Progress Being Made / Week 1

I am writing this post to inform you that you will begin to see posts on this blog as of June 6. And, I did say that posts will start coming out of this website sometime between June 1 to July 1...

And I am so glad that I am starting this endeavor early on to record what I am eating with all of you! It has been hectic to get ready for such a transition to being nightshade free, but after preparing for this transition for weeks, I am very excited to be officially nightshade free.

Or rather, to be honest, I have been nightshade free for sometime now. Today has been the 9th day since I have officially stopped eating nightshades. Nightshades, in my case, that I am not allowed to have are tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants, bell peppers (of any kind), and goji berries. With this restriction, I am not allowing myself to have any product that has "potato starch" or "potato flour" listed as an ingredient. Or "Vitamin A Palmitate" as it is derived from potatoes.

The results so far have been both amazing and shocking. I am starting to experience withdrawal symptoms from potatoes. The withdrawal symptom, for me, has been intense cravings for them, both in what is inside potatoes themselves as well as the gluten free foods and flours that use "potato starch" in them. Now, to me, this is shocking as my body becomes very ill when it eats a lot of potatoes. It creates a great amount of intestinal discomfort, especially when I would have potato chips with any kind of oil. Even the bag of potato chips with olive oil from Trader Joe's would get me sick and not feeling good, but nothing compared to a small bag of Lays potato chips coated with cottonseed oil, canola oil, or soybean oil.

I also have been greatly stressed. Partially, I am in the process of looking for employment at the moment, which is troublesome. I also moved into a new apartment, which has caused a lot of stress for me too as I am trying to get everything arranged and moved too. However, the way I have been dealing with my stress has been more proactive than reactive. While I attribute my current experiences and desperation partially for this increased proactiveness, I will also say that I have been able to deal with a lot more situations more actively.

There were also moments before I went nightshade free where I would have intense episodes of what I call "mental shutdown." Essentially, when I am stressed to a certain point, and the threshold is different everyday, I do not move, I lose consciousness of the situation, and my throat hurts so much. After half an hour or so, and lately prior to being nightshade free the episodes would go on for 40 minutes sometimes, my throat would still be in intense pain, but I could get up and write and explain the pain that I was having. Now? None of that. My way of handling the situations I am in is more proactive, and I feel that I will become more proactive with time. I will say, however, that because of my current search for employment and because of issues with the apartment, I have been getting frustrated more often. I hope these stressors go away soon, however.

I have had no cravings with bell pepper, tomatoes, or eggplant. My body doesn't crave those things, including the spices. The only issue has been that of social interactions as it feels odd to be at a table with other people who are not nightshade free or people that aren't even gluten free, dairy free, or soy free. On the weekend that I moved into my apartment, I went out to Buffalo Wild Wings only to find moderate digestive discomforts in response to chicken wings coated in the dry seasonings. Fewer in the salt and vinegar seasoning, the most in the Chipotle BBQ seasoning.

I have been relying on grains a bit more than usual, but I am hoping not to rely on them as much once everything settles down.

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I would like to start each week with a post that explains what meals are going to be cooked for that week. This is to provide more concrete information for those who are looking for ideas in meal planning. My girlfriend and I plan each meal that we are going to have each week along with the amounts of different foods that we will need each week. I will provide a link to each day here once the posts actually become available.

With these considerations, here are the meals for this week:

Honey Garlic Chicken Wings
Bacon-Beef Liver Pate with Rosemary and Thyme
Southern Fried Apples
Nightshade-Free Shepherd's Pie
Blueberry / Strawberry Fudge
Sweet Potato Fries w/ Homemade Horseradish Sauce
Socca
Vietnamese Lettuce Cups

And...

Scrambled eggs, smoothies, sandwiches made with lettuce, and I forget what else.

Nightshade Free Resources

I wanted to write a post that would list all of the different resources that are available for nightshade-free cooking. There will be a wide variety of websites available here for one to access.

However, this has to come with time. As I was doing my research for composing this list, most of the resources I came to find were AIP (Autoimmune Protocol) websites. I had difficulty in finding nightshade free recipes, which tells me that this is only starting to gain popularity within the last few years. Some resources did exist for nightshade free cooking without the restrictiveness of the AIP, and I put those resources I did see here.

There may be some links that do not work. That is because I have not put them in yet. Please be patient. I will put them in; this list will be continuously revised and updated and worked on. If there is a resource that one finds, please put a link to it below and I will check it out and decide whether to add it to this list or not. Again, I want a diverse list. As much as I am a fan, even an increasingly strong advocate of the Paleo Autoimmune Protocol, I do not feel that it is best to pull most of my recipes from these resources. I want to show that this can be done without such restrictive measures and with different diets and cuisines. It also encourages me to start cooking without nightshades and making my own recipes so that people can have access to these resources.

Also, again, let me state my current diet on this blog: Gluten free, Dairy Free, Soy Free, Nightshade Free cooking. (With the exception of ghee, or clarified butter that has been lab tested to be casein free and lactose free. The company I like to use is Pure Indian Foods for their ghee.)

The list is as follows:

The Paleo Mom
Phoenix Helix
Autoimmune Paleo
The Curious Coconut
Emily Levenson
My Big Fat Grain Free Life
The Tasty Alternative
The Primitive Homemaker
Simple & Merry
AIP Lifestyle
This Sydney Life
The Real Food Guide
A Clean Plate
The Domestic Man
Petra8Paleo
Gluten Free Dairy Free NJ
Jane's Healthy Kitchen


Books

The Autoimmune Paleo Cookbook by Mickey Trescott (E-book, Hard Copy)
Arthritis Free Cooking by Joan Vogel and Patricia Claudio
Living With Wellness: Gluten, Casein and Nightshade-Free Cooking (Volume I) by Monica Pelletier

http://www.plantoeat.com/blog/2013/04/a-nightshade-free-spice-pantry/ (Recipes for nightshade-free breakfast sausage seasoning, nightshade-free tandoori, nightshade-free poultry salt, nightshade-free garam masala, nightshade-free curry, baharat spice, and nightshade-free potato seasoning)

http://stalkerville.net/diet/nightshade-free/ (List of nightshade-free recipes. Recipes here can also be found that comply with Paleo, Autoimmune Protocol, Low FODMAP diet, and the vegan and vegetarian diets even. And other dietary considerations as well.)

Going Nightshade Free and What It Entails

It occurred to me after writing the introduction that I should write briefly on what it means to go dairy free, gluten free, soy free, and then also nightshade free. I am writing this because people will probably wonder what I am going to eat once I go nightshade free, and for this reason, this post is also needed.

Going Dairy Free

I first went dairy free in my freshman year at St. John's College. Now it has been a year and a half since I first went dairy free; I do not regret this transition. I actually enjoy being dairy free as it has introduced me to coconut milk, almond milk, hemp milk, flax milk, sunflower milk, cashew milk, and even hazelnut milk and rice milk. I have come to realize that I do not need cheese on the fake pizzas that are out there, even though it is nice to have those fake cheeses once in a while. And if I wanted some fake cheese? I can make fake "goat cheese" from cashews, macademia nuts, and apple cider vinegar. Furthermore, because I can have ghee in moderation, I can get the dairy taste to any foods I want to cook, especially in ayruvedic cooking. So I do not really miss dairy.

In regard to processed foods, though, this is also not too bad. It eliminates some of the processed foods that I can have. Being dairy free meant that I was essentially having the vegan breads and other vegan foods, even though I can still have eggs. If one was just dairy free only, then shopping at the grocery store would not be problematic as one can simply turn to these goods and be fine. I do have to avoid most chocolate bars, however, as usually dairy is present in them, even in trace amounts.

Going Gluten Free

When I went gluten free in June 2013, I was also a vegan at that point. I decided to give up eggs because, well, most of the products that had dairy in them also had eggs in them. Therefore, I may as well just give up eggs too.

Being gluten free meant, essentially, I would not be able to have wheat, rye, barley, spelt, etc. again. However, at the same time, I was also introduced to a lot of other grains. Known as the pseudo-grains, these grains included amaranth, millet, rice, quinoa, and teff. Gluten-free oats also existed, so it was not too bad. In recent times, I've come to realize that being gluten free is more necessarily about being free of (a) specific gluten proteins and (b) specific quantities of gluten. I almost collapsed from eating spelt, and so I know I can never have spelt again. Some people who are gluten free can tolerate spelt, but I think this is because spelt has its own protein, and therefore some people's immune systems can tolerate it more easily than in other people. I can never imagine myself eating wheat, rye, barley, spelt, or a high gluten grain again. Being gluten free also means that the gluten free grains, the pseudo-grains, have to be below 20 ppm of gluten. Wheat is the highest at this spectrum along with rye and barley.

I may also be able to eat products made from atta flour. It has a gluten index of 20.3 ppm, but I am not sure as I have not yet tested it. However, I know that I should not be having too many grains as then I begin to feel fatigued and tired, and my digestive system doesn't appreciate it either. I have no idea what my reaction to sprouted gluten-free grains would be, but one day I would like to know for my own knowledge.

So what does being gluten free mean to the foods I can eat? Well, I can have gluten-free bread and pasta and fake pizzas. However, if I wanted that vegan meat, it's not gluten free. It's made from wheat. Of course I can have fake cheese, but it has to be gluten free now too. And while rice milk may be gluten free, I actually do not prefer it as it makes me tired too quickly. Its glycemic load and index is too much for me.

Going Soy Free

Soy free is a preference for me in how I eat my foods. I do not adhere to this as strictly as the first two above, but I strongly prefer goods without soy in them. I was able to find recently a brownie mix that did not have soy in it as previously I was using a brownie mix that had soy in it from Glutino. The use of soy is also strongly prevalent in vegan foods that I have noticed. Vegan butter from Earth Balance is cheaper when allowed to use soy than not; soy-free veganaise costs more than regular veganaise. And there are more efforts to move vegan products, it seems, away from soy. Some of the pizzas from Daiya are also soy free, and their cheese is also soy free.

Remove soy from the list of foods that I can eat, and we start to look at a smaller grocery store. Shopping becomes easier for me. I know not to look at the processed foods unless if there is something in particular I am craving. The good news, however, is that Udi's gluten free bread is also dairy and soy free. The coconut milk I get is soy free along with the almond milk.

The list of foods I can eat right now are pretty large. But this is because a lot of foods are processed.

Going Nightshade Free

Remember that nightshades, the major ones, are peppers, potatoes, and tomatoes. Well, most foods have spices in them. And most of the vegan gluten-free soy-free foods have potato starch or "modified food starch."

Udi's Gluten Free Bread uses potato starch, both the Whole Grain Sandwich Bread and White Sandwich Bread. The brownie mix I found at the store the other day had potato starch. Foods using "modified food starch" can be derived from corn, wheat, potatoes, or tapioca (yuca). Considering that I also avoid corn whenever I can, and that I cannot have wheat, and soon to be potatoes, most processed foods are out of the picture for me. If I desired brownies or gluten free bread, I must make my own from starches I approve of, namely arrowroot starch, kuzu starch, plantain starch or using the gluten-free / grain-free flours themselves. Yuca is known to be a cross-reactant with gluten, triggering gluten symptoms, and therefore I am making an effort to avoid it whenever possible.

Now, most spices are not a problem. I will put a link here to the Paleo Mom, who recently wrote an article that explains what spices can be used and cannot be used on the autoimmune protocol; I'm still eating every other spice but the spices in the nightshade category. But when those spices are derived from peppers, they do become problematic. If a company lists their product as "spices," it is best to avoid the product until contacting the manufacturer to ask what spices are in the product, that is, if they ever do tell you. I recently had an experience with Buffalo Wild Wings with this. I wanted to contact them to ask what was in their Salt + Vinegar Seasoning, as there are simply "spices" in them, but I did not get a reply back. Nor is there any information on this dry rub on their website. I am assuming to avoid the seasoning because of this; I can always make my own salt and vinegar seasoning anyway using kosher salt and white vinegar.

Now there are a lot of foods that have nightshade spices in them. One such example is sausage. If I want to make pork sausage, I am going to have to buy some ground pork and then make sausage patties. This is the cheapest way of doing so without the natural casings they put on the sausage. Pepperoni is another example of foods with nightshade spices in them, particularly paprika; I will have to make my own pepperoni if I want to have pepperoni. But, fortunately, I can have both beet pepperoni (vegan pepperoni) and pork pepperoni and beef pepperoni.

Most spice blends are not an option for me either. No more nightshade chili either because it is usually made with tomatoes. Vegetable broth isn't an option either as it has tomato usually. Can't have stuffed bell peppers. I can't have mustard anymore because of the spices. Ketchup isn't an option for me either, but I don't really like ketchup in my things to begin with.

Nightshades are perhaps far more invasive into our food than anything I've come to know. I thought going gluten free would be my biggest challenge, but it seems like it is nothing when I look at what being nightshade free will entail.

Going out to eat will not be a viable option either, unfortunately. Rather, what I can do is recreate the flavors I would get in going out to eat.

Conclusion

As I give up these food groups, I am also getting new foods to eat. While I still do not eat seafood on a frequent basis, I can say that I know I like cod. I like beef heart and I have come to learn recently how to make very delicious bone broth. I am excited for the opportunity to ferment foods, provided I get the right equipment and do it again. I have come to recently enjoy plantain as a substitute for pizza crust / flat bread, and I know that plantains and arrowroot starch together make some very delicious fritters. I am excited about the eventual possibility of eating liver and duck tongue. (I saw beef tongue offered the other day; I think I'll wait on the beef tongue.)

I am also realizing in my research that I am getting better alternatives to the things I am going to lose. I once made carrot ketchup that I absolutely loved. I also made a marinara sauce that was made from carrots, and it tasted fantastic. I aim tonight to actually make another marinara sauce, but this one comes from beets. I have also made my own mustard before and came to enjoy it. Took me 2 days, but it was fantastic. I have a recipe for Paleo Autoimmune Protocol chili and a recipe to make my own seasoning for patties from the existing spices I do have. There is an alternative to curry out there, as well as new spice blends that I can make myself.

After taking the nightshades out of my diet, what will consist of spicy? White pepper, black pepper, ginger, and horseradish root. Takes more, but they are so fantastic when the first three are put together. I don't know what horseradish root tastes like, but I want to know. :)

On top of this, there are vegetables that I have not tried yet. My last vegetable I tried was Japanese Sweet Potato, and it resembled a regular potato in color and taste that it has become my favorite alternative to the regular potato over the regular sweet potato (the orange ones). I would love to try kohlrabi with ghee or coconut oil. I've come to enjoy different varieties of kale as well as red cabbage and green cabbage. Turnips, parsnips, and rutabagas were vegetables I never tried before until finding a roasted root vegetable recipe from Autoimmune Paleo.

There's a lot out there to try and to get to know. This change in my diet will allow me, I think, to come closer to food than I have done in the past. I am very excited, but I will not start until either June 1st or July 1st, depending on circumstances. I may even start earlier depending on what happens.

And also, for the record, I have been eating eggs and meat since August 2013. I was vegan from January 2013 to August 2013, and gluten free from June 2013 to now.

Introduction

What is a nightshade? Eileen from The Phoenix Helix writes that there are many nightshades, and while the full list will be here for convenience, I want to focus on the foods that I consume everyday: Tomatoes, Potatoes, and Peppers (and occasionally Eggplant).

These are the foods, and spices, that make life spicy. They make up cuisine with their flares and starchiness. Conventional guacamole, mashed potatoes, stuffed bell peppers, et alia. just would not be possible without them. Nor would paprika, bebere, and harissa be possible either.

And nor should they be consumed in people who have an autoimmune disease. This is because the immune system works differently in these people; the immune system attacks a specific organ or organ system, based of course on the disorder one may have. There are many autoimmune diseases; some examples of autoimmune disease are celiac disease, multiple sclerosis, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, Grave's disease, Lichen planus, and Rheumatoid Arthritis. A full list can be found here of all autoimmune diseases. But nightshades should also be questioned in people with "leaky gut," a more vulnerable gut that takes in the proteins from foods that irritate the gut and body (thus causing inflammation) in addition to the nutrition that different foods offer. "Leaky gut" can be found in people with autism, with IBS, even with anxiety and depression. There have been associations of "leaky gut" to people with diabetes and even with cancer. (Here is another study on diabetes and "leaky gut": http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21382153)

Overall, "leaky gut" can contribute to autoimmune disease as well as a wide range of disorders and diseases. And nightshades are one of these food groups that can contribute to these problems. Here I will post an article written by The Paleo Mom that describes why nightshades are not allowed on the autoimmune protocol. If one is truly curious about the nature of autoimmune disorders, I would buy The Paleo Approach from her as she does a fantastic job describing how an immune system works when afflicted by autoimmune disease.

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On this blog, I aim to accomplish many things. My girlfriend and I have been talking of starting a cooking blog. We have cooked many meals together over a year and a half at St. John's College. We want to display our cooking and the recipes we follow here; we are not geniuses at cooking alone, after all. As we want to share our cuisine with you, you will come to find that there will be recipes with nightshades and without nightshades in them. This is because the most important purpose of this blog is to share our experiences with cuisine that is very alternative to the traditional SAD diet (Standard American Diet) and even the increasingly popular vegetarian and vegan cuisines.

I want to get a few things clarified, however, before the first blog post. I will number these things in order:

1. This blog will cover our cooking experiences. I will not be referring to the science very much as I have done here. My reasoning for this is that public testimony over the Internet is a very vital way to understanding our current situations with autoimmune disease and autism. More research is being done on both of these conditions, and still not very much is known despite our most recent advances by the scientific community. The people are ahead of the scientists on remedies and on cures; I want to reflect the principle on this blog that everyone is equal in knowledge. I do not want to refer to the scientific authority that has come out more and more recently on diets. 
2. Here, everyone is on a diet. The body prefers specific things over others. My girlfriend prefers nightshades over me along with more gluten-free grains than I do. I can eat ghee without a problem while my girlfriend cannot without having some brain fog; we both cannot have other forms of dairy, though. That is fine. I want this place to be open to different diets and to people finding what works for them and does not work for them. 
3. Most of the recipes I will post here are from other websites. Unless if I make the recipe for what I'm cooking, I will be turning to the Paleo Autoimmune Protocol, Paleo diet, Wahls Protocol and the Gluten Free Dairy Free Soy Free Nightshade Free community for recipes. I may even modify recipes from other websites and share those recipes with my modifications.
4. I will post everyday what I eat beginning on either June 1st or July 1st. I do not know which yet.
5. My girlfriend or I may choose to write on other subjects that we find to be of great importance. Those articles are of our own opinions.