Half Way There to a Fabulous February
This month I am looking forward to being 'Fabulous for February' with the help of the ilumi Boost Your Energy Diet and the Advanced Nutrition Programme. Along with added help from Vietnam Black Rice and Nutribullet I am looking to change my approach to my diet and move on to fresh produce and home-made meals, free from unnecessary added ingredients.
I am sharing my experience with you now I am half-way through the month and getting to Day 15 on my #FabForFeb regime has been easier than expected.
Firstly I have cut out gluten and dairy from my diet this month because it does not agree with me.
Having been diagnosed with IBS at 19, suffered from acne, eczema, joint pain, tiredness and insomnia (to name a few symptoms) for most of my adult life, a few years back I decided to go 'clean' - cutting lactose and gluten from my diet. The difference was amazing! I naturally lost weight, my mind cleared, my digestive tract (all the way from mouth ulcers to flatulence) settled to an unknown norm and my aches and pains gave way to a decent nights sleep, with less anxiety and bad dreams.
During November and December of last year I went back to my old ways, eating without thinking and including all food back into my diet. The result was an increase in weight, poor skin and the return of all my symptoms. So to get the year off to a good start I embarked on a two-week diet plan, following the ilumi Boost Your Energy Diet. This was a fabulous way for me to begin my own personal detox and not one that involved drastically cutting out eating and flushing my system, just simply removing known irritants from my meal plan.
ilumi gave me three balanced meals a day, in correct portion size, ready to heat and eat. The plan includes snacks and treats plus you can add in your own extras like gluten-free bread, fruit and vegetables. Because I felt I was constantly eating, at no time did it feel like a diet or restriction. I even had a couple of bottles of CELIA lager thrown in.
Whilst alcohol has not been excluded, it should be kept free from gluten and taken in moderation. Honestly I have to admit I have had a couple of nights when I had a bit more than one glass within the last two weeks but the distress to my system and recovery has been a lot quicker. I also had one night when I ate some gluten containing bread and the effects were quick to take hold - but passed through a lot faster than normal.
In conjunction with the ilumi Boost Your Energy Diet I have been taking daily vitamins from the Advanced Nutrition Programme's (ANP) 30 Day Detox Pack. The added vitamin C, probiotics and capsules to aid my systems detoxification process have all helped to make things work more smoothly.
For the first week on this regime my body kicked against the new influx of food and vitamins, reacting with an increase of digestive symptoms but quickly settled as I moved into the second week. I have found myself more focused at work, sleeping better and feeling more rested - even on the nights I have worked until the wee hours. My anxiety levels have reduced and my digestion no longer requires a packet or two of Rennie to be on hand at all times.
My joints feel less inflamed and my arthritis appears to be under control, without the need for added painkillers. My skin has greatly improved. I am sporting one spot on my chin due to hormonal changes this week but even that is already settled and going away. My itchy head, arms and back have stopped driving me insane and my resident rash has packed its bags and taken a holiday.
And all this after just two weeks! Plus I have lost five pounds in weight.
For the next two weeks I will continue with the ANP's detox pack and swap ilumi for home made meals, still dairy- and gluten-free. I will be adding some Nutribullet smoothies into my day and swapping white rice for some Black Vietnam Rice, packed full of anti-oxidants.
Check back at month end to see how it is going and if I am feeling fabulous as we go into February.