Wednesday, December 31, 2014

A New Year and some tough choices

I'm quitting sugar!
I figure if I say it out loud I have a chance at sticking to this decision!

I have long suspected that my gut can no longer process sugar and highly processed foods. I recently found a name for what I think I've been experiencing - Leaky gut Syndrome! It's this weird sickly feeling in your gut in the morning when you've had a few drinks or eaten foods high in sugar the night before.

I used to drink Jack Daniel's and coke zero. Started to feel sick the next morning. When I say sick, it wasn't from being hungover as such. I would only ever have around 3 large drinks every other Friday night. Then I swapped to mixing it with dry ginger ale. That worked for a while and then the same thing started to happen.

Then I noticed it happening after a night of sugary deserts or sweets.

I know this is going to be tricky for me. I know I may have moments of weakness. I will try my hardest because I feel like sugar may be toxic for me.

I have sugarless coffee, have done for many years now. It's chocolate that is going to be the killer. OMG I love chocolate.

My Alopecia spots have been really itchy the last few days. I got M to shave the underneath for me again as I obsess less over the difference in length at the back when there is relative even smoothness back there.

I've been rubbing my coconut oil and essential oil mix in every few days, which provides some relief.

So I've read a lot about the links between AA and sugar, AA and wheat & gluten.
I've pretty much eliminated gluten, bar the odd fruit mince pie in the last few days.

It's time to up the anti and see what sugar free means to me.

I'm in the middle of a few AA books and loving them all. I'll add them to the AA page for easy access.

One is about going forward Boldly Bald as a woman, in the same way men are accepted to do so. I braved the E Reader land for this one to give me something to read through my frequent bouts of insomnia of late. I also have another downloaded for after that one, by a young lady who grew a full head of hair back by changing her diet completely. I've already got her cookbook and have been enjoying her juices and smoothie recipes in the last few days.

Then there is one about acceptance accompanied by beautiful soothing images, all words and pictures created by the same lady who has had AA for 30 years.

And another presenting the cold hard facts of the disease and potential things in your body that may be 'out of whack' and strategies for correcting them. It came with a meditation CD that I will try tonight (just as long as I can get it onto my phone!!!)

Time to face the day!
Happy New Year to one and all
x

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

All I want for Xmas is......

Some can probably guess what the answer is.... Yes selfishly I only want my hair to stop falling out. I don't care if the spots don't grown back.

I've gone into disguise mode and have had my hair shortened in a blunt bob with the largest spots at the back and underneath shaved in a mod undercut.


I had this exact haircut when I hung out with mods and rude boys when I was 16.

So I had a few teary meltdowns this week. As my hair thins in general all over my head, I'm finding it everywhere. My clothes, pillow, bathroom, car and brushes are covered. The not knowing is excruciating. Not knowing if I will lose the lot or not.

I've quit gluten, reduced dairy but sugar is still well and truly in the picture. The more I try to deny the more I crave it. NYE resolution?

Insomnia has paid me a visit this morning as I write this it's 3:30am. It's windy outside and I can't turn my brain off. But as M will be getting up in a little over an hour, I'm going to give sleep another go.

Thursday, December 18, 2014

waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa spots galore

I was so will-powered up at the work xmas party yesterday. I ignored the cheese platters and chocolate, strudel and cheesecake. I ignored the bread, bread sticks, dips and feta salad. There was still plenty of GF options and Dairy free things for me to eat and I was full to bursting.

Came home and bought the family pizza while I happily ate a mango and a peach.

Then as Im watching TV I discover several new spots, all at the back of my head. I've been doing (nearly) everything right so why is it getting worse instead of slowing?

Im still 3 weeks away from seeing a naturopath and 6 weeks until my dermatologist appointment. I figure ill have no bloomin hair left by that point!!!!!

Im going to enjoy some funky short hair cuts over summer while I can.
Heres one Im really liking:

Ahhhhhh I am trying to find the positives when all I wanna do is sook! Alopecia is beginning to take over my life :( 


Saturday, December 13, 2014

Diagnosis confirmed, time with friends and random snowmen

Yesterday, my blood tests confirmed I have the markers of an autoimmune disease. I have now had blood tests that are more sensitively pinpointing what that might be.

I also purchased some essential oils to mix with a coconut base, to use as a hair tonic/rub
You can find the recipe I used here:
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/384565255655634024/

and other recipes and Alopecia related pins on the board I created to collect what I find on pinterest here:
http://www.pinterest.com/vintagetwists/alopecia-areata/

I very much wanted to spend the day at home after getting the results. Then I started to feel hungry for spinach. Which evolved to Eggs Bennedict with smoked salmon instead of my beloved bacon. I went home from the doctors via the local supermarket and stocked up on ingredients, then via the fruit & veg shop for much fresher fruit and vegies (lots of coloured fruit and greens after watching my new heros ted talk about minding your mitochondria)

I made my man and myself a delicious brunch of GF bread, hollandaise sauce instead of butter (baby steps) smoked salmon, a pile of spinach and rocket greens topped with a poached egg for myself and 3 poached eggs for him. OMG yum.

This kept me going until mid afternoon when I munched on a cacao and hazelnut GF, Lactose free and sugar free fruit bar (Ive started keeping a few in my handbag so Im not tempted to by crappy food when Im out)

I also now have small bags of walnuts, dried cranberries and cacao nibs near my computer desk for munching on between meals.

I think the thing to note here is I am preparing ahead to avoid my known weak points in regards to diet. Replacing fast food and pre-packaged foods with healthy options I have conveniently prepared ahead of time for myself, is a way of avoiding bad choices when I'm short on time.

And just for fun, I messaged my friend out of the blue and asked her what her plans were for the afternoon. We ended up and a beauty salon doing nails and having a lovely time together laughing and regressing to our teenage years (we've known each other since I was 13)

and here is the end result!


Thursday, December 11, 2014

Food wins, test results and reminders from friends

Last night I made my own meal in my 'chalet' (I'm still on the road in regional WA) and in light of the changes that I'm trying to make to my diet to slow the fall-out rate of my hair, I feel like I'm starting to crave what I need, rather than what I want.

The result was that Im also getting better at hunting and gathering. lols. I ended up with an yummy salad of green leafy spinach and lettuce with avocado, tomato, mushroom and cucumber, with a squeeze of fresh lemon. That salad took up 3/4's of my plate, balanced out with a tin of kippered herring.
For so long my meals have been balanced with less vegies and more meat and carbs. Its great to see I'm starting to win some mental wars. Once we all get over bad foods as a reward to ourselves and start on a real path of good foods being the reward instead, we can make better choices and ultimately feel happier and healthier.

Today I will find out the results of my blood tests. I'm not anxious - I just want to know what I'm dealing with and start to confront it head on.

I online shopped yesterday for three books to read over my summer break from work:

  • If Your Hair Falls Out, Keep Dancing!: How to Cope with Alopecia Areata in a Hair-Obsessed World by Leslieanne Butler
  • Alopecia and Wellness: Healthy recipes for everyday BY MOLLY VAZQUEZ
  • Regrowing Hair Naturally: Effective Remedies and Naturally Treatments for Men and Women with Alopecia Areata, Alopecia Androgenetica, Telogen Effluvium and Other Hair Loss Problems by Vera Peiffer
After an early morning text with a friend, I was reminded that my hair loss may be temporary. For all the emotions and turmoil, uncertainty and changes I will now face, I still have my life and for that I am eternally grateful.

One of my favourite things to do when I travel for work, is do a bit of rummaging in the remote op shops for unearthed treasures that belong in my online vintage shop Vintage Twists. Sadly there was no such place to be found in quiet 'lil Onslow. 

Thankfully, the beach (which I can see from my chalet) is FULL of shells.

I spent time collecting enough for a mobile, which will provide a focal point for remembering my contemplative time in town. The crafting of said mobile will provide meditative opportunities for reflection and pretty sounds outside my kitchen window to add to my wooden chimes from Bali.

I like collecting shells, like a bloomin' child, because it forces me to slow down and appreciate nature, to notice the teeny tiny perfectly formed baby shells and the time weathered ones. Onslow's beach is litterred with super old coral, the colours of sand and sea are different, stained by the mineral rich Pilbara red earth. I'm looking forward to coming back next year and sharing the arts with the community.

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Food war in my head

Dilemma's seem to be around every corner for me at the moment. They are all me, me, me and to be completed honest I feel self indulgent and full of myself.


So I'm travelling for work at the moment, in a North west coastal town, with a small population of under 1000. I'm here for three days so I figure ill treat myself to a nice meal out tonight and made a stop at the small supermarket to grab some snacks and lunch. I'm trying, you see, to halt the extent of my hair-fall-out by drastically changing my diet. From the small amount of research I've done so far I have found overwhelming links to gluten, meat and dairy intolerances and alopecia. The alopecia friendly diets also suggest the abstaining from processed and fried foods and also sugar.


So, there was very little fresh food on offer at the grocery store as they were waiting on their weekly delivery (the things you take for granted in the city huh!) and I left with a tin of tuna, herring slices, rice crackers (processed but ffs I needed something to have with my bloody tuna in the absence if any green leafy salad) an avocado, an apple and a banana. Far from my usual work travel fair of bread, a hot chook and lumps of cheese!!!


Now I'm sitting I a stunning find of a steakhouse, an amazing view, and after a gut wrenching appraisal of the menu I FORCE myself to get the lamb salad, minus the bloody lamb! Post ordering, I realised there is friggin quinoa and fetta in it too.


I so shoulda got a steak and chips. Would have been heaps happier. Bloody quinoa. Ugggh there's just no tarting that shit up. Looked delicious but over-bearing flavours in the dressing that made me give up halfway through.

Monday, December 8, 2014

Alopecia Areata

I've been recently diagnosed with AA and have decided to start blogging about my experience from the very early stages.

I've been trying to get my hands on information, which is frustratingly difficult, even in this age of the internet. Here I can share what I find, or at least, my journey. Today is Monday. Last Tuesday I think it was, I had my hand in my hair as usual, when I felt a weird bit of bare skin at the base of my skull.

Hairless.

I promptly forgot about it.

On Thursday I felt it again and asked my friend Nattie to take a look at it. She went one step further, took a photo, and made me call my doctor to make an appointment.

I was able to get in fairly quickly that afternoon and left work quiet distressed with what I'd just seen.

My doctor promptly pulled a few hairs out and studied them, diagnosing AA straight away.  He looked in his medical dictionary, told me it was an autoimmune disease,  nodded to himself, turned to his computer and started printing out referrals to dermatologists.

When I asked what I could do to prevent the disease, he said "buy a wig". Hopeless! I said, "Well I guess I'll go home and google then!"

I asked to look at his medical dictionary so I could perhaps learn something he hadn't told me. Nope, he had pretty much summed up all there was to say.

So I came home and googled. I learnt that there were connections to diet, depression and stress. Looking back on 2014 and I know I had issues with all three of those.

I have made instant changes to my diet, some will take me longer.
I've only had one small slice of Turkish bread since last Thursday. A small sprinkle of cheese on my vegie ish lasagna (I used half the amount of bolognese sauce and swapped the lasagna sheets for slices of eggplant and zucchini) One egg.
I've increase my fruit intake (need the antioxidents) upped the veggie intake, reduced to almost none the dairy, meat and eggs. Increased the oily fish, nuts and beans.
Ive swapped milk in coffee for coconut milk.
I've had chocolate every single night. Fuck it right!

I had blood tests this morning. Will see what they say before freaking out too much. I asked to be tested for all sorts of things and he's added a few of his own in for good measure.
Here is a picture of my hair loss so far: