C's Diet Zeitgeist

H! My name is Christina and I am an acupuncturist in Miami, Florida. In addition to slinging needles for them, my patients are always asking me about diet, nutrition, and supplements. Sometimes I can answer definitively using my training in Chinese Medicine. But most people are getting lots of conflicting information, especially from their multiple healthcare professionals and the internet. I see a lot of digestive distress cases in the clinic, and am asked often how to address it. It's confusing to know what's healthy with so many diet trends out there from Paleo to Vegan to Juice fasts (and everything in between.) This blog is a journal of my experiences in testing the diet trends of the day. I will be adhering to a meal plan based on the most popular eating styles for 30-day periods to explore how my body reacts to nutritional shifts. Figure it's better to really feel what it's like to eat a certain way if I am going to advise my patients to shift their eating habits. So, here goes.

[paleoneedleslinger]

You are more productive if you are healthy.

[paleoneedleslinger]

Day 11 of Paleo Zeitgeist

Bunless burger…. Was at Lokal (a Miami burger joint that only serves local brews, locally sources meat and fish, and local grown veggies) and I asked for a lettuce wrapped classic burger and sweet potato fries. It’s not as clean as a baked and broiled version but still paleo-friendly restaurant food.

More and more I realize you can always order off menu. If you can come up with your version based on their ingredients, chances are they won’t blink when you ask for it. Miami is definitely a Paleo-town. Of course…

[paleoneedleslinger]

Day 10 of Paleo Zeitgeist Back on the wagon! Lovely breakfast scramble with wild mushrooms and a dollop of basil walnut pesto. Have a lovely day tumblr peeps!

[paleoneedleslinger]

Day 9 of the Paleo Zeitgeist

Greetings! Honest update…. It was bound to happen. I broke. I had a cheat day. It was a weak moment but I am over it. And I learned a lot.

It started with a chocolate chip cookie. I don’t know what came over me, but it looked good and I was not going to say no. It was delicious. It was decadent. It was warm and gooey and divine. Mmm.

Then I ate a tortilla chip. Then 2, 3. It all came to an end with a scoop of ice cream while watching a movie, caramel and salt. Omg. Heaven.

Lessons learned: 1. Cookies are yummy. And while ok some of the time, because life happens, they actually really give me a belly ache. Sugar tastes good but makes me crash and feel funky. 2. Corn is awful for me. The chips were salty goodness as was the dip I dipped them in, until an hour later when I seem to be gassy and convinced that the GMOs in corn are causing leaky gut. It’s amazing how sensitive I have become so quickly. 3. There is absolutely nothing wrong with ice cream. Nothing. It’s a sugary treat but seems to digest just fine for me. So while it’s not good for my waistline, I think it feels fine overall. Just a scoop.

I also had some mango purée for dessert after lunch and found that if you freeze smushed mango, it tastes like ice cream. Good news for us Miamians in June!

No additional updates. It was a cheat day. Data is contaminated. It happens!

PS- posted this peacock picture because I saw this guy walking in the front yard without any feathers. He molted and will grow a new tail over the next few months. He was kind of grumpy. Insistent. New beginnings for all. Maybe my cheat day was in solidarity, comfort food. This guy was hungry! He kept calling out to me (kind of like a "cluck cluck" ) to ask for more sunflower seeds.

[paleoneedleslinger]

Day 8 of the Paleo Zeitgeist The server at the Coconut Grove Bookstore cafe did not bat an eye when I ordered breakfast off menu- Paleo friendly scrambled eggs, chicken sausage, and a side of avocado. Paleo friendly energy bars sitting by the register- URawks are pretty satisfying by the way- and the same goes for ordering a lettuce wrapped burger, medium, no cheese. First shelf of the cookbook section in the photograph above. Paleo Zeitgeist- it's everywhere.

[paleoneedleslinger]

Day 7 of the Paleo Zeitgeist 

For me, work has been an overwhelming obstacle to sticking to the paleo diet and not starving in the process due to avoiding the inappropriate foods that are so available around the office.  As a healthcare professional I really should be better about eating consistently and ensuring I have enough energy throughout the day.  Some tips for your game plan:

1. Kefir is a good snack and has protein and probiotics.  Plus, they come in single portion 4-packs. Score! 

2. Kind bars seem to be Paleo as well, but mind the sugar content on some of the flavors. 

3. Must eat a breakfast with protein and bring fruit to work for snacking in the car or before lunch. 

Digestive update: Same as it ever was. 

Herbal supplement update: Continued HEEL Detox.  Began Bu Zhong Yi QI Tang

[paleoneedleslinger]

Day 6 of Paleo Zeitgeist Grass-fed ground beef sliders and sautéed zucchini fries.... Considering a class in food photography. Seems like an interesting way to see the world.

[paleoneedleslinger]

Day 5 Paleo Zeitgeist

The best Paleo thing that happened to me today. Julian Bakery is the place to get these. Marianna’s paleo tip today was to buy in bulk and freeze them. Take the time to separate the slices and place wax paper in between each slice before freezing and put the loaf back in the bag and in the freezer. A an extra step that saves money and your sanity in the long run.

[marinetq]

“What came first – the music or the misery? Did I listen to the music because I was miserable? Or was I miserable because I listened to the music? Do all those records turn you into a melancholy person?” ― Nick Hornby, High Fidelity

(via marinetq)

The making of a good compilation tape is a very subtle art, many dos and don'ts. First of all you are using someone else’s poetry to express how you feel. This is a delicate thing….. It takes ages longer than in might seem. Got to kick it off with a killer, to grab attention. Then, you take it up a notch, but you don’t want to blow your wad - so then you need to cool off a notch. There are a lot of rules.

My all time favorite movie…

[paleoneedleslinger]

Day 4 of Paleo Zeitgeist

First outing to a restaurant! Went with marinetq (see her blog above). Thanks for the Cusak quote... Paleo at a restaurant was an exercise in substitutions and smiling at the waiter. Had a filet of grilled Mahi Mahi (yay for Florida fresh caught fish!) and a side of plantain tostones. The best news all week is that Cuban style tostones are Paleo (yes okay they are fried, but they are fresh and local and for the love of God I had to substitute the rice that I love with something exciting…)

This filled me up for rest of the day. Power lunches are still possible on Paleo. Have yet to face the bread basket temptation. Feeling good overall. I used to think it was total BS when someone says “You won’t want carbs because you feel so good without them.” What? Carbs are manna from heaven for me! I do feel good though… So, beginning to believe that BS. Okay, drank the kool-aid on this one.

Digestive update: Feeling bloated when I eat meals without protein. As a former long-time vegetation, this is so weird. The transit time is still fast (2-3 hours) and not digesting well.

Herbal supplements update: Day 2 of HEEL Detox. Nothing to report. Considering beginning herbs to support digestive systems - Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang

[paleoneedleslinger]

Day 3 Paleo Zeitgeist

Feeling tired of cooking today since I have been trying to include my family in paleo eating and having to cook for 4 fussy eaters.  Made the Sage Turkey legs with a side of sautéed Spinach, almonds and currants and boiled some cassava for he healthy starch.  The Spinach recipe was delicious! The turkey legs cooked up nicely, but I realized that I just don’t like turkey.  This was a family consensus.  Next time will substitute chicken and try it again. 

I am feeling a bit off today and have cut back on coffee so the headaches are a slight annoyance, but will pass.  Began to crave sweet food and was stalking a Nutella jar with a tiger’s prance, but stopped and ate some dried apples and a fig. I can feel the sugar detox happening and am amazed how much I ate crackers and bread just out of boredom and laziness.  

I got home late and made a quick sautéed mushroom and egg scramble for dinner and another fig for dessert.  Feeling like I need to try the pumpkin pancakes very soon.  

Digestive update:

Feeling a bit weird today but the digestion seems normal so nothing too important to report. 

Herbal supplements: 

Day 2 of the Heel Detox, possibly feeling some detox symptoms too so am considering that a reason I am off. 

[paleoneedleslinger]

Day 2 of the Paleo Zeitgeist

Sunday is for resting, or perhaps cleaning out the pantry and the fridge. Began today with an egg and walnut pesto scramble, greek yogurt with blueberries, and a lavender kombucha.  This is the second day of my diet changing dramatically and I can honestly say that I do not miss carbs, yet. I even made tuna sandwiches for my family and was not tempted by the bread at all!  The high fat content of the coconut oil I am cooking with keeps me pretty satisfied, as well as the protein.  So far, this paleo diet is really easy to keep.  No calorie counting, some anal retentive label reading, and satisfying but healthy fat in the meals.  Today’s treat - fresh avocados from the tree outside.  Will post pictures tomorrow.  It’s Avo season! 

Notes:  

I will be positing digestive status updates to track how food is processing with each dietary shift.  So far - I think I am a bit sensitive to raw tomatoes and I am a little worried that I ate too much sweet potato because they seem to run right through with a short transit time.  Sweet potatoes are heavenly, so I am hoping its an adjustment period.  

Herbal supplement update: 

So far I have continued to take 4 drops of Oregano Oil with a tablespoon of Cascara sagrada in water during the evenings to help with bowel health.  Have also begun the HEEL Detox Kit today to help keep the Liver, Kidney, and Digestive tracts on point. 

[paleoneedleslinger]

[paleoneedleslinger]

Day 1 of the Paleo Diet Zeitgeist

Wow found out that rushing to work in the morning is highly detrimental to having enough food to get through the day.  Lovely start with a pre-packed greek yogurt cup with some berries and a lunch of leftover 100% grass fed beef sliders with rosemary and seasalt and Trader Joe’s frozen wild mushrooms.  Just when the hunger pangs set in over later afternoon my fabulous friend and patient Marianna Lopez invited me to her new apartment with a lovely bay view and cooked me this. Chicken thighs made with ghee and sea salt paired with a salad of supergreens, pumpkin seeds, avo, grape tomatoes, and EVOO. Marianna has been “eating clean” and mostly paleo for over a year now and is giving me the best time saving tips. Thank you Marianna for giving my first day a smooth entry… 

[paleoneedleslinger]

Getting ready to “go paleo!”

So I decided that I would begin this journey on arguably one of the most popular diets in Miami, Fl.  Going paleo.  The paleolithic diet, the caveman diet, the primal blueprint, ketogenics, these are all terms associated with the same concept of eating a diet that is based on a “hunter/gatherer” approach to identifying and securing a food source.  So, if I were a cave girl and could fashion a few baskets from palm fronds and collect berries in them, some coconuts, and maybe kill a rabbit with my sling  - I would be set. Right on!  I hear Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods are easier places to hunt and gather, so i am headed there.  I bought a NYT bestseller called “The Practical Paleo” by Diane Sanfilippo which has tear out guides for newbies like me. Thanks Diane! Tomorrow is my first day as a cave girl.  I need to buy a bone for my hair, and also to put in the soup.  Sweet.