When Lupus Tries to Interrupt a Whole30

I am officially halfway into my first Whole30 and it has been full of highs and a few lows.

I’ll share my lows first but I have a hard time labeling them lows because there are valuable lessons in each one.

It is not a magic cure. I know not everyone has the same results but I was hoping the amazing energy would last. I started off feeling great but my Lupus decided despite my healthy choices to take me down. 

Overcoming food issues is not easy. I have dealt with eating disorders in the past and I did not expect the fear. Fears of eating too much, not knowing my weight. I have some work to do.

Highs, these are awesome!

My celiac disease is completely nonexistent. Eating clean whole foods takes away the majority of the risk of being glutened.

Sleep is great!

Learning to notice my non scale victories. I am totally loving The Whole30 Day By Day by Melissa Hartwig. Each day I find encouragement and I am reminded to look for my non scale victories. If you are thinking of planning a Whole30 this is an excellent tool.

Trying new recipes. The Whole30 is one man show at our house, except dinner. Although my family seems to be eating a 2nd dinner, usually consisting of cereal and oatmeal pies, they are served a delicious Whole30 compliant dinner. But 2nd dinner is a real thing at our house without a Whole30. No one has complained. Roasted broccoli and cauliflower rice are now a family favorite. I have accepted I cannot control all the food that is brought into the house or how many dinners some people may eat. I can control saying no. 

Saying no is big for me, especially when it comes to food. Food is my comfort when I am sick. So the fact that I’ve felt like I was hit by a truck for the past week and have not focused on food is a giant step.

There are definitely more highs than lows but even my lows are highs. They have opened my eyes to emotions that are just below the surface. Emotions that are ready to be exposed. It will be difficult but I am being  given the chance to see if I can really put these lessons into practice. My ability to say no is going to be challenged. I am currently sitting in my doctors office and the visible signs of Lupus are present. Puffy hands that barely move and the no denying butterfly rash. I am officially no longer in remission. Prednisone burst starts today. Prednisone and food control have never been compatible for me. I will be relying heavily on prayer partners and bible verses, along with the lessons I’m learning through my non scale victories. I think I’m going to be alright, but I do wonder how my family will feel about a lock on the pantry. 

Here is one of my favorite easy go to meals. Sautéed Salad and Chicken Sausage.

• 2 t Garlic Ghee

• 1/2 Cup Beets

• 3 Cups Kale & Shredded Brussel Sprout 

               Salad mix

• 1 Chicken Sausage Link

Melt Ghee in frying pan then add remaining ingredients. Sauté until salad mix cooks down about 4 minuets. *Always remember to check your labels for Whole30 compliance.

Allowing My Body To Heal

I’ve been planning on completing a Whole30 since my Celiac diagnosis last March. It was suggested by my nutritionist to see if there are other foods that don’t like me even though they taste so yummy. I’ve also had enough of being sick and tired. I know this won’t be a fix all, but if there is one thing I can pinpoint and say - you make me feel terrible, are you really worth eating? I’m good with it. A Whole30 basically consists of vegetables, most fruits, lean meats, and healthy fats. So, real food. 

I kept pushing my start date back mainly because my life is hectic and partly because of procrastination. An Asperger teen, a Type 1 Diabetic, who is graduating (a whole other post!), and life with Lupus and Celiac is enough normal I can handle. When our world turned upside down a few months back I really thought no way, I can’t do a Whole30 now. But honestly, would there ever be a good day to start. When January 1 came I decided it was time, I’m doing this. 

Day 10 is where I stand today. It’s hard. The food I have struggled with is cheese. I love cheese. I also love cupcakes, of course they need to be gluten free, but they’re not Whole30 compliant either. While cupcakes may be a favorite, dairy is my first love. There are many stories of food raids during my toddler years. I would often be found with a stick of butter or chunk of cheese. Luckily, I’ve overcome the urge to eat sticks of butter but cheese, well just thinking of it makes my mouth water. On day 6 when the kid’s pizza came out of the oven in all its bubbly, cheesy goodness, I lost my mind. I have no idea where this deep feeling of anger and jealousy came from and it was intense. Over cheese. 

Hopefully dairy will still love me when I reintroduce it. This is what is great about the Whole30 it’s not a diet. It’s a time to allow my body to heal. At the end of my Whole30 let’s hope there will be a cauliflower cheese pizza in my future. In the meantime I’m going to enjoy my chicken curry lettuce wraps and butternut squash with ghee. Ghee is my new love!