Last March, I wrote about starting my first Whole 30. Less than two weeks later, I unexpectedly lost my father and life as I knew it changed forever. It's taken me nearly a year, but as January approaches I've decided to try again. Some of you may ask why I (or anyone) would bother following such a "restrictive" lifestyle for 30 days. Who am I kidding? Most of you could care less. Yes, I know it's the time for New Year Resolutions and starting the year off right and all of the crap, but that's not really what I'm focusing on. My focus is on experimenting with the question of whether food can actually heal me of some other issues that I currently suffer from. For example, most people don't know that I have an anxiety and panic diagnosis. In very basic terms, I suffer from regular anxiety and panic attacks that can, at times, disrupt my life. It's not something I tend to share because it's slightly embarrassing and very hard to explain, but it's the truth. My panic tends to manifest itself at night, which means I go for extended lengths of time with distorted sleep patterns and am, most often, sleep deprived. Lucky for me (note the sarcasm), this usually then becomes a circular issue because the less I sleep, the more anxious I get. I find myself spending many nights on the couch or in a chair fighting with my brain and my body to give me some rest. It's pretty fucking terrible, to be honest. Thankfully, it used to be a lot worse but with time, education, and regular therapy (oooohhhhh yeah I said the ugly "t" word), I've gotten better at understanding and living with this disorder.
So, what does this have to do with a Whole 30? I truly believe that what we put into our bodies in the form of food and nutrition plays a huge impact on how we feel on a daily basis. We all know that eating clean helps us look and perform better, but what impact can it have on our mental and emotional health? I've heard stories of Whole 30's helping people sleep better, relax easier, and have an overall better quality of life. This refers to an actual Whole 30. Thirty days without one "cheat" - not one sip of alcohol, or bite of dairy, or slip of sugar. Thirty days of fairly extreme clean eating to re-boot the system and assist the body in balancing its metabolism and, maybe even, its endocrine system. After the year I've had, I'm absolutely willing to try.
Thinking about doing something for thirty days seems simple, but I know from experience that it's harder than it seems. To turn down that glass of wine or even that invitation for dinner isn't always the easiest choice in the moment so I'm hoping to use this blog to get me through it. Hence, my 30 day Whole Blog challenge. I commit to writing an entry every single day for 30 days as I go through this Whole 30. I'll write about what I've been eating or cooking, how I've been feeling, and generally what effects the Whole 30 is having on my body. This will keep me accountable while maybe inspiring someone else to participate in a Whole 30. Right now it's my intention to start on the 6th of January (conveniently AFTER our CrossFit Grand Rapids holiday party). If you're interested in joining me on the journey, take the next week to read up on a Whole 30 here.
Here's to making 2014 a calm and healing year.
