Research is What I'm Doing...

[Selene]

“Research is what I'm doing when I don't know what I'm doing.† ~Wernher Von Braun

 

I feel crappy a lot of the time. My hormones seem to be getting weirder as I get older (I'm a woman in my mid-40s, with two children). I've gained some weight over the last year and a half (5-15 pounds; hard to tell because my weight fluctuates a lot), but I've always been within a healthy BMI, so I'm not so worried about that (though not in love with it either).

 

I want a stronger immune system. I get sick a lot. I flirt with anemia. I want more emotional resiliency overall, especially in winter (I live in a cold dark place for much of the year). And most of all I want some relief from the occasional depression that seems to increasingly accompany my hormonal cycle.

 

I've been feeling out the paleo thing for awhile. I did a Whole 30 in June, with mostly great results. I'm not interested in being 100% strict paleo – the occasional potato and whole gluten free grain seem to work well for me. Moderate amounts of local, grass-fed goat and occasional cow dairy don't seem like a problem. I believe in enjoying life and food and not being too dogmatic about either (and my system seems to support that). But my mood swings allow me to easily fall into bad habits, because who really cares anyway and the results aren't so bad…until all of a sudden they are and I feel like I got run over by a truck.

 

So here is an experiment:

 

For the rest of the year (November and December 2013) I'm going to focus on mostly eating high quality vegetables, fats, and animal protein, with the occasional gluten free grain, potato, or terrific local dairy thrown in. I'm going to try to stay away from alcohol and caffeine. And I'm going to continue with some amino acid supplementation as prescribed in Julia Ross's work on diet and mood.

 

I'm also going to follow the Primal Blueprint Fitness suggestions/program. I'm nursing my way back from a spinal compression injury, so I'll need to be careful about how I approach this, but the program is super adaptable  (and thoughtful exercise is an important part of my recovery). I bought a cheap ass door frame pull-up bar. I just started using a FitBit, because right now walking is one of the few forms of exercise that's consistently available to me and the fancy forget-about-it pedometer helps motivate me to work in more of it. So, I've also set a goal of recorded activity that adds up to 165 miles in November.

 

I will write about it here, as much as I can muster, at least until the new year. Then I'll assess and figure out where to go from wherever I land. Like a good researcher who has no idea what the f*ck they're doing.

[Emma]

Hey!!!!  I MISSED writing back and forth with you when I switched over to this forum!  You were totally inspirational for me in thinking about my adrenal glands and health and finding time to meditate.  Smiling - and then I slid back to my old ways!  Glad to see you, though sorry to hear you're still dealing/grappling/researching the immune system/depression/hormones thing. 

[WunderHase]

“The difference between screwing around and science is writing it down.†-Adam Savage (Mythbusters)

 

:-)

 

I remembered seeing somewhere the amount of carbohydrates that should be consumed with tryptophan for it to successfully cross the blood-brain barrier, but then ended up finding a lot of stuff about the effects of serotonin to carbohydrate cravings. Interesting. Anyway, it seems that tryptophan supplements do raise the serotonin levels in the brain alone without any extra carbs. The carbs would be needed if the tryptophan was taken from foods.

 

I also live in a place with not much natural light (except during summertime when the sun just doesn't set at all), and have had to struggle with mood swings. Fat seems to keep me happiest :-) If it's combined with a bit of carbs, then even better!

 

Will be interesting to see your results! :-)

[Selene]

Hey EandK!

 

Great to see you here and cool that you are still logging here! I have felt/seen a lot of improvements, but I want more consistency (which probably calls for more consistency at my end!).

[trezkholl0806]

I read someone else's comment about seeing a difference in mood based on whether or not she ate sweet potatoes daily... thoughts? Very curious about this - I eat them MAYBE once a day...

[Selene]

@WunderHase

 

Tryptophan is one of the things I've been taking with pretty good results for awhile now. I take it at night, because it does make me really sleepy, so haven't coupled it with carbs. Sounds like you are saying that in supplement form it doesn't really need that?

 

I have always wanted to go to Finland -- so beautiful!

[WunderHase]

@WunderHase

 

Tryptophan is one of the things I've been taking with pretty good results for awhile now. I take it at night, because it does make me really sleepy, so haven't coupled it with carbs. Sounds like you are saying that in supplement form it doesn't really need that?

 

I have always wanted to go to Finland -- so beautiful!

 

That is my understanding now, yes, that you do not need the carbs if you take the tryptophan as a supplement. Also, it seems that in the absence of light, tryptophan turns into melatonin, which explains the sleepiness. However, if it's light in the environment, it turns into serotonin! So I wonder if it would also improve the mood if taken in the morning as well?

 

Oh, and I've had some nice results with 5-HTP, but diet has been a bigger factor. Currently, I'm not suffering from anything, really. Well a bit of a broken heart, but that's part of life :-)

 

Finland can be beautiful, but now that it's already pretty dark and we haven't gotten snow yet, it's pretty damn miserable! :-)

 

P.S. Here's the source on that light/darkness thing: http://www.craighudsonmd.com/tryptophan.html It doesn't list any other resources though.

[Selene]

So for yesterday (Nov. 1st), here is my report:

 

Food:

M1 Scramble of sausage, eggs, zucchini, shitake, avocado w/ salsa & rooibos tea with coconut milk, local plum

M2 Kale salad, arugula with sardines  & cherry tomatoes, roasted parsnips, leeks & garlic, summer sausage

Snacks: Summer sausage, cherry Lara bar

 

I am usually a three meal a day (at least) kind of girl, but my digestion was off all day yesterday (super bloated and gassy) and by the time I got home from rehearsal all wanted was a mug of lemon/ginger tea.

 

Exercise:

One long walk (about 3 miles?) to rehearsal and back

Total steps: 8,436/Total distance: 3.75 miles

 

Other:

Giving up caffeine (again! for the millionth time!) because even the green tea and decaf coffee I've allowed myself seem to mess with my sleep. So I'm taking L-glutamine, L-tyrosine and DL-Phenylalanine. Seemed to help with not needing caffeine and with the low energy I've been feeling of late. Seem to have maxed out at 7.5 hours of sleep a night (an improvement!) and can feel that I need more. I am aiming to get 8-9 hours a night, which seems to make a huge difference for me, but my body needs some training to be convinced it's allowed to sleep that much.

[Selene]

I read someone else's comment about seeing a difference in mood based on whether or not she ate sweet potatoes daily... thoughts? Very curious about this - I eat them MAYBE once a day...

 

I think counting sweet potatoes and correlating them to mood might be more than my overloaded and admittedly weak brain can handle, but that's an interesting thought. I am definitely pro healthy carbs for mood and comfort! Are you eating any other carbohydrate rich foods? I know that for me having only one sweet potato every day or so in that category probably wouldn't be enough. Sounds like something to experiment with!

[Selene]

P.S. Here's the source on that light/darkness thing: http://www.craighudsonmd.com/tryptophan.html It doesn't list any other resources though.

 

Thanks, that was an interesting link.

 

So sorry about the broken heart, it is part of life, but ouch. And still:

 

"Only to the extent that we expose ourselves over and over to annihilation can that which is indestructible in us be found.†--Pema Chodron

[Selene]

Yesterday Nov. 2nd:

 

Read this on Mark Sisson's site yesterday morning and I am considering adopting it as my motto for the rest of the year: "Take radical care of yourself. Seriously – bigger than life, indulgent care of yourself. So much so that you rest on the edge of guilt and would fall off the other side except it's so nice for a change."

 

Food:

M1: Eggs baked with sausage, shitakes, yellow pepper, shallots, red pepper flakes, goat cheese melted on top & kimchee & rooibos tea with coconut milk

M2: Eating on the road at Moe's (blergh): Salad with lettuce and vegetables, ground beef, guacamole, bit of "chipotle ranch dressing," some chips & salsa

M3: Local meat stick (kind of like a healthy Slim Jim alternative), toasted seaweed, dried apricots

M4: Dinner out with my sister and her boyfriend: huge salad of local greens and roasted tomatoes with salmon and anchovies, basil aioli & small glass of local hard cider

 

Exercise:

Hill sprints in the woods by my house (more like, pathetic jog up a very small section of hill, followed by panting recovery walk back down -- repeat X10)

Much walking in the woods

Some light lifting and housework to close up my family's summer camp

 

Other:

Indulgent, wonderful sleep! We had to drive close to an hour and a half to get to my camp and it was cold and rainy. I cranked up the heat in the car and fell asleep both ways (was not driving, obviously!). I am not a napper, but this felt fantastic. Then I slept for at least 8 hours last night. Woke up a bunch starting at around 5AM, but always managed to drift back asleep. Definitely feeling good this morning.

 

Caffeine withdrawal going well. Was already able to cut down on the coffee replacement aminos. Definitely digging my body's ability to relax just that little bit more without it. Though really, really missed a cup of decaf when my husband grabbed one on the road. I lived. And I slept!

 

Now I think I need to work on drinking more water.

[Selene]

Nov. 3rd (today):

 

Food:

M1 : leftover egg bake, sauerkraut, kale salad, rooibos tea with coconut milk (this was my whole30 go to, forgot how much I love it!)

M2: liver pate on brown rice/millet bread toast, braised cauliflower, wilted arugula & cherry tomatoes, plum

M3: beef stir fry and kimchee

snacking throughout the day: some dried apricots, corn chips

Still hungry at bedtime, so had a small yogurt, an apple, and a gluten free beer

 

Exercise:

40 minute walk with dogs in the woods

20 minutes on recumbent bike

20 minutes playing with kids in the pool

core stabilizing PT exercises

 

Other:

Made time for steam bath & sauna briefly at the gym today. So nice! Wondering what I am going to have to give up to make self-care more of a priority. Not really ready to think about it.

[Emma]

That sounds like a rather nice day - exercise, walk with the dog and playing with kids.

I don't know the difference between braised and roasted cauliflower, but oh my gosh - have I discovered cauliflower and I love it now if I cook it at a high heat for a long time seasoned with olive oil and salt.  I'll eat the entire dang thing.

Making self-care a priority is hard.  Right now I seem to not even recognize that it's an option.

[Selene]

Such a nice day! I love the idea of making exercise be part of the family fun.

Cauliflower is amazing and I agree: salt & olive oil are key. For braising: I made it kind of crispy by sauteing it and then added some chicken stock to soften it up. So good.

[pjena]

I love that quote!  We all need to take better care of ourselves!!!

[Selene]

I love that quote!  We all need to take better care of ourselves!!!

 

Isn't it great? I keep coming back to it.

[Selene]

Today (Nov. 4th)

 

Food:

 

M1 Some dried apricots, brown rice/millet toast with liver pate; rooibos tea with coconut milk

M2 Many, many, many pistachios

M3 Chicken curry and vegetables on white rice (gasp!), small piece of amazing dark chocolate with chilis

M4 Arugula salad with sardines

Glass of white wine with friends

 

Exercise:

 

One big long walk to meet with my new mediation instructor (yay!), many smaller ones in the context of work and going home to visit dogs

Quick visit to gym for bodyweight exercises. I was starting simple here, just testing what I could do: squats (30)/push ups (15) /plank (60 seconds) at gym, followed by sauna & hot tub time (it's under 30 degrees here!). Made a plan to make a plan with a friend who has mastered pull ups, so she could show me what her progression was, and what equipment she used. On it!

 

Other:

 

Trying to deal with a huge to-do list and figuring out the balance between getting it all done and finding time for myself. Tricky! Excited to get some sleep.

[Emma]

Mastering pull ups!  That sounds SO way out of my league.  Smiling - exciting that you're working on that process!

[Selene]

Yesterday, Nov 5th:

 

Food:

M1: Brown rice/millet toast w/chicken liver pate

M2: Sushi (not the best, but really craved the fishy protein)

M3: Eggs and sausage scrambled with vegetables

 

Exercise:

Just walking around, taking it easy, logged 3.74 miles. Not my daily goal, but okay.

 

Other:

Massive headache this morning and beginning of (what to call it? time of month? visit from Aunt Flo? Etc. Eff that) my period, which explains so, so much about my energy, world view, sadness, etc. Excited to be moving into the more focused, less overwhelmed part of my cycle. But I sure would like to balance that out. Of course, that would require that I actually REMEMBER TO TAKE THE SUPPLEMENTS THAT HELP. So hard for me!

[Selene]

Went off the rails a bit with performance mayhem for about a week and a half. Had a show last weekend & found I couldn't keep up with the logging & attention to food & exercise.

It felt good/okay to let it go, but now I'm super bloated with funky digestive stuff, so I'm here to reaffirm my commitment to mostly healthy proteins & vegetables, before it all really goes out the window.

Since I was dancing, I did manage to get exercise in, but I'm excited to get back to working with the primal fitness program.

So here I go!

[Selene]

Yesterday, November 19th:

 

FOOD

 

Breakfast:

Scrambled eggs with avocado, spinach, mushrooms + homefries

Decaf w/half and half

 

Lunch:

Huge salad with local beef burger patty, sauteed onions, mushrooms & cabbage

Strawberries + Pineapple

 

Dinner:

Beef brisket

Coleslaw

Braised greens and ham

 

EXERCISE

 

Lots of walking, totaled over 6 miles

PT

 

OTHER

 

Really working on sleep, now that my performance is over. And my tired body is cooperating! Slept over 8 hours last night. Very good.

Something is making me feel nauseous and dizzy. Not sure if this is the lingering effects of bad food choices, a bit of a stomach bug, or allergies. Took a decongestant in the AM and felt a lot better, so maybe the latter?

[Selene]

Today, November 20:

 

FOOD

 

Breakfast:

Oatmeal

Apple

Decaf

 

Lunch:

Chicken and vegetable curry on rice

Seltzer

 

Snack:

Mini-chocolate bars

Dried apricots

 

Dinner:

Green chile tamales

Small amount rice/beans/carrots

Salsa

 

I know. Un-paleo. But also not gluten, loads of cheese, or potato chips. So a step above how I was eating last week!

 

EXERCISE

 

Lots of walking (4.36 miles on Fitbit)

50 squats X2

10 pushups; 20 pushups

1 minute plank X2

Core stabilization PT exercises

 

OTHER

 

I'm really enjoying my new focus on relaxing, exercising & sleeping. I call it Operation Chillax. Had good focus and energy at work today. Chillaxing works!

[Selene]

11/22/2013, yesterday (had the dates messed up)

 

FOOD:

 

Breakfast:

GF whole grain bread with peanut butter & banana

 

Lunch:

Huge salad with chicken, roasted vegetables, little bit of potato salad

 

Snacks:

Orange, pistachios, Vt Smoke & Cure meat stick

 

Dinner:

Gluten free pizza with soy cheese, ham, pineapple

A fancy beer!

 

EXERCISE:

 

Walked 4.35 miles throughout the day

 

OTHER:

 

Slept 8.5 hours last night! That's a big deal for me. Excited to do some shopping and cooking this weekend to make eating better a little easier. Nothing I've been eating is really causing a big problem for me, and in the spirit of relaxing, I'm not worrying too much about it, but I'm excited to shift my focus more to the higher nutritional yield of a steadier baseline of animal protein/vegetable/healthy fat.

[Selene]

11/23/13 -- yesterday:

 

FOOD

 

Breakfast:

GF, whole grain bread & eggs

 

Lunch (at Farmers' Market):

Chicken and vegetable curries over rice

 

Dinner (out):

Crab stuffed shrimp

Roasted brussels sprouts

Baked potato

 

EXERCISE

 

HIIT on recumbent bike for 20 mine/4.5 miles

Treaded water for 20 minutes while swimming with kids

Walked 5 miles on Fitbit, including two longish walks

 

OTHER

 

Slept for 7.5 hours last night; walked through a snow storm, which was sort of strangely fun. Now abut to eat some lunch and gather rotting logs in the freezing cold woods. I guess that's a kind of exercise?

[Selene]

11/24/13 -- Yesterday

 

FOOD

 

Breakfast

Eggs scrambled in cultured local butter w/collards & shallots & salsa

Edamame

 

Lunch

Salad with sardines

Tomato bisque soup

More edamame

 

Dinner

Brisket

Broccoli

Sweet potato

Pumpkin pie

Beer

 

EXERCISE

Long walk in the woods

Dance party with kids for 15-20 minutes

 

I'm really digging the Primal Blueprint Fitness approach. You do strength training 2-3 times a week, HIIT once, and the rest of the time you do moderate, more continuous exercise, with a focus on things that are fun. Yesterday was a rest/fun/move day, so I went for a walk in the woods to gather some materials for a volunteer natural science unit I teach at my kids' school. I added some extra walking -- it was a cold, but beautiful day, with our first snow. Gorgeous! I didn't feel like I'd had quite enough exercise, so when I got home I suggested we have a family dance party and each family member could pick a song. We danced for 15 minutes or so to this selection: Bach, the Hamster Dance, Sly Stone, and Francoise Hardy. I love my kooky family!

 

OTHER

The sleep just keeps getting better. And the more I sleep the better I feel. I can tell it's so good for my brain; I feel so much more emotionally resilient, with even an extra hour or two. I'm really striving for 8-9 hours of sleep a night, instead of my usual 6-7. Now if I could just get my hands on a lightbox...