Day 25-HELP-NEED PEP TALK NOW

[bailey.derby]

I'm feeling super frustrated. And sad. And disappointed. And defeated. So be warned. 

 

I'm almost done with my whole 30 and Im feeling like I haven't moved past the first week or two. My energy levels have been great, but I am STILL breaking out, maybe even worse than when I started. This doesn't really make sense to me. I used to think it was an intolerance to dairy, but the only dairy I've eaten on the whole 30 is ghee. In the last week, I've cut that out of my diet too, but have seen no improvement yet. 

 

I still feel like crap if I eat anywhere that is not my apartment (even my local food co-op where the only non compliant thing I eat is canola oil). I've only eaten at a restaurant once in the last thirty days and it was such a bad experience that I havne't/wont eat out again. After that I've tried to eat at a local co-op or market and both times I've gotten an immediate migraine. And the thought of never being able to eat out again is majorly depressing. WHY IS THIS HAPPENING. Is canola oil really all it would take? REALLY?? I'm mad. 

 

Also, doing this and living on your own and going to college is basically impossible. One the one hand, it's great because you have control over everything that comes into your home, and are less tempted. One the other hand, you are doing ALL the cooking, ALL the cleaning, ALL the time. And you're eating every single meal alone. 

 

I've worked so hard. But if every single time I have to eat something outside of my home I'm going to get sick for days (and then have to recover and basically start the healing process over), then what is the point in sensitizing myself to this food in the first place??? 

 

So I need advice/pep talk/ someone to tell me that this is all somehow a good thing or I'm gonna lose it. 

 

 

P.S. Sorrynotsorry for the obvious rage.

 

P.P.S. If anyone has any science to show whether or not it's actually plausible that canola oil will make you feel like crap almost immediately after eating the food, please share!!!

[MeadowLily]

This was a great exercise for what's ahead... waaaaay beyond and into your future.  In the future, there may not be anyone at the table with you at various times throughout your life.  

 

There will be times after college that you have to take care of yourself.  There's no such thing as the FINISH LINE when it comes to putting your health as a priority.   Your overall well being depends on it. 

 

Life is full of surprises.  You won't always eat alone but learn to love your own company. Have long positive and motivational talks with yourself.   Sing while you're in the shower and dance while you're in the kitchen.

Learn to cook with wild and reckless abandon.   Eat and exercise on your own terms.

 

When you share your life with someone else,  those times are far and few between.  One day, you'll look right back here and say to yourself...."WOW, those were really the good old days".   They are.  These are the most exciting times.   Don't waste a single day of your youthful energy on anything but cultivating more HAPPY AWARENESS for yourself.   

[bailey.derby]

This was a great exercise for what's ahead... waaaaay beyond and into your future.  In the future, there may not be anyone at the table with you at various times throughout your life.  

 

There will be times after college that you have to take care of yourself.  There's no such thing as the FINISH LINE when it comes to putting your health as a priority.   Your overall well being depends on it. 

 

Life is full of surprises.  You won't always eat alone but learn to love your own company. Have long positive and motivational talks with yourself.   Sing while you're in the shower and dance while you're in the kitchen.

Learn to cook with wild and reckless abandon.   Eat and exercise on your own terms.

 

When you share your life with someone else,  those times are far and few between.  One day, you'll look right back here and say to yourself...."WOW, those were really the good old days".   They are.  These are the most exciting times.   Don't waste a single day of your youthful energy on anything but cultivating more HAPPY AWARENESS for yourself.   

 

MeadowLily-

 

You rock. 

 

Thank you!

[GFChris]

 

 

 If anyone has any science to show whether or not it's actually plausible that canola oil will make you feel like crap almost immediately after eating the food, please share!!!

Given the Whole30 is an experiment of n=1 and you feel horrible after consuming canola oil, it looks like you already have the answer to your question. 

On a bigger picture perspective, let's take a breath (or 10) and step back a bit.  What are the reasons you chose to take on a Whole30?

If you'd like to get a sense on whether your non-co-op eating is on the right track, post 2-3 days worth of your log, including portion sizes, water consumption, exercise and nightly hours of sleep, and we can see if anything stands out that would cause your skin issues.

[bailey.derby]

Given the Whole30 is an experiment of n=1 and you feel horrible after consuming canola oil, it looks like you already have the answer to your question. 

On a bigger picture perspective, let's take a breath (or 10) and step back a bit.  What are the reasons you chose to take on a Whole30?

If you'd like to get a sense on whether your non-co-op eating is on the right track, post 2-3 days worth of your log, including portion sizes, water consumption, exercise and nightly hours of sleep, and we can see if anything stands out that would cause your skin issues.

The past 2 days I had eggs and Yam hash fried in avocado oil. For lunch, I had leftover fajita chicken/homemade mayo with leftover salad (zucchini, cherry tomato, green and kalamata olive in balsamic vinegar), tuna/egg salad (canned tuna, hard boiled eggs, homemade mayo, spices, crushed apple chips), and for dinner beef chili (gound beef, spinach, spices, tomato sauce). Sometimes I eat a spoonful of coconut butter, sunbutter or almond butter when I get home from work. 

[Brewer5]

I, too, would like to know what sort of problems or goals brought you to a Whole 30 in the first place.  Everyone is unique.  There may be some good clues there.

[bailey.derby]

Given the Whole30 is an experiment of n=1 and you feel horrible after consuming canola oil, it looks like you already have the answer to your question. 

On a bigger picture perspective, let's take a breath (or 10) and step back a bit.  What are the reasons you chose to take on a Whole30?

If you'd like to get a sense on whether your non-co-op eating is on the right track, post 2-3 days worth of your log, including portion sizes, water consumption, exercise and nightly hours of sleep, and we can see if anything stands out that would cause your skin issues.

In all honesty, I've only drank probably 8-16oz of water per day this week. Could that be it? I'm small (110 lb pre whole 30), but that's still a low amount. My workout is about an hour of walking to/from school every day (not including walking once I'm on campus). As far as sleep goes, there are nights when I don't sleep due to homework and anxiety (1-5 hours). That was last week. But the past few days I've slept great and woken up feeling rested (6-8 hours)It just seems like doing the whole 30 hasn't gotten to a manageable point where I can start adding things like working out, water consumption, sleep, etc., but I'm still hoping it will...

[bailey.derby]

I, too, would like to know what sort of problems or goals brought you to a Whole 30 in the first place.  Everyone is unique.  There may be some good clues there.

I started the whole 30 for a few reasons. I am dairy intolerant and trying to eat "normally" but just remove dairy was impossible. When I first stopped eating dairy about a year ago, I felt instantly better and my skin cleared up like magic (the issue is on my upper back, not so much my face). But about a week or two later I accidentally ate dairy and my skin flared up even worse than it was before. Ever since then, it has only ever been completely clear for a day or two. I feel like my gut's just never had time to heal. 

 

Along with that, I felt tired and had a stuffy nose most mornings, my neck, back, hips and ankles were feeling stiff and my muscles always felt tight no matter how much stretching I did. I wanted to get rid of these symptoms and have the energy to take on the hectic year that I knew was ahead of me (taking more than a full load of classes, living alone, working every night). But more than anything I wanted to finally clear up my skin, because i really do believe it's related directly to my diet. 

[bailey.derby]

Given the Whole30 is an experiment of n=1 and you feel horrible after consuming canola oil, it looks like you already have the answer to your question. 

On a bigger picture perspective, let's take a breath (or 10) and step back a bit.  What are the reasons you chose to take on a Whole30?

If you'd like to get a sense on whether your non-co-op eating is on the right track, post 2-3 days worth of your log, including portion sizes, water consumption, exercise and nightly hours of sleep, and we can see if anything stands out that would cause your skin issues.

Also, concerning the canola oil, I don't feel like my experience was a controlled experiment because there were other possible things that could have made me feel that way besides the oil, but the oil has become a common denominator. So if no one can say that they have narrowed down canola oil to making them feel bad soon after ingesting it, then I'd know to rule it out. 

[Brewer5]

There is no way you can rule out canola oil making you feel badly, as long as you continue to consume it.  And none of us have the same experiences.  We are all so unique -- well, like snowflakes.  Truly.  You may react badly to canola oil while 99 other people don't.  That doesn't mean you have any less of a reaction.

 

But also -- are you 100% sure, when you are not preparing the food yourself -- when you are eating at a co-op -- that they are not using any other ingredients that are not part of a Whole 30 program?

 

It sounds to me like you have an awful lot of stress going on.  You're not sleeping?

 

You want to detoxify your body:  You cannot do that on 8-16 oz. of water per day.  Every day... for a week or so?  Are you drinking other liquids?

[kruddock]

Your stress is probably a contributing factor to your breakouts also.

Part of the Whole9 philosophy is reducing your stress along with your diet.

[Loulabelle]

For me canola oil is truly horrible, I have terrible reactions to it. They started the first time I consumed it back in the early 1990's when it first became available, I stopped eating it then & if it sneaks onto my plate I know about it.

[bailey.derby]

There is no way you can rule out canola oil making you feel badly, as long as you continue to consume it.  And none of us have the same experiences.  We are all so unique -- well, like snowflakes.  Truly.  You may react badly to canola oil while 99 other people don't.  That doesn't mean you have any less of a reaction.

 

But also -- are you 100% sure, when you are not preparing the food yourself -- when you are eating at a co-op -- that they are not using any other ingredients that are not part of a Whole 30 program?

 

It sounds to me like you have an awful lot of stress going on.  You're not sleeping?

 

You want to detoxify your body:  You cannot do that on 8-16 oz. of water per day.  Every day... for a week or so?  Are you drinking other liquids?

Yes, that is what I'm struggling with; so far canola oil and going out are always together. And I only have three examples to look at so it's hard to find a sure pattern. For example, when I ate at a restaurant it was possible that I ingested butter, canola oil and added sugar even tho I specified to not include those things. At the Co-op, I know that I ingested canola oil/safflower oil. But I also (once) accidentally took a bite of something with split peas in it. I immediately stopped eating it. But so far, the common denominator is vegetable oil.

 

One thing I thought of is rechecking my frozen ground beef and chicken for added ingredients (man would that suck if they do have MSG or something in them). I always just assumed that when you bought organic beef or chicken that there are no added ingredients....

 

As far as sleeping goes, I'm doing everything I can to get 8 hours a night, and to make those hours actually count. I'm seeing a therapist to manage some of my stress. But the fact of the matter is, on a good day I get up at 6:00, have class until lunch at 1:00, then work from 2:30-6:00. After that, homework comes first, and I usually have some kind of bulk leftovers for dinner around 8:00. On a bad day, I eat lunch at 2:30 and dinner at 9:30 or 10:00 and then have to do more homework. Maybe there's a better system, but this is what works for me so far...

 

I do drink other fluids. I drink a lot of tea; a cup in the morning, a cup at night (caffeine free), and often a cup when I'm studying since I usually study at coffee shops and it's rude not to buy something. I also drink compliant store-bought Kombucha and homemade kombucha. I will try to increase my water, starting today and see if that helps, and stay away from vegetable oils specifically to see if that helps. Maybe I should include vegetable oils as part of my re introduction (if I ever get there)?

[bailey.derby]

Your stress is probably a contributing factor to your breakouts also.

Part of the Whole9 philosophy is reducing your stress along with your diet.

I agree. Do you have any data on this? I'd be interested to see a link between cortisol and acne.... I'm sure there's one out there. 

 

Can you tell I'm a psych major?

[bailey.derby]

For me canola oil is truly horrible, I have terrible reactions to it. They started the first time I consumed it back in the early 1990's when it first became available, I stopped eating it then & if it sneaks onto my plate I know about it.

 

 

Really?? Can you describe some of your symptoms? 

 

Also, I did some traveling just before my dairy intolerance manifested. Do you know if canola oil is common in cooking in other countries, or is it just an american thing?

[kruddock]

I agree. Do you have any data on this? I'd be interested to see a link between cortisol and acne.... I'm sure there's one out there.

I don't have any data on this, but I read a lot and remember reading that stress can trigger a lot of physical symptoms that we wouldn't think of. Your certainly on the right track with the Whole30!

[Loulabelle]

I react in different ways depending on circumstance. When the flowers are blooming it gives me the worst hay fever ever and if I consume it I feel really ill right away, my stomach distends and then either vomit or end up spending a lot of time in a bathroom. I avoid it at all costs.

 

Canola is called rape seed oil in Europe and is a very common oil used in cooking.

 

 

Really?? Can you describe some of your symptoms? 

 

Also, I did some traveling just before my dairy intolerance manifested. Do you know if canola oil is common in cooking in other countries, or is it just an american thing?

[sadie sardine]

I struggled with acne through college and through my early 20s and only got it under control when I eliminated gluten from my diet. However, even without gluten, SLEEP is an enormous factor in whether my skin behaves. If you had a few nights with just 1-5 hours of sleep last week, and you haven't been drinking a ton of water, it is totally normal that you would be breaking out right now. Canola oil may be causing other sorts of distress, but in my experience sleepless nights, dehydration, and stress are much more likely triggers for acne. 

 

I believe diet and sleep are the most important factors in skin health, but I have also helped heal my skin by caring for it externally. I know this forum is about diet and these other concerns might seem shallow by comparison, but skin is so complex I think it's worth mentioning. For example, if you are wearing makeup to cover your acne and you aren't cleaning your skin really thoroughly at night to remove it (reeeeeally thoroughly, with an exfoliator), then your skin won't heal even if you eliminate the acne-triggers from your diet. If you have the time and $$, it's worth it to visit an esthetician for a facial with pore-extractions, and invest in a clarisonic and some nourishing masks and moisturizers (I like Arcona and LUSH). Doing these things in conjunction with whole30 eating will be a powerful plan, because you'll be healing your skin from the inside and the outside. 

 

Since you're living alone, now is the perfect time to implement an evening routine of a long hot bath during which you do 3 face masks in a row, and then slather on a skin-calming overnight treatment before bed. A hot bath will help you de-stress and fall asleep easier, too. I consider my skin a bellwether; it tells me if I'm taking good care of myself. My experience is that self-care has to be approached holistically. If I eat whole30 but don't sleep enough, don't drink enough water and skip my baths, masks and moisturizers, I'll still break out. Stress is like a poison (even stress about your whole30 results! Ironically, your stress over your results might be contributing to your breakouts). If you can figure out how to defray some of your stress (baths work for me, but for you it might be something else), that will go a long way towards calming your skin and your gut, too. 

[bailey.derby]

I struggled with acne through college and through my early 20s and only got it under control when I eliminated gluten from my diet. However, even without gluten, SLEEP is an enormous factor in whether my skin behaves. If you had a few nights with just 1-5 hours of sleep last week, and you haven't been drinking a ton of water, it is totally normal that you would be breaking out right now. Canola oil may be causing other sorts of distress, but in my experience sleepless nights, dehydration, and stress are much more likely triggers for acne. 

 

I believe diet and sleep are the most important factors in skin health, but I have also helped heal my skin by caring for it externally. I know this forum is about diet and these other concerns might seem shallow by comparison, but skin is so complex I think it's worth mentioning. For example, if you are wearing makeup to cover your acne and you aren't cleaning your skin really thoroughly at night to remove it (reeeeeally thoroughly, with an exfoliator), then your skin won't heal even if you eliminate the acne-triggers from your diet. If you have the time and $$, it's worth it to visit an esthetician for a facial with pore-extractions, and invest in a clarisonic and some nourishing masks and moisturizers (I like Arcona and LUSH). Doing these things in conjunction with whole30 eating will be a powerful plan, because you'll be healing your skin from the inside and the outside. 

 

Since you're living alone, now is the perfect time to implement an evening routine of a long hot bath during which you do 3 face masks in a row, and then slather on a skin-calming overnight treatment before bed. A hot bath will help you de-stress and fall asleep easier, too. I consider my skin a bellwether; it tells me if I'm taking good care of myself. My experience is that self-care has to be approached holistically. If I eat whole30 but don't sleep enough, don't drink enough water and skip my baths, masks and moisturizers, I'll still break out. Stress is like a poison (even stress about your whole30 results! Ironically, your stress over your results might be contributing to your breakouts). If you can figure out how to defray some of your stress (baths work for me, but for you it might be something else), that will go a long way towards calming your skin and your gut, too. 

Thanks for the advice! These past few days I have tried to drink half my weight in ounces of water every day and starting this week I'm going to try to go to bed at 9:30 every night.

 

As far as the other stuff goes, I actually have a lot of experience and knowledge on the topic of acne. I had it on my face and back for about five years, and during that time i did extensive research and learned a lot about skin. Then I went on accutane. Before accutane, I had tried everything (except the whole 30) and even increasing vegetables and decreasing dairy and gluten didn't seem to help at the time. Since going on accutane I've had totally clear skin until my dairy intolerance emerged while I was traveling, which leads me to believe it's directly related to the health of my gut.

 

I take good care of my skin externally. It's normal/dry now, so I try not to strip it, but every night I remove my makeup with cleansing oil and then use a milk cleanser and a night cream. But that's all on my face. For the problem area (my upper back, I use a cleanser on it every time I take a shower and then add a moisturizer and sometimes acne treatment oil (like tea tree). However, I am not going to make a routine as extensive as you suggested for a few reasons. 1) That takes up a significant amount of time that I do not have and I'd rather spend it sleeping. 2) I personally don't think it is a good idea for me to mask/treat the problem with numerous topical remedies. I think that only masks the problem, takes up time and energy, and is not curing the problem. If it takes all that to manage one's acne, then the acne isn't really being managed and the underlying cause of the problem isn't being addressed. 3) it's difficult to experiment/observe the results of dietary changes if you are doing all that external work to keep the acne down, and it'll be hard to see whats actually working.

[sadie sardine]

Thanks for the advice! These past few days I have tried to drink half my weight in ounces of water every day and starting this week I'm going to try to go to bed at 9:30 every night.

 

As far as the other stuff goes, I actually have a lot of experience and knowledge on the topic of acne. I had it on my face and back for about five years, and during that time i did extensive research and learned a lot about skin. Then I went on accutane. Before accutane, I had tried everything (except the whole 30) and even increasing vegetables and decreasing dairy and gluten didn't seem to help at the time. Since going on accutane I've had totally clear skin until my dairy intolerance emerged while I was traveling, which leads me to believe it's directly related to the health of my gut.

 

I take good care of my skin externally. It's normal/dry now, so I try not to strip it, but every night I remove my makeup with cleansing oil and then use a milk cleanser and a night cream. But that's all on my face. For the problem area (my upper back, I use a cleanser on it every time I take a shower and then add a moisturizer and sometimes acne treatment oil (like tea tree). However, I am not going to make a routine as extensive as you suggested for a few reasons. 1) That takes up a significant amount of time that I do not have and I'd rather spend it sleeping. 2) I personally don't think it is a good idea for me to mask/treat the problem with numerous topical remedies. I think that only masks the problem, takes up time and energy, and is not curing the problem. If it takes all that to manage one's acne, then the acne isn't really being managed and the underlying cause of the problem isn't being addressed. 3) it's difficult to experiment/observe the results of dietary changes if you are doing all that external work to keep the acne down, and it'll be hard to see whats actually working.

 

It sounds like you are totally on top of the skincare thing! Sorry for the unnecessary advice...I just remember all to well the days when I would have given anything for someone to tell me what would work for calming down my skin. But I guess it doesn't work that way...we all have different bodies, so we each have to do our own long experiment to figure out what keeps our own unique system in balance. 

 

Tomorrow's your day 30, right? Have things improved since your original day 25 post? 

[bailey.derby]

It sounds like you are totally on top of the skincare thing! Sorry for the unnecessary advice...I just remember all to well the days when I would have given anything for someone to tell me what would work for calming down my skin. But I guess it doesn't work that way...we all have different bodies, so we each have to do our own long experiment to figure out what keeps our own unique system in balance. 

 

Tomorrow's your day 30, right? Have things improved since your original day 25 post? 

Thank you Sadie! And don't apologize for giving me advice, you were just sharing your experience and what you've learned! Lot's of people would give anything to hear it right now! Today is day 32! I'm staying on until my skin clears up. And I now have some good evidence that ghee is the culprit for me. I'm going to cut that out. I accidentally ate it in some leftovers at the beginning of the week, and then a couple of days later put some in some soup to see what would happen and had the same response. So at least I'm on to something! I think my system is just super sensitive to all kinds of dairy now that it's had time to start healing and re-sensitizing itself. Which is good to know!