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!