So, I recently read The Swiss Secret to Optimal Health by Dr. Rau, and since what it said made sense to me, I decided to follow the diet guidelines. (note: I mean "diet" only in that a diet is the foods you eat, not diet as in losing weight or restricting calories or a "diet fad", as it has come to mean today) I guess it's been about a week, since I bought the book, 1 day to read it, another day to get going on the guidelines, so I would guesstimate that I've been doing this for 5 days. I skipped the "cleanse diet", which would restrict too much fat and protein intake since I'm eating for two, and went straight to the "maintenance diet" which provides plenty of both. Each day I've woken up expecting to feel the differences the book promised: cleaner, lighter, more energy, better focus, and improved memory. I couldn't really tell a difference. It was still painfully hard to get up in the morning at 5:30 and I would still hit the snooze button until 6. By the end of the day I was still worn out and dog tired. I couldn't tell any improvement in memory or focus. I did notice two things: one was that my bowel movements, which have always been regular, were much easier. I'm prone to rectal tears (thanks for those genes, Mom) but since none of them were ever serious, I just thought it was something I would have to live with. That started clearning up in about 2 days. The other thing I noticed was that two nights in a row I slept really poorly due to anxiety about my algebra test, and I didn't get sick. Nor did I get any precursors to being sick like I usually do: sore throat in the morning that dissipates, deep, sore pimples on my face or back, or mouth ulcers. These things appear without fail before every sickness, and I've come to learn that they occur when my immune system is struggling. For me to miss sleep two nights in a row and not be sick, or at least feel like I'm getting sick, is unheard of. So I decided to keep going with the diet: maybe there was something to it. Maybe it just took a while, and BAM! Today, test day, which should have had me all in a dither and losing sleep last night, and I wake up at 5:00 a.m. ready to bounce out of bed. My energy level has soard, but not in a jittery way. It has been even and constant. My mental clarity has been astounding. While taking my test today, the answers just came. Now, I don't want to downplay the amount of hard study time I put in for this test: I knew the answers because I had worked so hard to learn the concepts. But when I mentally reached for the information, it was just there. I was able to pull it to the front of my brain and use it. I was less confused. It's nearly 2:30 and I'm not longing for a nap, but am ready to get focused and tackle some errands. The best thing that I can say is that I have never, in my entire life felt this good. It's like my cells are happy. I can feel them communicating and all is going well. It is an amazing feeling.
So what am I eating? What have I changed? First, let me just say that I could not have started this diet 2 years ago and stuck with it. I've been changing my eating habits, bit by tiny bit, for at least 2 years. I've changed my entire viewpoint about food, and that is why I can stick to this diet and not feel deprived. And my viewpoint has changed because of hundreds of hours of research, not just because someone one day said "Cheetohs are bad for you, don't eat them." It has taken me over 2 years for my priorities to shift where eating healthy was more important to me than the pleasure of eating junk. That being said, here are the modifications I've made:
Very little caffeine.
Very little sugar, and no refined (white) sugar or flour. I use honey or raw brown sugar, and I try not to eat much of that.
Much less protein in general, and animal protein in particular. I eat lots of beans and veggies to make sure I'm getting my recommended amounts, but I am NOT relying on soy: Soy contains a nutrient which blocks the absorption of calcium. I plan to eat animal protein about 4 times a week (the high end of what the diet recommends). I used to eat it three times a day.
Less cow dairy. I refuse to give up heavy cream or butter, though. But since they are entirely fat and not protein, they are allowed in small quanities on this diet. Goat and sheep cheeses are allowed, and luckily some of my favorite cheeses are feta and pecorino romano, so it's not all bad.
No processed foods i.e. nothing with ingredients I cannot pronounce. Just good, whole food the earth produced.
This diet does allow semolina pasta, arborio rice, and quinoa, as well as breads made from wheat flour or other grains. I intake good fats (walnuts, olive oil, butter, avocado) to keep me full, and I DO NOT allow myself to go hungry.
I understand that I am not going to be 100% every day on this diet. Life is just too short to not have a doughnut once in a while. But I absolutely cannot believe how good I feel, which is odd because diets are usually associated with feeing run down and hungry. But I find that there is more pleasure in feeling this way than there is in drinking a Dr. Pepper. Go figure!
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