Natalie's reintroduction

[Natalie.s.a]

This is my DAY 30 of the W30, or DAY -1 of reintroductions.

Already bought my greek yogurt for my dairy reintro tomorrow. I think that I'll try only yogurt and hard cheese. I see no need to have any milk ever again and I don't really eat butter or cream anyway. But some cheese on my salad would be great.

I really hope I don't have bad reactions to any of them!

[heatherdarbs]

Today I did yogurt (goat's milk) for the first time in a couple months and felt hugely satisfied and energetic with no issues. I'm curious to see how your reintro turned out. I literally just found out about reintroduction yesterday - didn't even know it was a process here!

[EmmaSthlm]

I am curious too. I am doing the same thing: only plain yoghurt and well-aged cheese.

No milk, cream, ice-cream, or other things.

How did it go?

I am starting tomorrow.

[Natalie.s.a]

Yesterday was day 1 of reintroduction. I decided to start with dairy but decided not to have coffee or a lot of nuts on the days I have dairy so I an really know it's the yogurt or cheese, and not anything else affecting me.

Meal 1- greek yogurt with some dried fruit and almonds.

My sytomach wasn't liking it. It didn't hurt but I could hear my stomach 'talking' all day!

Snack- a banana.

Meal 2- chicken breast and some raw veggies. (Still felt some of the yogurt reaction)

Snack- went to the market with a friend and decided to check out a really cool cheese store and we tasted so many great cheeses and I took some home, for dinner.

Meal 3- soup with some parmesan cheese. (Still hearing my stomach talking)

Snack- got back home had some of the cheese with dried cherry tomatoes in olive oil. So good!

I can say that after having some cheese I didn't really have any cravings or felt hungry too soon. All I felt was that my stomach didn't like it and that I probably shouldn't have too much of it, but nothing huge. When it comes to my asthma and allergies- I'm breathing fine and my nose is a bit stuffy this morning, but it also was a bit stuffy yesterday morning before starting the reintroduction. But honesly, it is more stuffy today. :/

Also, I can't be sure if the stomach thing was all about the cheese because I felt the same way on the last few days of my W30. But the day before starting reintroduction I was better so decided to start it anyway. And from what I've read here, it might take some time for my body to be ok with dairy.

So I decided to have some more of the cheese this morning and see how I feel for the rest of the day. I had just a few small pieces with breakfast (omelet, 1/2 avocado, lettuce and dried cherry tomatoes).

But at least now I know that yogurt won't be a daily thing for me. And I don't really miss it that much anyway.

[Natalie.s.a]

This morning and afternoon I had some more cheese and felt just fine

I'm about to have dinner with friends tonight and they made lasagna

So I'm considering reintroducing gluten tonight (because I feel fine after dairy today). This lasagna is dairy free so it's not going to be too problematic and I don't feel like buying or cooking with gluten in a few days just for the sake of testing.

So here goes...

(Wish me luck!)

[Natalie.s.a]

Last night I decided to take my chance and use a dinner full of lasagna and bread to do some testing.

I know I didn't wait all that much and I'm pretty sure I know what was from he dairy (that morning) and what was from the grains (evening).

Yesterday morning I felt fine after eating the cheese, and I had just a little. I think that's the way it's goingto be fo me- only a little, only once in a while. Not really bringing home anything but parmesan for my salad and the rest might be ok while eating out.

Meal 2 was a hard boiled egg, 1/2 avocado, a huge salad and some tahini and some cheese.

(Felt just fine during the restof the day until after dinner.)

At dinner I had challa (bread), some veggies, white potatoes in balsamic vinegar, (dairy free) lasagna, and baguette with garlic in olive oil. I didn't have any dairy or sugar during that meal. I ate a lot of the bread and a big piece of the lasagna and started feeling bad after 30 minutes. My stomach totally disapproved grains! I've had stomach discomfort during the night and even woke up because of it. Not fun!

I already knew it, but I had the opportunity to see for myself- it's not worth it! My body knows it can feel great without it so it's resisiting! So from now it's no gluten for me. I still need to check rice and beer to see about them, but I really don't need that bread and pasta.

Today is going to be a clean day. Nothing which is not W30 approved, no coffee and less nuts!

I need a few days like this before going to try sushi (rice).

[Natalie.s.a]

Still the day after the gluten reintro.

I don't know if it's 100% because of the grains, but my mood was off today! For no reason at all! And I knew I had no reason as it was happening. I was cranky, sad, annoyed, mad at myself, stressed out. I can't even define how I was.

Maybe it's the lack of sleep (that was due to the grains) but my husband said he hasn't seen my like this in months! Whatever it was, I don't want to feel that way anymore.

I had lunch (meal 1 actually)- chicken, sweet potato, veggies, tahini and a banana right after.

I'm still hungry. I feel like having some more fruit or nuts (which I don't have at home at he moment) or anything I can snack on. Usually at times like this I used to have coffee or tea until the next meal but I decided not to have coffee until my body is back to normal after reintroduction. :/ I really want coffee. And there's still some cheese in the fridge and I really want to have some of that!

I think I can blame at least some of these things on the grains. I really haven't felt this way for months! I need to wait for tomorrow to pass and I'll be back to my new normal

[jennycash]

wow...i am loving hearing your reintroduction experience (though i'm not enjoying the pain you're going through) :/

i have found that, though gluten does affect the way i feel physically, the biggest issue is how i feel psychologically. it's intense. i can eat one small thing of gluten and feel just a tad off, but a little gluten for me creates HUGE gluten cravings. once i give in more, my mood is severely affected: i slump into a depression, become emotionally unbalanced, crying over nothing, intensely responding to things that are no big deal....it has honestly blown me away how much food has this power over me. not cool.

i hope your gluten reaction simmers down soon!

[Natalie.s.a]

Thanks, Jenny. It's behind me now.

The gluten really had me emotionally unbalanced yesterday! And the cravings... after getting rid of them I really didn't want them to come back this way. It wasn't unexpected, but I really see it clearly now- all the mood swings I had for so long were gone for months of Paleo diet and reintroduction of gluten made it all come back in a few hours. SCARY! I made my choice- gluten is OUT!

Last night, for dinner, I gave in and decided to finish the rest of the cheese in the fridge although it was supposed to be a clean day. It wasn't a lot and I had it with 2 hard boiled eggs, raw veggies and tahini. Didn't feel anything weird right after but this morning my digestion issues came back, I guess because of the cheese. I don't know. All I know is that it wasn't as bad as the yogurt I had as my first dairy reintro.

But that's it. No more cheese in my fridge calling my name. No more ANYTHING calling my name. I think the gluten is losing it's affect.

Today will be a clean day, really. Although I want my coffee back, but I'm not sure that's the best idea after all the mess my stomach has been through for the last few days. Maybe tomorrow. I need several clean days before trying rice and then beer (that one scares me).

[EmmaSthlm]

Interesting to read. I did not know gluten could affect your mood like that. It seems like a good idea to go clean for a couple of days.

Even if it is painful to try out these things, it is also very useful. It is amazing what you can learn about your own body in a couple of days. Enjoy clean life, and I will check back on you for the beer and rice experiments!

[rubarb]

I have this same reaction emotionally. I hate it! I've not gone back to grains, but had something with added sugar. What a mistake! It led to cravings, not feeling satisfied, depression... generally feeling unhappy. I was on the verge of tears all day. Since cleaning up my food choices, I have been so balanced and one sugary "treat" knocked me off completely. I don't want to feel that way every again. Not worth it!

wow...i am loving hearing your reintroduction experience (though i'm not enjoying the pain you're going through) :/

i have found that, though gluten does affect the way i feel physically, the biggest issue is how i feel psychologically. it's intense. i can eat one small thing of gluten and feel just a tad off, but a little gluten for me creates HUGE gluten cravings. once i give in more, my mood is severely affected: i slump into a depression, become emotionally unbalanced, crying over nothing, intensely responding to things that are no big deal....it has honestly blown me away how much food has this power over me. not cool.

i hope your gluten reaction simmers down soon!

[kb0426]

This is making me rather curious - and nervous - to reintro grains on Wednesday! Thank you for sharing your experience. I never would have guessed that your mood would be altered! I feel sorry for my team at work if I experience the same!

[Natalie.s.a]

This is making me rather curious - and nervous - to reintro grains on Wednesday! Thank you for sharing your experience. I never would have guessed that your mood would be altered! I feel sorry for my team at work if I experience the same!

Good luck with that! I really didn't believe it could mess with my emotions like that, but reading that at least 2 more people experienced the exact same thing makes it even more clear that gluten is BAD, in more than one way.

And I'm sure you coworkers will be just fine

Let me know how it goes...

[EmmaSthlm]

I wonder if it it a difference between whole grains and wheat. Have you tried whole grains, without wheat and sugar? Do they make you feel as bad?

[Natalie.s.a]

I didn't try whole grain. I do want to try rice, for sushi, but other than that I think I'll just stay away from all grains. I don't really miss them anymore. But I guess they probably wouldn't be as awful as the wheat was.

I'm having a few clean days now, until I find some time to have sushi with friends, but I just made my first batch of energy bars since my W30. Such a fun treat to have now that I'm back to school. I feel naughty making them, even if they're only made of dates, almonds, 100% cacao chocolate, pumpkin seeds and coconut.

So I guess that was reintroducing treats for me.

And I didn't overindulge!

[Natalie.s.a]

RICE!

Yup, after a few clean days I had some white rice with chicken. I felt just as good as I did during my clean days.

I'll check how I feel about sushi rice tonight I really miss sushi! Too bad I can't get any coconut aminos in Israel (I read it doesn't ship well). It will be weird not having soy sause with my sushi.

I think rice will be back in, but I won't cook it for myself at home, only eat it when out for sushi every once in a while.

[Natalie.s.a]

Last night I gave sushi a chance. I already tried rice the previous night but if I was having sushi I thought I should have some soy sause. We oredered much more than we could eat. I enjoyed the sushi but something made my stomach feel bad, probably not just the rice, but maybe the soy sause or something about them together. Anyway, I'm not going to have sushi for a while, it didn't make me feel too good and I have a lot of other yummy, making-me-feel-great things to eat.

Soy sause is back OUT! But still keeping rice as an option for whenever it's there and I can't eat much of anything else.. Like at my mom's place.

Now only one thing left to reintroduce- beer! I'll try to have one that is not wheat. But I'll have a few more clean days before doing that.

[EmmaSthlm]

I have always had a problem with sushi, but I think it is rather the sugar in it, than the rice itself.

Sashimi with plain white rice used to work fine. Without soy sauce.

Perhaps you should try that?

I am reintroducing white rice next week, but I will not go for sushi, since they add so much

sugar in the rice. And I already know that soy sauce is out.

[Janette]

I totally get a sniffle every time I go for sushi. I can't figure it out. Must be the wheat in the soy sauce.

I use a Canadian version of coconut aminos, but I don't know if anyone ships it to Israel for a reasonable price. It's called Coco Natura Coconut Sauce. It's pretty good.

Your reintroduction sounds so eye-opening!

[Natalie.s.a]

Thanks, Janette...

I asked the company about shipping ti Israel. I tried getting some other coconut aminos pruduct but I read the ship badly (fom amazaon).

I think I finished my reintroduction!

A few days ago I had a pint beer with a friend. We also got some free whisky (we sat on the bar). It was after a few clean days and I felt okay the following day. Didn't feel great, but not bad. I'm actually not that into beer so I guess once a month or so won' be too horrible.

I didn't even have wine since. Not because I tried to avoid it, just didn't get the chance...

I've had rice twice since that sushi. Once by itself and the other time in sushi, but no soy suace that tine. Was okay.

I had a few attempts with paleo- treats and buns. They're good but it's easy to overindulge. I'll make them only once in a while from now on ot from my husband.

I think I got him to consider eating a bit better- not eating gluten or sugar while at home. That's a start. But he wants the almond butter bread and maybe some cookies to have with his coffee. I know it's just replacing one thing for another, but I guess this could be a gateway drug to eating paleo. We'll see...

So to conclude- almost no dairy (maybe some hard cheese), no gluten, rice only sometimes, beer only once a month or so, treats once a week (?). Oh, and much less nuts and fruit! (Again- hard not to overindulge). This is my whole365.