These last two months I have led you on a rolling discussion of some of these food, nutrition and diet notions that we of the chronically unwell are suggested to try to ‘fix’ our ailments. Some, as you may guess, are more helpful than others. Some are obvious and should be practised regardless of health ailments, such as the healthy eating fruit and vegetables and managing a balanced and healthy diet. Some others should only be practised with the guidance and monitoring of professionals, such as lowering your carbohydrate intake or adhering to ‘alkaline foods‘. I have involved research of effective supplements, or using juice to overwhelm the body with fruits and vegetables in the exact opposite of a detox. There are even things I’ve taken to kill some of the ‘bad’ in my gut and replace it with the ‘good’. 

Yes, we could all say I have been through so much. While there are many personal opinions within me about each of them, they aren’t for me to share fully. All I can tell you is what I know of what I went through and what worked for me.

I undertook this investigation as much for me as for you. I am a firm believer in a balanced and healthy diet. I do believe in living a healthy and clean lifestyle, making decisions to help my body and not hinder it. My longing to be well is balanced within my need to be organised, my organisation comes out strongly in my life practices and routines. Having a structured diet and eating plan allows me to feel in control of my body when I have no other means of control. When I am not in control and everything else goes to pieces I am often taken over with other people in my life trying to help care and ease my burden but in fact how they all live is not how I live and so much drops so quickly. I have so little self control.

While I have been investigating I have been getting other parts of my life in order. It has been hard, but now I can officially confirm I have my diet sorted. Therefore my life is in more order. Therefore I am a bit more in control.

Therefore I’m back baby!

So are you curious about what I chose?

I started the first week replacing unhealthy snack and sweets with fruits. Half way through the week I added two more vegetables to my diet.

The second week I made my own iced black tea, no added syrups or sweeteners. I drank that when I was thirsty instead of water or coffee. Halfway through the week I started eating a fresh undressed tossed vegetable salad for lunch.

The third week I lessened the portions of my meals.

The fourth week I began waking earlier and eating an apple for breakfast. I stopped most of my dairy products and replaced them with almond or coconut substitute.

The fifth week I tapered down my carbohydrate intake by half. I started to monitor the vegetables and fruits I was eating in relation to the alkaline guidelines.

Since then I have been eating a low 22 carbohydrates a day, snacking midmorning and midafternoon on green leafy vegetables, uncooked green vegetables or a handful of peas or beans. I eat steamed broccolini and scrambled eggs for breakfast and a salad for lunch. I eat meat and some dairy, most of my grown produce is locally grown, organic or from small farmers and is steamed or slightly raw, not baked or boiled. I eat grains sometimes, nuts, fats, sugars, just not in extreme quantities.

I suppose you can say I’m somewhere between ketosis and alkaline, more committed to the former. I am healthy enough. My body is doing well. As I have become more accustomed to living off carbohydrates I will increase my daily intake some more, but that is still one or two weeks away at this point.

I feel really well.