Life is about creating yourself. (Tricia) page 3

[Tricia]

Yup, I have mononucleosis. I still have to wait for the blood work to come in, but my doctor said I have all the symptoms and since it's going around, it's safe to assume that I have it. She put me on two weeks leave from work and told me to rest as much as I can.
You know I am actually happy with this news? I've been feeling so weak and tired all the time that I really started to resent this stupid body of mine, and now it turns out that while I thought that I was being weak, I was actually doing a pretty good job at doing what I normally do (work, study, household chores) with this ugly virus inside me for the past 3 weeks. Go immune system! I'm so chalking this up to not smoking and living primal for the past 3 weeks.
It also means that once I won't have this virus to fight, I'm going to feel so awesome, because all that energy that I'm using for that now will be freed up! I've never been more sure of the benefits of this lifestyle.
I also realised that I don't want to set goals for myself in terms of weeks or months. I want to keep doing this forever. And if I ever do feel like cheating, I'll make myself something that while not actually primal in spirit, still complies to the basic rules, like almond cake or 'primal' pizza. I really can't wait to get better, so I can go outside and play

[Lex26]

Yop - you know that whatever challenge you face, you're going to be able to deal with it better by eating primal. On the exercise portion, I guess for now you should just concentrate on slow movement and play when you can. Feeling like you're pushing yourself too far is never good. Glad you're dealing with the mono like a champ!

[Tricia]

Hey, thanks

Food log for today:
Brunch: two leftover meatballs and a fried egg
Dinner: a big piece of ham in mustard sauce (courtesy of the boy) with broccoli and green beans
extra: 1 clementine, 1 pear, some plain yoghurt with a teeny bit of maple syrup

[pbj]

Hey Tricia,
Are you taking coconut oil?
check it out!
google "mononucleosis and coconut oil" mono is mainly caused by the Eppstein Barre virus which is an enveloped virus. The fatty envelope that protects the virus can be penetrated by monolaurin - which the body makes from injested Lauric acid, the primary fatty acid in coconut oil, and therefore can be stopped from reproducing

from A New Look At Coconut Oil
by Mary G. Enig, Ph.D.

"The action attributed to monolaurin is that of solubilizing the lipids and phospholipids in the envelope of the virus causing the disintegration of the virus envelope. In effect, it is reported that the fatty acids and monoglycerides produce their killing/inactivating effect by lysing the (lipid bilayer) plasma membrane. However, there is evidence from recent studies that one antimicrobial effect is related to its interference with signal transduction (Projan et al 1994).

If you aren't taking coconut oil - use the search area at the top of the page and google it and you will find LOTS of info.

best of luck
pbj

[Tricia]

Wow, thanks pbj! I am definitely trying that. Luck has it I just picked up a jar of virgin coconut oil at the health food store last week. Would it be enough if I just use it to cook? Most sites seem to recommend 2 tbs per day, but I don't think I can swallow 2 tbs of pure oil hehe

[fondalashay]

Most sites seem to recommend 2 tbs per day, but I don't think I can swallow 2 tbs of pure oil hehe

Here is the best way I have heard to take it if you are not sure on the taste .. Take out some coconut oil and let it soften in a bowl. Add cocoa powder and maybe some stevia if you are ok with it. Mix it up and either roll it into balls or chill it back down to scoop out. It is a nice dessert like treat - but oh so good for you.

[Tricia]

Oh, that sounds nice, I might try that

Yesterday's food:
Breakfast: 1 egg fried in coconut oil, 1 apple
Snacks: Turkey lunch meat (I found a place where I can get it un-sliced, so I can just cut off a big chunk, like cheese - oh so good!) and 1 clementine
Dinner: crayfish tossed with almond flour and then fried in coconut oil, oh my!
I'd brought back 1 serving of crayfish per person from the store, but then later announced that I was going to eat someone's portion as my two room mates were having fries for dinner and I was hungry and didn't want to cook. But this way of preparing them is sooo good yet sooo satisfying, I couldn't even finish it all off, so I gave my sister her portion back, fried and all. Luckily, she liked it too. Satiety, thy name is coconut oil
Also: 3 (!) glasses of apple juice, which I had been craving for days. Sugar bomb, I know! I still weigh a little less than I did yesterday

[Tricia]

Yesterday's Food:
Breakfast: ground nuts with yoghurt
lunch: leftover ham with mustard sauce and sliced tomato
dinner: carrots, onions, broccoli and green bell pepper sautéed in coconut oil, sliced tomato and two of the most delicious pieces of salmon, also fried in coconut oil (I'm just using it for everything at the moment to find out what it complements best - the salmon was a definite win!)
dessert: made the chocolate treats suggested by fondalashay - omg too good! will definitely make them again but not every day, as they're too much like regular chocolate for a recovering chocoholic and I don't have any stevia (they only legalized the stuff here like a month ago) so I put a teeny bit of honey in them. But still... omg...
later at night: 2 glasses of apple juice, more ground nuts + yoghurt

... and I still managed to weigh less than the day before! \o/

One more exam today (last of three in a row), then I can focus on getting better for the next week, and study for the remaining two.
My sister got me the first 4 Game of Thrones (Song of Ice and Fire) books, so I have something relaxing to read before I go to bed (I have tons of books, but most of them are philosophical works that while invigorating, aren't very relaxing, hehe) so I will hopefully sleep a little better than I do after watching TV.

[fondalashay]

Yesterday's Food:I don't have any stevia (they only legalized the stuff here like a month ago)

funny, just got legal for us to. I am in Norway. I have been mail ordering it in from iherb.com since even though it is legal it is still not on the store shelfs anywhere.

I am glad you liked the choco treats! best of luck on your remaining exams.

[Tricia]

I had a weird day yesterday. Went to my exam feeling all feverish and miserable, and I don't think I did very well on it. Then when I got home I was too tired to plan for dinner so I just collapsed on the couch and sort of grazed for the rest of the day:
Breakfast: 1 banana
Lunch: 1 egg with some bacon bits (sister is picking up the primal and cooked it for me), glass of milk
Later that day: handful of pecans, two clementines, very small serving of my sister's zuccini 'lasagna', which I don't really like because as I mentioned before, it turned out more like bolognese soup, a chunk of turkey lunch meat, some yoghurt with ground nuts in it.

The doctor gave me the next week off, so I can take it easy (my next two exams are the week after), study, diddle around the house a bit for slow movement (the place is a mess) and maybe try out some new primal recipes whenever I have the energy. At least while my sister is here, I can send her out to gather ingredients