After getting the results of my food sensitivities, I was a little frustrated. There are zero things that I have an IgG or IgA sensitivity to. If it’s not food that affects my digestion, what is it?! How can I fix a feeling? Fortunately, my nutritionist understands my frustration and provided me with some answers. The primary cause of everything is my stress and adrenals. I never really understood just how much stress can really impact every part of your life. It’s not that I have more or less stress than anyone else (I volunteer, I know what real stress looks like, and my life is a complete blessing), but it’s that I do not manage it well.
I’ve been an insomniac for as long as I can remember, I need to plan a very detailed plan farther in advance than anyone would need, I overexert myself expecting perfection. It’s easy to see why I would drain myself, and those around me. So where do I go from here? Sure she can tell me to take Rhodiola to have a more positive and healthy response to stress, or Isagenix supplements to help with energy, brain function, and alertness, which also help the adrenals. But what I really need to do is something only I can do for myself.
I’ve spent oodles of time researching the concept of “stress management” and how different people react, symptoms, causes, etc. Somehow, all signs have pointed me back to what I first sought out to do in the first place, which was follow The Woman Code. Planning out intense dietary restrictions was not only stressful because of the time commitment and remembering to plan ahead, but the financial stress of it was more overwhelming than I ever imagined. Though the AIP diet was supported by my nutritionist, it also was not her main concern. I can go back and try that later, but for the time being, focusing peace of mind and relaxing are where I need to begin.
As soon as my half-marathon training is over (SATURDAY!), exercise will ease up a bit. So some main things I need to start incorporating are yoga, walks instead of high-intensity running, sleeping, more of listening to my body when it needs a break, and eating the “OK” foods on the nutrition page. I followed Alisa’s plan for over a month and everything was functioning great and I was feeling a constant happy for the first time in as long as I could remember. As soon as I tried something more intense, during a rough period, it caused more of an opposite reaction. When I decided to quit the AIP, I gave myself permission to enjoy the foods that I had been without for so long. Not the way to go, my friends!
Going from eating VERY clean to very Unclean is detrimental! I have now had to restart at all and feel quite a bit at the beginning. That’s okay with me, because I gave myself a break. This is crucial to starting over, and crucial to success. Alisa is very understanding that sometimes we’ll have that bite of cake, or a cookie, or a piece of cheese. But the overall goal is to follow the Woman Code in as much of your everyday life as you can. I have started this back up for a few days now, and already can feel my body so much happier. Has it been hard to go back to healthy eating after I had created these unhealthy habits? Absolutely. But remembering how good I had felt is important to my success – it’s worth it to me to get back there. So let’s get back to recipes that enjoy the finer things in life – tomatoes, eggs, and beans!
Remember, having support is key to anything, but sometimes what you have to listen to above all else is yourself. If your body isn’t reacting positively, it’s probably not right for you. If you aren’t noticing positive changes, it might not be the right time. No one else can tell you, you have to be able to listen to your gut (pun intended… but really, your gut affects everything, and everything affects your gut! It’s important!).
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