The Paleo Mama

Homegrown and Handmade

21 Day Sugar Detox

More Than Halfway Through 21DSD and I Have a Flippin Cold!

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The 21-Day Sugar Detox

Well, I’ve done it. I’m more than halfway through The 21 Day Sugar Detox and I was feeling mighty fine…then I got this cold, sore throat, and nasty plugged up nose. The first thing that crossed my mind was to go get spoonfuls of raw honey and soothe my burning throat. Crap…I can’t have honey. Ok, how about a cough syrup? I don’t think so. They all have some form of sugar and other weird ingredients.

Ok, so how do you tackle a cold when you are on The 21 day Sugar Detox?

1) Make a crock pot tea remedy and drink all day!  This is something a friend of mine taught me and now I do it every time one of us is sick. Put on a kettle of water and boil. Then add the whole kettle of water to the crock pot. Cut up a lemon or two, squeeze the juices into the crock pot, then throw in the rind. Next, add a few sticks of cinnamon, a few inches of fresh garlic, and a few green/or black tea bags. Simmer in the crock pot on low all day and drink when needed.

2) Substitute coconut oil for raw honey. Coconut oil soothes the throat just as good, maybe even better, than raw honey. I add a scoop to my mug of tea when I drink my crock pot tea.

3) Increase your Vitamin D3 intake to 1,000iu per pound of body weight. Yes, it seems like a lot, but it will knock out the cold in no time!

4) Blow your nose often, one nostril at a time. Blow it often too. If your sinus’ are really stopped up, consider doing a Neti Pot to help clear them.

5) Gargle! Gargling moistens the sore throat and brings temporary relief. Add a teaspoon of salt to a cup of warm water and gargle. Get the water as deep into your throat as you can. Do this four times a day. You can also gargle with a turmeric/cayenne mixture. Cayenne works so great because it increases blood flow to your sore throat and promotes healing that way. Add a 5 shakes of cayenne and 5 shakes of turmeric to a warm glass of water. Gargle it several times throughout the day.

I refuse to let this cold bring me down! I feel like I have gone through the worst of this detox…which even wasn’t that bad for me. I weighed myself yesterday and I have lost 8lbs! I haven’t taken my measurements yet; I will do that at the end to see how many inches I have lost. Other than the cold, I feel great. My cravings are gone and I am not even tempted by the amazing Paleo treats I have been making for my kids. I am considering staying on the detox throughout the duration of Lent.

I am posting halfway picture. The quality in the “now” picture is pretty bad. I’m sorry, hubby has been working a lot and I don’t trust my 4 year old with my Rebel camera…but I can still notice how my stomach is not as bloated! I’ll take a better one when I’m all done with the detox.

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Spaghetti Squash Goulash

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This is extremely hearty and extremely delicious! I am in heaven with this bowl of Spaghetti Squash Goulash sitting in front of me. My kids devoured it and hubby had thirds, so I think that is another one for Mommy! Hope you enjoy it as much as we do. This is a HUGE recipe, so, please, divide and conquer if you need to. I usually make the full recipe and freeze half. Or I take this recipe to a pot luck since it serves 6-10 people.

Spaghetti Squash Goulash

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Ingredients:

3lbs of ground beef
2 onions, diced
3 cups of stock (I usually use my homemade chicken stock, but you can use beef stock too) or water
1(29 ounce) can of tomato sauce or homemade marinara sauce
1(29 ounce) can of diced tomatoes
4 cloves of garlic, minced
3 bay leaves
2 TB Italian Seasoning
3 TB of Coconut Aminos (soy sauce)
1 TB of Seasoned Salt (I use this homemade version)
1 ts salt
1 ts pepper
1 ts garlic powder
1 large or 2 small Spaghetti Squash*

Directions:

1. In a large Dutch oven or pot, saute the ground meat over medium-high heat until cooked through.
2. Add the onions to the pot and saute them until tender; about 5 minutes.
3. Add 3 cups of stock (or water), tomato sauce, tomatoes, garlic Italian seasoning, bay leaves, Coconut Aminos, salt, pepper, seasoned salt, and garlic powder. Stir well and then cover the pot and cook for 20 minutes of medium-low heat.
4. Turn the heat to a simmer and cook for another 15 minutes.
5. Remove pot from heat and cool for 15-30 minutes.
6. Either stir in the cooked Spaghetti Squash or just place the mixture on top of the squash on a plate.

*While you are making the goulash mixture, cook the Spaghetti Squash in the microwave or in the oven.

**I served this with Almond Bread.

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Day #3 Paleo & Vegan Take on 21 Day Sugar Detox

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The 21-Day Sugar Detox

Day 3 started today and my Vegan partner and I are doing good! I do have some fogginess going on, but that’s about it. I have not cheated and can’t wait till I start feel energetic again. They say day 3 and 4 are the worse and then you get a second wind.

My monthly friend came to visit me and I’m craving chocolate and popcorn like I always do during this time of the month. How fun to be detoxing and be on your period, huh?!?!

I have still been using my eMeals Paleo plan during this detox. It has been GREAT and 100% 21 Day Sugar Detox approved! In the past, I have seen some recipes with honey or maple syrup, but not this week or last. And adding honey or maple syrup is always optional. 

Here’s a snippet of what April and I have been eating on a day-to-day basis:

Paleo Jackie – I am doing Level 3 Athletic Modification

Breakfast: 3 egg omelette with spinach; topped with avocado & salsa

Lunch: Moroccan Meatballs (from Well Fed), carrots and almond butter, and half a banana

Dinner: Big Meatball salad and green beans on the side.

Snacks: Caramelized Coconut chips (from Well Fed)

Drinks: Water and Coffee with a few TB of full-fat coconut milk

Moroccan Meatball Salad and garlicky green beans
Moroccan Meatball Salad and garlicky green beans

 

Vegan April – doing Level 3 Vegan/Athletic Modification

Breakfast: Vega Sport Shake with flax and almond milk

Lunch: Sweet potato, vegetable skewers, and a salad

Dinner: Quinoa with kale, carrots, and mushrooms, tossed with balsamic vinegar

Snacks: carrots and cashews

Drinks: Tea with some almond milk, water, and black coffee

 

Supplements I take:

1. 1000mg Krill Oil

2. 8,000iu Vitamin D3

3. Women’s Prenatal Vitamin (no, I’m not pregnant but I am child-bearing age)

4. Digestive Enzymes: to find

5. FiberBlend to aid in detox

 

Who else is doing the 21 Day Sugar Detox? How is it going for you?

 

 

 

 

Paleo & Vegan Start 21 Day Sugar Detox!

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The 21-Day Sugar Detox

A few weeks ago I started mentioning that I was starting the going to start the 21 Day Sugar Detox after I moved into our new home and got settled. My Vegan friend over at Tan Toes Strong Woman messaged me and asked if we could join forces and do it together. I thought it was a fabulous idea! I think the thought of Vegan and Paleo coming together and doing the same eating plan is AWESOME. A Facebook follower said it perfect; it’s almost like Republican and Democrat coming together! The world needs more of us, different as it may be, joining arms. How boring would this place be if we were all alike.

So, here we are Vegan April and Paleo Jackie on our quest to detox our body from sugar and carbs. Why are we doing this? Well, if you jump over to April’s blog you will read that 6 months ago she made some incredible life changes. First of all, she quit smoking!!! That’s a huge accomplishment in itself. She’s lost 30lbs since becoming dietary vegan, 20% body fat, and she can run an ultra marathon. However, when she came off her high blood pressure meds, she is right back to +150/+100. So, she figures it is most likely genetic, but wants to give it one more shot without pills and see if sugar may be the culprit. I think she is pretty awesome already!

“I am already getting the “seriously?” questions. It is interesting how some folk’s first reaction to self improvement is defensive as if you are making a judgement against them versus a simple desire for progress in yourself.” – April

Why am I doing the 21 Day Sugar Detox? Well, I have, literally, been in transition for 6 months. I have not gained a pound. I have lost a few, but I still have 20lbs to go before I am at my healthy weight. I’ve lost 50lbs eating Paleo, and it’s still working. But, I have run into some serious plateau’s…and with the move, I have not ate the greatest. I need to refocus. I’m also doing it as part of Lent. I wanted to give something up physically, and I wanted it to be uncomfortable.

The 21-Day Sugar Detox

I am almost embarrassed to post my before pictures because I just have such a long journey ahead of me. However, I’m gonna suck it up and post them. I’ll include my before Paleo picture just to show you how far I have come (really to remind myself!). I am hoping to drop some more weight in doing this detox and to cut my reliance on stevia, butter, and baked Paleo goods.

I’ll share with you what I eat day-to-day basis. So far this morning, I have had a few glasses of water, 2 cups of coffee with full fat coconut milk, a little leftover chicken, and a spinach omelette with avocado and salsa on top. I am satiated and do not feel like I am on a diet!

Please follow me on Facebook for more interaction during this detox!

BEFORE Paleo
Before starting Paleo,Jan 2012

These next 3 pictures are my current. I do NOT think that 21 days will change my body much. However I do think that I will lose some bloat in my stomach. As you can see, I carry most my weight in my upper thighs and butt. I am muscular underneath the fat, so I’m also hoping I will become more defined as I lose a little more weight. Depending on my results, I may do the detox twice in a row. backreal frontside