My Whole 30 Challenge
As I approach my two mark on being diagnosed with Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism, I think of all the changes I made in my life. I had already given up gluten, dairy, and soy, as they cause severe pain in my entire body. I had given up nightshades (tomatoes, eggplant, and ALL peppers), which caused severe indigestion.
I spent hours researching alternatives to ice cream, finding avocado and coconut-based ice creams that were dairy-free. I spent hours and thousands of dollars testing recipe workarounds for the foods I loved and succeeded. I was making my own pasta, bread, and even pretzels…trying to find a way to preserve some sense of normalcy in a world that completely went haywire. My go-to liquor was whiskey for years. Due to gluten, I had to switch to tequila and no more than two shots mixed with fruit (as fruit juices have preservatives that screw with my system). I researched my dental work and discovered I had four amalgam fillings, which were likely contributing to my condition. I had all four of those removed. I also discovered I have an old root canal which may be contributing to my health issues, so I’ll be getting that one fixed in the next month or so.
I even had to change the way I travel, staying in Airbnbs so I can have access to a kitchen. I do quite a few hypnosis conferences, and this means having to find an Airbnb close to the conference hotel, rent a car, and arrive a day early to ensure the Airbnb is “as advertised” so I can buy and prepare my food for the week.
As you can imagine, this kind of food isolation impacts my social life. Dinner invitations with friends have become increasingly infrequent. I’ve had wonderful friends try to cook for me, but unfortunately, it ended with me having to go home because they added an ingredient that devastated my system. Potlucks and socials are plentiful in my community; I bring my own food. It’s easier than asking everyone, “What’s in that?” only to discover it has gluten/dairy/soy/nightshades.
Physically, I am feeling much better than I did two years ago. Following an AIP Paleo diet (auto-immune protocol), my Hashimoto markers started ticking downward. I did lose 10 lbs initially, but I was stuck. I wasn’t able to lose any additional weight.
I stumbled across a new food plan, Whole 30, and decided to try it.
What's not allowed on Whole30? ALL grains, legumes (including peanuts and soy), dairy, alcohol, added and artificial sugar, and foods with common additives like carrageenan, MSG, or sulfites. You also can't use Whole30-approved ingredients to make treats, such as pancakes, bread, muffins, brownies, pizza crust, or ice cream. Here’s the official rules, if interested: https://whole30.com/downloads/official-whole30-program-rules.pdf
I was already halfway there with no grains, dairy, or soy. I pretty much stopped drinking already due to the unpredictability of how I’d feel within an hour of consumption. Now I had to give up sugar (even honey and maple syrup, which is allowed on Paleo) and my “baked goods” made with paleo ingredients.
After torturing myself with “should I, shouldn’t I” thoughts, I just said, “Fuck it, it’s only thirty days.” I began January 22nd and ended February 22nd.
The first week, I was craving my nightly ice cream fix…and then it magically went away. I missed my paleo pancakes. I found this diet to be surprisingly easy, because I didn’t have to budget time in my schedule to make my baked goods, and then I wasn’t spending time eating them.
My brain fog lifted. My clothes were less tight. I was feeling better. My sinuses were much less congested. I was much better able to identify foods that seemed to hurt my system.
Week 2 or 3, I had some cauliflower and noticed my bones hurt. Cauliflower causes inflammation. Got it. One evening, Doug and I splurged on a rack of lamb. Within two hours, I thought I was having a heart attack. Lamb causes acid reflux. Got it.
At the end of the 30 days, I began re-introducing foods into my body. I enjoyed my pancakes with 1 teaspoon of cashew butter and 1 teaspoon of maple syrup. My sinuses became congested within an hour. Need to watch my sugar intake. Got it. I had some dairy-free ice cream that was left in the freezer before I started my Whole 30. The next morning, my body told me in a rather abrupt way, to never buy that ice cream again. Got it.
Thanks to Whole 30, I’m more aware of how food affects my body than ever before. I’m also down 13 lbs. I will follow Whole 30 to see how this food play affects my Hashimoto’s markers.
I know there are doubters out there who say, “I could never give up ____(insert food here)_____.” When you eat something and realize how much pain it causes your body, you quickly lose your enthusiasm for that food.
One of the biggest changes I experienced in eating foods from such a small palette was learning how to enjoy life differently. Rather than enjoying the foods I was eating, I shifted my focus to finding joy in how I felt due to eating healthy.
You can not get the changes you want in your life by doing the same things repeatedly. I challenge everyone who reads this, to find a challenge that forces you to step out of your comfort zone for 30 days…and please check back in with me if you do!
