Whole30: One Week Left!

I can see the finish line. I'm almost there. Except, I think I want to keep going!
I've got less than a week until my Whole30 experiment/Paleo challenge is up. It doesn't feel like a challenge or experiment anymore; it just feels like this is how I do things. I suppose that means that I've fully integrated these changes.

I am still seeking further improvements in my health (mainly in the areas of balancing my immune system and hormones and improving sleep quality) so this tells me that although this might be the finish line for others, my own finish line is still a lot further away, but that's ok. I'm going to keep refining and chipping away and not worry as much about not being there NOW! There's that saying about how you eat an elephant: one bite at a time.

So, here are the improvements I can report:
Overall, I feel better than when I started.

-I'm falling asleep easier (although I still get too much REM and not enough slow wave sleep- which can make you feel like you've barely slept)

-I feel a lot lighter. I've lost a few pounds and a whole inch around my navel. My pants fit normally again (whew!!) I can see some ab muscles peeking through. Suffice it to say I'm happy about that.

-My brain feels more clear. Hashimoto's is famous for fuzzing up your brain and making things go in one ear and out the other.

-I have a little more energy. I feel more motivated to get exercise instead of loafing around, despite it being winter (and cold and gray...)

-My skin is looking much healthier. I hit the point a few years back, after turning thirty, where my skin abruptly started aging. It was the same all through my 20's, so it was a rude surprise when it suddenly seemed to stop repairing itself like it always had and I began to get LINES (the horror!!) It's looking a lot better and younger now. I don't know if it's diet, supplements or the fact that I've been using new skincare products for a few weeks- I suspect it's all of the above.
I also had a weird little melasma patch (I suspect from estrogen dominance) on my forehead for the last year that's now fading.

I've been really glad that, despite all kinds of nasty illnesses going around, I've stayed well. I even managed not to get the flu from my friend, despite sitting next to her all night as she was coming down with it. I credit that to taking colostrum caps and a weekly prophylactic dose of Flu Guard and to not eating sugar (sugar is so bad for the immune system.)


When the week is up, I'll be adding my beloved Kerrygold butter back into my diet (I like the unsalted- it's lactic acid cultured) and maybe some occasional local grass-fed cream, but I'm sticking with the low dairy/low carb (and low stevia) diet. No point in teasing my taste buds too much when I'd rather just retrain them.

I may eventually experiment with "feast days" to tweak my metabolism and thyroid hormone conversion and I definitely plan on introducing more frequent intermittent fasts once my energy levels are up and my sleep quality improves. I'll keep you posted.


Here's to healthy changes and happy results!
-Erin