Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Dear Diary

I know this is going to sound cheesy, but what I've been doing in the last few weeks has completely changed my life.
I have six days left on my 30 day grain/legume free trial.  It won't matter tho... the only thing that '30 days' is going to signify is that I get to buy myself a present.  Because I don't think I'd go back.  Here are the positives of the new plan that are unrelated to waist line... things I had no idea would change with a new eating arrangement.
 
I wake up alert every day, almost no matter what time I go to bed.
I wake up in a good mood EVERY day.
My bathroom habits are more regular and I haven't had tummy troubles at all!
My skin is fantastic, altho I'm sure that's more to do with the next part of this post.
I have energy to do things like walk 10 km and go out after work
I say happy things to the kitty and I have WAY more patience, even in the middle of the night when he's being a baby!
I feel more alert throughout the day
I'm committed to bringing my breakfast, lunch, and snacks to work and I cook for myself every night.
I don't have to go into a grocery store a dozen times a month... I HATE grocery stores!
My nails are stronger and growing faster. 
My hair feels healthier
I am in more control
I'm saving a TON of money!
 
It doesn't hurt that I went down two belt holes in the last 24 days...
 
Now, as far as my skin goes... I'm sticking to my plan of removing bad and toxic things from my body care regimine.  Don't put toxic shit IN your body... don't put toxic shit ON your body.  That said, I made my own deodorant on the weekend.  The idea of putting toxic chemicals into an area of your body that is very suceptible to 'absorbing' didn't sit well with me.  So I decided to bite the bullet and make my own.  It's honestly better than store bought.  It smells lovely (tea tree oil) and moisturizes (coconut oil) and absorbs moisture (arrowroot powder and baking soda).  That's it.  Those are the ingredients.  The original recipe suggested Grapefruit oil, which I'm sure would work, but Tea Tree kills everything and that's helpful when you want to kill bacteria that might cause a smell.  Plus, having tea tree oil in the house is helpful for bug bites, scratches, burns and zits.
 
Once I had the deodorant down pat and realized that natural things work if you get the right ingredients together, I decided the next thing to get rid of was shampoo. I have very fine hair, so I did a bit of research, as I'm still vain enough to know I want to look good... and the hive mind opinion was straight baking soda.  I mix two teaspoons into a paste (I have short hair) and massage it into my hair and scalp.  I leave it on while I wash my face and body and then rinse.  It leaves my hair squeaky clean and insanely soft.  And my styling ritual isn't affected by the change in care products at all... so I look exactly the same but a bit more smug because I'm not putting chemicals on my body.
 
And finally, after removing the store bought moisturizer from my ritual and buying this,
  I thought it would be good to get rid of the scented Bath and Body Works addiction I have and switch to something a big more natural.  So I bought a sampler of Dr. Bronners Peppermint 18 in 1 Hemp Soap 
 It's amazing.  It smells amazing, it lathers amazing on my bath puff and you need about four drops.  I even shaved my legs after sudsing up with it and the shave was perfect!
 
I feel fantastic with my new body cleansing ritual... next up is finding a way to make my own tinted moisturizer so I don't have to use commercial foundation... I found a recipe for making your own bronzing powder with cinammon or nutmeg (depending on your 'tone') and I might just use moisturizer and that...
 
It's very mentally freeing to be making your own choices about what you put on and in your body... and it can be substantially cheaper, depending on what you are choosing.
 
So, that's my update... I was going to wait until my 30 days was up, but I'm pretty sure that nothing is going to be so drastically different and I was so happy this morning that I couldn't hold it in!

3 comments:

Tara said...

Isn't it amazing how everything changes? I wans't expecting half of the changes that I experienced including skin improvements, heightened sense of smell, faster reflexes... and on.

So great to hear you're happy with what you're doing!

Anonymous said...

That is wonderful and amazing and exciting and every other good word that I can use to explain how happy I am that you have come into the grain-free light and like it so much you’ll stay! I KNEW you wouldn’t want to go back when your 30 days was up, I KNEW IT and I am so, so, SO GLAD! Don’t you wish everyone understood how bad grains are? Welcome to the club!

I’m glad your deo worked out, cheap too…especially considering you stole all the ingredients but one from my house. AND the jar you’re keeping it in! ;)

In answer to your question on my blog, I used your idea of turning the lime peel into crumbs in my bullet but then I added 1/3 cup of parm cheese, 1 tbsp chile powder, 1 tsp cumin and some salt and pepper. Poured onto a plate and then I buzzed an egg in the same bullet cup and poured that onto a different plate. Then dredged. While cooking (in butter) I squeezed fresh lime juice overtop. Next time I would use more lime zest, less lime pith (mine was a bit bitter). Ray LOVED it!

PS. What's the element botanicals amazing cream all about? Do I need some?

P'cess said...

Yes, it totally makes me want to stand on the rooftops and scream it out to the world... and I do want to slap bagels out of the hands of unsuspecting strangers, but I show a small amount of restraint at those times.
My work neighbor keeps telling me that there's nothing wrong with grains and that I shouldn't be so silly... she also just tried to convince me that microwaving won't kill me and also 'eat green beans, they're good for you'. As far as the last 30 days have gone, I haven't been preaching my new plan to anyone... so I wish she'd stop preaching her ideas to me, but I'm positive that it's sabotage...

Your fish sounds good... I might have to get some parm cheese... do you just buy the Kraft stuff?

Yes, you need the Element Botanicals Amazing Cream. That's actually what it's called... Amazing Cream. My skin (face) has never been so soft or fresh and clean looking. Go on the website (just google Element Botanicals Amazing Cream) and look at the ingredients. It's all plant based and natural... feels like butter going on your skin but not greasy at all... light weight, won't bother any skin conditions... if you buy it and don't like it, I'll buy it off you...

Followers