Figuring Out Positive Psychology for Cateepoo

I recently listened to a podcast on "positive psychology".  This was a new concept to me, but it has been whirling around in my mind and forced me to take a good look at myself....again.

The last three years or so, my mind has felt a little out of whack.  I added to my work schedule and was stressed out for a while, so that seemed an easy answer to the problem. I reduced my stress and reorganized my schedule to fit my needs better, but things still didn't feel completely aligned. My take away from the positive psychology podcast was that I need to look at my past, especially the parts of my past that were successful and build on those times. In doing so, I had two revelations.  One, I have become a podcast addict.  There.  I said it.  It's true. With large amounts of time in the car, I have been filling every minute with constant noise rather than letting my mind have some quiet down time as I did in the past and really need. Two, I have been listening to what these podcast "experts" think I should eat and how I should live my life rather than listening to myself, the true expert on Cateepoo.

After figuring out what has changed for me, I had to ask myself, "Why?".  The majority of the podcasts I listen to are Paleo related. I started the Paleo diet almost four years ago because it fits well with how I feel about food and life in general. It highly recommends buying local, organic, and free range food which I have been doing more of for the last 10-11 years.  The diet/lifestyle promotes eating fresh whole foods - minus grains, legumes, and dairy, putting the focus on meat, vegetables, and fruits. Movement is encouraged, especially lifting weights. Since I tend to want to know all there is about the philosophies I believe in and have tons of time in the car, it makes sense that I started listening to a variety of Paleo podcasts.

I  believe in the philosophy of this lifestyle and hope to continue making it more of a part of my life.  In order to do so, I need to make some changes. To me, the Paleo lifestyle is all about simplifying your life and finding balance. (A little humorous since it seems like I have become less balanced.). So first, I need to reduce the number/amount of time I spend listening to podcasts.  There is an enormous amount of information out there as this movement grows and develops.   There are blogs, books, and podcasts in ever growing numbers.  I sometimes feel my brain is bombarded with information, especially as many people are making this their living and constantly promoting themselves. There is a lot of fantastic information out there, but there comes a point when it is too much to consume.  I realized this while listening to the podcast on positive psychology. I have to go back to the days when I got in my car after work, left the radio off, and just had time to decompress rather than right away taking in more information.

In addition to spending way too much time listening to podcasts,  I have been spending too much time taking the advice of all the Paleo pod-casters I listen to.  Sure, a lot of them have fantastic information, but not when it sacrifices me listening to myself. Calm minded Cateepoo of the past listened to her own advice.  I have been allowing the "experts" to dictate what type of food to eat (I enjoy a little rice a few days a week), sleep to get (I love sleep and get as much as I can, but with crazy schedules, my priority is seeing my family), and exercise to get rather than doing what comes best for me - listening to myself.  An example of this is that I had stopped doing some of my cardio workouts because the host on this same podcast repeats in every podcast that it isn't good for us. "Lift weights and sprint. Avoid cardio."  That is the message heard over and over.  I like lifting weights, but honestly I hate sprinting so I don't do it.  It isn't enjoyable to me and it hurts my knees.  Wanting to go back to what worked in the past,  I found some cardio type workouts similar to what I did in the past and instantly my mind felt clearer.  My energy levels increased.  I look forward to working out. I even look forward to moving more during the day. Research and case studies that are shared on these podcasts are great, but when it comes down to it, I know myself better than anyone else. I am the expert on Cateepoo. This is how I have lived my life as a homeschooling mother and how I have dealt with my rheumatoid arthritis.  It only makes sense to be the expert in all areas of my life.

Once again I want to let my mind have time to rest after work.  I want to take my morning walk without earbuds so that I can listen to the birds, the wind, and other outdoor noises again. I want my mind to be clear so that when my husband or children laugh or want to share something with me, I have the room in my mind to listen.  My mind has felt like it is overflowing with information.  It is time to slow it down and go back to listening to my internal voice rather than the voices of  ten different podcasters that feel they know what is best for me.

I like the idea of positive psychology.  It makes sense to build on what has made me successful.  I know that eating well, reducing my stress, exercising/general movement, quiet time alone and with family are what works for me.  My mind is doing a happy dance as it realizes it is once again listening to the one person who knows what is best for it- me!

Diet for Rheumatoid Arthritis More Than Just a Cure

There is a lot of discussion on blogs, websites, and Facebook pages about the connection between rheumatoid arthritis and diet.  Many people try a gluten free diet for a month or two and then deem it useless and move on.  Some people remove processed foods for a while and then decide it takes too much work. Others say diet is a waste of time.  Making dietary changes is hard, I agree. But whether or not diet "cures" rheumatoid arthritis, I believe it is one of the best gifts you can give yourself when dealing with RA.

My own personal journey with rheumatoid arthritis and diet has not led to a cure of the disease as I originally hoped for.  Instead it has allowed me to focus on how my individual body reacts to foods.  It has improved my skin, my digestion, weird twitches in my nose and fingers, and more. This did not happen by eliminating a food for a short time - I was lucky to work with a naturopath who insisted I eliminate foods until I saw some obvious changes.  After eliminating wheat, dairy, nightshades, citrus, sugar, and peanuts and focusing on making all of my own food for about nine months, my inflammation rates went down and I was able to stop taking prednisone that I had been on for a while.

Initially I focused only on diet as a way of lowering my inflammation rates, but once I started eating well, I found I had a new respect for my overall self.  I started digging deeper into who I am.  What were my life goals?  My relationship goals?  My spiritual goals?  What was preventing me from accomplishing what I wanted in each of these areas?  I started meditating and respecting my need for lots of down time.  I started working out in a new way using more weights than cardio workouts.  I found that I like having a strong body.  I worked on relationships.  I cried a lot as I worked at finding a better, more content me.  With each of these changes, I found that my body felt better.  Diet gave me control over my life at a time that it seemed everything was out of my control.  It was the first step towards creating a better me.

Many times when living with a disease such as rheumatoid arthritis we ask, "Why me?"  We get angry at people for not understanding how we feel or saying the wrong thing to us.  But what if we took our current situation, rheumatoid arthritis, and focused on it as being a lesson in life that has been given to us not only to make us a healthier person but also to make us a more content person?  While I may not be able to stop a flare, I do know from paying attention to my own body that by reducing stressful situations, I can prevent many of them.  I know that consuming too much sugar is going to give me stiff hands the following morning.  I can become aware of the day to day signs my body gives me that I am not treating it well.

Diet is a starting point to making our overall selves healthier.While I don't think rheumatoid arthritis is a punishment for anything we have or haven't done in our lives, I do believe it is gift that has many lessons to teach us.  I also believe that diet can be the first step towards giving ourselves the respect and attention it deserves.  Once we figure out that eating crap day after day is not what our body is asking us for, we can move on to figuring out more of what our body does want from us.

Right now my weight is up about 15-20 pounds.  Maybe that doesn't seem a lot, but on a 5'0 frame, it makes a huge difference and I don't feel happy where I am at right now aesthetically, but more importantly because I know that the extra weight does not create a healthy me.  Rather than hurrying to reduce calories and lose weight, I am focusing on why I have an extra 15-20 pounds of weight on my body right now. What is the lesson here?  I trust in the wisdom of my body and my body is holding onto this weight for a reason.  It is my job to get to the root of it.  I still have much to learn about myself and this extra weight I am carrying around is just another reminder to me that I have work to do. As I do good things for myself like skip the glass of wine that sounds so good or pack a nutritious lunch for a busy day, I know that I am not only controlling my weight but also treated myself with respect. I feel lucky that my body gives me signs something is out of whack and I am glad that I listen.  Without diet, I don't think I would be to this point. So, while it may not cure the disease, diet definitely has an important place in our rheumatoid arthritis treatment plan.  It makes life easier and transitions us to learning more about ourselves which in turn makes us happier and healthier.

Paleo/Primal Diet: Does it Help Rheumatoid Arthritis? - Health Central

There is often controversy as to whether or not diet is helpful in treating rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases. Many folks believe there is absolutely nothing to what you consume while others believe it is what will save them. After years of trial and error with diet, I am no longer convinced it is going to save me from rheumatoid arthritis, but I definitely believe it plays a huge part in how I feel.

To read the rest of this post and other great posts on rheumatoid arthritis, please visit Health Central.

115/36/44

This Saturday marks my 44th year of life! Wow! 44 years old. I know most women my age choose not to share their real age, but I am proud to be 44. I am proud to be exactly where I am right now.

When I was 36 years old I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. At 36, my body quickly went from being an active mom with young kids to a woman who physically felt like a 70+ year old woman. I struggled to get out of bed each morning and often required the assistance of my children to help  me undress at night.   

Looking back now I can see where rheumatoid arthritis was slowly showing its face. I remember working out and thinking, “I must not have stretched enough because my knee is really sore.” However, the symptoms that lead me to getting a rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis and began the roller coaster of pain and stiffness in my body began with my fingers. I went to bed and woke up several times throughout the night unable to move my fingers. They would swell up. I was confused. I kept trying to think back over my days to see if I could figure out what I had done to make my fingers so sore.

I rarely go to the doctor but something told me my sore fingers weren’t right. My family physician gave me a prescription which I took and within ten days I was back in his office because the prescription wasn’t helping. In fact, I felt worse. He put me on prednisone.  My family physician isn’t one to wait on sending me to a specialist so an appointment with a rheumatologist was scheduled for four months into the future.

What I remember the most about the four months of waiting for my appointment was the quick decline my body went through. Paperwork from the rheumatologist’s office was sent as soon as the appointment was scheduled and I dutifully filled everything out right away. When my appointment time arrived, I reviewed all the symptoms and remember feeling extreme panic at where I now was. The pain and swelling was no longer confined to my fingers but I now could barely walk on my feet because the balls were so swollen. I could no longer skip down the stairs but instead took each one step by step. I found myself in tears each morning when I couldn’t open the coffee canister. I was tired. I was scared.

I have now lived with rheumatoid arthritis for almost eight years. Initially I took the medication route only. When my symptoms continued to worsen, I saw a naturopath and began an elimination diet. Working with a naturopath allowed me to wean off prednisone and cut back on my Methotrexate. I went into remission for a few years. Then I came out of remission in 2008 and went off all medications for two years. The two years I experimented without drugs and focused only on alternative methods were a tough  couple of years. However, I would repeat those years in a heartbeat. They were years that allowed me to really focus on where I want to be with this disease and most importantly to understand and accept that although I do have control over my feelings, the stress in my life, and the way I eat, I don’t have control over the flares that come as they want. August of 2010, I started on Enbrel and also tweaked my diet again by eliminating all grains, not just the gluten free ones. This last year has been amazing for me. Although I definitely still feel signs of RA in my body, I feel that my RA is managed.

I will be 44 years old this Saturday. I want to brag about my age because I went from feeling good as a 36 year old woman to feeling like a 70+ year old woman within months. After that experience, going back to 44 seems like a dream most people would kill for.

This last year has been good to me, but I have also been good to me. I know that the gift of health I have been given again is not something to be taken lightly. I know that it is a gift that can be taken away from me again at any moment and I have to live this life in the moment I have now. I have been eating in a way that not only feeds me but more importantly nourishes me. I eat grass fed cuts of meat, eggs, organic veggies and a few nuts and fruits here and there. I have returned to activities like bike rides with my family and long nature walks with my border collie that provide both fun and calm for me. I have even completed several rounds of P90X with my husband. I have uncluttered my life of many activities and people that bring stress rather than peace of mind. I have taken time to treat myself well and the results are amazing. So, on this World Arthritis Day, I feel proud to be where I am with my rheumatoid arthritis, proud of the accomplishments I have made along this journey, and excited to see where my 44th year of life takes me.

For more information about rheumatoid arthritis, check out RA Guy's 60 Second Guide To RA.

*Numbers from title: 115 = weight at onset of ra, 36 = age at onset of RA, 44 = current age

Pull-Ups: My Body Never Ceases to Amaze Me

Life has been a little busy and it has taken a toll on both Steve's and my energy sources, so we chose to take about three weeks off from working out to let our bodies have time to rejuvenate themselves.  We started back this week, but this morning Steve wasn't able to join me.  So, I decided to try something I have been wanting to do for a while now but was a little afraid I would never be able to do - pull-ups.  Generally I use the resistance band while Steve does pull-ups, but after checking out Everyday Paleo's tips on doing pull-ups, I decided to give them a try and I did them!  I didn't do a lot, but I did several and it feels great!!!  My body and mind are both jumping for joy at this new little feat.

My body never ceases to amaze me.  It always keeps working to get stronger and perform better.  Thank you body!

A Few Cool Blogs and More to Gluten Free Diet Than Just Eliminating Gluten

This week I found a couple of cool new sites that motivated me mentally, nutritionally, and physically:

I learned about Mission Possible with Jenna Phillips on a podcast with Jimmy Moore of Livin' La Vida Low Carb.  Jenna has a wonderfully optimistic view of being lucky.  As a high school student she suffered a major accident that left her in a coma with head injuries and was also diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes.  Read her biography here.  I think that reading stories of success, whether with RA or not, is exactly what I need to hear.

Also on a podcast of Livin' La Vida Low Carb, I learned about the blog of Cate's Nutrition Kitchen.  This gal is full of energy and fun.  Check out her blog for tons of nutrition advice.

What I liked most about each of these blogs is that these young women listened to and respected their bodies enough to make changes that helped them to not only survive, but to nourish their entire beings.  This is what probably most draws me to the paleo lifestyle in general.  Whole Foods are considered one of the most important aspects of a healthy lifestyle but so are being environmentally conscious, getting plenty of sleep, exercising, allowing time in your life to play, spending time with family, relaxing, and finding your passions.  It is everything wrapped up into one beautiful complete package.

Now for a rant on gluten free diets. Early last week I woke up with a text message that said, "Nightline on TV now talking about safety of gluten free diets.  Long term loss of Vitamin B and calcium."  Immediately I was frustrated, not with the text sender, but with what I expected to find on the show's segment.  It was pretty much as I expected.

The show portrayed switching to a gluten free diet as a fad that is not necessarily helpful and might even be harmful.  They mentioned losing out on certain vitamins and minerals by switching to a gluten free diet because one was no longer receiving the benefits of fortified foods.  Hmmm.....why do I need fortified foods when there are tons of whole real foods that provide those for me?

What you will find in following a paleo lifesytle and the blogs of the above mentioned women is that to be truly healthy and environmentally conscious, we can't switch from a standard American diet of sugar and processed foods and assume a "gluten free" diet of sugar and processed foods is going to magically make us healthier.  In fact, this assumption makes me very frustrated as does all the easily accessible "gluten free" processed foods that are now available and thought of as "healthy".  When I eat an occasionally gluten free pizza from our local pizza place, I have no delusions that I am choosing to eat junk food that night. "Gluten free" doesn't make it healthy although hoosing a gluten free pizza over a regular gluten pizza does for me make the consequences of eating junk food less severe, but it is still junk food.

For many of us who have chosen to eliminate gluten from our diets, we have done so very consciously.  Removing gluten has only been a small part of the changes we have made.  We have removed gluten as well as all the processed foods that it is in and instead replaced it with real whole foods like tons of organic veggies,good fats, grassfed meat, and free range eggs.  We make almost all of our own meals so that we can ensure that our food is nourishing us rather than robbing us of energy and nutrients. There a quite a few of us out here who are not going to our local Whole Foods, as shown in the Nightline segments, and filling our basket with processed gluten free cookies, pasta, cereals, breads, and cakes.  Instead we are filling our grocery carts full of a variety of veggies (if they haven't been purchased from a CSA or a farmer's market), coconut oil, avocados, meats, teas, and other foods that nourish us and will make fantastic tasting meals.

There are of course many "gluten free" folks who have moved from one terrible diet to another terrible diet only "gluten free" style. That doesn't represent all of us who have gone "gluten free" and I felt frustrated that a gluten free diet was only presented as a junk food diet when a lot of us are spending quality and quantity time in our kitchens making meals and out meeting our local farmers to ensure that all of our nutritional needs are met through real foods rather than through fortification, vitamins or other processed means.  Seeing a "gluten free" diet portrayed as another fad diet that is basically a diet full of processed food is an insult to many of us who have overhauled our entire way of thinking about food.   



     

Spotlight on ME: Can You Say Similar?

Thanks so much to Lyda at I Don't Know.....It's a Mystery for spotlighting me on her blog today.  It is a huge privilege to be a part of her blog.  I was drawn to her blog due to her rheumatoid arthritis and paleo style of eating and have grown to love everything about her.  We definitely do share a lot of things in common which is why I love visiting her blog.  If you haven't discovered her blog yet, be sure to check it out.  It is full of optimism, something I can't get enough of everyday.   Thanks for giving me a good supply Lyda!

Happy Where I am Right Now

I think one of the things that has helped me the most in healing this last year is that I have finally stopped worrying about everything.  When I was first diagnosed in 2004, my biggest fears were deformed joints and not being able to get out of bed by myself.  Although those two fears stayed with me for many years, I also added on the fear of the side effects of medications, fear the pain would never end, fear of eating because the food I put into my body might be causing more inflammation, and fear that if I take medications they may not work long term. (There were more, but these were the main ones.)

Last year at this time I was in deep turmoil trying to decide what path to take next with my rheumatoid arthritis which was also controlling the rest of my life.  I talked with close friends, I visited my naturopath, I meditated, and finally I came to the conclusion that  I was spending so much time trying to be healthy that I was adding a lot of stress to my life.  Stress is very harmful to our joints.  When I decided to give medications a chance again, I remember this huge burden being lifted from my body. 

When I picked up my first prescription of Enbrel, my sister Stacey was visiting.  I started crying when we left the pharmacy.  She thought it was because I was scared of the medication.  It wasn't that.  I knew that my life was about to change.  It was about to change because I had a strong sense that the medication was going to help.  This sense came from many places.  Mostly, it came from me finally accepting my situation.  It was accepting that the medications may have a place in my life to help me and it also came from my decision to stop worrying about everything.  I remember when the decision to take medications was complete in my mind I also had decided on following the paleo diet which allowed me a lot more freedom in my food choices than I was doing previously, it completely fit into my food politics,  and I decided at that moment that I would allow myself to "cheat" on foods when it felt right for me as long as it remained gluten free. (I find this funny now because since making the choice to give myself a break with food, I have actually eaten better than ever before.  Feeling like I can't eat certain foods makes them so much more desirable.)  I also stopped worrying about deformities and decided to look at them as trophies of the strength I have each day to deal with whatever life throws at me.  I don't worry so much about the side effects of medications because I know that I am treating my body the best I can with good food choices and a relaxed mindset.

I was right when I picked up my Enbrel prescription.  My life has changed this last year.  I am active.  I am strong.  I am happy.  I know Enbrel plays a large part in this change but I also think a lot of the change comes from not being so hard on myself to save myself.  This last year I have let a lot go in my life that wasn't serving me any longer.  I have allowed myself to share meals with friends and family without freaking out inside.  I have focused on the beauty of who I am rather than what may become of me.  I have really spent time this year focusing on the moment by taking the time to laugh, to hug, and to just be.  It has made a huge difference not only in my rheumatoid arthritis symptoms but in my overall life. 

This journey of mine with rheumatoid arthritis has definitely had some ups and downs and I have no delusion that path will continue, but in the meantime, I just want to enjoy each and every day I have of feeling good.  I appreciate my naturopath, all my blogger friends, personal friends,and family that helped guide me to the decisions I made last summer because I am really happy with where I am now.      

The Best Thing That Can Happen To Me Is Happening Right Now

Deepak Chopra says, “The best thing that can happen to me is happening right now." Now that my rheumatoid arthritis inflammation has calmed down and my body is able to do so much, it is easy to believe in this philosophy.  When I feel good my whole relationship with life is different than when I am in the midst of a flare.   But as I took a long walk with my border collie Izzy the other morning, it occurred to me that all those years I have spent dealing with one flare after another was actually the best thing that could have happened to me. It was the best thing that could have happened to me because it was preparing me for where I am today.

I like where I am today.  I feel happy with who I have become over the years.  I like rejoicing in the small everyday events of my life that I didn’t focus on as much before rheumatoid arthritis slowed me down.  I like that rheumatoid arthritis forced me to stop and think about the time and energy I spent doing “things”.  I can now look at my day and decide what is really important to me and let everything else go.  Rheumatoid arthritis has helped me to focus on my goals in life and to let people and things that are filling voids in my life go so that I have room to give to those who are filling me to the brim with love, worthwhile experiences, and fun.    I have learned that it is okay to ask for help and that people actually want to be there for me.  I have built stronger relationships.  I have learned to eat in a way that is not only providing my rheumatoid arthritis some relief but also the stomach issues I have dealt with since I was a young girl.  I have discovered passions that revolve around food choices and health choices.  I have learned that everyone has a very unique path they need to follow and even though it may be quite different than my path, it doesn’t mean it is wrong. 

Although I don’t like the pain that rheumatoid arthritis has brought to my life and those around me, I know it was where I needed to be.  Rheumatoid arthritis needed to be a part of who I am.(And still does)  All the awful days I spent in flares forced me to take a deep look at who I am and what I really want out of life.  I needed to have those days in my past to get to where I am today.  Each day I have experienced  with pain, swelling, and tears and each day I have spent without any of those were exactly where I needed to be each day.  Each day is a chance to learn and to grow.  As I write this post and reflect on my day, I know “The best thing that can happen to me is happening right now."  

Paleo Eating

Last night the lesson with my adult ESL students was on adverbs of frequency: always, usually, sometimes, rarely, and never.  I was giving examples of each using food.  I said I "rarely" eat turkey because I don't like it, I "sometimes" eat chicken and fish, and I "usually" eat red meat.  Immediately several students said, "Teacher, red meat is bad for you."  I listened to their concerns and continued on telling them that I "always" eat vegetables with dinner.  Hearing that I "always" eat vegetables with dinner calmed their concerns.  One student said, "Teacher, that is why you look so healthy."  That comment made me feel so good.  I am glad that the foods I eat make me look healthy because when I eat paleo (lots of grassfed meat, free range eggs, variety of veggies, good fats, and a little fruit) I feel healthy.  I not only feel full with the foods I feed myself, but more importantly, I feel nourished when I eat.  

With every group of students we discuss food, especially meat.  I find it interesting that students from all over the world eat more of the animal than most Americans.  Last night in class, several students encouraged me to give tongue, brains, and even blood a try!  Yikes. I eat paleo, but I am not sure I am ready for that.  I do have a pound of chicken livers in my freezer that I intend to experiment with in a liver spread soon.  This will be a huge step for me in the organ eating department, but Alexander said he is willing to try it with me.  Although not an organ meat, last week we both ate sardines for the first time with bones.  Yummy!  No wonder Izzy always goes crazy when I feed them to her.  They taste better than they smell.  She also goes crazy when I feed her liver, so maybe there is a chance I will love it too. 

What about you?  Do you eat organ meats?  If so, do you have a favorite recipe?  Also, how frequently do you eat them?

Rheumatoid Arthritis, Kids Making Good Food Choices and Paleo Talk Podcast

If you have a little extra time this week, check out Sara Fragoso and Chrissy Gower's Paleo Talk Podcast this week.  The first discussion "Eating Paleo with a very limited budget. Parents are older with health issues and fixed income" is based on eating Paleo on a budget, but also talks a lot about the connection of eating Paleo and having rheumatoid arthritis. 

The third discussion is "Guiding the kids to make good choices. How to not offend or be labeled as the weird kids."  One of the reasons I love listening to this podcast is because these two gals have families and understand the challenges and joys that can come with feeding your kids healthy choices. 

I want to share some of my experiences with feeding my kids healthy food choices. Although we didn't start off making the best food choices with our kids, they have been eating well longer than not.  They were both breastfed until they were naturally ready to wean. (Yep, I am one of those mommas that nursed my kids for a long time and I am PROUD of it!)  My kids do remember eating boxed mac and cheese, but they don't remember a time we didn't buy grassfed meat from a farmer or think carefully about the veggies we were eating.  They have both grown up helping me in the kitchen.   They have both been mostly gluten free for over six years.  All meals provided by me are Paleo meals which means breakfast, lunch and dinner.  They both eat lots of fruits and veggies for snacks.  They both do have indulgences they enjoy.  Alexander will eat popcorn that he makes himself in coconut oil and adds lots of salt and butter.  He also has a Starbucks donut with Steve every Sunday morning.  That is their morning together to get Starbucks and play video games.  Lately Sophia has fallen in love with hummus and eats it with carrots and cucumbers. When she does stray from her diet it is always with bread and she always feels the effects within 24 hours (extreme eczema).  Alexander will eat whatever is offered when at a friend's home, but Sophia will often bring her own food since she does feel the effects of gluten within 24 hours.  They both know the difference between quality food and food that is not good quality.  When they eat foods with lots of preservatives or of low quality, they taste it right away.  They prefer eating foods that make them feel well.

I think our society often believes it is not possible for kids to enjoy healthy foods and even give the impression that they are missing out on something if they don't indulge often in these "fun" foods.  I have always shared with my kids that they are worth the good foods.  As teens, they seem to believe they are worth foods that nourish them rather than wear them down or make them feel yucky.  They appreciate foods that are made at home and shared as a family.  Despite how many in our society live and how many in our society believe, it is possible to raise kids eating a variety of fruits, veggies and meat. 

Eating Paleo Away From Home

Yesterday, the following comment was left by Isabelle on my post Diet and Rheumatoid Arthritis in regards to eating away from home.

Comment: I am interested in how to eat paleo away from home. That is a big challenge for me as I understand that sugar and flour are often put in marinades and sauces so we don't even know they are there. I therefore eat at home pretty much always now.

As I started to reply, I realized I had a lot of information to share and decided to turn it into a post.

Reply: Isabelle, I agree that making your own food is the best option. Like you, we don’t eat out often because even when I feel a food is safe, I often don’t “feel” quite as good as when I make the food myself. However, it is nice to enjoy food with others outside of the home or occasionally on the weekend when making a meal just doesn’t fit into the plan.

Most of the time I bring my own food if I am going to be away from home for more than a few hours. My husband bought me a nice thermos for Christmas a few years ago and it is my best friend. It keeps food hot for up to seven hours. I often pack beef based soups, leftovers, or even sausage and eggs in the thermos. I bring it everywhere: homeschooling days twice a week, car trips, and even to work events when lunch will be served since the lunch is generally full of gluten and preservatives. Pulling out my own food was a little awkward at first, but feeling good is too important to me now. Other foods I often pack when outside the house are salads with homemade dressing, Applegate turkey wrapped around veggies and avocado, and deviled eggs.

I always keep beef jerky (check for ingredients as many brands of beef jerky add tons of preservatives and gluten), almonds, coconut flakes, and Larabars in my purse for times that I am unprepared or feel the need to indulge in something I don’t need. Plus, they are all foods my teens enjoy also.

When I go to a friend’s home to eat, I always offer to bring something that I know is safe for me to eat. I have been pleasantly surprised at how many friends and family are more than willing to cater to my eating habits. (I am willing to do the same for them. I have made many meat based meals and then vegetarian/vegan options.)

There are times when I am unsure of what will be served and it is awkward and even rude to bring my own food. In these situations I always make sure I eat a full meal before I leave the house so I am not starving when I arrive and cave in to the delicious looking food. Generally in these situations salad is served which I will happily eat, even without dressing. I have found that as long as I am eating something, it prevents the uncomfortable questions about why I am not eating the food provided.

When I do eat at a restaurant, I will often check out the menu online before we go. If we have input to where we are going, I always choose restaurants that have a gluten free menu. I may not always be able to eat grain free at a restaurant, but the goal is to at least stay gluten free. This is a compromise I made to myself to keep sane. I tried going the route of not eating at a restaurant with family and friends, but I felt this was not a healthy choice. I generally order items like the bowl rather than burrito at Chipotle (double meat, no beans or rice, salsa, veggies, lettuce and guac) steak & veggies, bunless hamburgers with guac & a side of veggies, sausage and eggs with veggies on the side rather than toast and potatoes, or a salad with meat. I don’t hesitate to ask how the meat is prepared and also request olive oil and a lemon for my salad. We do have one restaurant about twenty minutes away that prepares a delicious gluten free pizza and it is my ultimate indulgent food.

Restaurants are becoming more aware of gluten free options and even if the waiter doesn’t know what you are talking about, the cook generally does. (And if he/she doesn’t, I don’t recommend returning to that restaurant.) I once went to an Italian restaurant for a graduation dinner. There was not a gluten free menu but I asked what they had on the menu that was gluten free. The cook came right out and curiously inquired as to why I follow a gluten free diet. We had a nice conversation and then he told me he keeps a supply of gluten free pasta on hand and also had other suggestions. Recently when we were in Wichita we ended up in a restaurant with only one item on the entire menu that was gluten free. The only way I found this out was by asking. It turned out to also be a paleo meal!

For me, eating away from home generally means planning ahead. The night before I make a little extra food for dinner so I have something to eat for lunch or breakfast the next day if I know I will be away from home. Eating well means sharing my views with family and friends on foods that seem to work well with my individual body and it means doing a little research on restaurants before going. I have even emailed restaurants in advance about my dietary restrictions. This may sound like a lot of work, but really it isn’t. To me, waking up and limping the entire day takes more work than doing a little planning ahead. I know when I eat foods not prepared by me that I am always at risk of eating something that will affect me later. But, over time I have decided that I am willing to take that risk on occasion because I love sharing food with others and realized that by never allowing myself this little spice of life, I was actually adding a new stress to my life. I have realized that I can set a few guidelines for myself such as eating gluten free 100% of the time and then occassionally letting the other concerns fall to the side.

When I was gluten free rather than grain free, I felt I had a harder time eating at restaurants. For some reason once I went grain free, it became so much easier. For one thing, I don’t crave grains or sugar like I did when I was gluten free only. In these situations I was always looking for the exact menu item, only gluten free. Now, I am perfectly content without the grain options and find it fun to see what I can create for myself off a menu.

By the way Isabelle, will we ever see a blog from you? I always love your suggestions and would love to learn more about your lifestyle. I feel you have a lot to share.  As always, thanks for commenting.

Paleo Car Trip

We just got back from a car trip to Kansas.  We were in the car for about eleven hours each way.  When we travel to Kansas to visit my family, we pack the car ready to eat yummy foods that will fill us up and keep us away from temptations such as fast food, candy filled with corn syrup, and grains.

The last two car trips we took, Alexander and I made Everyday Paleo's Meatball Soup for our *thermos'.  It is not only filling, but full of good ingredients.  We generally also make deviled eggs.  This is my favorite car trip meal.  This time however, my schedule was super busy the day before with grocery shopping, meat coop pick-up, library, and work.  So, I decided to do super simple.

For breakfast:
We started the morning early.  I woke up, put four sweet potatoes in the toaster oven and walked Izzy while they baked.  In the meantime, the kids started the sausage patties and helped Steve load the car.  Together, the three of us prepared a filling breakfast of sweet potato, coconut oil and cinnamon with a side of sausage from our farmer.  Working together, it didn't take much time to prepare or clean-up. Plus, we knew we were starting our day off with full tummies.

For lunch:
Applegate turkey & roast beef rolls - Smear the meat with avocado, add some broccoli/carrot slaw mix from Trader Joe's, and a piece of lettuce.  Roll and put in baggies.  We use a reusable sandwich bag.
For snacks:
Applegate pepperoni wrapped around carrot sticks.
Jicama dipped in salsa (leftover from dinner the night before). Our dog ate the avocado.  :(
Trader Joe's corn chips and sweet potato chips for the kids. (Not exactly Paleo, but not the worse thing we could have on a car trip.)
Olives
Coconut flakes.
Lara Bars
Apples, oranges and bananas for the kids.
Chocolate covered almonds from Trader Joe's.  (Hey, it is a car trip right?) 
Bottles of water from home.
A few bottles of Trader Joe's sparkling water.

Sometimes we also bring beef jerky, but not this time.

For Izzy: 
She started her morning off with raw meat and veggies before leaving the house.  In the car she enjoyed apple cores and the tiny ends of bananas, plus anything she found laying on the floor of the car or on the ground when we stopped for gas.  :) 

During the trip:
I brought a supply of food plus we are fortunate to have family that is supportive of a gluten free diet and prepared yummy meals for us during the visit.  We did however find ourselves at a restaurant one evening with only one gluten free option on the entire menu.  After going into a slight panic, I accepted the food choice (chicken, spinach, apples and red potatoes) and enjoyed it.  Sophia, however, decided to live dangerously and order a pasta dish.  She has been about 85% grain free for many months now and 100% gluten free.  The morning after her meal, her eyes were super puffy, her bones hurt, and within 48 hours her legs were itching and her eczema had returned.  It was a good reminder of how strongly our bodies fight back after it has been treated with respect.

Traveling is difficult, but with some careful planning and good decision making, you can make choices that keep you feeling happy and full while traveling.  

*Thermos:  Christmas 2009, Steve bought me a thermos for Christmas.  It is by far one of my favorite gifts ever.  I use it at least three times a week.  If I am in a hurry on Tuesday/Thursday mornings, I throw my hot breakfast in the thermos and eat it during break.  When I need to attend a work related lunch meeting, I always bring my own food as I know the food provided will make me sick.  The thermos has been extremely beneficial in me eating well.   At the beginning of this winter we invested in two more thermos' for the kids.  They are about $20-$25 each for a good thermos, but when I thought through how many times we would avoid running by someplace to pick up food when out, it made sense.  They love having hot foods to take with them and of course it makes a momma's heart happy to know they have nutritious food to eat . 

Exciting Things Happening for Cateepoo

Life is always changing and always bringing new gifts and new challenges.  I want to share a few exciting things that are currently happening for me.

First, I volunteered to be in a "Paleo Diet & Autoimmune Conditions" study many months ago.  It is finally happening.  I received my first set of questions this morning.  I am super excited to be able to add to this study as I feel this diet supports my beliefs in promoting local organic farmers, free range meat and eggs, and focuses heavily on autoimmune disease.  Robb Wolf even has suggestions for additional foods to eliminate if you have autoimmune disease. 

Second, I have been asked to be a contributor for MyRACentral.  Check out my first three posts:

"Keep moving." This has been a personal motto for me since rheumatoid arthritis became a part of my life seven years ago. I have a stubborn streak in me that decided early on that rheumatoid arthritis was not going to take any and everything it wanted from me. I was going to fight back. A huge part of that fight was to keep moving no matter what.
You can read the rest of the post here.

Ever since my diagnosis in 2004 of rheumatoid arthritis, I have had a belief that our body wants to heal itself.  I believe our bodies are amazing beings that are constantly trying to fix the evils we throw at them. 
You can read the rest of the post here.

My name is Cathy. I also respond to" Mom", "Momma", "Cateepoo"," Cath", and "Teacher". I am many things to many people. I am a wife of 22 years to Steve, I am a child led homeschooling mom to Alexander, 14 and Sophia, 12. I am a sister to five siblings. I am an adult ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher. I am a friend. I am the owner of a four year old border collie and I am a life learner. I also have rheumatoid arthritis.
You can read the rest here.


It feels wonderful to be in a good place right now with my rheumatoid arthritis and it feels wonderful to know I can contribute to helping others in the small ways available to me.  I am very hopeful that this study will shed light on how diet plays a part in autoimmune disease and feel honored to give my input.  At one time I felt that rheumatoid arthritis was the focus of my life and decided to not contribute any longer to another health site.  For now, I feel that rheumatoid is taking a back seat in my life and I feel comfortable writing about it in a place other than my own blog.  Let me know what you think about the posts.   

Cold and Flu Season

Now that I am back to taking medications for rheumatoid arthritis, I have wondered how my body would stand up to the cold and flu season.  When the Enbrel nurse was here in July she warned me of being around little kids now that my immune system is suppressed.  Since I am around little kids a lot and many adults who come to school sick, I am at risk.  Also, both of my own kids and my husband have been sick one time each this winter.  While I am not yet in the clear yet, I am happy to report that I have done nicely this cold and flu season.  Several times I thought something was about to attack me and then it quickly disappeared.  Last week I woke up with a little sore throat and thought, "This time I am going to get it."  Steve told me, "Just say 'no' to it."  That made sense so I did and fortunately nothing panned out.  I am in the clear again.  I haven't had a cold or anything all winter.  I don't get flu shots.  The only thing I can think of is that my diet is really clean and it is keeping me strong.   Or, it could be that now that I have mentioned not getting sick, I will be sick tomorrow.  Let's hope not.     

P90X, Paleo Diet, and Rheumatoid Arthritis

Yesterday was day 90!  Steve and I completed the full 90 days of the P90X program (minus their diet plan and shakes).  I am SUPER proud of myself.

In October Steve mentioned that he was thinking about trying out the P90X program.  He would soon stop riding his bike to work due to temperatures dropping and felt he needed something different in his workout routine.  I was two and a half months into my use of Enbrel and felt my body needed to get back into a workout routine. After about a two and a half year break from any regular exercise or even much movement in general, my body felt really soft.  I felt like I wanted to work my body hard.

In all honesty, I was still having some flares when we started the P90X program and was also in physical therapy to work on mobility and strength in my fingers, wrists, and shoulder.  When I decided to join Steve in the program, I wasn't sure how much of it I would be able to do and told Steve if it was too much I would stop.  There was only one day in the first month that I wasn't able to workout due to a flare.  I think that is pretty amazing considering this time last year I was struggling to get in and out of the car. 

In the beginning, I did have to make some adjustments.  I started off with extremely low weights or no weights at all and always followed the modified moves.  But, as we continued waking up each and every morning, I felt my body gaining strength.  The pain and stiffness in my shoulder left.  The weakness in my wrists disappeared. After several weeks of doing the program, I was pleasantly surprised to realize I was no longer doing the push-ups on my knees and with time my body told me when it was ready to add more weight.  I am still working on getting those fingers to bend completely, but that will come with time.

This exercise program is the most difficult workout I have ever done on a regular basis. Before this more than two year flare hit me, I worked out regularly, but never like this.  This program changes daily and works every muscle group. Just when you think you can't take it any more there is a yoga day, a rest day, or a stretch day.   I am not sure that my body needs to be worked to this intensity on a daily basis, but it feels wonderful to know that I can do it and I DID DO IT!  

Along with doing P90X, I have continued following The Paleo Diet which I love!  I don't even think of it so much as a diet anymore, but a lifestyle that makes me feel good.  I have followed the no grains, dairy, legumes, and sugar at about 98%.  Instead of consuming these foods, I have been filling my body with tons of veggies, meats (fish, chicken, beef, lamb, and pork) and plenty of good fats.  Yesterday I was at an all day meeting where we were to be fed pizza.  I packed a lunch of meatball soup in a thermos, Applegate pepperoni wrapped around baby carrots, two clementines, a Larabar, water/tea, and beef jerky from Trader Joe's that I didn't need.  In the past I may have felt I was missing out on something while everyone else was eating pizza, but I didn't feel that way yesterday.  I had enough foods that I really enjoy that I felt content and nourished.   Plus, I didn't feel sick afterwards.

I frequently visit Sara Fragoso's site Everyday Paleo for meal ideas. She has recipes that work in portion sizes for a family of four.  Sometimes there are even leftovers for breakfast or lunch. Her meals are amazing and I feel like I am becoming more confident in the kitchen.  Last week I created my own meal idea and it was a huge success.  It is going to become a weekly regular.   Sara has a new book coming out and just started a podcast for Paleo moms.  I also spend many mornings listening to Robb Wolf and Andy Deas at the Paleo Solution as I walk Izzy.  They often answer questions that pertain more to the heavy duty athlete on their podcast  but still focus a lot on how foods affect autoimmune disease that really interests me.  Personally, I need to understand completely why I am making the food choices I do.  These podcasts provide a lot of that information while also being fun to listen to.

I feel like I have become physically active through P90X, walks with Izzy, lots of snow shoveling, and other activities.   I have found a way of eating that fits both my food politics and health beliefs and I have found a nice combination of drugs.  All together, I am happy with how all of these different things have come together so well.  I feel awesome.

Living Simply Brings Happiness

One morning early last week I was walking Izzy when I realized that with each step I took, there was a little hop.  I felt almost like I was as light as a feather hoping along our walking path with a great big smile that came from nowhere.  The next day it was the same.  The day after the same again.  This wonderful  feeling stayed with me all day as I traveled to work, to the grocery store, as I cooked, as I cleaned the house, to homeschool group, and back to work. Even at the end of the day I realized I was still smiling.  What I was experiencing  was a feeling of complete happiness.

My schedule has been busier the last month than ever before.  When I get home at night, I can't wait to jump into bed and fall asleep.  Yet, I feel happier than I can ever remember.  Why?  My guess is that even though  my hands are extremely full right now, I have simplified my life to include the things that really mean the very most to me. 

• Work:  I am working a lot of hours (for me anyhow).  But I love my two jobs!  Both jobs are as adjunct faculty teaching adult English as a Second Language and although I get paid for my job, I leave each class feeling like I have given something to my students and they have given something to me.  They each leave class saying, "Thank you Teacher."  One day we had about ten minutes left of class time so I stood at the door and asked each one of them a different question as they left.  The next day they wanted it again.  Teaching makes me feel creative and dramatic.  Getting up in front of a classroom of limited English speakers requires me to come outside of my usual quiet personality into a personality of drama and fun.  I love being this other person!    
• Food:  I am eating very simply.  I am purchasing my meat (beef, chicken, pork, lamb, and eggs) from a farmer that has been providing for us for eight years now.  We have seen his family go through some ups and downs, but they have always been there for us.  I like having this relationship with the people that provide the foods I eat.  We are eating veggies that are organic (and local if possible).    That's about it. We add some good fats to our foods and the kids eat some fruits. Very simple, yet delicious.  My body is responding well to these foods.  It doesn't overeat because without the grains (even gluten free) my body knows when it is full and it listens.  
• Sleep: I am not getting as much sleep as I have in the past, but I make it a priority to get to bed as early as I can.  My body likes that I am caring for it this way.  Sleep is so important in healing.
• Responsibilities:  I took a close look at the list of things I am responsible for and got rid of the ones that weren't nourishing my family and me anymore.  I am so proud of myself!  People have taken over and done such an amazing job!  It is nice to think we have to do it all ourselves, but really, we don't.  We just have to give up the control and realize things will go in the direction they were meant to go.  I am also saying "no" to things that add stress to my life, even if it means disappointing people.
• Exercise:  I am exercising more than I have in years.  Each morning I get up with Steve and we work out together.  This time is probably the one thing that has made a huge difference in how I feel.  I love having time together in the morning to see each other grow stronger, to laugh, and to give little hugs during breaks. When schedules get busy it is very easy for couples to slip into conversations that focus only on the necessary day to day things.  I am glad we have carved this time out together.  Afterwards, I take Izzy for a walk where I get to experience the gifts that nature gives each day: cold, rain, wind, and heat.  It sets the stage for the rest of the day physically and mentally.
• Family:  Even though my schedule has been really busy, I have found new pockets of time to spend individually with each member of my family that wasn't planned.  With me being away from home more, they each need that one on one time with me to reconnect.  I need it too.
• Friends:  I have been connecting with a few friends that I have known for many years on a whole new level.  I like knowing more about them and that I get to share me with them.   
• Rheumatoid arthritis:  RA is taking a backseat in my life right now.  It sneaks in every week with a new nodule in the wrist, swollen wrist and fingers, or a limp caused by swelling in the knee.  But, overall, it is allowing me this time to experience true happiness.  Thanks RA! 

There have been times when life brings events that get me down and at my worst with rheumatoid arthritis I have felt some depression, but overall I am usually happy.  What I am experiencing now is a whole new level of happiness. I feel it radiating from me. I have focused on the simplest things that give us nourishment and energy: food, sleep, exercise and family/community.  I have llet the other things go to the sidelines. I have been searching for many years for new "alternative" types of medicine, but what makes me feel the happiest and most content is just the very simple things in life. 

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you.  I am so thankful that you read my thoughts here on my blog and that many of you share comments with me.  I love reading them.    

Teen Paleo Solution Challenge Update

Sophia survived her sleepover, had an awesome time with friends at the opening of Harry Potter, and stayed true to eating clean.  I admire the strength and determination of this 12 year old girl like crazy. 

What she learned from the sleepover is that if she wants to eat clean, it is totally up to her.  She has to be educated about the foods she eats and assume everything has gluten in it unless she herself reads the ingredients, which she did.  She also realized that even though you explain that you have eliminated grains, dairy, legumes, and for the most part sugar, that you will have to reexplain it many times. You might turn down a cookie at 7pm and it will be offered again at 9pm. 

She also learned that friends that have eliminated foods for health reasons are very encouraging and she likes to be around them.  They supported her and made sure not to offer her foods she didn't want to consume or make comments like, "Oh yeah, Sophia can't have that."  Trust me, making a point over and over that someone is eating a special way is not wanted. 

Her goal was to bring all of her own snacks for the movie and hanging out.  She was successful in meeting her goal.  She said usually when she goes to a sleepover she feels sick afterwards.  This was the first time she didn't feel that way.

Since starting the Paleo Solution Challenge, Sophia has discovered some nice benefits:

• Her stomachaches have disappeared.
• Her teeth don't get yellow in between brushings.
• The eczema that itches and draws attention in the summer when wearing shorts is improving.
• An overall "good" feeling everyday.     

When my kids went gluten free years ago, several parents expressed a concern that I was not allowing my kids to experience "being a kid".  I think Sophia might have felt some of that at the sleepover.  What I often tell my kids is that their bodies are too awesome to be putting that junk into them.  Yes, it tastes awesome when we are eating it, but afterwards we feel like crap.  And I would be lying if I said we never eat crappy foods, because we do.  However, crap is being thrown at them all the time.  Moms offering candy.  Parties with food that is almost total sugar.  Samples at the store.  It is everywhere and we just don't need it that often.    

And what about Alexander?  He is doing great.  He decided not to eliminate corn as he loves having some popcorn at night.  Last week he and his dad bought some coconut ice cream.  He chose that because it was dairy free (and delicious).  After he started eating it I realized he bought the cookie dough coconut ice cream.  I decided not to say anything at the time and just let him enjoy it.  The next morning I said, "You know the ice cream had gluten in it, right?"  He said he didn't know when he bought it that it did.  He assumed it would be safe.  But, he said he figured it did because after he ate it, his stomach felt sick.  I love that they are both listening to their bodies and really getting to know themselves.   When we eliminate foods from our diet, it gives our body a chance to regain some strength and when we bring offending foods back, our bodies are strong enough to shout out to us that they don't want to go down that road again. 

Paleo Solution 20 Day Challenge for Tween/Teen

Seven years ago I went gluten/dairy free.  About a year later I said to my kids, "Did you know you have been gluten free for three days?"  They were surprised.  It had been easy.  We had been talking about the possibility of them going gluten free not because they have celiac, but because my daughter Sophia, now 12, had severe eczema since she was six weeks old that wasn't affected by pharmaceuticals.  My son Alexander, now 14, had leg aches almost nightly since he was younger than two years old.   For one year they were completely gluten free.  They did awesome.  When we went to friend's home, they either provided gluten free options or we brought food.  The results were amazing.  For the first time, Sophia was clear of eczema and Alexander no longer had leg pain at night.

Then we made a horrible mistake.  We said, "Maybe we will be okay with gluten at friend's homes."  At first they were fine, but as they started visiting more, it became easier and easier to eat gluten.  We rarely had it in the house, but gluten at friend's homes also meant gluten at restaurants and before you knew it, Sophia was covered in eczema again. 

When I read about the Paleo Solution, I knew it felt right for me.  It was so simple.  Avoid dairy, grains and legumes and eat lots of veggies, meat, and fat.  So simple.  After providing Paleo meals at night for the family, I asked the kids to participate in a "20 Day Paleo Challenge".  Two days after Halloween, they started the challenge.  Sophia decided to trash all of her leftover Halloween candy while Alexander chose to store his for a later date. 

Both kids have been very cautious of everything they eat and don't seem to be suffering too much.  In fact, Sophia told me that she doesn't have stomach aches anymore.  I wasn't even aware she had them.  From the way she described them, they were just part of her daily life and now that they are gone, she feels different.  She said, "I just feel better." 

Today I noticed a huge benefit of starting this challenge when we did.  I am working more hours and away from home more than I have ever been which means the kids are responsible for more of their own meals.  They are both at an age that they are cooking more on their own which makes this the ideal time to also learn to cook healthy meals.  Today Sophia made chicken breasts with mixed veggies for herself and Alexander for lunch.  They eat apples and almond butter for snacks as well as nuts and carrot sticks.   They have found that the only thing in our kitchen are foods they can eat and therefore they are eating lots of salads, eggs, leftover meat, avocados, and other healthy, nutritious foods.  This afternoon Sophia and I made deviled eggs for snacks.  Afterwards she went around the house with the deviled egg tray asking everyone if they wanted one.  It was like a dessert!

I was so proud of Sophia this afternoon.  She is attending the midnight release of Harry Potter on Thursday night with friends.  She knows there will be lots of junk food at the movie and afterwards at the sleepover.  She wanted to discuss how she is going to handle the evening.  She definitely doesn't want to be tempted by the foods she has been avoiding.  We made a list of potential foods that will be a challenge for her.  She decided she wants to eat dinner at home before she goes so she is full and then she is going to bring Trader Joe's sweet potato chips (I don't love the oils used in the chips, but the ingredients are very minimal), a dark chocolate bar, a Lara bar, trail mix, and beef jerky.  These are all foods she can easily pack her in bag and pull out as needed.  Plus, they are all foods that are more on the "snacky" side of what we normally eat, so it will feel like a treat to her.

There are people all over the Internet taking the 30 Day Paleo Challenge, but we decided on 20 since the kids wanted to do Halloween and then we are leaving for a trip with our family over Thanksgiving.  Hopefully 20 days will give them a sense of how good foods can make them feel and live more comfortably.  Sophia has already told me she plans to get off the diet on Thanksgiving, but definitely wants to get back as soon as we are home since she feels so much better.  I am really curious to see how both kids feel.  Anyhow, I am really proud of both of them.  It isn't easy to be a teenager trying to eat mostly non-processed foods, lots of veggies/meat and very few junk foods.  But, when it makes you feel better, you want to keep experiencing that great feeling.