WEEK 2

Last week, I forgot to mention that the reason why I had basmati rice most days is because I make a big batch on Monday for the whole week. This saves me a lot of time. Same with eggs… if I boil 2 poached eggs (3 min), I will add 2 extra eggs to hard boil (10 min) to have later on as snack.

I had a massive headache on Monday afternoon from 3pm until 7pm when I eventually took a pain killer. I looked again at what I ate that day and it was just unprocessed, whole foods, fruits & vegetable and proteins. I also drank my daily 1.5Lt water so the headache could not have come from dehydration. However, it’s interesting to know that signs and symptoms of food intolerance can occur up to 72 hours after a trigger food.

Here are a few signs and symptoms of food intolerance I found in the book I’m currently reading “Reverse the signs of ageing”: The revolutionary inside-out plan to glowing, youthful skin by Dr Nigma Talib

Gut symptoms:

• bloating
• constipation
• cramps or abdominal pain
• diarrhoea
• wind

Health symptoms:

• Cough
• Foggy thinking
• Headaches
• Itchy eyes or mouth
• joint pains
• low energy
• migraines
• mood swings
• runny or stuffed-up nose
• sneezing
• weight gain
• wheezing

So I will need to watch this out to see if this is a recurrent symptom or a one-off.

TUESDAY

I make a small batch of quinoa to cover my meal for the next couple of days as I’m off to Spain. Headache is gone. I start the day with a glass of lukewarm water and my body asks for a second one.

My sister calls me and tells me that a very good friend of us died in a car accident. I fall apart and cry all day.

WEDNESDAY

I wake up feeling really sad and know that I’m going to have be extremely gentle to myself to go through this. I drink 2 glasses of lukewarm water and make a pot of organic detox green tea.

I have a shower, gently massage my body with oil and have green beans, quinoa, poached eggs and linseed for breakfast and then head to my appointment with the Nutritionist.

Lunch: as I’m off to Barcelona this afternoon, I pick up Mila from school and we go for a girls’ lunch. I have thai rice with beef but I can count the pieces of beef on one hand. Rice is filling.

Diner: at the hotel, I ordered a vegetable creamy soup (fibers) and a tuna tartare (proteins). Both are delicious.

THURSDAY

Rough night. I start the day gently with 2 cups of lukewarm water, probiotics and order breakfast: cheese & ham omelette, natural yogurt, fruits and gluten-free bread. I eat the omelette, the yogurt and some grapes and feel full enough to keep the rest of the fruits for later on today. Not remotely interested in the bread (which is a first). My stomach is doing fine.

FRIDAY:

Breakfast: I ordered grapes, 2 poached eggs & a piece of GF bread and ham. I only have time to eat the ham and take the grapes with me in the bus on my way to the conference. At the next break, I have 2 mini chocolate croissants hoping I can get away with it.

NOPE! My gut reacts badly to it, bloating, breathing issues, stomachache, the whole lot…I try to remain calm to avoid getting more stressed out about it.

At lunch, I have a bit of risotto and head to the airport at 4pm.

Diner is a bit of a fiasco. I only have time to eat a small sandwich in the plane which I know won’t go down well and ordered a small bottle of wine, drink 2 glasses of wine and fall asleep. The flight is delayed and I finally reach home at 1am totally exhausted.

SATURDAY

After sleeping 7 hours, I woke feeling still very tired and spaced out. I take all my vitamins, magnesium etc and start the day with a good healthy breakfast: 70g mache + 2 poached eggs + 50g quinoa + 1 large spoon of colza oil.

At lunch I have organic minced meat and 200g cream spinach and then head to the airport.

I arrive in Marrakech at 8pm and have 2 boiled eggs and some basmati rice which I had packed and a chocolate soja desert.

SUNDAY

First breakfast in Marrakech. I start the day with a glass of lukewarm water and then have a banana. I tried one of their pancakes with a bit of honey, which is very nice but leave the rest to my mum and have instead her banana. Two small bananas for breakfast is not ideal but still better than bread or pancakes GF wise.

Lunch: After an enjoyable morning in the Souk, I have a vegetable tajine (courgettes, carrots, potatoes and chicken) which is very nice. I’m not drinking my usual 1.5 Lt of water.

Diner is a delicious chicken burger in pitta bread mixed with guacamole and curry. I don’t feel bloated but it felt like a big meal. I’m happily surprised how good the food is here. Will aim to have less bread and more fruits and vege next week.

MONDAY

My friend’s funerals are today which ironically is also the day dad died. Mum keeps talking to me, I want to be quiet.

Breakfast: I have some yogurt, some pitta bread with honey

Lunch is a burger with half a bun and a pancake with honey

I meet my friends for diner and I have one Mojito, some beef tajines with figs and vegetables (delicious)

CONCLUSIONS: A really strange week spent in 3 different countries with highs and lows. I can’t even say if it has been good or bad, I feel I just went through it on autopilot.

A FEW COOKING BOOKS TO INSPIRE YOU…