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Hope you feel better. Thinking about you

Day 8 & 9:

Yesterday I had a hard time getting up, could barely stay awake, and spent the afternoon sleeping. I think I had mashed potatoes. I didn't have much energy.

Today I was able to get up and do a little more. I still have depression/OCD symptoms. I know there are some things going on in my lif that are not perfect, but I have a feeling that it is the illness that is making things seem more worse/hopeless than they actually are.

Thank you all so much for stopping by and offering support. I agree, I think I will e-mail Dr.McDougall for good measure.

Breakfast: Hashbrown w/ ketchup
Snack: The usual green smoothie
Lunch: Leek and potato soup
Snack: Crackers, VAD fail
Dinner: Mashed potatoes
Snack: Cherry tomatoes
Exercise: 45 minutes of weight lifting

Day 10:

I am now well aware oh how badly oil affects me. Today I was in such agonizing pain I was screaming and nearly collapsed while walking. There was no one around, and it only lasted a little while, but I am now sure that I no longer want to put that crap in my mouth again (Pardon the language). I have been vegan for many years, so the only hudle for me has been to cut out VAD food. It will be a challenge, it will really test me, but I know I have to do it to get my life back. It starts now.

Breakfast: Crackers, tea w/ agave and rice milk
Lunch: Leek and potato soup, another VAD fail
Snack: Cherry tomatoes and crackers
Dinner: The usual green smoothie

I e-mailed Mc.Dougall and he didn't give me a very clear answer "caffeine withdrawl causes depression" but he did give me a link to the introduction to his new book, which I found interesting, which re-kindled my desire to really stick to this program.

http://drmcdougall.com/misc/2009nl/feb/starch.htm

Oh Love,

Hang in there....Glad Mcdougall responded. ((HUG))

Sorry you had trouble with the oils today. Hope you are feeling better now. One question- what are VAD foods? I feel like I should know this but just can't place it at the moment.

Lisa

It is a term Sksamboots came up with which I think is great,

Instad of SAD (Standard American Diet) there is VAD (Vegan American Diet) which are food that are vegan, but not neccessarily healthy and not really McDougall friendly (like vegan ice cream in my case...)

Oh sweetie, I'm sorry you're having a rough go of things. I once emailed McDougall and got a very vague response too. I know he tries his best to answer everyone, but I'm sure some problems are just too hard to really understand and diagnose via email.

As for the VAD....I'm all for avoiding the oil, but maybe you need to figure out a healthier version of some of the treat foods you're craving (even if they're not MWL or absolutely perfect)....some ideas (but obviously cater to your cravings):

banana "ice cream" with one or two Tbsp of peanut butter for a really creamy flavor

popcorn sprinkled with braggs and nutritional yeast

Mary's Gone Crackers with peanut butter

frozen banana dipped in plain cocoa powder

some fat free whole grain muffins from the Esselstyn book

Some whole grain, fat free, oatmeal cookies

rice pudding made with brown rice and almond milk, maybe even stevia to sweeten it

Etc....I don't know what your specific cravings are, but maybe you should count on being a little bit emotionally vulnerable right now and just plan to nurture yourself with some really nourishing, healthful, but richer whole vegan foods.

take care and I really do hope you feel better soon.

lfwfv

"I once emailed McDougall and got a very vague response too. I know he tries his best to answer everyone, but I'm sure some problems are just too hard to really understand and diagnose via email"-

I am sure some problems are hard to diagnose via email but it is also because you are not his patient. Read some of the disclaimers & you can see what they say about it.

Loveskale-I have quit coffee before, never really had depression but I did have withdrawl headaches for almost 2 wks. And I do not get headaches very often. I have since gone back & am drinking my coffee in the am only. I like it, when I am ready, I will quit again.

When I first re-committed to McDougall, 5 wks ago, I was very depressed, no energy. It literally sapped me, to get up to go to work. Then when I got home, all I wanted to do was lay down & do nothing. For about 3 wks, I was like that. Then all of a sudden, I felt this surge of energy & emotional well-being. My cravings & aches & pains were going away. It was like walking thru a door, closing it on a lifestyle I dont ever want again. I have never been a fan of the VAD, but some of the SAD had a pretty strong pull on me. At times it felt like a drug addiction, especially chocolate. I am recovering & feeling so much better for it. I would never tell someone to not see a Dr, but maybe you should get rid of the VAD first & see what happens.

Hope you find the answers & are feeling better soon.

Jan

Sksamboots, Willing2believe, Lfwfv, Janluvs2heel, thank you all so much for stopping by.

I will admit that choclate has been VERY hard for me to give up. But I am hoping that giving it up will help things. I'll never know until I do. From what Janusluvs2heel says, it sounds like sticking to this diet for a while might be what is causing these emotions I am feeling. I guess I just have to preservere through it.

Lfwfv, what great suggestions! I look forward to trying them! The muffins sound very interesting!

Day 11:

Breakfast: FF hashbrowns w/ ketchup
Snack: Green smoothie
Lunch: Mashed potatoes w/ veggie stock, steamed green beans, cucumbers w/ white balsalmic vinegar
Snack: VAD fail again, VERY emotional
Dinner: Jerk zucchini, jerk tofu, pasta w/ tomato, olives, fennel, and fresh herbs
Dessert: Blood Orange Sorbet w/ blackberries and aged balsalmic vinegar
Exercise: 40 minutes of weight lifting
Mood: Terrible

I have a lot of emotional eating issue I need to work out it looks like

You'll get it worked out. keep on keepin on

I think I need to do a new challenge. Yes I was eating 100% caffeine free (no chocolate) but after I cut it out for a few weeks I found myself "having" to eat some. My new challenge will be oil-free and caffeine-free. I will see where that takes me!

Hi Loveskale,

I was just reading your journal. I think that chocolate must be like opium or something. I have battled with it for years! I recently rededicated myself back to the MeDougall way and just want to say to
hang in there. I have been trying to picture the rest of you out there as I struggle to stay away from the stuff that hurts me. We are all in this together!

Best wishes!

Hi everyone,

I am back. I've been doing a lot of soul-searching the past few days, asking myself why I am on this diet, and I have come up with this:

1) I want to FEEL and LOOK great
2) I want to BE healthy

The past few weeks I haven't been feeling great, and I haven't been healthy. Why? I haven't been 100% on this. Why not? I asked myself. Well, to put it simply, the old foods I used to eat are still so tempting. How do they become untempting, (and when I say they I mean foods that are not health-promoting)? You eat a lot of McDougall Foods regularily.

So then, what is my problem? I love to cook. True. Then, why do I keep cooking the same old rice and beans? No good. So I found out how to tweak my thirty-day challenge, to make it something I CAN commit to, not something I will quit after a week. I call it: Lovekale's Thirty-Days of Flavour.

Yes, for thirty days I will cook delicious, health promoting foods, so all that old junk will not be so tempting.

And it starts today.

Oh, I'm so excited!! Love Love Love the idea. Hopefully you'll post some recipes or pictures. If not cool, just sayin --lol. You got to make the plan work for you, that's for sure. Keep on keepin on

Hi everyone, thanks for stopping by!

Day 1:

Brunch: Veggie "omelet" stuffed with potato, zucchini, tomato corn hash w/ fresh basil
Snack: Nectarine, crackers
Dinner: Tacos, salsa, guacamole, corn salsa, "refreied beans", everything made from scratch, including the corn tortillas!

Today was a cook for my family day, but it was good to pull out some cookbooks and cook some recipes that I always wanted to try! I will remember to take pictures in the future!