How has my project "Healing leaky gut" actually gone? This is my evaluation of "Healing Leaky Gut: Days 1-30 (Jan 4-Feb 3)".
Before the project started, I wrote, among other things:
"It will first be 30 strict days, when my focus will be to eat food that is nutritious as well as anti-inflammatory. This includes eliminating soy, dairy, eggs, caffeine and nuts from my diet and then one by one testing and reintroducing them again during February, but only if my body allows. The goal is to try to understand which of the eliminated products doesn't work for me, i.e. to try to understand what it is that gives me inflammation and a leaky gut. Description in detail of this method will come in a later blog post."
"My personal goals with this project are to start feel better and have more energy, giving my body a break from inflammation triggers while giving myself a fresh start. I also want to feel more inspiration when I step into the kitchen to prepare food."
"My ambition is to create a menu easy to follow and that even children, the clock and the wallet appreciate".
"I'm going to do this project openly and share recipes and experiences along the way - more on my thoughts on what this could or should lead to in a later blog post".
"I will keep you updated several times a week on how things are going".
"I want to test how much change I will notice by changing my diet without buying a lot of supplements".
"During the course of the project: 'Healing Leaky Gut' you will understand more about why and how I work to build health from the inside out".
Those of you who have followed me during the project have been able to see, day by day, exactly what I have been eating for a whole month. I have been very ambitious and can freely admit that I have not cheated once! There has been a lot of protein and fat along with vegetables, fruit and berries. No sugar, no junk food, no caffeine! Almost everything I've eaten has been organic and I've chosen my ingredients carefully. During day 1-30 I eliminated the following from my diet:
- Grains containing gluten (I've already been gluten-free for over 3.5 years, so pretty simple)
- Nuts
- Dairy products
- Starch (potatoes and rice)
- All vegetable oils except avocado and olive oil
- Soy products
- Nightshades (e.g. tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant)
- Eggs
- Cocoa
- Alcohol
- Tobacco (is tobacco free, so very simple!)
- Legumes (such as peas, beans and lentils)
- Caffeine
- Sugar (but not fructose)
Despite eliminating so many different ingredients and foods, I have managed to create a menu that is varied, exciting to prepare and eat, and very tasty!
The first thing that happened when I started the project was that I got a terrible stomach ache! Not quite as I planned of course. After a few days it became clear that it was coconut products I was reacting to and when I removed those too it got much better.
I also noticed quite early on, that a lot of planning was needed to make the diet work in practical terms. It was always a matter of being one step ahead and knowing when, where and how to prepare the food. Many of the dishes I chose to prepare were completely new to me and my family. There were some real flops, but otherwise my project "Healing Leaky Gut" is very much appreciated by the family, as long as they can eat rice, gluten-free pasta, potatoes or gluten-free bread with their meals.
I also realized after a few days that it was not possible to cook breakfast, lunch and dinner in one day. So it became breakfast smoothies of various kinds every morning, then reheated food from the day before for lunch and something new and exciting for dinner every day. I cooked many portions for dinner, so that there would be enough for everyone's lunchboxes the following day.
I can't really evaluate with certainty whether it has become more expensive or cheaper to follow this strict diet. Even before the project started, we were eating very good, gluten-free organic food. Since I cooked all the food myself this month, the cost of eating out decreased while the cost at the grocery stores increased. So I'd say it's about plus minus zero.
My personal goals with the project have been met! I feel I have got a new start, more energy and I feel better. However, I wish I didn't have to be in the kitchen 7 days a week... I have come a long way in rebuilding my health in a short time (30 days is a short time) by "just" changing my diet. When it comes to rebuilding health, you have to remember that we all have different starting points and the goals can also vary.
I have been updating the website daily for a month. This was extremely time consuming, but I will be using the material in the future in my work as a coach and I hope that the recipes and the project itself will inspire more people to do the same as I did (and still do). And I also hope that it is easier to understand how I work and what I work with after following me in this project. I want everyone to understand that it is possible to build your health from the inside out. That is one of my biggest goals in my work as a coach! And I want everyone to know that there is help available when you don't quite know where to start!
Background information on the project can be found in my recent series of articles:
- What is a leaky gut? part 1
- Do I have a leaky gut? part 2
- Why do I have a leaky gut? part 3
- How do I heal my leaky gut? part 4
During day 31-60 of the project: "Healing Leaky Gut" I will reintroduce a large part of the eliminated foods. You can read more about how this will happen and how I will react to it in my next update.
See you soon!