I say no, it isn't perfect

[clevermanka]

I'm going to put up a big purge post soon, with a listing of things I want OUT OF MY HOUSE. It'll probably go up on Saturday morning.

Yesterday's student recruitment visit went off pretty well. There were a couple minor hiccups, but nothing horrible. Perhaps alas, the timing and scheduling of this year's event didn't allow for an evening reception, which mckitterick and I usually host. As a result, I don't have a good feel for this group of students, and which ones may or may not take us up on our admissions offer. Usually at least one or two of the students mention their (informal) decision before they leave, but I have no idea if anyone did that this year.

I've got two and a half weeks left of the AIP and I'm feeling conflicted about what to do. I only started noticing big improvement in the past two weeks. I'm nervous about reincorporating foods so soon after seeing positive changes. Should I extend the experiment another couple months to give my body more time to heal, or is that just fear talking? I look forward to sweet potatoes and spices again, but I'm seriously loving the diminished swelling of the past couple weeks. I don't know, I don't know.

I have this song in my head.

Comments

[msmitti.livejournal.com]

I vote for staying on the AIP for a while longer. You are feeling better physically and you already made it through the tough adjustment period. That way you will have a little more time to observe what does/not work for longer term patterns since you had a hard time finding patterns in the beginning.

This from an uninformed someone who doesn't have any dietary limitations, so take it for what it is worth.

[redheadfae.livejournal.com]

I can totally understand your dilemma on the AIP.

If it were me, I wouldn't start with incorporating something that I really don't want to live without for the rest of my life, just in case I'd get a reaction just to the change and not the item itself.

[ms-danson.livejournal.com]

What kind of decision is it? Do you have to commit to months at a time or can you make week-by-week decisions? Once you start weaning off AIP how flexible is it? Can you go back?

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Good point on giving myself more time for pattern-finding.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't start with incorporating something that I really don't want to live without for the rest of my life, just in case I'd get a reaction just to the change and not the item itself.

Yep, that's sort of my thinking exactly. Great minds think alike.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I would extend it at least a month at a time. It's easier to track, and it gives plenty of time for adjustments. So if I decided to extend the AIP, the earliest I would reintroduce the first thing (right now, I'm thinking sweet potatoes) would be May 2. Then I wouldn't introduce the next thing (maybe seed spices) until June, etc.

I can always go back, yes. And it's likely that I'll find something I can't reintroduce, in which case I might consider going back on the AIP for thirty days to calm down my system before attempting a different reintroduction.

Honestly, the reintroduction stuff sounds exhausting, which is (not gonna lie) one of the reasons I'm so hesitant to do it. I've gotten pretty used to eating like this, and the idea of testing and tracking makes me cringe.

[ms-danson.livejournal.com]

Even if everything goes perfectly, that sounds like a lot of work and stress. I'll throw my hat in with the other commenters and say that I'd wait until I felt up to it to start reintroduction if (as it seems to be) the AIP is working as it is.

Good luck with your decision making. It sounds like a tough choice.

[msmitti.livejournal.com]

is that why wine isn't first? ;)

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

HA!

Actually, to be honest, I miss sweet potatoes more than wine. Crazy. I know. It's insane what healthy eating has done to my brain.

[alryssa.livejournal.com]

I second (third? Fourth?) the 'wait a bit longer' sentiment - you need to find what your baselines are before you go shaking things up yet again.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I talked about it with my acupuncturist last night and I think yeah, I'm gonna extend it for one more month.

[carmy-w.livejournal.com]

I agree!

[msmitti.livejournal.com]

I vote for staying on the AIP for a while longer. You are feeling better physically and you already made it through the tough adjustment period. That way you will have a little more time to observe what does/not work for longer term patterns since you had a hard time finding patterns in the beginning.

This from an uninformed someone who doesn't have any dietary limitations, so take it for what it is worth.

[redheadfae.livejournal.com]

I can totally understand your dilemma on the AIP.

If it were me, I wouldn't start with incorporating something that I really don't want to live without for the rest of my life, just in case I'd get a reaction just to the change and not the item itself.

[ms-danson.livejournal.com]

What kind of decision is it? Do you have to commit to months at a time or can you make week-by-week decisions? Once you start weaning off AIP how flexible is it? Can you go back?

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Good point on giving myself more time for pattern-finding.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't start with incorporating something that I really don't want to live without for the rest of my life, just in case I'd get a reaction just to the change and not the item itself.

Yep, that's sort of my thinking exactly. Great minds think alike.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I would extend it at least a month at a time. It's easier to track, and it gives plenty of time for adjustments. So if I decided to extend the AIP, the earliest I would reintroduce the first thing (right now, I'm thinking sweet potatoes) would be May 2. Then I wouldn't introduce the next thing (maybe seed spices) until June, etc.

I can always go back, yes. And it's likely that I'll find something I can't reintroduce, in which case I might consider going back on the AIP for thirty days to calm down my system before attempting a different reintroduction.

Honestly, the reintroduction stuff sounds exhausting, which is (not gonna lie) one of the reasons I'm so hesitant to do it. I've gotten pretty used to eating like this, and the idea of testing and tracking makes me cringe.

[ms-danson.livejournal.com]

Even if everything goes perfectly, that sounds like a lot of work and stress. I'll throw my hat in with the other commenters and say that I'd wait until I felt up to it to start reintroduction if (as it seems to be) the AIP is working as it is.

Good luck with your decision making. It sounds like a tough choice.

[msmitti.livejournal.com]

is that why wine isn't first? ;)

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

HA!

Actually, to be honest, I miss sweet potatoes more than wine. Crazy. I know. It's insane what healthy eating has done to my brain.

[alryssa.livejournal.com]

I second (third? Fourth?) the 'wait a bit longer' sentiment - you need to find what your baselines are before you go shaking things up yet again.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I talked about it with my acupuncturist last night and I think yeah, I'm gonna extend it for one more month.

[carmy-w.livejournal.com]

I agree!