Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Back in the saddle

I have a confession.  I ate like crap for the last few months of the year.  I was still mostly paleo, but I cheated a lot... like A LOT A LOT.  And, I hadn't been to CrossFit since before Thanksgiving.  Oops.  But, it's a new year and I'm back in my routine.  Well, I guess it's not yet a routine but I'm working on it.  Got up and hit the box this morning (even after a later than normal bedtime due to the BCS title game) and I'm back to eating clean.  And, it's just so silly for me not to.  It's amazing the hold sugar can take on you.  That stuff is addicting (and I'm not even talking desserts necessarily... but those too).

The crazy part is here we are trying to have a baby, and I KNOW that diet affects fertility.  I guess I chalked it up to I was 100% strict paleo for six weeks early in the year and then still pretty hardcore for a while and it never happened.  And, I can definitely tell the effects sugar has on my mental state... I get down in the dumps easily when I'm eating crap (and not working out).  So sugar + unsuccessful babymaking + winter + not working out = not the happiest I've ever been, and it has nothing to do with outward appearances.

But speaking of outward appearances, my acne has also been pretty bad (or as I like to refer to it, backne).  My face isn't perfectly clear, but it's generally fine.  But man, my back gets these awful flare ups.  I'm hoping that cleaning up my diet will help with that, since my miracle drug is off the table (and I don't believe in taking Rx for most things, yet... if it clears my skin, hell yes... vanity wins).  I was perusing http://chriskresser.com/ this afternoon and found an interesting podcast on acne being related to gut issues.  I don't really have any gut issues, but I might and just not know it.  In any case, I'm not getting all crazy and eliminating FODMAPS (what would I eat!?), but hopefully some of the things he suggests will help.

In any case, I've said it before and I'll say it again, if you have any health issues at all, your diet may be a huge cause of them.  Almost all modern disease is a result of systemic inflammation, and while changing your diet is hard, it might be easier than you think.  You just have to do it.  And, I'll be your biggest cheerleader!

3 comments:

Amy said...

Good for you! We were doing really well with generally healthy eating (not all awesome and Paleo like you, but healthier :)) and then slacked... I'm ready to get back on it! I notice such a difference in my kids too.

meghan said...

Girl, I started seeing a new doctor last Fall that specializes in homeopathic remedies, supplements and muscle testing. It was an amazing experience and he found out so much about my body that an MD never knew. I've had both major and minor issues healed that I thought I'd have to deal with forever, by changing my diet and incorporating some supplements into my routine that my body was lacking. I went through a huge detox period and broke out like I never have before. But now it's passed and I'm feeling better than ever. I hope you continue to as well! Here's to eating clean!

Kristin said...

Meghan!! That is awesome! I am looking for a good acupuncturist and hoping that they might have some good, natural healing recommendations, as well. While I very much respect the medical profession, it's amazing (and sometimes scary) how much they DON'T know about natural healing and how food, of all things, affects the body. I mean, I had an endocrinologist tell me that diet does not affect the thyroid. REALLY? We know diet affects hormones and the thyroid is like the brain of the body's hormonal system, but diet doesn't affect it? Funny enough, my TSH dropped to normal while doing paleo (it was in the high range of normal previously). Cheers to you!!!