I've been sick . . .

[Lynne Pawell Clemens]

I am in the middle of my FIFTH Whole30. I know the rules well and have followed them religiously for each Whole30.  I've been sick for the last 1.5 weeks.  When I am sickly, I do not take prescriptions of any kind and avoid over-the-counter drugs unless I am desperate for an aspirin/advil.  I always take care of my ills through natural means.

 

This time around I was plagued with a really bad cough for the full cycle and with a sore throat for several days. The normal salt water gargle was not working; I tried it for 2-days.  As a result I started taking a teaspoon of honey as needed. It amounted to 2-3 teaspoons (with cinnamon) a day for 4-days. I know honey is not allowed BUT it worked!

 

Any chance that since honey was used as a medicinal AND cough medicine would have been a much worse choice, that I can give myself a pass? I feel like a failure and am seriously beating myself up.

 

Thanks

[GFChris]

I am in the middle of my FIFTH Whole30. I know the rules well and have followed them religiously for each Whole30.  I've been sick for the last 1.5 weeks.  When I am sickly, I do not take prescriptions of any kind and avoid over-the-counter drugs unless I am desperate for an aspirin/advil.  I always take care of my ills through natural means.

 

This time around I was plagued with a really bad cough for the full cycle and with a sore throat for several days. The normal salt water gargle was not working; I tried it for 2-days.  As a result I started taking a teaspoon of honey as needed. It amounted to 2-3 teaspoons (with cinnamon) a day for 4-days. I know honey is not allowed BUT it worked!

 

Any chance that since honey was used as a medicinal AND cough medicine would have been a much worse choice, that I can give myself a pass? I feel like a failure and am seriously beating myself up.

 

Thanks

 

Sorry you were feeling so poorly and glad you're feeling better.

 

Honey in any situation is not Whole30 compliant.

 

Instead of calling it a failure and beating yourself up, treat it as a modified Whole30 and decide how to go from here. If it were me, I would at least finish out the rest of my Whole30 100% compliant, then decide if I want to continue another so many days afterward, so I get 30 consecutive days of 100% compliance. Alternatively, I could call it done at the original end date of my Whole30.

 

For you, how you decide to proceed would largely depend on what you were hoping to get from this Whole30 this time around.

[Lynne Pawell Clemens]

Thank you GFChris.  This makes me feel a little better.  I actually eat Whole30 clean about 95% of the time year round so will continue to eat very clean after my Whole30.  I am continuing my Whole30 though and have not misstepped anywhere else.  I wrap this one up with a vacation in Mexico so will find it hard to be squeaky clean after my 30-days.   

 

Thanks for your perspective. It has helped shift mine a bit