Lots and lots of tots. And then there were none.

Operation Get Healthy began with a naturopathic appointment to assess fatigue and chronic stomach pain a few weeks ago, a potato and gluten intolerance diagnosis on Thursday (plus no dairy within 4 hours of grains - I KNOW, right??), followed immediately by a blow-out gluten, potato and dairy/grain-filled weekend in homage to all the food I will not be eating for the next month while I try this diet out to see if it helps.

so long, tots... you will be missed -

but bacon? luckily, you got the green light

In addition to lots and lots of tots, there was Ken's Artisan Pizza (Bay Area peeps, think woodfire oven + Arizmendi) AND homemade woodfire oven pizza (not our woodfire oven, sadly but obviously), beer, egg tortillas, enchiladas and chips/salsa, and lord only knows what else.

There were also lots of vitamins and minerals: gluten and potato-free B complex (special order only), two times the fish oil, four times the vitamin D, cordyceps mushrooms for "frolicking" (doctor's words), thyroidinium 4CH drops for energy, and mineral replenishment via calc fluor cell salt "until it stops tasting good" (doctor's words).

this is just for the morning -
I'm gonna need one of those weekly pill boxes

After the blowout weekend, Monday morning I especially felt like crap.  A great way to start the experiment!  (I should probably note at this point that the doctor recommended this, in so many words - she is really wanting commitment and encouraged me to get it all out before starting the diet full force.)

I started Day 1 checking labels on everything and narrowing down my options.  Breakfast was a kale/spinach/peanut butter/West Soy soy milk smoothie (soooo good, trust me on this), lunch was plain black beans and rice, afternoon snack was Trader Joe's dried mango and dinner was a beet/tomato/goat cheese/walnut salad.  And wine.  Wine is OK, did I mention that?  THANK GOD, wine is OK.

as seen in Everyday Living, best $5 investment I've made all year

Monday night I made it through the Mountain Goats concert without yawning too much, and this morning I woke up without an ache in my gut for the first time in... I can't even remember.

Let me reiterate that last point.  I've read and heard stories about chronic pain, where people just live with it for years thinking this is how life will be, and one day they are relieved of said pain and it's like they've been given a whole new life.

I'm not saying I've begun a whole new life.  I'm just saying that this morning I woke up without an ache in my gut, and I can't remember the last time that happened, and I smiled. All day today I was very aware of having no pain.  It was interesting, and it made me happy and sad all at the same time.

Food today included an egg scramble of sorts this morning, yogurt/fruit/almonds for lunch, an apple for a snack (note to self: take a jar of peanut butter to work), homemade parsley hummus and veggies pre-run, and another beet salad type meal for dinner post-run.  And wine.  Of course. 

beet greens, stems, cumin/cinnamon walnuts, goat cheese... and wine - YAY wine

Something in the vitamin/mineral concoction made me a bit hyper-sensory today so I have a call in about that (I suspect it's just my brain adjusting), but gut-wise I still feel fine.  Totally fine.

Honestly, I don't think anyone I know, not even those closest to me, has any idea of the extent of my chronic discomfort over the years.  I'm excited to see what the next few weeks bring.  I hope for lots more energy - and lots of interesting new recipes!