Is the Whole 30 for you?

Some of you may recall last summer when I completed the Whole 30.  What is the Whole 30 some of you may wonder?  The Whole 30 is a way to reset your body from all the junk you've been feeding it so that you can discover what makes you tick.  It is also in line with the Paleo/caveman style diet.  The book we follow, It Starts With Food, does an excellent job of describing how food leads to autoimmune disorders.  So who should do the Whole 30?

First of all, kids with SPD, Autism, severe allergies, asthma, arthritis or any immune related disorder can greatly benefit from this eating plan.  Personally, I do not force this on my older two, but I do strongly encourage and reward them for eating the same as me.  My toddler is pretty much stuck eating what I eat.

The Whole 30 is also for any adult who wants to lose weight, gain energy, and rid their body of autoimmune related disorders.  It is not a cure for anything but you would be amazed at the effect food has on diabetes, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, thyroidism and the list goes on.

So how does this diet work.  Well, to keep it simple, you eliminate all dairy, grains, legumes and processed foods.  Sounds impossible to some but once you get the hang of it, it really feels right and becomes much easier. After the first week of misery, you'll find that three meals a day is all you need to feel wonderful.

So me and my husband are starting the Whole 30 tomorrow!  Yikes. I am eating my last taste of cheese tonight for 30 days. But that's it folks.  After 30 days, you get to reintroduce your favorites for two day, then take a break for two and introduce another.  If you find those foods make you miserable, then you know not to eat them.

I thought I would include our meals for the next several days just to give you an idea of how it goes.  I am not including fruit in the meals because I only eat it if I need something sweet.  But for my kids, who don't need to loose weight, I give them a bunch of high carb fruits and veggies.  I also feed them potatoes which is not Whole 30 approved but they love them as french fries and it gives them the carbs they need.

So here is our first few days:

Tuesday:
Breakfast - 4 eggs, 4-5 pieces of bacon over spinach  (Gary will do 6 eggs); coffee with coconut cream
Lunch - Very large salad with grilled chicken and avocado; iced tea
Dinner - California style chicken with asparagus, sweet potato and cucumber slices

Wednesday:
Breakfast - Frittata with ground pork, asparagus and red pepper
Lunch - Large salad with left over chicken and avocado
Dinner - Sweet potato hash (ground meat, spices and potatoes), broccoli, zucchini sticks

Thursday:
Breakfast - Left over frittata
Lunch - Tuna over salad
Dinner - Burgers wrapped in lettuce, sweet potato fries, kale chips

Friday:
Breakfast - Eggs, bacon over spinach
Lunch - Left over burgers over lettuce
Dinner - Thai wraps, cauliflower "fried rice"

So how does it sound?  Add a little fruit and your on your way to feeling great!

Another take on why your child doesn't sleep well

Check out my little buddy here.

What you might not know by looking at this picture is that there are about 20 stuffed animals piled on top of him under his blanket.  This is how he sleeps every night.  Anyone else's child do this?    Let's look at why.

In children with sensory processing disorder (SPD), proprioceptive dysfunction is very common.  The proprioceptive system is the components of muscles, joints, and tendons that provide a person with an awareness of their body position.  This is really one of the heart breaking areas of SPD for me.  In my Teagan, she runs into thing, trips and falls, and generally looks clumsy.  In Brayden, he is so cautious that you see him move really slowly around people and objects along with looking clumsy most of the time.  He also likes tight clothes, hugs, and anything that can make him feel his body more.

So back to the stuffed animals.  When your proprioceptive is not working properly, it can really make sleeping difficult.  Once the lights are out and these kids are tucked in their beds, it can be very hard for them to feel their legs in relation to the space around them.  Imagine how scary it is for a child to be laying in the dark thinking they lost their legs!  So these kids often want piles of blankets and animals on them so they can feel their bodies.

If this is your child, I have the solution for you! You can fork out $50 to $100 and buy a weighted blanket or if you want to save those dollars, you can use this tutorial for making your own weighted blanket.
http://jesttupositive.wordpress.com/2012/11/09/diy-weighted-blanket/

I made one last night for my Brayden and he loves it!  In fact he hasn't taken it off his lap and slept really well with it last night.  I plan to make two more for my other kids today. So if your child is having trouble sleeping, give it a try.  It will be the best $12 you ever spent!

Berry Omelet

We just got back last night from the Great Wolf Lodge water park in Mason, Ohio.  This kids had a blast but are definitely worn out.

Since we returned late, we didn't have anything for dinner last night except eggs.  So when I woke up this morning, the thought of eating eggs again was not appealing.  I decided to experiment and what I ended up with was this yummy berry omelet.

Now I apologize in advance because I don't measure but I will give you some measurements here.  It is very forgiving so don't fear if you fudge it a little.

Berry Omelet

2 eggs (whisked)
small pinch of ginger
small pinch of nutmeg
medium pinch of cinnamon
1 TBSP of almond flour (could probably omit but I like the nutty flavor)
pinch of salt
1 TBSP of milk of choice
coconut oil to fry in
frozen blueberries
frozen strawberries
2 TBSP water
1 TBSP goat cheese (or more if you like!)

Preheat an omelet pan with coconut oil over medium heat for about 3 minutes (you want it hot).  Whisk together first 7 ingredients. I whisked the eggs alone first.  Add to hot pan and cook as you would an omelet.   I pulled up the sides and let the liquid seep under.  Once set, flip it over to get the other side for about 3 minutes more.  Flip onto a plate.

Meanwhile, heat water in a pan over high heat to boil.  Add berries.  Once boiling, reduce to medium low and cook until thickened, about 15 minutes.  I mashed my strawberries with a fork once they softened.

Add goats milk to flattened omelet.  Pour most of berries over the cheese.  Fold in half and top with remaining berries.  Enjoy while warm!

*This is only sweetened by the berries since I'm watching my morning carb intake.  Feel free to add syrup or honey if you need it sweeter.