30 for 30: My Month on a Popular Elimination Diet
“We should both do Whole30,” my friend suggested one Friday night as we wolfed down chips and dip to counter the quick effects of her lemon martinis.
I’d done only one true elimination diet, back in 1988. It didn’t go well, in part because it called for fancy food, and I lived on an Alaskan island where six red plums cost me $12. The second attempt was about 15 years ago, and I quit after I could only eat the garnish at an office birthday party spread. It wouldn’t have been noticeable were I not among the honored guests.
I also should mention this friend did 50 pushups in pumps and a mini skirt in front of everyone at her 50th birthday party. She’s incredibly athletic [read: disciplined], and I knew she’d hold me accountable.
We talked for all of two minutes, with mouthfuls of Doritos, about the logistics and likelihood we could do this. I declared: “I’m in.”
What is Whole30?
I knew nothing about the Whole30 plan. So, first thing I did was round up a manual and several Whole30 books. The creators do not pull punches; they admit it’s going to be difficult. It will kill your social life. And, as my friend and I discovered early into the month, it turns you into “one of those people.”
But my primary care provider had recommended I try a elimination diet to see if it might help a rare skin condition I’d been battling since my early 40s. He also hinted it might help with other mysterious aliments that come and go. Plus, I yearned for some short-lived challenge.
Here’s the gist of what you cannot eat:
• Added sugar of any kind, real or artificial
• Alcohol in any form
• Grains (bread, rice, quinoa, etc.)
• Legumes (except green beans and snap/snow peas)
• Soy (cause it’s a legume, like chickpeas and lentils)
• Dairy (other than ghee for cooking)
• MSG or sulfites
• Junk food or baked goods
It’s also recommended you don’t eat out or go on a vacation during the month, though I’ve since found social posts of restaurant items that are Whole30 compliant (with modifications).
A Month of Depravation ... and Joy
Despite having such limited options, I found I spent more on groceries, mainly because everything had to be a whole food or made with only natural ingredients, or the alternatives (like coconut aminos for soy sauce) were more expensive. I ate a lot of fresh or roasted vegetables, lean proteins and rice cauliflower or sweet potatoes. I cribbed recipes from online and in Whole30 cookbooks to keep it interesting.
The first week was fun. I didn’t feel hungry but was preoccupied with food since I was always figuring out what to make or eat next. I also upped my tea consumption to keep my hands and mouth busy between meals.
The second week, I started getting cravings, especially when nighttime TV commercials beckoned. So, I read in bed instead.
The third week, something weird happened. My ring fell off my finger and my watch felt looser. My daughter told me that’s because of reduced inflammation – something I never really considered. As we age, chronic inflammation becomes common and a bigger problem. When your body remains inflamed on the inside, it impacts overall health.
By Day 21, I had found my food groove and felt a surge of energy. I needed only one cup of tea in the morning to sustain me the rest of the day. I’d also been battling what I thought was bursitis, but the pain was now gone. I recovered quickly from strength training. I slept better and woke naturally. In fact, my entire body felt lighter, my mind freer.
The final week, things got harder because I knew the end was near. I also was sick of salmon, chicken and repurposed cauliflower and life without rice and beans, real butter, and bread.
The Results Speak for Themselves
In addition to reducing inflammation, other health issues that had been bugging me for a while went away. My GI tract never talked back post-meal. My headaches went away. Unfortunately, my skin disease didn’t miraculously disappear. Not that I expected it would, but I had hoped to halt its advance since summer weather was approaching.
I also lost 10 pounds, even if weight loss wasn’t a goal.
I will say I likely didn’t adhere to the plan 100%, if only because a couple of times I ate out and am positive my meals were not Whole30-compliant. But I do understand the need for strictness, because as soon as I reintroduced banned ingredients, my symptoms (and cravings) returned.
This only works if you have a source of motivation and surround yourself with supporters. Everyone in my family accommodated my new diet. My friend discovered saboteurs among friends who tried to pressure her to cheat with alcohol and sweets at social gatherings. We both got eye rolls when we’d ask vendors about their ingredients and food preparations.
Sometimes you don’t know how bad you feel until you feel better. That was the case here. Food really is medicine. I feel fortunate on multiple levels to have found a drug-free cure. And I’m looking forward to following a less restrictive version now, because life’s too short to live without rice and beans and the occasional ice cream.
Photo courtesy of Pexels and Geraud Pfeiffer
