I apologize for things being a bit quiet around here these last couple of days. Cath and I have been making some changes that are taking some getting used to. We are trying to exercise more and go vegetarian/vegan.
Vegan?! This from a girl who dreamed in high school of becoming a pastry chef and marrying Jacques Torres (just to eat his chocolate and sugar sculptures — sorry, Jacques!). You know Cath and I love food — all food! Even the kind with cute faces — we just kind of liked to forget where our delicious maple syruped bacon comes from because it tastes soooo gooood.
In fact I’m stepping it up a notch and going vegan (mainly raw- gak!) and gluten-free and sugar-free for the next little while. I know that sounds fairly crazy. I mean once you cut out gluten, sugar, alcohol, caffeine, meat, cheese, milk, butter. heat! what and how do you eat? And more pointedly, what the hell do you live for?
(Arugula and quinoa, you sooo don’t taste like mac and cheese):
I’m not a big fan of diets (especially this one!), but I’m not doing this to loose weight and I think that’s why I might stick to it. The much more convincing reason to eat veggies, veggies, and then more veggies is to ease some chronic health problems and pain. I’ve always had a rummy tummy and on top of that I have some tremendous endometriosis pain. Will lettuce and tofu “cure” me? Maybe not. But pills don’t work, so I’m willing to -gulp- cut out croissants and cookies for a while to see how I feel.
(breakfast of champions who dream of buttery crumpets: juiced cucumber, celery, kale, romaine, and apple):
It really helps I’m not doing this alone. My mustachioed man and twinsie are following similar plans. I got the omph and encouragement to try this wacky (but very healthy — full of nutrients even though it doesn’t sound like it) diet by reading Kris Carr’s Crazy, Sexy Diet. She is my new guru. Haven’t heard of her? Check out her fabuloso blog.
(there are 14 cucumbers hiding under this stash – I kid not. we only have four left in our fridge):
We don’t usual talk about health foods and diets here on AsianCajuns, but all this stuffs (veggies, being kinder to the planet, curing my ails) have been on the forefront of my mind for a long while. Are any of you guys vegan or have tried cutting out foods for allergies or inflammation? Do you think Cath and I are nutso for giving up such delicious things even for a short while? (Erm, I kinda do!).
Kisses and Kale (and broccoli and spinach and cucumbers and carrots and),
Lar
Oh! And I found this video of me, showing you how I feel about 98% of the time:
—-
Dear Kitcath,
So glad you are doing this with me! You would be so proud, I haven’t had a cookie/biscuit in three days. Three days! I definitely have the non-cookie grumpies though!
Love you!
Lar
wow thats awesome. best of luck to ya! i’ve been gluten free for a couple of months now. its not for any dietary reasons. just wanted to see. if i am allergic or not. and i have a slight allergy. if i just consume a lil gluten my stomach rumbles. i have also noticed that i am less bloated and a lot of ppl said i looked thinner. and i’ve lost a couple of lbs. and i haven’t worked out as hard as i use to. but i still work out. and i do miss bread!!! but that just means i eat more potato and rice just to cover my carb cravings. and i eat salads everyday for lunch!
So impressed, Anh! A couple of months gluten free? I’m going to try to do the same! And I’ve noticed just after a few days that I feel less bloated and my tum is trimmer – woohoo!
good luck to you on this diet! i think it’s good that you are getting more veggies in your diet.that’s good. but i could NEVER do it to this extreme. i just ate 2 doughnuts. oops!
Noommmm doughnuts sound sooo gooood right now!
Good luck with the diet!
As for reducing inflammation: it’s funny how the concept of inflammation has only caught on recently in Western medicine. In traditional Chinese medicine, there’s this concept of hot and cool qi/air/energy in the body. If you have too much hot qi (i.e. inflammation), it manifests itself in minor ailments like skin problems, dry coughs, canker sores, swelling, etc.
I’ve always been super aware of hot qi because I’m prone to it and I have to watch what I eat. My trigger foods are usually anything fried, baked, roasted or cooked in a way that saps the food of its moisture. Black pepper and beef aren’t so great for me either. Whenever I have hot qi, I usually eat soups and steamed dishes with lots of veggies, chicken and fish.
I’m so glad you mentioned this, Lisa, because Kris Carr does talk about Chinese medicine (and hot and cold) briefly in her book. I’m going to read more about it, lovely! Thank you!
I hope that your new lifestyle of veggies will help you with the endometriosis pain! I have had severe period pain since high school that has only gotten worse. To make it even worse, the various medications have gotten less effective, too. I’m going to have to read more about the Crazy, Sexy, Diet! Good luck with everything!
Thanks so much, Jo! I’m always sorry to hear about other ladies with endometriosis because I know how terrible it can be. Apart from reading Carr’s Crazy Sexy Diet, I’ve also been reading this website: http://www.cureendometriosis.com/. She’s a lovely blogger based out of Australia whose had surgery and tried other Western fixes for endo and had no luck. She walks you through the different things she’s tried to help her endo pain naturally.
Good luck, ladies. I know for sure that I can’t do this. As much as I love veggies and fruits, I love seafood way too much. And don’t even eat that much of it or meat, but still. Plus, my husband is a total carnivore. Taking meat out of out daily eating equation will just ensure my death. by his hand. For realsies.
♥ laura
the blog of worldly delights
I can totally understand, Laura! I keep telling all my weary friends that if I didn’t have pain I wouldn’t have though twice about trying something like this. Sunflower sprouts?! What’s that? Shelled hemp seed – qua?! But I figure it’s worth a try even though I do get bacon (and salmon – love seafood too!) cravings a lot!
Oh man, I know your pain. According to my doctor I have gluten-intolerance, maybe even Celiac’s disease! Her recommendation was to try going completely gluten-free for 6 weeks to see if it makes any difference. It’s hard though when visions of cupcakes, cinnamon buns and fresh baked bread dance through my head. Hope it works out for you!
~F
I hope you don’t have Celiac’s, Faith, just because I know how hard it is to have to give up those lovely delicious things. On the up-swing, I have a few friends who are either gluten-intolerant or have Celiac’s and they felt so much better after giving up wheat — and they look amazing for it. Also, I think gluten-free baked goods are getting more popular woohoo!
Good luck with the new “diet.” That’s how I eat most of the time – it’s hard at first but you do adjust and begin to crave odd things. like spinach. rather than chocolates.
I can’t wait for that to happen, Laura! I’m so inspired that this is how you eat most of the time!
I really admire that you’re giving this a shot. It makes sense for a lot of reasons, and I know it won’t be easy. There’s no way in hell I’d be able to have the discipline. Good luck!
Thanks so much, Allie!
I applaud you! I started going to an acupuncturist and she recommended I first go on a cleanse (between Thanksgiving and Christmas — that was a toughie) and now a lifestyle diet to help with an insulin issue. At first I was all like oh heck no, but now it feels amazing. I cut out alcohol, caffeine, refined sugar, most dairy, and gluten. (I kept butter because I just CAN’T give it up for cooking veggies). I eat TONS of olive oil, fish, organic chicken and beef, organic veggies, whole oats, brown rice (and rice cakes — highly recommend!!), legumes, nuts, and only two modest servings of fruit per day. I seriously do not miss cookies (and I had such a sweet tooth) because I just feel so good. (I do, however, kinda miss pizza and mac and cheese, but I am never tempted to give in.) Best wishes to you!!!
Amanda, this is so encouraging, and I’m so excited for you! And I’m super impressed you did your cleanse during the holidays! I love me some brown rice cakes (and almond butter) too!
Hey Lar! Thanks for your comment on my blog. How are you feeling now that you’ve started reintroducing some foods back into your diet? Did cutting back help with your endo pain?
Endometriosis is another one of those conditions that people hardly talk about. I had never heard of it until you mentioned it on your blog.
Hope you’re feeling better!
Have you talked to your doctor? Or a nutritionist? etc etc? Studies show that “going vegan” can be dangerous because our bodies NEED nutrients from proteins and meats. Please take the necessary steps by visiting a doctor and nutritionist. HAve you ever considered eating “clean” and eating organic instead?I understand going vegan if you are morally opposed to eating animal protein, but I’m pretty sure most vegans have done the necessary research.
I used to have a rumbly tummy and it ended up being lactose intolerance, and gluten intolerance is a possibility but honestly it is kind of un-realistic to rely on a book and not an actual doctor. I don’t want to sound high and mighty, but this may not end up helping you in the end unless you seek professional advise. Please do that.
Also, a huge PS. Tofu won’t be the answer to curing endometriosis pain. Tofu = soy and soy is a largely estrogenic food, our bodies are not meant to properly digest it unless it is properly treated and fermented (organics always are), so soy can end up hurting you. Soy is also awful for men.
Hi Linda! Thanks so much for chiming in. I know I sounded a bit flippant about this whole thing in the post, but don’t worry, I’ve done a lot of research (about the diet and typing my hormones a certain way). I have been to a couple doctors to cure my woes and was given pain killers, birth control and told to eat more veggies. Having just moved to a new country (woohoo!), I’m hoping my new doc might be more helpful, but in the meantime, I thought I would give this a go. I’ll carefully monitor how I feel and won’t just follow this diet/cleanse blindly and without end.
Thanks again for commenting!
Good luck on your diet/life change! I hope you’ll keep us posted as to how you’re doing and if you feel any different. I am vegetarian (on and off vegan) and I am moving from California to Edinburgh- I’m nervous that I won’t have all of my vegetarian usuals, so I am curious how you got your hands on such lovely produce in winter, in Scotland?! It is easy to find everything you need for your diet change?
Hi Rianne! A fellow soon-to-be-Edinburgh! Woohoo and welcome!
Yes, do not fear! Edinburgh’s chain food stores (Asda, Tesco, Marks and Spencers, Waitrose, Sainsburys) all have a great selection of fruits and veg. Organic is definitely harder to come by although I see more of it creeping on the shelves (especially at Waitrose). Also, most of these chain stores have a gluten-free section (much larger than I’ve seen in the states) and usually they house their whole foody type products with their gluten-free stuffs. We don’t have a Whole Foods here (which I do miss even though I used to gripe at the expense), but there are a bunch of independent whole foods shops that I’m just discovering and can pass the deets on.
Thanks for reading, Rianne!
Thanks for the response! I might be hitting you up for a list of your favorite shops and restaurants once we’ve moved. I know my hubby will be happy with anything, so long as he can sample all the different single malts, but I will most definitely need to frequent the health food shops!
OMG, that’s intense. Good luck with the new lifestyle and I hope that it helps with the tummy problems!
Thanks so much, Kimmie!
Veganism and Vegetarianism are very highly anti-inflammatory foods, but not only are they much, much healthier, they are also better for the planet.
I have a lot of tips, because I adopted a mostly vegan diet this year, too, for health reasons. As you know, I’ve been pescetarian for the better part of 10 years now, so if you need any recipes and any tipes, I’ve got a ton for you!
Just call me up!
LOVE YA. Thanks for championing this new lifestyle! It’s tastier than you think!!!! AND it will give you a high appreciation for creativity in the kitchen!!! I promise!
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo So proud of you.
AlohaXO,
Mae Lu @ thereafterish.
Hi Lovely Mae!!!
Hope all is well in your gorgeous new home!
Yes, I will definitely come to you for tips and encouragement because -gahh– this is hard! I remember when Cath and I took you around Decatur I kept thinking “where do I take a vegetarian?!” We have lots of “buy local” restaurants but even in liberal Decatur there aren’t a ton of vegan/vegetarian-friendly places.
Thanks for the encouragement, lovely!
xoxo,
Lar
Arugula and quinoa are a match made in heaven. Try cooking the grain in a broth made from an onion, celery, carrots and bay leaves. Your kitchen will smell, well, heavenly.
Cameron, that is genius! Thank you soooo much for the tip! I made some veggie soup yesterday and it did smell lovely — should have added some quinoa to it!
Good luck, you healthy things, you!!! I am a vegetarian, and I truly admire the way you are committing to the whole 9 yards of ethical eating. Giving up cookies is a task I wish upon no one. I’m sure you’ll do/feel awesome. Your quinoa dish and green juice look delish <3
Thanks so much, Katie!!! You know if I were still in Atlanta I would totally be asking you where to go for the best veg meals around.
xoxo,
Lar
I always enjoy reading your blog. It is filled with so much joy. I switched over to a vegetarian diet 4 months ago. I’m mostly vegan(eggs and cheese pop up in my day occasionally) and I’m eating about 50% raw. I feel great. My Vita-mix blender is my new best friend. It really is an adventure in food. There are many great books and websites. Green smoothies are the best! Have fun and good luck.
Hi Tonya! Good for you!!! I’m so impressed and encouraged. I’m also tres jealous that you have a Vita-mix. Those things look amazing! And right you are about this being an adventure in food.
Thanks so much for reading our blog too!
xoxo,
Lar
I’ve been on a gluten free, wheat free, diary free, soy free, oat free diet for about 6 years now. It’s hard but it benefited me greatly! It wasn’t a choice really, but I am highly intolerant to all the things above. But I am happy that I can eat all the rice and potatoes I want and not put on any weight. Conversely when I eat anything from the list above, I put on the weight!! Something to do with the body not able to process the food properly.
Have you taken a blood test to see which foods you might be allergic/intolerant to? It helps in your food choices rather than trying out things to eliminate at random.
All the best in your diet!!
Hi Jo! Thanks so much for commenting! I’m always so impressed to hear about other people cutting out foods in their life and it working for them!
It’s funny, I have approached doctors about blood tests and most of them say “sure we can do that eventually, but first why don’t you cut stuff out.” Harumphs. I’ve also tried just cutting out gluten for a while and that helped, but I didn’t do it for months which I probably need to do.
Thanks again!
So my mouth kinda dropped a little before I read why you were doing it. I hope it helps cure your ails for sure! Will you slowly reintroduce fun foods back into your life later? That is also great that you have your support team doing it with you 🙂
I don’t go on diets, I never stick to them. My friend just recently started the Paleo diet/lifestyle. She cheats maybe once a day but not by too much. So many diet options out there!
Hi Olivia! Yes, we are both going to start introducing things slowly back into our diets in about two weeks time. I’m starting with gluten (cooookies!). Thanks for the encouragement!
xoxox,
Lar
I just heard about this book a couple of weeks ago and thought about getting it. You like?
Yes I do, June! Verrrry much. The cleanse is a bitch, but I think really worth trying.
Kudos to you for drinking your greens! It can be really tough sometimes. Kriss Carr’s pretty awesome, I read up on her when she was featured in Yoga Journal a couple months back.
You should look into some books by Victoria Boutenko. She has a lot of free recipes online–and great advice for transitioning into raw/vegan diets.
Thanks so much for the suggestion, Patricia! I’ll make sure to look her up asap.