Health is a touchy subject nowadays. Food is the root of our well-being, seeing as how several cancers, heart disease, and joint and bone diseases have been known to be prevented by food with the right nutrients. However, in a fast-paced society with grease-ridden fast-food chains on every corner, we have learned to mistreat our bodies by what we allow ourselves to put in them. I believe that Whole30 may be a great way to let my body start over.
Whole30 is a health and wellness regimen that started in 2009 and has changed millions of lives. It regulates one's diet closely based on the "rules" of the Paleo diet, tracing back to the people living during the Paleolithic era. To simply put it, Whole30 rules out all dairy, grains, legumes (beans), sugar (raw, added, and refined), and soy. It strongly encourages organic, non-processed foods, as well as the inclusion of various fruits, healthy fats (including avocado, thank baby Jesus), and pretty much all things coconut. It is meant to give your body a chance to recover from inflammation or weakness to vital organs.
Consequently, Whole30 gives you 30 days to look at healthy foods straight on and know that you are spending a month of your life making wholesome choices. Now, I've spent a few weeks doing my research, and I am still overwhelmed by the possibility. By now you are reading this and probably thinking some of the same things that I am.
1. A whole entire month??
2. What about my Starbucks runs?
3. But wait, I can have coffee, right?
4. Just no sugar in it...
5. Man, I am doomed! Doomed!
6. Hold on, I can still have coconut milk, and coconut oil...
7. I guess I can do that...
8. But how am I even supposed to know what "ghee" is?
9. "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter"... Because, ghee, it freaking isn't!!!
10. What am I supposed to put on my blueberry muffins?
11. Oh... Oh no... Not bread!
12. Well, goodbye Panera. Goodbye Chipotle.
13. No ice cream or cookies, either. Crap.
14. I will literally die without spaghetti in my life for a month.
15. But I can have avocado. Thank you, God.
16. Yes, I know guac is extra; fill ‘er up.
17. It still can't compare to cheese, though.
18. No pizza... The hardest loss.
19. I just have no idea what these portion sizes even mean.
20. Like, how am I supposed to give myself a palm-sized portion of chicken?
21. I'm not allowed to look at the scale, though. Sure.
22. I feel like I will actually starve.
23. All this organic food is too expensive.
24. I feel like I need to ask mom for money.
25. Oh, hey mom, I’m doing this thing called Whole30.
26. No mom, it isn’t a cult.
27. Yes, of course I’d love a piece of apple pie!
28. But I can't eat it!
29. Mom, your little girl is dying.
30. Man, I sure hope “an apple a day” really works.