After 30 Days...

In the last article, I wrote about fasting and clean eating again. I detailed how I’ve finally committed to putting my stage 3 HS in remission. It has not been easy, but neither is having HS so I’ve decided to choose my hard and this hard has been sooooo much better in just 30 days.

Listening to my body

As I'm typing this, I am in the 16th hour of a 20-hour fast - building up to a 24 hour fast. And while I can tell my stomach is empty, I do not feel hungry. I am happy and clear minded.

In the past 30 days, I have avoided the following: sugars including fruit and high starch vegetables, all AIP elimination phase foods including eggs, nuts, legumes, nightshades, processed oils, and so on. At the tail end here I have been able to reintroduce butternut squash and test it for a reaction. We don’t want to have an extremely limited diet for a prolonged time because that can actually make our body develop allergies and reactions towards it. Isn’t that so funny.

Initially, I was taking supplements to help build my leaky gut and repopulate my microbiome, but those apparently had ingredients or fillers my body didn’t like because they caused me to flare. You have to listen to your body. It will tell you when it needs or doesn’t need something. Mine was angry and didn’t need supplements. That’s fine, food was the answer for me.

What changes have I seen?

So, in the past 30 days, I have noticed that my taste buds have completely reset. My favorite vegetable now is spaghetti squash because it is both sweet and savory and makes a great stir fry. I’ve been able to use less lemon juice on my salads because I can taste the juice from just half a lemon. I use less salt because I notice how too much salt mutes the taste of the vegetable itself. And all of these vegetables truly have their own tastes and they’re soooo good. I’m actually excited for the reintroduction phase because all of these foods will have new tastes. I feel like a baby that was just introduced to solids. It’s truly an experience.

My hormonal acne didn't show its face as loudly this month. Normally I have tons of pimples and some are very large. This time I had one or 2 small ones, no cramps, no pain at any point during my cycle and it never got too heavy. It was amazing.

All of my flares are pain-free. I’m moving freely and easily. I can see areas that were previously extremely inflamed and red and open, healing and closing. It’s happening VERY slowly, but still it’s happening. I’m still draining so no miracles there but I’m not expecting any so that’s ok.

It's a long process - there's no quick fix

Cristina Curp said it took her 4 months of eating AIP and other eliminated foods before she noticed that her body was truly healing, but it took almost 2 years for her to have MAJOR changes that were evident in photos. So it’s not a fast process at all, but the idea that nothing is forever is what is keeping me going. I want to stop draining, I want my body to eat the raised flares so they’ll flatten out. I want to get back into a swimsuit and if that takes 2 years then so be it, but the point is it’s possible.

I get the privilege of taking care of myself. To offer it love every day by giving it foods that help it heal. Present me is loving on future me and making sure we give her a better life than we have now and we’ve had in the past. I’m happy knowing that I will be even happier in the future.