How I got moving again

The importance of getting active again

Recently, I increased my physical activities from gentle restorative to more vigorous forms and have seen improvement in my well being. These newly incorporated physical activities have helped increase my energy, brighten my mood and improve my stamina in only a short few weeks. I know, it's only logical that exercise will make people feel better right? Not always, for someone who manages a chronic health condition, too much exercise can easily trigger stress hormones and set one up for a flare. I had been struggling to find the right balance of exercise to support my healing but think I have found what works. If you are looking to add exercise to compliment your healing, I hope my process will give you some ideas to consider.

Energy

Everyone benefits from gentle restorative exercises, since my gut symptoms were so unpredictable, it was easy for me to remain in my comfort zone of rarely breaking a sweat. Don't get me wrong, in the past, my impatience have led me to exercise routines I wasn't ready for. Afraid that my spurt of energy was fleeting, I would push myself too hard when I had the urge to get active. This became a roller coaster ride that brought me down to a low until I reach a grinding hault. Feeling defeated, I would question my foolishness to hop on the exercise wagon without considering my current abilities. At this point I would slowly slip back to a sendentary lifestyle to avoid further stress on my body. Even with improvement, I was reluctant to increase exercises to a moderate level like going for longer walks or taking an exercise class. As my activity level stayed stagnant, my energy remained the same. In the dead of this past winter, hormonal changes got my attention with unexplained weight gain and big energy drop. I knew I had to make some changes in order to feel better. Through research on hormonal changes and weight gain, I drafted up a plan that began with slow and gradual changes. Before I got my heart pumping, I began to tweak my AIP diet by reducing carbs and increasing healthy fats ( post to follow). A few weeks later, I noticed my energy level slowly climbing up and remained steady throughout the day. I took that as the opportunity to increase my physical activities and hopefully get my groove back. Well, it worked! I started with 20 mins walks which extended to an hour 4 -5 days a week. The positive effect didn't take long to reveal even though I was taking it nice and easy with increasing the duration and frequency of my physical activities. Now, I am enjoying a steady progressive pace to improve my health through a sound phyicial routine.

Mood

Before I paid attention to getting more physical, there were many days when my head was filled with trepidation. Moving just wasn't always comfortable and the fear of needing to find a bathroom with little notice was always lurking in my mind. The restrictions of my chronic condition often led to mood swings and sadness. Since I found my exercise routine, I have a much better outlook of my future. I have learned not to force myself if I am tired and switch into “will tackle it tomorrow” mode when I have reached my limits. In fact, I am less anxious and frustrated with my limits and welcome my improving abilities to return.

Stamina

With my energy level improved and my mood perked up, I am able to better pace myself to tackle simple every day activities and set realistic expectations. Before I knew it, my stamina is following up the ladder of better health. After sheding my doubtfulness that plagued me in the past, I am better equiped to focus on strengthening my able body and move forward. I am happier.

The following are some of the activities I am practicing to add some fun and sweat into my day. Bear in mind that I do not practice all of these activities every day but it's certainly fun to have a variety of things to rotate and keep fit with. 

Yoga keeps my flexible, centered and calm. ( 3-4 times a week: 20 -30 mins per session )

There are many ways to include yoga in your daily routine, you can attend classes, develop a home practice through books, podcast and dvd.  I use yogadownload.com in my restorative style home practice usually to start my day or prepare for a good night sleep. I find using podcasts are easy to fit into my schedule especially when I am on the road.

Roller Skating is just pure FUN! ( planning on once a week )

Recently, I rekindled a childhood love by purchasing myself a sweet pair of teal velour roller skates with purple wheels. I fell in love with roller skating as a teen after watching the movie, Xanadu.  About 6 years ago, I had the urge to put on some wheels again but before my thought hatched into action, I got pregnant so I had to wait.  Now there are no excuses to wait and I look forward to getting my skater legs back while catching some vitamin D outside.

Belly dancing ( 5 days a week; 30 - 45 mins per session)

Like all forms of dance, Belly dancing is empowering through it's ability to ground me. I took a few classes in my 20s but it wasn't until the past couple years when I got back to it pretty full force. I took classes at my local community center and even got some private one on one lessons to refresh the "vocabulary" and techniques. I enjoy strengthening muscles without repetitive exercises. As a result, I am meeting my obliques for the first time and my arms and shoulders are more defined. Of course all the belly work improve digestion too. It also tap into my creative side with making cool costumes. These day I start my morning with a sweaty routine via daturaonline.com


Walk (4-5 days a week; 45- 60 mins per session)

Walking seems so easy to do for the healthy person, but for someone with IBD, it took me a long time to build the confidence to make this a regular practice.  My fear of not being close to a bathroom prevented me from going on walks for some time. Now that I am in remission, I go for a brisk 45 mins walk while plugged into my favorite audiobook or podcast. My favorite walking companion has been humorous audiobooks. Besides downloading from my local library via  Overdrive and OneClickDigital, Audible.com offers a great selection to choose from ( click here for free downloads). 

To track my progress, my friend at Movement Revolution recommended the MOVES app that tells me where and how far I have walked everyday. My other must haves on my walks are my new my bluetooth ear buds ( these are the ones I recently bought). I love the freedom of not having tangled wires and my five finger minimal runners that strength the over 100 muscles in my feet. 

Swimming (once a week; 30 mins)

I took enough swim lessons as a child to keep me afloat if I fell in the water, but it was watching my older son progress from a hesitant to a confident strong swimmer that inspired me to take a private lesson to brush up on my skills and technique. He is still the best swimmer in the house and I enjoy asking him for swimming advice which has brought us even closer. 

I love how swimming stretches my body like nothing else I practice. Floating weightlessly in the water relaxes me. Furthermore, swimming helps maintain my flexibility, build muscle strength and increase stamina all at the same time. 

In conclusion, I encourage you to revisit your childhood passion, embark on something you never had a chance to pursue to create your personal fun routine so that you can better your body and soul because you deserve feeling great. 

Dear Doctor

Have you ever been nervous about going to the doctor? How about meeting a new doctor for the first time? Well, those nerves are extra jumpy if you have a chronic condition because you never know if your visits will get you the kind of help you really need.

Several weeks ago, I got a phone call from my GI's office informing me that he has transferred all of his Ulcerative Colitis patients to a different GI in the same office and I had an appointment in April.  I had mixed feelings about the meeting because, firstly,  an appointment with a specialist was hard to come by so it can be a golden opportunity I did not want to pass. However, since I have self managed my UC in the past few years I am unsure what I need from this doctor. Secondly, I am also not in a flare. Another factor of my uncertainty is I have had little luck finding support from doctors in managing my UC in the past few years. With trepidation, I reached out to my fellow IBD friends for supports and received some valuable advice. So in preparation for this upcoming meeting, I decided to write the following letter to help me sort out my thoughts and ask for what I need to improve my health.

Dear Doctor, 


It is my utmost pleasure to meet you today. However I am a little nervous about our initial meeting because in the past,  I have been told by other doctors that either they were unable to help me or that my attempts to improve my chronic condition through lifestyle and diet was insufficient. Since I was diagnosed 3 years ago with Ulcerative Colitis,  I have managed to weather a few flares with minimal medical interventions. I credit my ability to maintain health to following the Paleo Autoimmune Protocol shortly after diagnosis. Since I have removed grains, nuts, seeds and nightshades out of my diet on this protocol,  my UC symptoms have stablized up until this past January when I started experiencing hormone imbalance with peri-menopause. I had been feeling more unexplained bloating and anxiety was quickly building up. With persistent research, a supporting Autoimmune community and a hopeful disposition, my symptoms seemed to have stabilized once again after a difficult February. 




What I am looking for today is, with your help, find the missing puzzle pieces in my plan. I have managed to navigate through my healing mainly by following my intuition and observing my changing body. I hope you will help me establish a clearer picture of my current baseline through specific blood work testing.

I would love to hear your suggestions for my intended purposes. With your compassion and medical expertise, I hope to gain a better understanding of my current state and continue to move forward in improving my health with more clarity. 

Sincerely, 


Astrid Fox

After writing this letter,  the weight lifted off my shoulders and I was much more confident about the meeting.

On the day of my appointment,  my new doctor's friendly greeting put me at ease right away. After sitting down at her office, she began to ask me about my IBD history. Without delay,  I handed her my letter and anxiously wait for her reaction. As she read it, she nodded in agreement and even commented on how many of her patients did well on Paleo. Wait! did I just find a doctor who speaks my language? The rest of the meeting went like a dream. We bounced around acronym like SCD, AIP, GAPS without pausing to see if the other person needed further explanation what these letters mean. She even gave me a handout about FODMAP. I left her office holding requisitions for testings I had asked for plus more.

We should not have to look for validation from others about our own healing path, but when you meet a medical professional who supports and even applaud your efforts to take charge in your health, it really feels good! I am quite proud of myself for taking my health in my own hands. I also realized that perhaps I am just practicing another  AIP Evolved Manifesto ideas from our friends at Autoimmune Paleo .

Reclaim your health one step at a time!

A Simple Guide to the Paleo Autoimmune Protocol Book Review and GIVEAWAY

>This blog post contains affiliate links. Click here to learn more what it means. 

Feeling overwhelmed with different styles of healing diets? If you have decided to commit to protect your most valuable lifelong investment, your health,  A Simple Guide to the Paleo Autoimmune Protocol by Eileen Laird can help you find a better understanding of how you can support your body's natural ability to heal through diet and lifestyle.

In this book review, I will share with you how this easy to read yet concise overview can benefit both beginning and experienced health advocates. This book can help beginners navigate through the seemingly complicated protocol and aid the more experienced in improving their established healing routine. No matter where you are on your healing journey, this guide can help you take better control of your health by embracing a healing lifestyle specifically regarding the Paleo Autoimmune Protocol.

Who is this book for?

Face it, Life is busy. If you have chronic health issues to deal with, making changes to heal your body and mind can be extra challenging. 

Enter Eileen's A Simple Guide to the Paleo Autoimmune Protocol to offer guidance for people looking to take control of their health and find alternative ways in heal.

For the beginners

This wonderful guide includes just enough details to help transition from the standard American diet, which is often filled with processed and inflammatory foods, to a nutrient dense whole foods healing diet without overwhelming the reader. In this book you will find useful step by steps, infographics like the food pyramid and grocery list to help transform your health.
It maybe obvious this book would be perfect for beginners but for someone who has already spend some time on the protocol, you can be reminded of how much you have achieved and feel a great sense of accomplishment. It is like a big pad on your back for taking health into your own hands.

How about for the experienced?

It maybe obvious this book would be perfect for beginners but for someone who has already spend some time on the protocol, you can be reminded of how much you have achieved and feel a great sense of accomplishment. It is like a big pad on your back for taking health into your own hands. 

Don't let the compact size of this book fool you

Eileen managed to pack all important details one needs to embark on the AIP journey in this book. The clean cover design also reflects sense of clarity inside the book. The welcoming cover leads you to a well written, easy and quick to read guide that is “small enough to carry around” with you for quick references when needed.

If you are familiar with Eileen's podcast Phoenix Helix, you will know the encouraging attitude she always delivery to her audience. Written in her signature positive tone as in her podcast, you will feel reassured and encouraged to take on this transition.

What I found most helpful in the book for my personal journey

Sometimes, we will feel like we are not in control with our environment when we are away from home especially traveling or when we are just faced with self doubt. I still find the following topics challenging and appreciate how Eileen touched upon them with tips on how to carry on even faced with uncertainty.

1. Eating at restaurants
2. Traveling on the AIP
3. Overcoming self sabotage

How has this book helped me?

This book came out just in time for my first Whole 30 with the AIP focus therefore giving me a good review of the AIP and helped me re-examine areas where I still need to tweak and improve upon. Having this book on my side, I am reminded of how much I have grown and changed since I started healing my body with food and lifestyle change. It has given me the confidence to continue finding the best supportive ways to manage symptoms and maintain optimal health with my chronic condition. 

Thank you always Eileen for sharing your knowledge, time and brimming passion towards healing!

---GIVEAWAY --- 

Here is how you can win a copy of this great book. 

One lucky winner will receive either
a hardcopy ( US winner ) or a PDF copy (international winner).  

Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Fragrant Rose Chai

>This blog post contains affiliate links. Click here to learn more what it means. 

Happy New Year to all my health advocates!

I wish you all good health and happiness for 2016. 

This morning, I woke up feeling a bit chilled and got inspired to warm myself up with a cup of floral yummy drink to start Monday and February off. I looked around my tea cupboard and came across my jar of rose petals. I have always loved the smell of rose essential oils but haven't included this delicate frequent flower in my cooking. The beautiful pink color of the dried roses inspired me to grab it and add it to my tea. A few stirs and simmer and the end result was this warming fragrant cup of Rose Chai tea. I have also used rose water to give this drink an extra punch of flavor. You can usually find rose water from Middle Eastern Food stores but if you are having difficulty finding it locally, here is an affiliate link you can order from. Remember Valentine's day is just around the corner and this warm drink would be a nice romantic treat for the special day.  

Makes 2 cups     Prep time 5 mins      Cook time 10 mins

Ingredients

• 1 tsp Rose water

• 5-6 rose blossom

• 1 tbsp organic rooibos tea

• 3-4 ginger slices

• sprinkle ground clove

• 1/8 t ground cinnamon 

• honey to taste ( optional ) 

• 2 cups water

• 1 Tbsp Collagen

• 1/8 - 1/4 c coconut milk ( I recently tried this tetrapak coconut milk from AROY D and loved the taste. )

Instructions:

1. In a small pot, add water, spices, tea and ginger and bring to boil then simmer uncovered for 10 mins
2. Pour tea through strainer into a mason jar, stir in remaining ingredients and add desired amount of coconut milk and serve.

Managing a flu/fever with a chronic illness

>This blog post contains affiliate links. Click here to learn more what it means. 

A few weeks ago, I was shivering under 5 heavy blankets with a fever.  While all bundled up in my bed, I thought back to the last time I was battling a flu.  It was about 2 years ago when I was early in my Colitis journey. I was hit with a stomach bug which eventually triggered a pretty bad flare. Since I was quite inexperienced with how to manage the newly diagnosed chronic illness, I was afraid to take any over the counter medication, I was even afraid to take any natural remedy like oil of oregano or garlic as they can also increase digestion symptoms, so I roughed it out by taking lots of Epsom salt baths. I remember even drinking water hurt my insides but I had to keep myself hydrated with coconut water. I had terrible hunger pangs from not eating for 5 days and ended up loosing a pound a day.

This time around I am more confident how to nurse myself back to health. I believe the year of being on AIP has really healed my gut. My body is much stronger to deal with seasonal sickness. Don't get me wrong, the fever was not fun! I slept most of my day. My children were worried as they watch me shiver but I assured them that I will be ok, whereas 2 years ago, I really didn't know how I would get myself out of the flu.

The million dollar questions about AIP is "how long does it take to heal?" I used to count how many months I was on the protocol, but I don't anymore. I just know that this is the right direction for me to continue to support my health. It is a lifestyle, not a diet.

Besides rest,  here are some of the home remedies I used to help speed up the recovery ( disclaimer: I am not qualify to give medical advice nor can I suggest medication even though the following are remedies )

• Cell salt: Ferr Phos can help with inflammation like fever in the body
• Epsom salt bath. 2 -3 times a day and I made sure to stay hydrated 
• I added Lavender and rosemary oil in my bath and in my diffuser. I am learning more about using essential oils to support my health so stay tuned for more. 
• I up my Vitamin C supplement to bowel tolerance. This means I increase dosage in small increments ( 250mg - 500mg) until I get loose stool. I have to be careful with this one as I don't want to trigger my UC symptoms
• I increase my Vitamin D supplements for a few days until I feel improvement
• LOTS of bone broth

I tolerate Astragalus well if the my cold and flu is a stubborn one. While I was researching for this post, I finally read up more about the TH1/ TH2 pathway dominance theory. There are a lot of information out there on this healing path and we don't assimilate the knowledge well until we are ready for it. I am finally ready to understand more about this theory. It looks like I am most likely ( not proven by testing )TH2 dominant according to the two links by Mickey Trescott listed below. 

Preventative measures 

The following are what I practice to ward off the germs

Oil pulling - removes bacteria/ viruses hiding in our mouths

Neti pot - removes bacteria/ viruses hiding in our nasal passage

Drink more hot teas - hot teas help loosen mucus

Getting enough Vitamin D
Again... bone broth! I find a 10-12 hours simmer works best for me, longer cook time can increase the histamine. This article from The Paleo PI explains why. 

Here is a great article from the Paleo mom about How long is it going to take to? Finding Patience with the AIP

These link shares Mickey Trescott at The Autoimmune Paleo's explanation on the Th1/ TH2 pathway
http://www.thepaleomom.com/2013/01/guest-post-by-mickie-trescott-what-is-the-role-of-th1-and-th2-in-autoimmune-disease.html
 http://autoimmune-paleo.com/cold-and-flu-remedies-for-the-autoimmune-sufferer/

If you are fighting a flu I hope you feel better soon. Get lots of rest and stay hydrated and if you try any of the remedies on my list, let me know which ones helped.

AIP/ Paleo in Vegas

My hot yoga balcony studio

I am finally sitting down to finish off my Vegas travel post after listening to Phoenix Helix's podcast on Paleo Travels. If you haven't listened to it, I highly recommend you do even if you don't have a trip planned in the near future.

I was a bit apprehensive about this trip to Las Vegas mid August. Firstly, it was the first flight travel since my diagnosis; packing my kitchen in the van for a road trip is easier than condense packing that involved security checks and liquid limitations. Secondly, I wasn't sure how I would take to the extreme hot desert temperature. Thirdly, we were there for work ( tradeshow time ) so it was easier and cheaper to stay on the strip and not rent a car. I was unsure where I would buy fresh produce. However,  my excitement to be traveling sans children for the first time - EVER overcame all my distresses. 

What I packed: the million dollar questions for AIPers

Beside the usual canned and dried goods ( canned smoked oysters, plantain chips, coconut apple bars ), I cooked up this seared ahi tuna, broccoli and purple yam meal and packed it in a cooler bag to eat on the plane. Luckily, I wasn't hungry on the flight so I ate part of this as my late dinner at the hotel. Note the children utensils for airport security purpose?

I haven't been to Vegas for probably 7 years so when my husband said that he would books a nice hotel because I was coming, I didn't know what to expect. To my delight, we stayed at the Cosmopolitan which were originally built as apartments so the rooms had a fridge, dishwasher and microwave. The fridge part was already filled with overpriced beverages but there was room in the freezer to put my food. The tuna lasted well in the freezer as I snacked on it over the course of my stay. To prevent temptation I covered the tray "moment of weakness" candies and snacks on the counter with a towel. I also pre-made and froze some of Kaiku lifestyle's plantain pancake as another source of AIP carbs. 

Testing the heat

I start my day with hot yoga on the balcony. The reason why people pay more money for hot yoga classes is because the heat makes you more flexible and bendy. 20 minutes later and I was sweating.

Then I went to the pool for a dip, I was the only person in the oddly shaped pool trying to do some form of laps.

After I cleaned up,  I made my way to the trade shows to meet my husband. If you have been to Vegas, you will know how every hotel looks so much closer than the seem.  You can usually see the hotel you are heading to but because they are so big, you still have be walk at least 15 mins. I was sure glad I packed my snacks for the tradeshow because their prices for fruits was crazy - a banana or apple was $5US. In the evening, I was pleased to find a little market place where I bought some fresh produce at decent prices for the rest of our stay.

Here are a couple dinners I had on the Strip.

Taro chips mushroom avocado ceviche appetizer at Carson Kitchen. I gave the cherry tomatoes to my husband.

BBP ( Bobby' Burger Palace ) - burger on salad greens, again hubs got the tomato 

For lunch on our last day in Vegas, we tried the buffet at the Wicked Spoon. Here is the true test how I fare with all the food.  - selective, not quantity but quality. Meats, Roast beef, house cured bacon, crispy pork, smoked salmon, carrot mango ginger lime juice, gluten free dessert

Grilled salmon

Being very cautious with my selection

smoke salmon

Carrot, ginger, mango juice

My Five finger shoes stood up to the test

So how did I do with all my initial concerns about this trip?

On the Strip with no car? No problem as I was prepared with compliant food, I was not bothered with walking as long as I stayed hydrated and look for shade if I am out in the sun. I think the extra Vitamin really powered my body.

Food? The heat actually decreased my appetite, with the extra activities like pool time, tradeshow and  just plain experiencing this surreal city, I ate less. And I did find some normal priced produces while we were off the strip. The buffet wasn't as scary an experience as I imagined. Just because it was there, doesn't mean I had to eat it. I really enjoyed the foods I chose and went back for seconds. 

How did this trip improve my health? My body really benefitted from the sunlight and heat, I am unsure whether my body reacts to heat differently comparing to before but the extreme heat seems to be what my body loves. I joked that I will become a leather faced retiree living in Palm Spring. This was such a great little recharge getaway. Don't get me wrong, I love my kids but being able to just focus on myself and my husband is a real treat for any parent once in a while. All I focused on was getting enough water and how to get to my next destination - the simple joy on wonder!

Sweet Beets and Plantain burger patty

Restaurants usually add a lot of sugar in their food to improve taste and make them addictive. Here I am using naturally sweet vegetables like beets and ripe plantain to make these AIP low FODMAP burger patty as irresistible as the ones in dining out meals. Hope you like it!

Makes 12 patties  Prep time 15 mins  Cook time 10 mins

Ingredient

• 2 lbs ground pork ( pastured raised are best ) 
• 3/4 lbs ground beef ( pastured raised are best ) 
• 1 small beet root ( golf ball size ), peeled and cut into quarters
• 1 medium ripe plantain, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
• 1 leek ( greens only for lowFODMAP), clean and cut into 1" sections
• 1 tsp sea salt ( I used pink himalayan salt)
• 1/4 tsp AIP 4 spice mix or cinnamon
• Frying fat of your choice ( I used coconut oil here) 

Method

1. Put all cut vegetable ( except plantain )  into food processor and pulse into ( roughly rice size ) small pieces,  add plantain last, ripe plantain will make mixture into a paste. 
2. Mix in salt and spice/ cinnamon
3. Empty mixture into large bowl and hand mix in ground meats, you can also stir with wooden spoon or use a masher
4. Heat frying pan on medium heat, add fat
5. Form mixture into 2-3" patty size and fry until cook ( 3 - 5 mins each side) Keep in mind that the Beets will make it more reddish so it might be safer to cook longer. The vegetable keeps it moist and tender. 
6. Serve with your favorite sides or double portion and freeze exta.