c of 7.0% is really the standard benchmark: if you are below this, you have a much lower risk of complications. And a "normal" person typically has an A1c below 6.0%. Diabetics with A1cs below 6.0% say that they are part of the "5% Club," which is what I aspire to. So I am going back on the insulin pump in about 1 month, and going to see if I can get myself below 6%.

Coconut Bliss Paleo "ice cream"

Just discovered a great, mostly Paleo, summer treat! Coconut Bliss "ice cream." I bought the Chocolate Hazelnut Fudge flavor at Vitamin Cottage today and it is DELICIOUS! Even better than many (dairy) ice creams I've had! Here's a picture of happy me :)

Coconut Bliss is gluten, dairy, and refined-sugar free. It is made with coconut milk and agave nectar so I imagine it has a lower glycemic index than most ice creams made with sugar. And it tastes fantastic!

Local, organic, Paleo dinner

Sorry it's been a while! But here is a picture of our delicious dinner tonight, Paleo-friendly and almost all made from our CSA share: egg drop soup (eggs and green onions from CSA), peas, cherries, apricots, and apple cider!


We also had some chicken sausage but that was from the grocery store so I didn't include it in the photo above.

Organic Go Take A Hike Trail Mix

I just found this gem of a Paleo trail mix at Vitamin Cottage this week! Organic Go Take A Hike Trail Mix. It's got cashews, golden raisins, mulberries, pistachios, goji berries (good for yin...), and cacao nibs. And the Vitamin Cottage brand was only around $3 for a 10 oz. bag! It was delicious on the 6 mile hike I took on Memorial Day.

You are what you eat eats

You know the saying, "you are what you eat?" Well, apparently you can take this saying a step further. Because you're really what you eat eats.

Based on what I read in The Omnivore's Dilemma last night, it seems that what the plants and animals you eat have eaten is equally (if not more) important than what kind of plant or animal they are (i.e. is a grass-fed cow better for you than a corn-fed salmon? Maybe!). I'm so upset that it has taken me 27 years to find this out!

If you don't know what I'm talking about, here is a little synopsis...

1. Plants. If they're "eating" natural sunlight, the nutrients from natural soil, and drinking rain water, you get all of the natural nutrients that plants (fruits, veggies, seeds, nuts) were best suited to produce from nature. On the other hand, if plants are ingesting artificial light, pesticides, and human-purified water they don't develop natural nutrients and defenses like they were meant to. You're essentially eating the lowest common denominator here. In other words, which sounds better: sunlight, organic soil, and rain water -or- fluorescent light, pesticide-filled soil, and stripped down water?

2. Animals. Corn-fed salmon? Grain-fed cows? Not good. For them or for us. Salmon are designed to eat what is in the water. Cows are designed to eat grass. And when they eat what they're designed to eat, their bodies function better. A better functioning body means better, more nutritious, dinner for you and I.

So in case you can't tell, right now I am on a food quality kick. Want to make sure the Paleo Diet I'm getting is the best it can be!
-Andi

Blueberry and pear crumble

My mom visited this weekend and made this delicious blueberry and pear crumble!


Here's the recipe...

Ingredients:

• 5 pears
• 1 tbsp. mixed spice
• 4 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tbsp. honey
• 300g frozen blueberries
• 2 tbsp. arrowroot
• 1/2 c. almond meal
• 10 dates
• 1 tbsp. water
• 1/3 c. walnuts, chopped

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Peel pears, remove cores, and slice.
• Heat a medium sized pan to low-med heat, add pear slices, mixed spice, lemon juice and honey. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring regularly.
• Add arrowroot and stir until pears are coated. Add blueberries, stir continuously for 5 minutes, or until blueberries have defrosted and sauce has thickened.
• Place almond meal in a food processor, turn onto medium high heat, add dates and water and blend until well combined. Place into a bowl and add walnuts.
• Bake.

-Andi

Relapse & Effects of Paleo on Blood Sugars

It sounds like Mitch and I have both had some relapse these past couple weeks (I know this from talking to him on the phone).

It has been a couple of very busy and stressful weeks at work for me (we just changed our name!), so maybe that has something to do with it. I would say I have been eating about 70% Paleo these past 2 weeks, and here are some of the hurdles I have been running into with the diet:

1. After getting a really hard workout in (i.e. hockey practice or swimming) I am famished. In a moment of weakness [twice] I got a junior Arby's roast beef (I can't even remember the last time I had fast food!). No convenience food can be tough in times like these.

2. My gastroparesis flared up from insulin pump infusion site issues, sending my blood sugar soaring to 300+ a couple times. This is when it is tough to eat Paleo for me b/c it is all high fiber food that is hard to digest. So I have gone back to my Asian food staples (miso soup, sushi, a little lettuce with ginger dressing) a few times these past couple weeks. These are things that I know digest well for me. But they do tend to send my blood sugars a little higher... which brings me to this point...

While "normal" healthy people might not be able to tell any concrete signs if the Paleo diet is working for them or not, I am here to tell you that it does! I get to see the direct effects of eating Paleo and non-Paleo meals on blood sugar and here is what I've found:

***When I eat Paleo meals my blood sugar typically stays around 80-100 mg/dL before and after eating, and for most of the day (right on target).

***When I eat NON-Paleo meals my blood sugar tends to run around 170 mg/dL for most of the day (too high).

So, that should be pretty good motivation to eat Paleo, right? Well, most of the time. I am committed to doing this diet long term b/c I have seen what a great effect it has had on my health, but I am also only human so sometimes I slip and eat the tasty modern morsels put before me. The numbers help...

-Andi

Problem solved: local and organic for less $$

We did it!

My housemate and I joined Grant Family Farms CSA (www.grantfarms.com). Looking forward to 26 weeks of fresh, local, organic veggies, fruits, and eggs for only $18/week!

It's going to be a new challenge to make seasonal Paleo dishes as they are harvested, but I'm excited to give it a try!

We've also switched over to local honey this year. Did you know that it helps people with allergies - like both my housemates - because it contains local pollen? That's what I hear anyway.

Learning lots of the food growing side of things with this diet from the incredible book I've been reading called Omnivore's Dillema. Everyone should read this book!

-Andi

CSA: Grant Family Farms

I think I've found the CSA I'll be supporting this year: Grant Family Farms.

The farms are located in Wellington, CO - just north of Fort Collins - and they have pickup locations 1x/week near our house in Denver from June-December. The reason we went with a family farm CSA as opposed to one where people grow things in their backyard in the city is because we want to support those who are trying to make a living doing a great thing like this.

Here is a breakdown of how much it will cost us to support locally grown, certified organic food (for 26 weeks) trying to be "beyond organic" sustainable:

Veggies (single share): $18/week
Eggs (1 dozen/week): $4.50/week
Fruit (single share): $16.36/week
Mushrooms (1/2 lb. share): $7/week

They also raise meat: goose, chicken, duck, turkey, pork, lamb, and goat.

Very Paleo Diet friendly!!

FYI - I found this farm on www.localharvest.org. Check it out for farms in your area!

Looking forward to this new food adventure in 2010...

-Andi

Tasty treat

I just discovered a delicious treat! Dark chocolate, walnuts, and dried cranberries.

I now keep this concoction in my desk at work for when I need a little pick me up snack.

-Andi

Non-Paleo problems, eating local and organic

I ate a bunch more "Open Meals" (non-Paleo) than I would have liked to this week and totally noticed some very concrete changes in my health:

1. I broke out in acne on my face.
2. My blood sugars have been all over the place: a consistently higher fasting blood glucose, more highs and lows. On Saturday night I almost hit 400 (normal = 83-90 mg/dL) after eating 1.5 corn tamales at our local Mexican restaurant: non-Paleo ingredients in these included corn, cheese, salt, and sour cream.
3. I don't feel as healthy as usual.

I'm hopeful that I can get back on track this week.

I also just discovered a great website for finding local, organic food that is actually a lot less expensive than buying it at a local grocery store (or a place like Vitamin Cottage or Whole Foods): http://www.localharvest.org/

Reading The Omnivore's Dilemma has really re-sparked my desire to buy organic somehow, and I am hopeful that this is a viable solution. I'd really like to go Paleo and organic. The local CSA that one of my co-workers grows for only charges $249 for a 20-week share (that comes out to only $12.45/week for local, organically grown food!).

-Andi

Paleo at Chipotle

Quick update: today I discovered that you can make a Paleo meal at Chipotle!

Simply order a "bowl" with chicken, salsa, guacamole, lettuce, substitute peppers and onions for the beans, and don't get rice, sour cream, or cheese.

It's pretty darn good!

Update

Hey sis! Glad to hear things are still going well! I've really enjoyed all your posts, and think it's great that you've been noticing so many positive changes. In all honesty, I've noticed a lot of the same positive trends. My skin has improved, I'm sleeping better, and my recovery times have been equal or better while on this diet.

With that said, I'm still adjusting to the diet. I'm still trying to find foods that I like, and that will sustain me throughout the day. Luckily, every week I get better at this. Every week I've eaten progressively better, and I'm definitely on my way to a healthier existence.

Here's my dinner from the other night. A nice 8oz steak, sweet potato fries, steamed broccoli, and a little sangria. Yummy :)

Example of a difficult to digest lunch

I've been meaning to post this for a while...


Here's a picture of the lunch I ate a couple weeks ago that looked good but was very difficult for me to digest!!!

Unfortunately, salads and crunchy nut butters are not friendly to my body - even with a glass of hot tea :(

But I would highly recommend this lunch to anyone whose stomach can handle it! (it's delicious and nutritious)

-Andi

Organic vs. non-organic?

Today I got an email from my health club, 24 Hour Fitness, with a great article about organic vs. conventionally grown food. Here's a link to Natural Wonders: The argument for organic foods.

This week I am house sitting with my friend Emily and there is a Vitamin Cottage nearby. So we are going grocery shopping today at VC and will see how our grocery bill compares when we buy all organic food.

One very interesting part of the above mentioned article I would like to highlight is "Avoid the Dirty Dozen." These 12 fruits and veggies have been identified and named "The Dirty Dozen" by consumer safety advocate Environmental Working Group, due to high levels of toxic chemicals when grown conventionally. Many experts recommend eating these foods only when they are organically grown:

• Apples
• Cherries
• Grapes, imported
• Nectarines
• Peaches
• Pears
• Raspberries
• Strawberries
• Bell peppers
• Celery
• Potatoes
• Spinach

Since I can only eat canned peaches and pears, I need to find an organic canned variety of these fruits. Maybe VC will have something? They do have organic Santa Cruz applesauce which is hands down my favorite brand. It tastes the best and they don't add any sugar. And I've tried a lot of different brands of applesauce!

-Andi

Improved athleticity!

Have you ever felt like you've tried all you can (working out, practicing, etc.) to get better at sports but you just can't seem to?

I'm not talking about coordination here - I'm actually a very coordinated person - stamina, endurance and clarity of thought have always been my problems.

So let me tell you how the Paleo Diet has helped these things for me. My friends and I have been playing basketball a lot to take advantage of the beautiful summer weather here in Colorado. And I've noticed a distinct difference in how I feel when I play sports now as opposed to before I started the Paleo Diet (I've been on it for at least 1 month now). My body feels healthier, my mind is clearer, I'm not so bloated-like in my stomach area, and I have a lot more energy than I used to when playing our competitive basketball games. I never knew I could feel this good!!! I feel like I finally have a competitive edge and can play my best.

This is especially great timing because I am going to be trying out for a women's hockey team soon! It has been a lifelong dream of mine to play on a real hockey team and I am finally going to do it this summer. From the results I've seen thus far, I am confident that I can have a good tryout and give it my all if I stick to this diet!

-Andi

I Cooked A Turkey...

This weekend I cooked a WHOLE turkey!

I did this because "The Paleo Diet" book says that "skinless turkey breasts" have the highest protein content (94%) of any meats/seafood! AND it is only 5% fat.

It took 4 hours to cook the 10 lb. bird but it made a heck of a lot of meat! So I am happy to have a giant tupperware full of delicious lean protein on hand all week!

After seeing Mitch's last post and talking to him, I learned that he has decided to allow himself two legumes on this diet: peanuts (PB) and chick peas (hummus). So I got jealous and decided to pick up a little hummus for myself. I'm not sure how to tell if it is harming me or not. I don't have any visible signs but I know it is not a strict Paleo food. I might need to be on this diet a little longer (i.e. 6 months) and then see what happens if I re-introduce chick peas and/or peanuts.

I think I've managed to do a pretty good job sticking to the diet. But some foods I eat that others might consider "cheating" are:

• vegetable chips (has salt),
• dark chocolate (has sugar),
• almond milk (has a tiny bit of sugar: 8g/cup), and
• sweet potatoes (easy for me to digest, which is very important for my situation).

These foods keep me sane and I believe are OK for a modern Paleo in my situation to eat (not too detrimental). Let me know if you have compelling evidence to the contrary.

Other than that, things I like and eat on a regular basis are:

• salmon
• shrimp
• chicken
• turkey
• broccoli
• spinach
• carrots
• onions
• garlic
• asparagus
• peppers
• mushrooms
• canned peaches (in pear juice)
• canned pears (in pear juice)
• mangos
• avocados
• bananas
• lean beef
• zucchini
• almond butter
• blueberries
• applesauce
• eggs - hard boiled, deviled, omelets
• flaxseeds (roasted are my fave)
• nuts - walnuts, almonds, pistachios, cashews
• sunflower seeds
• melon (cantaloupe and watermelon)
• black tea (helps digestion and wakes you up a bit)
• decaf coffee
  

The one thing I honestly miss the most is miso soup. This soup got me through some tough digestive times, and it always tasted wholesome and nutritious to me - and is so easy to make!

-Andi

Week 2-3

Hey sis! That's great news! That's a significant drop in your A1C in such a short period of time, great job. With that said, I'm sure you can make even more progress on that. I'm no doctor, but if you stick to Paleo, and keep the cheating to a minimum, I have to believe you'll achieve that 4-6 range at your next checkup, so keep up the good work!

Anyways, the diet has been going pretty good for me as well. I've continued to feel really good, and have had no complications whatsoever. Energy levels have been high, and post-workout recovery has been above average.

Okay, now on to the meat and potatoes of this post... I wanted to share some of the really important things I've learned over the past two weeks. I'm actually quite amazed at how much learning, time, and effort this diet takes, however, I feel like I've finally begun to "get it." I've slowly crafted a basic weekly shopping list, put together some recipes I really like, and now have a decent camera to take pictures of some of my food :)

Also, my biggest stumbling block, breakfast, has been all but defeated. I've learned that apples and organic peanut butter, OR an ice and almond-milk fruit smoothie is really all my body needs to get through the first 2 hours of the day. This knowledge was vitally important for me because I was getting so sick of eggs, bacon, and the like, so this has really opened up some new breakfast avenues for me.

So, here's my basic weekly shopping list I put together, as I thought it might give you some ideas...

FRUITS

1. Frozen berries – 1 mixed bag

2. Apples – 1 bag

3. Fruit/vegetable puree (large bottle)

4. Lemon/lime/orange – 1 each

VEGETABLES

1. Organic spinach – 1 container

2. Sweet potatoes – 3 individual

3. Baby carrots – 1 bag organic

4. Cucumbers – 1 large organic

5. Tomatoes – 2 large organic

6. Onion – 1 white, 1 red

7. Green/yellow/red peppers – 1 each

HERBS

1. Sage

2. Basil

3. Oregano

4. Thyme

5. Flat leaf parsley

SNACKS/DIPS/SAUCES

1. Vegetable chips – 2 bags

2. Hummus with pine nuts (add my olive oil) – 2 containers

3. 1 container Prego type natural tomato sauce

4. Organic peanut butter

MEATS

1. 2-3 Natural chicken breasts

2. 1lb Laura’s lean beef

3. 1-2 Whitefish filets

4. 8-12oz Natural steak

OTHER

1. Almond milk – 1 large container (unsweetened)

2. Organic eggs – 1 dozen

Lastly, here's a little picture of my lunch today. Spinach salad with blueberries, strawberries, and pecans, yummy :)

Andi's A1c is down by 1.1%!

2:15pm today: appointment with my endocrinologist at the Barbara Davis Center. Got my A1c checked and it has dropped by a full percentage point - and I have only been doing Paleo for 2 weeks! About 4 weeks ago my A1c was 7.7, now it is down to 6.6! I think this is the lowest A1c reading I have ever had (usually I am around 7-8%) so this diet has meant HUGE progress.

I know there can be all sorts of false readings with A1cs but only 17% of my blood sugar readings were low - if it were over 25% there would be reason for doubt - so this seems to be legit!

An A1c below 6% puts you at very low risk of complications, which is my ultimate goal. 4-6% is a "normal" person's A1c, I am told. Hopefully 4 months from now (my next appt.) will see even further progress!

Lastly, I have been reading in Dr. Bernstein's book that he keeps his A1c at around 4.5% - an incredibly low number. His target blood glucose 24/7, around the clock, is 83 mg/dL. I was told today by my endocrinologist that these numbers are not safe due to the incredibly high risk of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) that you often have when running these kinds of numbers. Also, that the risk of complications increases exponentially once you hit 7% as opposed to keeping it in the 4-6% range. I have yet to make up my mind about which doctor's path I will follow... for now, it is Paleo!

In the meantime we've decreased the amount of insulin I take to accommodate this diet and prevent so many lows.

Definitely an encouraging day!

-Andi

Quick Update

Hey sis! Hope things are going well. I only have a second here, so I just wanted to put this in writing... Next week (Monday), I will be starting Paleo Stage 1. I'm starting to believe in the whole "cold turkey" thing, so next week (and hopefully the weeks following) I will be allowing myself only 1 open meal. I've decided that every time I cheat, it makes it easier to cheat the next time, therefore, in the interest of this blog (and my health), I'm going cold turkey next week. Wish me luck.

Also, I will be adding lots of pictures next week of the things I'm cooking. I finally got a hold of a decent camera :)

Less insulin! ...and weight

So here's my problem right now: I'm having trouble getting enough calories each day and my sugars are crazy low all the time.

I haven't stepped on a scale but I can tell by the way I look and how my clothes fit that I have lost some weight. I haven't changed much besides my diet (like Mitch). You have to eat so much REAL (Paleo) food to get the same amount of calories that you get from things like rice and bread, which are missing from my diet now!

I also hardly take any insulin before meals and dropped my evening basal rate last night because I couldn't get my blood sugar to go above 60 (even after eating 35 carbs! "eat 20 carbs and retest after 20 minutes" is standard for getting your blood sugar back to normal range...). Kelli kept me company on the kitchen floor at 11pm as I ate some honey and drank some juice. She's been super helpful lately whenever my sugar gets low.

I think the rest of my basal rates need some readjusting as well. I'm told that needing less insulin is a good thing, so hopefully these symptoms are indicators of progress!

My next endocrinology appointment is on Monday (4/12) so I am anxious to see what my doc thinks about all of this and if he can help.

I started "Diabetes Solution" by Bernstein a couple nights ago and am going to compare his solution to the Paleo Diet. I might need to find some middle ground between the two.

"Two cavities" was the verdict I received at the dentist yesterday. :( I am looking forward to seeing if this is my same verdict at my next visit when I have been on this diet for a while!

-Andi

Andi's Week 1 Review

Week 1 was tough for me too. It takes a TON of time and energy to adjust to something like this - something so 24/7 and so different than what everyone around me is eating!

I confess that I had at least 5 "open" meals this week, which was more than my goal of only 3. Lots of birthday food and Easter food... why is it that all of our celebratory foods are always so dang un-Paleo?

My favorite recipe this week? Gingery Chicken and Veggies. Here's a photo:

Gingery Chicken and Veggies
¼ c olive oil/canola oil mixture
½ red onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp powdered ginger
2 c cooked chicken breast meat, skinless and diced
½ c celery, chopped
1 c chicken broth (no salt)
1 c carrots, sliced thin
½ bell pepper, sliced
Heat oil mixture in heavy skillet and sauté garlic and onion. Add remaining ingredients and simmer until vegetables are tender. Serves 4.

--> I think this recipe might be really good with some mushrooms as well. And speaking of 'shrooms, I just found out that grilled portabella mushrooms are to-die-for delicious!

My favorite treat this week? Decaf espresso with Silk (brand) Almond Milk latte.

My goals for week 2:

• learn some new recipes
• try to only eat 3 or less open meals

I really feel great on this diet and my blood sugars have been so good as well!

-Andi

Week 1 Review

Hey sis, hope things are going alright! Things are going pretty well here. I'm not gonna lie though, this diet is a bit challenging. I've found breakfast to be an especially difficult meal for me to adjust to. Not being able to have any sort of bread or milk with breakfast is a HUGE change for me. Eggs unfortunately just aren't the same without toast...

However, with that said, I've felt pretty good all week, and have done a pretty good job of sticking to the diet. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday I had no mistakes. However, Thursday and Friday I used 2 "open" meals for beer. We had a few cookouts due to the warm weather here, and I couldn't resist a few beers. However, I still managed to maintain my normal paleo food intake. I grilled some veggie/chicken kabobs and some free range lamb, yummy :)

As far as the "cold turkey" question goes, I have to belive that going cold turkey is probably the best. I think there are rare cases where going cold turkey isn't the best option. However, with that said, I just don't see myself ever getting past Stage 2 or Stage 1 Paleo. I just don't think it's feasible for me to ever go completely paleo, due to dinner parties with friends, nights out on the town (I'd have to check all the ingredients of the food I was eating), and things of that nature. Therefore, I'm going to be starting this week at Stage 2/3, and migrating next week to Stage 1/2, and hopefully stay there for a long while.

A couple side notes: I've found that eating any sort of grain makes my stomach just a little upset now. This never used to happen, but I think it's a sign that my body is already making a little bit of a transition. Lastly, I lost 4lbs this week! I didn't do any extra exercise beyond what I normally do, and yet my weight went down 4lbs, so that's a plus :)

Good luck sis!

Andi's Day 5

Pretty proud of my lunch today! (looks good, doesn't it?)


I also tried broiling a grapefruit today in my work's toaster oven. I haven't eaten one of those in over a year - it was delicious!

Andi's Day 3: still adjusting

How's it going, Mitch?

Today I found out that I need to cook just about EVERYTHING I eat or else food is just too hard for me to digest. This takes time and makes things more difficult. But...

When I posed the question: are legumes really that bad for you? I was sent this article. It helped renew my resolve to Go Paleo! today. Thanks, Dallas.

Also, saw this fun, inspiring poster on Mark's Daily Apple which I just ordered! (click on it and it will take you to Mark's store where you can order it too!)


Planning to hang this in a prominent place so I can be re-inspired each day.

Unfortunately I had to use another "open meal" today - for a work breakfast meeting - so I guess I am having trouble doing the "Level III Paleo" (only one open meal/week). I've decided my first week on the diet needs to be "Level I" (three open meals/week) if I want to make this sustainable.

(non-Paleo) Breakfast: egg wrap (whole wheat tortilla, eggs, cheese, salsa), coffee, 2 pieces of pineapple and 1 strawberry --> I paid for this - my blood sugar rose to 180 before lunch!
Lunch: apple sauce, extra lean beef, steamed carrots and radishes, avocado
Dinner: Spicy Stuffed Squash, extra lean beef, flax seeds

Feelin' pretty good. Good night to all!

- Andi

Andi's Day 2: Cold Turkey or Ease Into?

Day 2 was hard!!

Here is what I found to eat:

Breakfast: banana/mango/strawberry smoothie (with a little almond milk and apple juice mixed in) - my own recipe and actually very delicious!
Lunch: tuna (with pimentos and homemade mayo), leftover baked apple (with walnuts and raisins), hard boiled egg
Dinner: (grilled out!) 1 chicken sausage, a little piece of extra lean beef, grilled peppers and onions, 1/2 mango, 1/2 cup almond milk

An especially hard part for me is that we have these delicious walnut brownies I made as a last hoorah on Sunday - and ate two as my dinner on Sunday night - sitting on our kitchen counter and Emily and Kelli won't finish them!

Also, had a discussion with Jacob and Emily tonight about what is better (?):

1. To go 100% Paleo, "cold turkey" as they say -or-
2. Ease into the diet

What do you think?????

Emily says that in her job in tobacco cessation they always recommend "cold turkey." I think this is based on lots of research, or maybe just the fact that doctors can't really "recommend" that one of their patients smokes cigarettes at all.

Jacob made the point that there are plenty of things, such as training for a marathon, that you need to build up to and ease into. Especially if you want to make a long term change to something as big as your diet.

Then again, do you get the benefits of the Paleo Diet if you don't go super hard core about it all at once? The book I read seems to advocate a wholehearted approach... I guess you need to get your metabolism to switch over to a fat-for-energy rather than carbs-for-energy model, right?

First Impressions

Hey sis, glad to hear things are going well! That's exciting news about your lack of insulin use, I'm sure it will only continue to get better and better. No lactose, artificial sweeteners, or gluten should indeed keep those sugars stable, so keep it up!

Day 1 for me was surprisingly good. I felt great all day, didn't really notice any lack of energy (like I was expecting), and even got a good workout in! I'm not too sore today either from my workout, which is another bonus. I was worried about muscle regeneration because I've cut out 50-75g of protein that I normally get from milk, cheese, and protein powder. However, that worry seems to have all but dissipated!

Day 2 (today) has been a little bit more difficult. I've been really busy today and haven't had a good chance to plan out my meals. Because of this (and the Paleo's diet lack of "quick" foods) I've really only been able to eat an apple and some nuts today. However, I'm gonna go home and make a fresh egg and veggie omelet later, so that should help!

Andi's Day 1

Things started out great...

Breakfast: banana, almond butter, almond milk
Snack: 2 squares of organic dark chocolate (only 10 carbs)
Lunch: applesauce, tuna (with homemade mayo!) on lettuce, hard boiled egg

Then...

12:30pm rolled around and we had a "March Birthdays Party" at our office (and my bday is March 1) which involved this...


Dang it! I had to eat it - all 45 carbs worth. So there went my 1 "open meal" for the week on Day 1!!! At least it was a very delicious (and semi-healthy) dessert: "Spring Fling" zucchini cake from The Market.

I will tell you that up until this point in the day my blood sugars have been phenomenal. Before lunch I was 62 so I didn't even have to take any insulin (bolus) to cover the lunch I ate!

Dinner: sea scallops, asparagus, baked apples

No major blood sugar spikes! My body is lovin' this diet.

- Andi

Week 1

Looks great sis! Love all the veggies you were able to get! I've kind of run into the same problem you did when you were shopping. It is indeed quite expensive to buy all fresh AND organic ingredients. I got what I could (probably about 70%), but had to sacrifice on a few other items.

Lucky for me, Meijer actually has quite a good selection of lower-cost organics. I was actually able to get all natural free range lamb, all natural chicken breast, and grass fed cow meat for under $20 total. I also have recently become a HUGE believer in olive oil as a means to make all meals more tasty without sacrificing your health (hence the huge jar of good olive oil).

Anyways, week one starts today sis, so best of luck to you and your roommates! Talk to you soon.

Andi's groceries

Here are my groceries for the week!

Granted, these are for 3 people - Emily and Kelli (my two roommates) have agreed to give this diet a try for a week with me as long as they can get bread, yogurt, and a few soy things for themselves.

The biggest struggle for me is that we have decided to buy mostly NON-organic. My big 2010 New Year's Resolution was to go ALL organic, but Paleo has trumped this resolution right now. Otherwise my roommates have told me that this diet would just be too cost prohibitive.

Emily convinced me that buying organic is less important than buying local after reading the book "Omnivore's Dilemma." I'm only 1/4 of the way through this book right now so I have taken her word for it.

Even though we are not buying organic produce (except for spinach and broccoli), we ARE buying grain fed meats and eggs. This is important because I strongly disagree with feeding our animals unnatural corn - it is simply unhealthy (i.e. much lower Omega-3s in your food) and bad for the environment.

Week one, here we come!

- Andi

Groceries

So I went to the store for the first time today... Quite demoralizing to be honest. I think it was about the 8th aisle with an empty cart that I realized that this diet might be difficult. In all honesty, it feels like there is nothing you can eat. You want a side with your meal? Bread, rice, or potatoes? No, no. You want beans? Nope, sorry, those are off limits too. Well either way, as you can see from the photo, I took the plunge, and am on my way to eating like a caveman. May the Lord be with us all...

The Ground Rules

Countdown: 2 days til start...


In case you are unfamiliar with this diet, here are the 6 simple ground rules to the Paleo (a.k.a. CAVEMAN, hunter-gatherer) Diet:

1. All the lean meats, fish, and seafood you can eat
2. All the fruits and nonstarchy vegetables you can eat
3. No cereals
4. No legumes
5. No dairy products
6. No processed foods

Some of my friends say, "that's just Atkins!"

But no - the Paleo Diet is not a low-carb, fat-free diet: it's a low-carb, highly nutritious, "bad fat"-free diet! That is one of the big differences between this diet and something like the Atkins diet.

Salt and refined sugar are also supposed to be kept to a minimum. Gotta keep those glycemic indexes low so I can have a better A1c!!!

- Andi

Two Reasons

Hi guys, my name is Mitch. I'm 23 years old, and a bit of a health information junkie. My health and overall fitness have not always reflected this, but I've always been interested in fitness, nutrition, and the mixture of the two. So, when my sister called and told me that she was interested in trying the Paleo diet, I was immediately intrigued.

I tried the paleo diet for a short time a year before, and noticed some encouraging results in the time I did it. However, due to budget and time constraints (as well as a weak will), I quit the diet about 4 weeks after starting. Despite this fact, I have always had a special place in my heart for this simple, yet infinitely complex diet. I'm excited to be able to go on this journey with my sister, and hope to be able to post some encouraging results within a few weeks time!

One of the reasons I'm most excited for this challenge is because anyone who reads this blog is going to get to see 2 different people (with very different health backgrounds), in 2 different places, trying the same diet, for 2 different reasons.

My sister, like she said in her introduction, is trying this diet for health and diabetes related reasons. She hopes to lower her A1C levels, and to lessen her dependence on insulin. I on the other hand, have been blessed to have no major health issues that I am aware of, and thus, am doing this diet for athletic and vanity related reasons. I hope to notice improvement in my overall strength and recovery time (as noticed by many "Paleo" athletes) when lifting weights, as well as get my body fat below 10% for the first time since high school.

Thanks for following us on this journey!

Getting ready...

I know we haven't technically started this diet yet but I couldn't resist sharing this scrumptious picture of my lunch today:

Baked sweet potato fries, boiled broccoli, and skinless chicken! Yum!

I guess the plan is to officially "Go Paleo" starting this coming Monday, March 29, 2010. Right, Mitch?

So, in preparation for the big transition I have started compiling a grocery list. This list was made by going through all of the meals suggested in the Level III of "The Paleo Diet" book for week 1. My roommates (Emily and Kelli) have agreed to join me for one week as we figure out the costs and how much they want to join me on this diet.

Here's the grocery list for week 1. I plan to shop at Sunflower Market and Vitamin Cottage to get all of these foods, and mostly pick up the things that are on sale each week. Otherwise I fear that this diet would get prohibitively expensive.


- Andi

A little background

Hi! My name is Andi, sister to Mitch, and I am 27 years old. Here is a picture of us from this past July.

This is primarily our blog about nutrition and health (giving The Paleo Diet a try), so let me give you a little background on my health situation.

I have had type 1 (juvenile) diabetes since I was 10 years old. I've always taken fairly good care of my health, exercising regularly (I play/have played on hockey, soccer, and lacrosse teams), eating well (I thought...), and checking my blood sugars multiple times per day. I've managed to keep my A1c around 7 for most of my life, so I thought I was at a pretty low risk for complications. But about a year ago I was diagnosed with a diabetes complication called "gastroparesis" which rocked my world. I couldn't eat much solid food and consequently lost 30 pounds in 3 months! I tried EVERYTHING to get better - i.e. Reglan, Ethromyacin, a low fiber gastroparesis diet, better control of my blood sugars, etc. - and nothing seemed to help. That is, until I found Eastern Medicine. The combination of acupuncture and Chinese herbs helped get my digestive system working again. I slowly got off of my all-liquid diet and can now eat most things, especially if they are cooked. I also switched over to an insulin pump, which allows me more control and flexibility over my life with diabetes.

Despite all of this moving forward, I went to the doctor this past month and found that my A1c has risen to 7.7! People in normal health tend to have an A1c of 4.0-6.0. Upon receiving this info, my primary care doc recommended a book by Richard K. Bernstein, MD, called "Diabetes Solution." I have not read it yet but have heard it is very similar to the book I just finished called "The Paleo Diet" by Loren Cordain, PhD. I picked this book up at Vitamin Cottage recently after hearing my acupuncturist talk about what a great thing the Paleo diet is. And what I've learned is that the Paleo diet can get your A1c down to the 4-5ish range or even CURE some newly diagnosed type 1 diabetics!

That's right, the Paleo diet can cure some newly diagnosed type 1 diabetics!

I never ever thought I would put the words "cure" and "type 1 diabetics" in a sentence like that. But check out Michelle's blog about it to see an example of what I mean: http://michellestype1diabetes.blogspot.com/

That's a pretty powerful story. And that is why I have decided to give this Paleo diet thing a try.

-Andi