Each year after the holidays (typically in January) my Facebook and Instagram feeds are inundated with posts by friends about embarking upon Whole 30, which is basically 30 days of nothing but unprocessed, whole food and is a way to cleanse and reset one's system. (More on the program basics later.) The New Year nutrition reboot seems to have become an annual right of passage for many, and a way to jumpstart healthy eating after months of holiday indulgences. I have never been particularly interested in Whole 30 because I have literally tried every single nutrition plan, diet plan, and crazy scheme out there. At this point in my life, trying yet another just did not seem like anything more than another fool's errand. However, this year I was inspired because of my friend Miss K. and my father, and I am so glad I gave Whole 30 a try. The results are incredible!
In mid-January Miss K. (about 41 years old, 5'3", small frame/build, exercises regularly, suffers from painful hip and joint arthritis) told me she was mid-way through her Whole 30. She had lost about 11 pounds at that point and was feeling really healthy. Suffering from chronic (and genetic) arthritis, Miss K. had realized a *dramatic* reduction of her joint pain within 9 days of beginning Whole 30. She also told me that a good friend of hers has rheumatoid arthritis and takes a considerable amount of medication. After having completed his first Whole 30, the friend had been able to significantly scale back his amount of daily prescription meds for his symptoms. I was intrigued. At the conclusion of Miss K's 30 days she lost 18 pounds (without exercising one time), her joint pain was gone, she looked great, and had decided to keep going on the Whole 30 plan because she just felt too great to stop. What a testimonial!
Although not a doctor, I know enough to know that arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis relate to inflammation in the body. In fact, rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that causes chronic inflammation in the joints. In June, my father was diagnosed with an incredibly rare and scary autoimmune disorder called Mucous Membrane Pemphigoid (MMP). I'd been trying to convince him to take on an anti-inflammation diet in order to help reduce the symptoms, but he wasn't ready yet. That was, until I told him about Miss K. and her friend. I promised to do Whole 30 with my Dad in order to engage the buddy system and to hold each other accountable. And so, we began Whole 30 together in mid-February.
Whole 30 is basically just what its name implies - whole food (only) for 30 days. No sugar, no rice, no bread, no beans, no peanuts, no grains, no hummus, no soy, no flour, no dairy whatsoever, and no artificial sweeteners. You are to eat 3 meals per day. Small quantities of fruit (1 - 2 servings/day), clarified butter (ghee), and potatoes are ok. (I'll let you Google all of the recipes and hacks people have flooded the internet with.) Here is basically what my Dad and I ate for 30 days: eggs, Basque (vegetable) soup, cabbage salad, homemade salad dressing, almond butter, avocados, all fruits, Larabars, lobster, olive/avocado oil, all vegetables, chicken, steak, baked potatoes, bacon, deviled eggs, olives, salad, espresso, almond milk, sweet potatoes, etc., etc. You get it - lean meats, eggs, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and healthy oils. Frankly, being able to eat fruit, potatoes, and ghee sustained me through this journey. A typical day consisted of a smoothie for breakfast (banana, cherries, strawberries, blueberries, turmeric, almond butter, freshly juiced green apple, carrot, and celery), a salad for lunch (lettuce, hard boiled egg, green onion, black olives, cherry tomatoes, avocado with a dijon mustard, champagne vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, pepper, salt, onion powder, and olive oil dressing), and a small lobster tail, salad, and boiled potato (with ghee) for dinner. Sometimes I would have a Whole 30 compliant Larabar for dessert, or some fruit.
The Larabars were the only "processed" foods we ate. Here is a tip: don't go buy a bunch of packaged, albeit technically compliant, stuff from Whole Foods and Trader Joe's. It defeats the purpose. Just buy natural food that doesn't need packaging (organic if you can). I also recommend buying the Whole 30 book, because it explains so much it is absolutely worth the read and having by your side through your journey. The old saying "if you fail to plan, you plan to fail" couldn't be more true. You have to shop and plan ahead to make sure you have food on the ready. And I always kept a snack (apple and Larabar) in my purse, just in case.
During my Whole 30 I talked with a co-worker who lives Whole 30 every day of his life (with the exception of beer, which he allows himself here and there). My colleague experienced some back injuries when he was younger and was suffering from stiff joints, back pain, and was having trouble walking and keeping up with this 3 kids all under the age 5. He claims that after he eliminated all sugar and processed foods from his diet, he has been nearly pain free, with incredible energy, has lost over 20 permanent pounds, and looks and feels better than he did 10 years ago. For many, Whole 30 is like aging in reverse.
While on Whole 30 I didn't exercise at all (despite having just purchased a Peloton). I ate whenever I felt like it. Contrary to Whole 30's authors, I drank a smoothie every morning (exceeding the 1 - 2 servings of fruit per day rule). I slept like a rock at night. My skin was more clear. And I lost 7 pounds. My father walked about 5 days per week, ate like I did, and lost 24 lbs. In. A. Month. (Men!?! Am I right, ladies?) My Dad looks amazing! He is far less bloated, is down at least two pants sizes, has much better color, his system is incredibly (ahem) regular, and he feels really good. And for someone with a devastating autoimmune disease to say he feels "really good" is huge.
I'm starting my second Whole 30 today. I feels too good to not keep it up. After my first 30 days were over I went out of town for a work conference and ate some of my old favorites. I felt instantly disgusting, bloated, and experienced acne, allergies, and an upset stomach. Not worth it. My plan is to do another Whole 30 until Easter, and then after Easter I will eat Whole 30 about 5 days per week (during the work week) and then relax a bit on the weekends. My father is still going, and hasn't stopped. He wants to lose the weight he gained while unable to exercise due to disease-related pain and fatigue, and he now realizes how critical of a role diet plays in the overall functioning of the body, and that the reduction of inflammation caused by food is one of the healthiest things you can do for yourself.
Cheers,
Pearl
PS - I'm a lawyer, not a doctor. Do your own research (DYOR) and talk to your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program.