Inflammation

I started a new - and CRAZY - diet.  It's not an official or technical diet, but something that I'm piecing together with the help of my therapist.  I'm calling it the anti-inflammatory diet.

I started on Friday - and cheated around dinner time.  Well, actually earlier... I snagged some Reeses Pieces from my coworker's candy bowl and popped them in before I realized I'm not supposed to eat that!  Too late.  Then, I went to a wedding that served dinner and had a delicious salad with non-approved dressing.  Small cheats.

Saturday was slightly better.  But I suppose I should start by telling you what the anti-inflammatory diet is!

For the first week, I am only allowed to eat fresh fruits, veggies, and meat.  That's it.  Then, each week after, I get to add one or two new approved foods... Greek yogurt, raw nuts, quinoa, unprocessed (or flash-pasturized or something like that) cheeses, and beans.  So, at the end of it all I can have only these few items.  None of these items can come from a can, which means my beans have to be dried... then I soak them before use.  Starches (potatoes, breads, white rice, etc.) are out for good.  Which is grievous to me, because I LOVE my carbs!!!

So, after a few small cheats on Friday, I set off for Saturday.  I began with a delicious garden scramble (I'll probably post the recipe soon!), then a huge bowl of fruit for lunch, chicken for dinner (another recipe I'll post soon!), and a green smoothie after dinner.  Then, late in the evening, another cheat... I had a chocolate from my dad's candy dish as we were watching the football game!

Sunday I decided to skip ahead.  I just can't survive on only meats, fruits and veggies!  So, after an expensive trip to the grocery store after church, I added greek yogurt to my diet.  I also used a little parmesan in a pesto I was making.  I used up the 7 avocados I had sitting in my fridge from too long ago (surprisingly, with one exception, they were perfectly ripe!) and made up some avocado-ranch (another recipe to post) and avocado pesto (this one needs some tweeking before it's ready to post).

Today, I am looking forward to mixing up some DELICIOUS fro-yo from my Greek yogurt, organic baking chocolate, and Coconut-peanut butter.  And, on that note, I'm off to create something wonderful!

Oh... I should also mention that, while I am still in about the same amount of pain, I am feeling a significant increase in energy (up at 6am the past two days and this is after going to bed late both nights and working hard in the kitchen all day yesterday getting meals ready for the week!).  My muscles (especially my shoulders) seem to be less inflamed, too.  Which is what I'm really after.  I'm hoping the reduction in pain will come in time :)