After my frustrations this week, I'm accepting the fact that we can't completely change our lives overnight :) The pollen this season is exceptionally bad, and it's just seasonal allergies. So, really it's not that big of a deal :)
I came across this article in the Mercola newsletter this week that discusses one of the main reasons why we wanted to do The Maker's Diet in the first place: 80% of your immune system is in your GI tract. [The article does advertise quite a few supplements...I'm not supporting these particular supplements...I just think that the information is exactly what I've been running across in many sources.]
The Maker's Diet is essentially a 5 week plan to allow the gut to rest and heal. The first two weeks take out all foods that generally "back-up" the gut and potential allergens that would be harming the gut. I've read that the intestinal lining regenerates itself every 3-8 days. So if you give it two weeks of rest time (Phase 1 of The Maker's Diet), then it should be able to fully heal.
Our intention in trying out this diet was mainly to allow our "bellies to heal" as the kids say and to hopefully strengthen our immune systems in the process. As we add back in foods, we should also be able to see if there are any foods that cause a reaction in our bodies as well. It's really a form of an elimination diet as Phase 1 is so restrictive and most of the allergenic foods are eliminated for 2-4 weeks and then slowly reintroduced.
Since I did not chronicle much this week, here's a look back at our dinners this week. Breakfasts & lunches have been much stayed the same.
Sunday: Rotisserie chicken, green beans, cantaloupe
Monday: Lemon chicken for the adults; salmon patties for the kids
Tuesday: Deer steaks; green salad
Wednesday: Meatballs with marinara sauce
Thursday: Hubs and I had a dinner out; kids had Tuna salad
Friday: Taco bowls
Saturday: ?? maybe go out
Friday, April 23, 2010
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
The Makers Diet Day 17: Frustrations
So, five days ago we were flying high...feeling good, in a routine on the diet. Then a rainfront moved through, so I felt terrible over the weekend and the first part of this week. And something different must be blooming (thus, different pollen), because both kids are sneezing and the 3 year old woke up with a stuffy nose! They were both outside last night just before going to bed... hubs actually feels really good right now!
The only thing different we've done this week is eat some black beans on our taco salads on Sunday and we've eaten a few more corn products this week but not many at all. The five year old ate corn taco shells on Sunday, and they both have had some corn Chex this week. But, I really don't think that has anything to do with the sneezing & stuffy nose... they've had a few corn products off and on through this diet, because of snacks at school and the church nursery. It really is more like seasonal allergies. But, it's frustrating, because you would think with the diet and the ACV tea and all of their vitamins they might be strengthened!
I know that nothing happens overnight, and that this might still be doing really great things...still frustrating though! So that's where I've been for the past five days.
We did enter Phase 2 of the diet on Monday. Phase 2 adds in more nuts/seeds, some beans/legumes, many more fruits and corn/sweet potatoes/yams. So that broadens our diet considerably!
I will try to get back into the routine of chronicling our foods and where we stand. Phase 2 lasts for two weeks, and then we enter Phase 3 which is pretty much back to where we were and where we will stay. So, we're getting there. Like I've said before, if nothing else this diet has broadened the foods that the kids eat and has broken all of our reliance on grains. We will definitely have to be careful not to go nuts when we reach Phase 3 though :) But, honestly we don't crave them anymore at all! I think that it will be fairly easy to not make grains the largest portion of our diet from here on out.
The only thing different we've done this week is eat some black beans on our taco salads on Sunday and we've eaten a few more corn products this week but not many at all. The five year old ate corn taco shells on Sunday, and they both have had some corn Chex this week. But, I really don't think that has anything to do with the sneezing & stuffy nose... they've had a few corn products off and on through this diet, because of snacks at school and the church nursery. It really is more like seasonal allergies. But, it's frustrating, because you would think with the diet and the ACV tea and all of their vitamins they might be strengthened!
I know that nothing happens overnight, and that this might still be doing really great things...still frustrating though! So that's where I've been for the past five days.
We did enter Phase 2 of the diet on Monday. Phase 2 adds in more nuts/seeds, some beans/legumes, many more fruits and corn/sweet potatoes/yams. So that broadens our diet considerably!
I will try to get back into the routine of chronicling our foods and where we stand. Phase 2 lasts for two weeks, and then we enter Phase 3 which is pretty much back to where we were and where we will stay. So, we're getting there. Like I've said before, if nothing else this diet has broadened the foods that the kids eat and has broken all of our reliance on grains. We will definitely have to be careful not to go nuts when we reach Phase 3 though :) But, honestly we don't crave them anymore at all! I think that it will be fairly easy to not make grains the largest portion of our diet from here on out.
Friday, April 16, 2010
The Makers Diet Day 12: Benefits of Coconut
This second week has flown by! We've really settled into this diet, and I have not had to really plan out meals nearly as much as last week. Hubs said yesterday that when we started this diet, he was afraid he wouldn't get full or stay full. But, he's found plenty of things to eat and he's doing just fine :) It's really true. We both agreed that even after two weeks of this diet (really after 10 days), it had broken our reliance on grains to make up a really large portion of our diet (rice, crackers, bread, etc). We were eating many more real, nourishing foods (vegetables, fruits, good fats, chicken/fish). I've been amazed at the kids! We ate healthy before embarking on this diet, but the kids still heavily relied on (gluten-free) dry cereal, crackers, bread, rice for most of their snacks and a large portion of their meals. Now they are filling up on nutrient-rich smoothies, carrot sticks with homemade Ranch dressing, green salad, fish, etc. Even at the end of this diet, I see us gradually adding in grains as a side dish and not as the main portion of our meals.
One addition that we have all enjoyed is coconut. I blogged a few days ago about the coconut flour waffles and the coconut flour cupcakes that were both huge hits around here! I think I also mentioned using coconut milk as creamer in my coffee or drizzled on berries or in plain goat yogurt for a delish dessert!! And we've been putting coconut oil in the smoothies, which makes them more filling and tropical :) Last night I "breaded" chicken strips with coconut flour and unsweetened finely shredded coconut -- I baked them in the oven and they were a huge hit with the kids!
Here are some resources on the benefits of coconut oil:
*Mercola--
promotes heart health
promotes weight loss if you need it
supports immune system health
supports a healthy metabolism
provides an immediate energy source
helps keep your skin healthy
supports proper function of your thyroid gland
*Weston A. Price Foundation/Mary Enig--
dated from 2000, but a good overall look at coconut oil's effect
*Passionate Homemaking--
various uses for coconut oil
lots of great recipes using coconut oil on her blog
*Nourishing Days--
lots of coconut oil recipes
*The Nourishing Gourmet--
many health benefits of coconut oil
One addition that we have all enjoyed is coconut. I blogged a few days ago about the coconut flour waffles and the coconut flour cupcakes that were both huge hits around here! I think I also mentioned using coconut milk as creamer in my coffee or drizzled on berries or in plain goat yogurt for a delish dessert!! And we've been putting coconut oil in the smoothies, which makes them more filling and tropical :) Last night I "breaded" chicken strips with coconut flour and unsweetened finely shredded coconut -- I baked them in the oven and they were a huge hit with the kids!
Here are some resources on the benefits of coconut oil:
*Mercola--
promotes heart health
promotes weight loss if you need it
supports immune system health
supports a healthy metabolism
provides an immediate energy source
helps keep your skin healthy
supports proper function of your thyroid gland
*Weston A. Price Foundation/Mary Enig--
dated from 2000, but a good overall look at coconut oil's effect
*Passionate Homemaking--
various uses for coconut oil
lots of great recipes using coconut oil on her blog
*Nourishing Days--
lots of coconut oil recipes
*The Nourishing Gourmet--
many health benefits of coconut oil
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
The Makers Diet Day 10: Still Here :)
The pollen around here is horrible right now...worst we've seen it! My 5 yr old is very sensitive to it and we usually end up having to give him a Children's Claritin so that it doesn't get really bad and turn into a sinus infection. We had given him a few around the beginning of pollen season, but we have not even needed to since we've been on this diet!! I can't remember the last time we gave him one, but it definitely has not been in the last week! He sneezes sometimes, but no watery or red eyes, no sniffing and rubbing on his nose...nothing that looks like he's really reacting to the pollen! We're so hopeful that since they are so young and we've been so diligent for the last 4 years with our food choices and delayed vaccinations and limiting toxic chemicals in the house, etc that this diet might "reset" their systems.
My husband has been really, really feeling this pollen season. He's had to take a Claritin D every day to stay on top of the congestion so that he doesn't have to get an antibiotic (and he still ends up with an antibiotic during this season when it turns into a bad sinus infection). He has much more of a history of health issues to deal with, so I think it will take longer to reset his system. He's been very strict with this diet so far, and I know that yesterday he did not take any Claritin. We'll see how the next few weeks play out.
As for myself...I usually have a really bad headache every day, and that has been much better. I have a slight headache if at all...much improved! I've lost about 4lbs, so that's an added bonus. I wouldn't say I have bounds of energy or that all of my symptoms are gone. But, I'm feeling pretty good and hope to improve in the next few weeks as well.
The quote of the morning:
K (3 1/2 yrs old): "Mom, can you make me some oatmeal for breakfast?"
H (5 yrs old): (shocked!) "NO, K! We are not eating grains right now! Oatmeal is grains! We'll eat that again after our bellies heal." (and then he sighs, like..."whew, took care of that") LOL!
So, the kids are doing fine on our "diet." I think we're on day 5 of their morning "tea," and they are doing very well with that...no complaints at all now...just drinking it down :)
We had to restock on goat cheese (in a block that tastes like Cheddar, not the really tangy soft goat cheese)...raw almond butter & berries. Those have been staples around here for the last week and a half.
Here's our menu plan for today:
Breakfast:
Deer sausage, scrambled eggs (5 yr old traded his eggs with 3 yr old for more deer sausage!...too spicy for her), fresh blackberries, morning "tea" (warm water, ACV, honey)
Lunch:
Everyone has something different today.
Dinner:
Chicken Stirfry (chicken, sugar snap peas, carrots, mushrooms, onions, soy sauce, chicken broth), green salad, fruit
My husband has been really, really feeling this pollen season. He's had to take a Claritin D every day to stay on top of the congestion so that he doesn't have to get an antibiotic (and he still ends up with an antibiotic during this season when it turns into a bad sinus infection). He has much more of a history of health issues to deal with, so I think it will take longer to reset his system. He's been very strict with this diet so far, and I know that yesterday he did not take any Claritin. We'll see how the next few weeks play out.
As for myself...I usually have a really bad headache every day, and that has been much better. I have a slight headache if at all...much improved! I've lost about 4lbs, so that's an added bonus. I wouldn't say I have bounds of energy or that all of my symptoms are gone. But, I'm feeling pretty good and hope to improve in the next few weeks as well.
The quote of the morning:
K (3 1/2 yrs old): "Mom, can you make me some oatmeal for breakfast?"
H (5 yrs old): (shocked!) "NO, K! We are not eating grains right now! Oatmeal is grains! We'll eat that again after our bellies heal." (and then he sighs, like..."whew, took care of that") LOL!
So, the kids are doing fine on our "diet." I think we're on day 5 of their morning "tea," and they are doing very well with that...no complaints at all now...just drinking it down :)
We had to restock on goat cheese (in a block that tastes like Cheddar, not the really tangy soft goat cheese)...raw almond butter & berries. Those have been staples around here for the last week and a half.
Here's our menu plan for today:
Breakfast:
Deer sausage, scrambled eggs (5 yr old traded his eggs with 3 yr old for more deer sausage!...too spicy for her), fresh blackberries, morning "tea" (warm water, ACV, honey)
Lunch:
Everyone has something different today.
Dinner:
Chicken Stirfry (chicken, sugar snap peas, carrots, mushrooms, onions, soy sauce, chicken broth), green salad, fruit
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
The Maker's Diet Phase 1 Menu Planning Ideas
Here is a consolidated list of menu ideas for Phase 1 of The Maker's Diet. I also previously posted a "shopping list" for Phase 1 here.
Breakfast:
*Anything with eggs: scrambled, fried, poached, boiled, crustless quiche, omelets (stuffed full of veggies...onions, mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes, peppers, cilantro, goat cheese, etc).
*Turkey bacon (no pork)
*Turkey or 100% beef sausage or deer sausage (no pork)
*Smoothies (spinach, goat yogurt, raw almond butter, coconut oil, flaxseed meal, chia seeds, fresh or frozen raspberries/blueberries/strawberries, water)
*Goat yogurt (plain) with strawberries/blueberries/raspberries/blackberries
*Grain-Free muffins or Grain-Free Waffles
*Veggies sides to any of the above: sliced tomato, sliced avocado, salsa, sauteed spinach & onions
Lunch/Dinner:
*Tuna salad over lettuce with tomato, avocado, celery, cucumber, etc.
*Chicken salad over lettuce or with veggie dippers
*Green salad with lots of veggies and leftover chicken/beef/boiled eggs/fish/etc -- easy dressing: olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, herbs whisked together -- add a little plain goat yogurt to make it creamy
*Fish patties (you could also use canned salmon or tuna)
*Turkey or 100% beef hot dogs (preferably nitrate/nitrite free)
*Baked or roasted chicken and veggies (carrots, onions, squash, zucchini, etc)
*Grilled chicken and veggies/Greek Grilled Kabobs
*Taco Salad/Bowl (seasoned ground turkey or ground beef, lettuce, avocado/guacamole, cilantro, tomato, shredded goat cheese, plain goat yogurt, salsa, onion, etc)
*Chicken or beef fajitas (without the tortilla) with sauteed peppers and onions, guacamole, salsa, plain goat yogurt, shredded goat cheese
*Baked or grilled fish with steamed/grilled veggies
*Chicken (or beef) stirfry (use soy sauce or tamari sauce instead of a bottled high-sugar stirfry sauce) with lots of veggies (sugar snap peas, snow peas, carrots, broccoli, mushrooms, onions, squash, etc)
*Meatballs: Asian with chopped spinach & tamari sauce/soy sauce or plain with spaghetti sauce served over them or meatballs/meat sauce served over baked spaghetti squash (the "meat" shreds like noodles)
*Bunless hamburger patties with toppings (lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, etc)
*Any other meat besides pork grilled/roasted/baked (grilled steaks, baked roast, grilled lamb chops, etc)
Snacks:
*Fruit (fresh or frozen): strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, cherries, grapefruit
*Raw nuts/seeds (soaked/dried): pumpkinseeds, almonds, sunflower seeds
*Smoothies
*Plain goat yogurt with berries
*Carrot & celery sticks with guacamole
*Grain-free muffins/waffles
*Trail mix: raw nuts/seeds (above) with Just Veggies (dried peas, blackberries, blueberries)
*GoRaw Flax crackers or chips (check ingredients for correct Phase 1 foods)
Breakfast:
*Anything with eggs: scrambled, fried, poached, boiled, crustless quiche, omelets (stuffed full of veggies...onions, mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes, peppers, cilantro, goat cheese, etc).
*Turkey bacon (no pork)
*Turkey or 100% beef sausage or deer sausage (no pork)
*Smoothies (spinach, goat yogurt, raw almond butter, coconut oil, flaxseed meal, chia seeds, fresh or frozen raspberries/blueberries/strawberries, water)
*Goat yogurt (plain) with strawberries/blueberries/raspberries/blackberries
*Grain-Free muffins or Grain-Free Waffles
*Veggies sides to any of the above: sliced tomato, sliced avocado, salsa, sauteed spinach & onions
Lunch/Dinner:
*Tuna salad over lettuce with tomato, avocado, celery, cucumber, etc.
*Chicken salad over lettuce or with veggie dippers
*Green salad with lots of veggies and leftover chicken/beef/boiled eggs/fish/etc -- easy dressing: olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, herbs whisked together -- add a little plain goat yogurt to make it creamy
*Fish patties (you could also use canned salmon or tuna)
*Turkey or 100% beef hot dogs (preferably nitrate/nitrite free)
*Baked or roasted chicken and veggies (carrots, onions, squash, zucchini, etc)
*Grilled chicken and veggies/Greek Grilled Kabobs
*Taco Salad/Bowl (seasoned ground turkey or ground beef, lettuce, avocado/guacamole, cilantro, tomato, shredded goat cheese, plain goat yogurt, salsa, onion, etc)
*Chicken or beef fajitas (without the tortilla) with sauteed peppers and onions, guacamole, salsa, plain goat yogurt, shredded goat cheese
*Baked or grilled fish with steamed/grilled veggies
*Chicken (or beef) stirfry (use soy sauce or tamari sauce instead of a bottled high-sugar stirfry sauce) with lots of veggies (sugar snap peas, snow peas, carrots, broccoli, mushrooms, onions, squash, etc)
*Meatballs: Asian with chopped spinach & tamari sauce/soy sauce or plain with spaghetti sauce served over them or meatballs/meat sauce served over baked spaghetti squash (the "meat" shreds like noodles)
*Bunless hamburger patties with toppings (lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, etc)
*Any other meat besides pork grilled/roasted/baked (grilled steaks, baked roast, grilled lamb chops, etc)
Snacks:
*Fruit (fresh or frozen): strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, cherries, grapefruit
*Raw nuts/seeds (soaked/dried): pumpkinseeds, almonds, sunflower seeds
*Smoothies
*Plain goat yogurt with berries
*Carrot & celery sticks with guacamole
*Grain-free muffins/waffles
*Trail mix: raw nuts/seeds (above) with Just Veggies (dried peas, blackberries, blueberries)
*GoRaw Flax crackers or chips (check ingredients for correct Phase 1 foods)
The Makers Diet Day 9: Coconut
We are still going strong. I feel like my cravings for grains have really subsided (almost nonexistent, except for chips & salsa! I could always eat those). But, I am not missing bread, rice, quinoa, oatmeal, cereal, etc at all. And I really think the kids are doing fine as well. They've been asking for more fruit (esp bananas) more than anything. But, I added clementine oranges and some apples in this week, so they're satisfied as well.
I found a link to a great blog post about the benefits of coconut here on the Broccoli Cupcake blog :) I used coconut flour in these delicious cupcakes...I use coconut milk as creamer in my coffee (I use a lot too and it's so good!) or drizzled on top of berries as a dessert...and we use coconut oil in our smoothies. If you look at the fat content in the coconut products, it looks really high. But, it's good fat...and I can vouch for actually losing weight while eating a good bit of coconut products. I've lost 4lbs now since starting The Maker's Diet! Hubs has not lost any weight, but he didn't need to lose. So, I really think that if you're hanging onto extra weight, then it will come off eating this way. Otherwise, it will just stabilize your health.
So far, the only foods from phase 2 we have added in are clementine oranges & apples on a daily basis. We all had black beans on our taco salads on Sunday, and the kids and I have had a bit of corn products in taco shells for the kids on Sunday and corn chips for myself Friday night. Other than that, we're still fully eating phase 1 foods.
Breakfast:
Kids: 2 turkey sausage links, 2 Grain-Free Blueberry Muffins (they asked for the zucchini ones this morning, but I had run out of zucchini!)
Hubs: 1 egg, 2 pieces turkey bacon, 1 blueberry muffin
Myself: 2 pieces turkey bacon, 1 blueberry muffin, coffee with coconut milk
*The kids are still drinking their cup of "tea" in the mornings (1 Tbsp of Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar with 1 Tbsp raw honey in warm water), and I've been drinking 1 Tbsp in a cup of water...sour without the honey!!
Lunch:
Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs (with spinach added in...the kids don't mind it at all) with fruit & leftover veggies
Dinner:
probably Turkey hot dogs with quick sides (we're going to a baseball game at dinnertime)
I found a link to a great blog post about the benefits of coconut here on the Broccoli Cupcake blog :) I used coconut flour in these delicious cupcakes...I use coconut milk as creamer in my coffee (I use a lot too and it's so good!) or drizzled on top of berries as a dessert...and we use coconut oil in our smoothies. If you look at the fat content in the coconut products, it looks really high. But, it's good fat...and I can vouch for actually losing weight while eating a good bit of coconut products. I've lost 4lbs now since starting The Maker's Diet! Hubs has not lost any weight, but he didn't need to lose. So, I really think that if you're hanging onto extra weight, then it will come off eating this way. Otherwise, it will just stabilize your health.
So far, the only foods from phase 2 we have added in are clementine oranges & apples on a daily basis. We all had black beans on our taco salads on Sunday, and the kids and I have had a bit of corn products in taco shells for the kids on Sunday and corn chips for myself Friday night. Other than that, we're still fully eating phase 1 foods.
Breakfast:
Kids: 2 turkey sausage links, 2 Grain-Free Blueberry Muffins (they asked for the zucchini ones this morning, but I had run out of zucchini!)
Hubs: 1 egg, 2 pieces turkey bacon, 1 blueberry muffin
Myself: 2 pieces turkey bacon, 1 blueberry muffin, coffee with coconut milk
*The kids are still drinking their cup of "tea" in the mornings (1 Tbsp of Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar with 1 Tbsp raw honey in warm water), and I've been drinking 1 Tbsp in a cup of water...sour without the honey!!
Lunch:
Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs (with spinach added in...the kids don't mind it at all) with fruit & leftover veggies
Dinner:
probably Turkey hot dogs with quick sides (we're going to a baseball game at dinnertime)
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Menu Plan Monday: April 12, 2010
We are entering week 2 of The Maker's Diet. You can read more here about the "diet" and why we are doing it. So, here is our menu plan for the week:Sunday: Greek Chicken Kabobs with Greek Salad
Monday: Baked Tilapia
Tuesday: Asian Meatballs
Wednesday: Chicken Stirfry
Thursday: Taco Bowls/Salads
Friday: Turkey Burgers
Saturday: Leftovers
Breakfast (rotating): with fresh fruit
Smoothie (spinach, berries, almond butter, coconut oil) with turkey sausage
Scrambled eggs & turkey bacon
Grain-Free Muffins with turkey sausage
Squash Pancakes with turkey bacon
Lunch (rotating): with fresh fruit
Meatballs
Coconut Chicken Nuggets ("breaded" in finely shredded unsweetened coconut)
Tuna Salad
Chicken Salad
Turkey lunch meat roll-ups
Check out more menu plans at http://www.orgjunkie.com/!
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