Category Archives: Food

Day 10 Food Reboot

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Unique Events for the Day: Tackled a Chinese Buffet today.  It’s a landmine of Starches and inflammation foods.  Look at the dinner portion to check out & see what I got.

Waking Up:  Went to bed at 11:30pm & got up at 6:30am with the right leg / buttock area of inflammation with shooting pains.  While I see improvement in the continual pain, the shooting pains are at their worst when I’m sitting for too long or out of bed.

Chiropractor: Head alignment machine, Pettibon / Wobble Chair, neck & lower back / spine adjusted, neck alignment for 12 minutes, Head weights 2X per day (10 min. morning & evening) + Denny roll 1X in evening (20 min.)

Morning Physical Symptom Check:  My normal stiff lower & less mid-back (less than moderate stiffness), I’m fine turning my head all the way + the chiropractor saw a major improvement.  Smoothie gave me another boost this morning & really helps out the tiredness & pain.

Smoothie Recipe (Papaya-Banana Smoothie Recipe) Papaya might not be completely ripe, but I’m not waiting any longer…
•1 frozen banana
•2 Cups Papaya
•4 Cups Swiss Chard
• 1 Cup Frozen Berries
• Almond Butter (1 Tbsp)
•3 to 4 ounces of filtered water
• Bee Pollen (1 Tbsp)
Synopsis of Smoothie:  Yep, this works.  It’s got a nice, even taste to it & doesn’t seem overly sweet.  I can easily see subbing Kale & spinach.  Made 2-2 1/2 glassfuls.
Lunch Menu:  Nutty Mixed-Up Salad (Jason’s Deli)
Nutty Salad - Jason's Deli
  • Natural, grilled chicken breast
  • organic field greens
  • grapes
  • feta
  • nuts
  • dried cranberries
  • pumpkin seeds
  • raisins
  • strawberries
  • organic apples
  • citrus balsamic vinaigrette
Synopsis of Lunch:  Salad was quite tasty.  However, it wasn’t big enough and I ate more of the tomato soup from Day 9 with raw broccoli (heated up in the saucepan).
  • bean sprouts
  • broccoli
  • squid
  • red peppers
  • onion
  • green beans
  • salmon
  • imitation crab (1 small piece)
  • shrimp
  • egg drop soup (1 spoonful – my friend Mary Anne mentioned they usually use corn starch to thicken the soup – NSD nightmare!)
  • pineapple
  • oranges
  • fish eggs & seaweed (I did not eat the rice underneath nor the fried tofu “breading” around it)
Synopsis of Meal:  So I went a little crazy here tonight.  It’s Friday night and I don’t want another salad.  Except for the fruit, everything was cooked and I could tell a big difference. After eating all this food I still felt hungry.  Even as I write I feel hungry.  Clearly there are some nutritional deficiencies when eating cooked food covered with sauces.  The Mongolian Bar they had (look at 1st picture of cooked food on the left) did have raw ingredients that they prepared to cook for you.  I wouldn’t grab it because they’ve got the buckets of meat right next to it.  To me that’s asking for food poising.  I’d rather be hungry than sick.

Evening inflammation check:  Right thigh & right buttocks area  are noticeable, but ok.  Still my biggest issue is the shooting pains when I get out of bed. The worst is during the Denny roll exercise.  That pain is brief, but it hits around a 9 out 10 on the pain scale.  I’m anxious to get that issue out of my life. Stiffness in lower back – not bad, but noticeable.  I added a helpful lumbar support in the car so that my sacroiliatic joint areas (lowest parts of back) don’t press against the seat;  only my mid-lower back does.  

Day 9 Food Reboot

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Unique Events for the Day:  Found out my pineapple went bad & got mold all around the back side.  I’ll have to remember to buy pineapple as I need it & not to store it in the corner of my kitchen.  I’m also finding that nuts digest for me whenever I chew thoroughly, have a handful (maybe 2 at the most), or have with other food.

Waking Up:  Went to bed at 11:30pm & got up at 6:05am with the right leg / buttock area of inflammation with shooting pains – however it’s getting better.  At this point I’ll assume the Metamucil will be fully digested & released today.

Chiropractor: Head weights 2X per day (10 min. each) + Denny roll 2X (20 min. each) – morning & evening.

Morning Physical Symptom Check:  My normal stiff lower & less mid-back (less than moderate stiffness), turning my head all the way to the right I feel a tiny bit sore.  Shooting pains tend to happen whenever I get out of bed for an extended period of time or complete the Denny roll.  However, this pain goes away after about a minute of walking.

Smoothie Recipe (Banana Smoothie Recipe)

I’m still waiting on my papaya to ripen.  I think it’s 4 days & ends up being around 6 or 7.  Time to substitute…

•1 banana, peeled
•2 mangos, peeled and pitted
•2 Cups Dinosaur Kale, 1 Cup spinach
• Strawberries (handful)
• Almond Butter (1 Tbsp)
•3 to 4 ounces of filtered water
• Bee Pollen (1 Tbsp)

Synopsis of Smoothie:  I tend to find the berry & banana/mango/papaya mix quite well.  Next time I’ll try 1 mango as it’s a bit too sweet.  Made 2-2 1/2 glassfuls.

Good Belly Update:  The Good Belly that contains 20 Billion Probiotics per serving definitely tastes better (I am using the Pomegranate) than the Big Shot.  For me, I still want to get back right on the Big Shot as soon as I can.

Lunch Menu:  Fish with Mexican Salad (Tijuana Flats)
  • Rainbow Swiss Chard (1 Leaf) – I added
  • Romaine Lettuce
  • Pico De Gallo
  • Avocado / Guacamole
  • Pieces of Grouper
  • Black Olive
  • Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette (On the Side)
  • Red Onion
  • Walnuts (Handful) + Some Macadamia Nuts & Almonds
NOTE:  Heavily modified meal that took them 10 extra minutes to wrap their head around & prepare.  When you go to Tijuana Flats, ask them for a Fish Salad and tell them the ingredients I listed above.
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Dinner Menu: Tomato Soup (Cold) + Kale / Avocado Salad

Kale Salad

  • 2 cups kale
  • 1/2 avocado
  • 1/2 lime
  • 1 red bell pepper, sliced
  • 1 medium carrot, shredded
  • 2 Capri, sliced or other tomato
Directions:  Shred Kale & mix with avocado.  Then mix in the lime juice.  Add the pepper, carrot, and any other vegetable you want.

Spicy Red Pepper Soup (Blend all ingredients below for 30+ seconds)

  • 2 large red peppers
  • 4 Campari tomatoes
  • 1/2 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/2 large cucumber, peeled
  • 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1/2 mango, peeled and deseeded
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons chili powder (or cayenne to make it hot)
Synopsis of Meal:  The salad was pretty good, but I will add some fruit here, pepper and some dressing.  As for the soup, I have a real issue with cold soup – it’s not my thing.  This meal solidified my thought.  I have 1/2 of the soup left and I’ll reheat it to see how it tastes.

Evening inflammation check:  Right thigh & right buttocks area with shooting pains when I twist. Pain is less than yesterday (3-4 out of 10) with the continuation of shooting pain. Stiffness in lower back – not bad, but noticeable.
Digestion:  Gas and bloating are under control.  When it comes & goes, I can manage it better. 

 

Day 8 Food Reboot

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Until recently, I had no idea broccoli looked liked this in it’s natural form.  For those who don’t know, this is broccoli picked the same day from the farm.  I picked this one up today at Food & Thought in Naples.

Waking Up:  Went to bed at 11:30pm & got up at 6:20am with the right leg / buttock area of inflammation with shooting pains – it seems to have gotten worse.  Although the Metamucil has helped with the gas/bloating, I found out that it contains nasty ingredients like natural & artificial flavors, yellow 6 & aspartame (yikes!).  Switched to another fiber supplement today – Organic India’s Fiber Harmony Orange Flavor.  It contains psyllium, aloe vera, inulin, and organic orange flavor.  There are no sugars, artificial sweeteners (I think those flare me up but can’t prove it yet), colors or flavors.

Chiropractor: Head alignment machine, Pettibon / Wobble Chair, neck & lower back / spine adjusted, neck alignment for 12 minutes, Head weights 2X per day (10 min. morning & evening) + Denny roll 1X in evening (20 min.)

Morning Physical Symptom Check:  My normal stiff lower & less mid-back (less than moderate stiffness), turning my head all the way to the left I feel a tiny bit sore.  I did get shooting pains from my right hip as I got out of bed.  But it subsided as I walked about a minuted. I took my Enbrel shot this morning (normally take 2X per week) & can feel congestion in my nose after I took it (quite mild, but noticeable).

Smoothie Recipe (Banana Smoothie Recipe)

•1 banana, peeled
•1 cup papaya, cubed (substituted Apple)
•1 mango, peeled and pitted
•1 tablespoon cacao powder
•3 cups Swiss chard, chopped (subbed 2 Cups Kale, 1 Cup spinach)
•1-2 small vine tomatoes
• Strawberries (handful)
•1 small to medium-sized carrot
•3 to 4 ounces of filtered water
• Bee Pollen (1 Tablespoon)

Synopsis of Smoothie:  While it tasted good, it makes 3 glassfuls!  Try removing the mango, apple, & strawberries.  Keep the veggies as-is.

Good Belly Crisis:  I’m currently out of the Good Belly Big Shot because the local distributor is out.  I went to 4 natural food stores and none of them had it.  I ended up finding the fruit-based Good Belly that contains 20 Billion Probiotics per serving.  I’ll use that as a backup as I’m now on the hunt for the Big Shot.

Lunch Menu:  Collard Green Lettuce Wraps & Fruit
image
  • Tomato Sauce Leftovers of Cheezy Cannellonis (Refer Back to Day 5)
  • Collard Green Wraps (4) – Makes a “Sandwich” Effect
  • Garlic, Rosemary, Lime & Pepper
  • Sweet Pepper (2)
  • Sunflower Sprouts
  • Carrot (1)
  • Pineapple Slice
  • Black Sapote (dark brown fruit)
  • Dried Fruit (Few Pieces)
  • Walnuts (Handful)
  • Almonds (Handful)

Dinner Menu: Berries & Spinach Salad (Fresh Market)

  • Spinach (90% of the meal)
  • Blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries
  • Feta cheese (takes up 1% of the total meal + adds a savory flavor)
  • Walnuts
  • No dressing was added, but balsamic or lime w/ salt/pepper might be good

Gas & Bloating Issue 3rd Day Test:  I’ve had a few bloating issues today & the evening.

Evening inflammation check:  Right thigh & right buttocks area with shooting pains when I twist. Yesterday was around a 4 or 5 out of 10 pain scale.  It’s now up to 6-7 (especially when I’m on the Denny roll and get out of bed). Mild stiffness in lower back.
Digestion:  Some bloating & gas, but manageable.
Neck Issue Check (Evening):  Done.  Yes!