A brand new day

November 04, 2017 1 Comment

A brand new day

A couple of nights after meeting with my airy fairy doctor, Millie (my wife) and I headed out to buy a smoothie maker. After finding out that dairy, gluten and sugar had come back problematic in the official tuning fork and armbar test, I needed alternatives to my diet.

For the two days prior to starting my new eating regime, I had been indulging in my forbidden foods I would be going without for some time. A two-day last supper. On the menu were massive amounts of lasagne, soft drinks, lollies, ice cream and chip sandwiches. Damn, it was good but by the end of the two days, I was ready to eat healthily. The irony was I did not see a decline in my skin but I was on prednisone and that stuff is bulletproof and would cut through anything.

At the end of my two-day feast, I watched the Sugar Film. A movie/doco made by an Australian guy who had lived without refined sugar for years and then went back on to test what it does to the body. Like Supersize me but for sugar. It was good and opened my eyes to the hidden sugars in regular foods to watch out for. Seemed to be especially problematic in light/fat-free/diet and breakfast foods. Toast was off the table and I really did not like the gluten free bread options. In my mind, if you cant eat a food, just eat something different rather than a poor substitute.

The whole gist was to get back to whole foods and natural ingredients, minus dairy, gluten and sugar. It was a chance for us to broaden our horizons and try new foods. Create a repertoire of dishes to chose from. Committing to starting a period without my three amigos, I had to start planning. The thinking was, that we regularly just recycle about a dozen meals over a fortnight. This means we regularly buy the same 30 odd items each week. 

As a person allergic to eggs and milk, breakfast has always been difficult and least favourite meal of the day. Most of the time I would skip this “most important meal of the day”. I had tried experimenting with porridge but that used to be loaded with heaps of brown sugar. Don't know if I could stomach it plain. The solution, smoothies. I could whack in a bunch of seasonal fruits and vege and whip up a nutritious start to the day. The only problem with this is that we don’t have a blender thingee. As I do, I went to the internet to research.

I ended up on the Nutribullet. A blender where the cup sits on top. Easier to use, less clean up and had rated well in the reviews. Problem is that I like to think of myself as a minimalist. I don’t like big objects that only do one job, esp if that job is only done rarely. I am not a fan of a toaster or a jug and I am about to buy a blender thing. I rationalised it by saying I would use it often and it could help save my skin. 

Purchase made, one more large feed of lasagne and some lollies and that was it. We went to the supermarket and loaded up on fruits and seeds that we thought might go well in a smoothie. The next day would be it.

I think we have some way to go on the recipe side of things but the blender was easy to use. Bananas, kiwifruit, apples, berries (love berries), frozen tropical fruit pieces (pineapple, melon etc), pears, oranges, sunflower and flax seeds, ice cinnamon and water in various arrangements. I am loving them. What a great way to start the day. Great to not lose all the fibre like juice and pack in a whole lot of vitamins to start the day. After a week of smoothies, I am a convert. Really easy and tasty too. Let’s call breakfast a success.

I have not solved lunch though. My normal go to was a pull-apart loaf, of bread rolls or a burger or sandwich when out and about. At home I can make rice, veges and tuna or chicken etc but while out and about this becomes very difficult. I worked at a Home Show over the weekend and only really had time to eat from the cafe in the venue. I found this really limiting and difficult. I should have prepared something at home but am still a novice so not sure what yet. Instead, I had fries one day as they were the only dairy, sugar and gluten-free option. Hardly a healthy choice though. The next day a lentil, pumpkin and spinach salad. Healthier but not very tasty.

Sushi has normally become my friend when out on the road. I have made sushi in the past. It was cheap, easy and good to snack on. I always struggle with the rice though. Will need to practice. 

Dinners have pretty easy with meat and three vege meals so far. I will get googling and come up with some more interesting alternatives down the road. 

All and all it has been pretty successful with minimal cravings. I have only struggled twice. Once at the show home when surrounded by free promo lollies everywhere and I couldn’t eat anything at the cafe so went the day without food between breakfast smoothie and dinner.

The other time was when we went to the movies. Movies are my escape, my turn the brain off and enjoy moments. I normally indulge on goodies for the movies. An ice cream, which much to Millie’s disgust gets dunked in the popcorn (ps if you haven’t tried it you haven’t lived), a soft drink and a couple of bags of lollies. I had a popcorn but really missed the rest.

I am surprised how easy it has been though. I have not had the cravings for something sweet after dinner anymore. My fogginess in my brain has cleared. I am not getting as tired around 3pm as I used too. My sleep has been better although still not great. My pallet has adjusted and my bar for sweetness has dropped heaps. 

Next steps are, I would like to make some more savoury smoothies/soups as well as semi-sweet breakfast ones. I have also bought some protein powder to put in the smoothies as well. It is pea protein as I cannot handle/able to have the whey protein. We will see how that goes and hopefully I will get massive. But I might have to also do the odd gym workout as well for that to happen.

So far so good on the sugar, gluten and dairy free adventure.

Any tips or suggestions would be appreciated. Cheers

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