So…since my last post about my post-ween diet life just kept on going. And here’s how it went. I kept packing on the pounds! Despite upping my exercise. Despite being more careful about what I eat. The last time I put my “last stand” pants on I could barely button them, the pockets were flaring the way pockets do on tight pants (oh boy). I had an appointment with my acupuncturist and shared my post ween diet plan with her. She gave me some TCM perspective on the project. And we had dinner with friends, one of whom is also an acupuncturist. She added her two cents. Which gave me the sense that I’m on the right track. This, together with the simple fact that I no longer have any clothes that fit, I took as an indication: that the time to start is now (or rather, last Sunday when I did indeed begin).

A few years ago my body did a similar thing to what it has been doing in the past couple months. For no apparent reason, I began rapidly gaining weight. Because I hadn’t changed anything about my food intake or my exercise regimen, it was fairly clear to me that there was some other sort of something going on in my body. Through my work with my acupuncturist and ground level investigations (talking with friends and clients), I began to realize that for some reason my hormones, were directing my body to hold onto fat. This seemed like a bad idea to me then. And I feel the same way now.

Way back then, the key to my body shedding the pounds turned out to be treating my spleen. Now, the truth is that it may very well be more complicated than that (of course). I underwent regular acupuncture treatments and herbal regimens for upwards of a year before receiving the body altering treatment. One acupuncturist performed the many regular treatments, and another performed the fat dropping one. I know that the regular treatments helped me in lots of ways. But it wasn’t until I switched acupuncturists that I had the wow!-my-pants-finally-fit-again result. And, it is impossible to know if the wow! result was not only based on the single treatment, but also all the ones leading up to that point. This is what body sleuthing is all about, you know? Trying to sort all these things out.

This time around, I’m starting with my spleen. Might as well. It turns out that by cutting out gluten, sugar (mostly), and dairy, I’m giving my spleen a break from moisture, phlegm, and mucous. While pregnancy is a naturally moist period for the body, it can be difficult for some bodies to “dry out” afterwards. This is the information that I learned from my TCM sources. Hopefully, I’m correctly transmitting the information.

Now, the kidneys and the liver are often wrapped up with the spleen. I don’t know why. I just know that, when I receive treatments (TCM and visceral manipulation) these gals are usually part of the conversation. I decided to sit with heat on my kidneys every evening while my husband and I enjoy our installation of this fun show. That is generally soothing, which I figure is good for my adrenals if nothing else. I also notice that it helps me to empty a lot of fluid by way of my bladder. Which gives me the sense that the kidneys are kicked into gear. And what’s more, I’m able to sleep through the night without having to get up to pee. Always a good indicator of things going well with the kidneys. For my liver, I’m drinking lemon juice more regularly. And I am taking an herbal remedy from my acupuncturist which she tells me supports my spleen and liver.

Aside from my dietary changes, I also take this syrup, drink beet kvass and kombucha from here, pop a couple of these each day, and take my vitamins since my boy is still making teeth and using my milk for the project. All these bits, help to keep my blood in good standing, my gut humming along, my immune system ready for anything, and my brain well supported.

I am loving this cookbook since so many of the recipes are gluten free, it’s a perfect new addition to my collection. (And it helps me remember my days of leisure on the magical island of Cuba. Perfect for somebody who hasn’t been on a beach in way too long).

The late addition to my plan has been tending to my thyroid. Jojo pointed out that perhaps my thyroid is the wizard behind all this weight gain. Given my current lack of time and funds. I decided to have a look online to see what I could figure out right in the comfort of my own home about my thyroid. I read two articles that I found helpful. (This one and this one.) And after further investigation, I chose to resume my daily consumption of these. It turns out that a lot of the other things that I’m already doing are working toward the same end of supporting my healthy thyroid.

Over the past few days I’ve noticed a few things that may or may not be connected to all these changes I’ve made. I have often had a low grade headache which feels like the result of neck tension. I’ve got aches in other parts of my body too. I have also had several bouts of what I can describe no other way than ickiness of my stomach area. And I’ve been frequently quite tired and short of patience. I’d venture to say that my body is having a bit of a healing crisis now that I’ve removed some elements of distraction from the system. And I’m hoping that all these changes I have made will have me feeling better, and slimming down soon. Time will tell. The good news is that I haven’t done anything irreversible or incredibly dramatic to alter my system. Generally, I try to avoid such measures as there can be all sorts of reactions to such changes.