Nutrition

While on the Whole 30, we were not allowed to eat dairy products, grains (not even pseudo-ones), legumes, alcohol, or added sugar. The first time Keith & I visited the grocery store came as a bit of a shocker. It seems EVERYTHING has some form of sugar added to it, especially: milk, yogurt, bbq sauce, salad dressings, and all things “fat-free”. However, subsequent trips have gotten much easier by staying on the perimeter of the store; do not even tempt yourself with the products in the middle aisles. Confession: we should buy stock in the chicken they sell at Costco; that, along with eggs, onions, garlic, & herbs are pantry must-haves!

As you can see below, if you suffer from seasonal allergies and live in the Wichita, KS area, you probably aren’t feeling 100%. Unfortunately, this area can be a hot zone for all different types of allergens and if that wasn’t bad enough, they can reappear more than once a year. Seasonal allergies, also known as hay fever or allergic rhinitis, affects all age groups. (Fun fact: rhinitis is irritation of the nose and rhinoceros means “nose horn;” in case you were curious!) Anyway, common symptoms include sneezing, congestion, itchy/watery eyes, and coughing. Typical treatment includes antihistamines, decongestants, and steroids.

30 Whole Days of eating food, doesn’t sound too difficult does it? Well, Keith and I decided to take on this challenge last month. Up to this point, we had made an effort to eat well (most days) and keep up with the latest in food education. Through that research, we came across this diet,“The Whole30 Program,” mentioned by many different authors whom we greatly respect.