Twelve Weeks (And More!) to Wellness

Well, I have begun my "12 Weeks to Wellness" program with Dr. Joshu (aka Dr. Jana). I met with her last Thursday, and she laid out my plan for me. For the "diet" portion of my plan, there will be 3 phases. The first phase will of course be the most strict, and then Phases 2 and 3 will gradually add back in some foods.

The purpose of Phase 1 is to remove inflammation and toxins from my body, stabilize my blood sugar, and reduce my food cravings (good luck on that one!). I will be pretty limited on the foods I can eat, and it will be tough. It's sort of like being on a low-carb diet- no processed foods, bread, starchy vegetables, legumes, or very sweet fruits. In addition, I will not be allowed to have dairy of any kind- no cheese, milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, etc. Dairy causes a lot of inflammation in the body, so that is why I am not allowed to have it in Phase 1. I AM allowed to have lean meats (no pork, though), eggs, non-starchy vegetables, and some fruits (mainly berries and lemons/limes). I can also have some nuts, but no peanuts (apparently they cause a lot of inflammation, too). Oh, and I am not allowed to drink coffee. It's not due to the caffeine, but coffee causes inflammation as well. Luckily for me, I don't drink a lot of coffee, so I shouldn't have trouble giving that up for a while. I will be on Phase 1 for 8 weeks, and I am expecting it to be pretty hard. One GOOD thing is that I am allowed 3 "cheat" meals each week. Thank heaven! I think that's the only thing that will keep me sane while I am on Phase 1! Basically, during Phase 1 I will be "cleaning out" my body and getting rid of the "junk" in my system.

Phase 2 will replenish my body and begin to give it more of what it needs to be healthy. During Phase 2 I will gradually add some foods back into my diet. I will be allowed to have some dairy and more options with my fruits and veggies. Some very starchy fruits, veggies, and legumes will still be off-limits (potatoes, peas, lima beans, bananas, pineapple, dried fruits, etc.), but for the most part I will be able to eat a wide selection of fruits and veggies. I can't wait!! I will be on Phase 2 for 4 weeks.

Phase 3 will last forever. It will consist of eating whole foods (not processed junk) that is good for my body. I started doing this a few weeks ago when I was on the Daniel Fast, and I did feel a lot better physically. It's amazing how much better your body functions when you give it healthy food! I know that's commom sense, but it's often so much easier to grab a "convenience" food that is highly processed than it is to really THINK about what you are putting into your body. However, when you start really thinking about what you are eating, it's kind of disgusting. I mean, have you ever really LOOKED at the ingredients in most processed foods? You can't even pronounce half of them!! I'm just not sure I want to put that junk in my body on a continual basis!! Now, don't get me wrong. I will never be a "food angel," and there are going to be some times when I eat just plain ol' junk, but for the most part I want to put good, healthy foods in my body that will make me feel better physically and mentally.

In addition to the "diet" portion of 12 Weeks to Wellness (I don't really like to call it a "diet" because it's more of a healthy eating plan that's not just for losing weight- the weight loss is a nice bonus, though!), Dr. Jana prescribed several supplements for me to take. I won't bore you with the details of everything I am taking, but I am taking supplements to help clean out my body (I only take those for two weeks), get my digestive system back in order, regulate my blood sugar and cholesterol, and give me energy (PRAISE GOD- I NEED ENERGY!!). I am really looking forward to seeing how I feel taking these supplements! I have never known much about alternative medicine, so I am enjoying learning about natural ways to heal my body. I will be sure to let you know how the supplements work! I will only take some of them for a while, but a few I will probably take forever because they are just good additions to a healthy diet.

I will also see Dr. Jana for adjustments during 12 Weeks to Wellness (and afterward). She wants to see me twice a week for the first 8 weeks, but I am too poor for that! I will probably go once a week or once every other week. At $65 a pop, those adjustments really add up, and I am not made of money these days!!

My biggest challenge during 12 Weeks to Wellness will be thinking of creative things I can eat on Phase 1. Dr. Jana has a recipe book that I think will be very helpful for me, but overall I'm going to have to really put on my "thinking cap" to come up with ideas of what I can eat. Afterall, I can't eat a salad or chicken and veggies at every meal!! If you have any ideas of what I can eat, please pass them my way!!

I am looking forward to sharing my 12 Weeks to Wellness journey with you, and I hope that what I share can help you a little, too!!