Toothers

A political battle is brewing. The yard signs are up and campaign commercials are on the airwaves. The battle is pitting neighbor against neighbor. It's not over a controversial candidiate or hot button issue.

It's over water. More specifically, adding fluoride to the water. Opponents to fluoridation have been given the nickname "Toothers" (not to be confused with "Birthers" demanding President Obama's birth certificate).

Fluoride is well-known to help strengthen teeth. It can be found naturally in water, but many water  municipalities add it when it isn't naturally found in the water supply. The Environmental Protection Agency is responsible for regulating fluoride in drinking water and has established a Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) of 4 milligrams per Liter. It has been shown that some people who drink water for many years with fluoride above this MCL may experience bone disease and children may be at risk for mottled teeth.

In 2010, the Center for Disease Control reported that 73.9% of the drinking water in the United States was fluoridated. Currently, Portland is the largest city water municipality in which the water is not fluoridated. Last September the City Council unanimously voted to fluoridate the water, but a petition with 22,000 signatures took the measure out of the City Council's hands and onto the May 2014 ballot. The council then decided to fast forward this measure and added it to a special election ballot for this May. (For a more in depth look at the history of this issue, take a look at this piece from the Willamette Weekly.)

I had never heard of a city that didn't fluoridate the water until I had moved here. In fact, I was certain fluoridated water was universal. Then I learned from my dentist that the fight for fluoridation was just getting warmed up.

Many Toothers believe that there are health effects that fluoride can have besides bone disease when it consumed in large amounts. Some of these health concerns include dry skin, low thyroid function, and cold hands and feet. Toothers believe that any amount of fluoride in drinking water is hazardous to one's health.  

Putting this in perspective, our bodies are exposed to hundreds of environmental "hazards" daily. It is difficult to tell exactly what in our environment is going to be the cause of any health issue. This is why many studies that suggest people quit smoking/ lose weight/ reduce alcohol consumption add the line that doing any one of those things "may reduce the risk" of developing this, that, or the other thing. However, doing any of those things does not automatically eliminate the chance of you ever being diagnosed with a disease.

I am not by any means saying that fluoridated water is equal to smoking tobacco products or excessive alcohol consumption, but rather there is a good chance that fluoride is not the sole cause of some (if not all) of the health issues described above.

As far as I am concerned, this is a public health issue. It has been shown that many people in Portland have poor dental health. Some of this is by their own choice, but for many it may be the fact they do not have access to the tools for proper care. It has been brought up by Toothers that more should be invested in education programs promoting dental care. One example of the education approach in action is the campaign to wear seatbelts. When you look at the statistics, however, people are still killed due to being involved in car accidents and not wearing their seatbelt. If the education approach worked, wouldn't this have ended?

This is a picture of tooth decay. In line with the Toothers train of thought, if everyone saw this they would take better care of their teeth. I mean, images work so well for cigarette cessation, right?

This May the voters in Portland have the ability to improve the dental situation of many community members. It is my hope that the voters in Portland do not take this opportunity lightly. In the meantime, I'll be investing in a fluoride mouth rinse.

Post Paleo Review

Please excuse the delay on my review of the Paleo challenge. I went on vacation a couple weeks ago and I am still working on getting back into a routine. After last night's Easter candy binge, I think I'm there. Note: That was a week ago and I was still not ready to write this. 

I officially completed the Paleo Challenge on March 25th. I was going to do one additional day to try Paleo while travelling, but that was the first day my first real vacation in over five years. Five years. Real vacation meaning no wedding, birthday party, move across the country, etc. involved. Earlier that day I could barely choke down a chicken breast for lunch. At that very point I reached my meat intake limit. After that my thought was, "Like heck I am going to be on a Paleo challenge when I am going to finally have a chance to relax."

Now, I did have one memorable semi-Paleo meal in Vegas. Mr. NN was super excited when he found that Hot 'n Juicy Crawfish was in Las Vegas. He had watched a Man Vs. Food episode about this restaurant and was immediately smitten with it. I was a little unsure what we were walking into, but I had a vision from "Beasts of the Southern Wild" involving a bayou feast. At Hot 'n Juicy, you order your food by the pound and then choose what seasoning you would like. I opted for a pound of shrimp with their signature Hot 'n Juicy seasoning. A little while later, a plastic bag was dropped in front of me filled with shrimp. Rather than standing on my chair like Hushpuppy flexing my muscles, I looked more like this:

That, my friends, is the look of me attempting to hide my terror upon the realization I need to rip apart my food to make it edible (by my standards). I still cringe when I see that little guy with his eyes bulging out. I probably ate a half pound of shrimp by the time I beheaded, de-legged, peeled, and deveined my shrimp. This was not my type of dining experience, but Mr. NN was completely into it- up to his elbows in crawfish juices. My favorite part of this meal were the corn fritters. No de-assembly (or looking my food in its dead eyes) required.     

Now let's review my goals for the Paleo Challenge:

• Increased energy
• Better cold sensitivity management
• Bikini- ready shape

Did I reach my goals? In the order of my goals listed above, the answers are : No, no, and kind of.

I didn't have more energy and I was still pretty caffeine dependent during the challenge. For me, "caffeine dependent" is at least two cups of coffee (or tea) a day. I know many people will scoff at this idea because for some people this is called "breakfast." But for me, I never had a morning routine involving caffeine consumption until this year. Not to say I don't enjoy it, I just want to be able to function without it. The week after my vacation, however, I didn't even need a cup of green tea in the morning. I therefore attribute the lack of energy not to my non-Paleo diet (or to Paleo for that matter), but to my extreme burnout. A couple weeks after Spring break and I am still consuming less caffeine.

My cold sensitivity is better, but that is likely because it is warmer outside. I also wear more layers when I'm cold. Amazing what that combination can do for body temperature regulation.

Now let me explain the "kind of" for bikini- ready shape. I already have a solid workout routine and can be found in the gym most days of the week. I definitely have an athletic build, although my build has no correlation with any ability to play sports. (Just ask anyone who I have played recreational volleyball or softball with.) In any case, after starting Paleo I noticed I was way less bloated.  All the work I had been putting in at the gym was becoming more noticeable. Mr. NN even asked when I put on my bikini if I had lost weight. Which no, I had not (but I did lose excess intestinal air). Unfortunately the only photo I have from Vegas involving a bikini is the one below, but it pretty much sums up my break so it will do.

       Happiness is poolside in the sunshine.  

Now that I have completed the challenge, I have been asked if I will continue on it.

The short answer: I will likely follow some parameters of Paleo, but not all of it.

The long answer: There are things that I liked about Paleo and things that I didn't. I definitely do not think that beans and peanuts are detrimental to my gut or my health. My immune system has been incredible this past cold and flu season, in spite of the fact I work in schools and primarily ate beans as my protein source this past winter.

Not once during the challenge was I able to get my recommended amount of calcium intake from food alone. I didn't even get enough with a multivitamin and mineral added in. That all being noted, I'm also going to have dairy.

When it comes to grains, prior to the challenge Mr. NN was on a meal plan that only permitted starchy foods (i.e. grains and potatoes) after workouts. Many of our meals had been grainless due to this and it really is not as difficult as it sounds. You just need to make sure you fill in the starch-void on your plate with more vegetables and fruit (or in some cases, meat).

I will not, however, avoid grains like the plague after this experience. Whole grains also have a lot of benefits that should not be disregarded. Whole grains have insoluble fiber to help your body get rid of unnecessary cholesterol. Insoluble fiber also helps you to feel fuller and pushes food particles (and what it becomes) through your intestines faster. There are also many things in life I enjoy that involve grains- such as cupcakes, beer, and cheeseburgers. I like being able to enjoy these items every-so-often and don't feel it necessary to deny myself these items.

A few Paleo Diet experts, including Dr. Cordain, recommend a 85% Paleo Diet lifestyle. This means all but three of the meals you have in a given week are Paleo. For those other three meals you can pretty much have whatever your heart desires.

Recently I listened to an interview with Dr. Eaton, the first person recognized with creating the Caveman Diet back in the 1980s. (Dr. Courdain recognizes Dr. Eaton as being an inspiration.) The interview was done by a  die-hard Paleo fanatic and he seemed floored when Dr. Eaton told him that ate "forbidden" foods (i.e. beans, dairy, and grains). If the founder of the Caveman Diet allows himself to have these things, I'm fairly certain it is okay for me (and everyone else) to have them too.    

Nice to Finally Meat You

In Portland there is no shortage of culinary adventures. From restaurants to food carts there is a plethora of places to try at every corner. After falling off the mark last Saturday, I decided to fully commit to finding a purely Paleo meal outside of my kitchen.

A friend recommended that I try the Cultured Caveman. The Cultured Caveman is a food cart with two locations in the NE and SE neighborhoods. For being a food cart they have a pretty nice website to go along with it. It not only has the menu posted on it, but a short nutrition breakdown for most items as well. You can even check out a couple recipes on it. 

Mr. NN and I ventured out on a sunny Saturday after our workouts to give it a try. We visited the one in SE, which was right across the street from a popular natural/ local foods store. This location had a single table in front of the cart near the bustling intersection and tent in back with a few more tables that offered a more secluded dining experience. But enough about the location, let's get down to the food!  

For the main dish we both opted for the Grass Fed All Meat Chili and Caveman Coffee. For a side, I selected the Beet and Walnut Salad while Mr. NN tried the Ginger Carrot Kale Salad.  You can see our selections pictured off to the right. Our grand total came to $20, not bad for a lunch with high quality ingredients.  

I love a good chili and I have been disappointed in what I have found in Portland so far. That was until I had the chili here. It was full of flavor and there were large chunks of tender meat rather than minuscule meat-like crumbles floating about. The portion size was perfect for me, but Mr. NN could have used a larger size. 

The Ginger Carrot Kale Salad was just the right mix of crisp vegetables and ginger flavor. While the Beet and Walnut Salad was described as containing jicama, but I didn't find any. The jicama was either really well hidden because it had absorbed the color from the beets and carrots or jicama was simply not in it. If it was left out, I don't think it was a major loss (to me jicama doesn't have much taste anyway). The bright salad still had a nice earthy flavor balance. 

The Caveman Coffee was delicious. There is no shortage of good coffee in Portland and One Drop Coffee is no exception. It was perfectly iced and not watered down. If you're interested, you can order their cold brew online and play barista at home. I'm not sure what made this coffee "caveman" though. Maybe because you could order it with coconut milk or heavy cream. 

All in all, I would give my meal a 4 out of 5 caveman clubs. I'm withholding one club due to the fact we were both hungry an hour later. One way to avoid that would be to order a little extra. For a perfectly Paleo (and tasty) meal give the Cultured Caveman a try.        

Week Three: Cave Kids and a Gluten Reaction

Last Saturday I attended the Oregon School Nutrition Association conference. The attendees are exactly what you might expect; from school nutrition directors to your typical lunch lady, all of them are really passionate about school food- the good, the not so good, and the kids really touch this stuff? My group was there to be educated on everything from new legislation affecting school meals to how to pick ripe produce. Maybe we'd make a few new connections along the way as well.  

First, we all gathered in a large hall while a pep squad held a "flag ceremony" (which we found out was code for the Pledge of Allegiance) and then the board members of various organizations were introduced. A motivational speaker who you could have sworn was about to have an aneurysm later outdid the pep squad's pep. Midway through his presentation, after he threw himself onto numerous women yelling, "Get happy!" while rubbing his chest in their face, he disclosed that he had a stroke about 10 years ago. Shocking.

But this wasn't the excitement that most of the child nutrition professionals were waiting in anticipation for. A floor above us, vendors scurried about setting up booths, warming samples, and practicing their selling points. The vendor showcase was the crown jewel event of the day.

In case you have been living under rock and/or do not have a child in school, you may not be aware of the changes this year to school lunches. I will save the explanation of the government and school meals for another blog. Long story short (for the purpose of this post) is that many companies have been reformulating what they already make to sell to schools in hopes of holding on to that part of the market. School meal entrees are generally made up of two of the three components required to be a reimbursable meal. The components tend to be grain, protein, or a combination of the two. The curveball in school meal entrees is that cheese constitutes a protein, not dairy.

Since the vendors usually bring samples, the conference did not provide a mid-day meal. Meaning I was left to forge what I could for a meal from what the vendors had. Generally it is pretty easy to eat yourself silly at one of these events. However this Paleo challenge increased the difficulty of this task. School meals are far from being considered Paleo with grain, legumes, and dairy being major components of school meals. Most of the meats I found were breaded. Some of the meats I found, that weren't coated in breading, didn't look quite like meat. Then some places were promoting their cheese/ bean/ peanut butter filled products. None of these things were considered Paleo either.

This left beef jerky, salsa, and frozen fruit. I ended up having a lot of fruit: as in sugar-high, blood-thickening amount of fruit.  At one point my stomach was turning due to the amount of sugar I had consumed, so I tried a questionable meatball in a "citrus, ancho chile sauce." I spit it out. I am highly appreciative that my school district does not serve mystery meat like this.

I never thought it was possible to get a hangover from fruit. By the time I got home I was feeling semi-nauseous from the amount of sugar in my body and was in desperate need of grease.

Since it was St. Patrick's weekend, I grabbed a friend and we went out to an Irish pub for whiskey and grease. We first split a plate of fries, which helped the sugar to salt/ fat ratio in my blood, but it wasn't quite enough. I needed more. This was when Mr. NN met up with us and was in need of dinner. That was my ticket to continue on my quest for grease.

I had been fantasizing about bread for the last few days, what could it hurt giving in and having a reuben? It was just one sandwich, not heroin. I could have gone with the bangers and mash, which would have been more aligned with Paleo, but I was planning on having that the next day. I could have also asked not to have the bread or cheese and just a pile of corned beef and sauerkraut on a plate. But if I was going to have just one non-Paleo meal in three weeks, I might as well fully embrace it.  

Within a few minutes a perfectly grilled sandwich, with a tantalizing menagerie of melted cheese and dressing oozing down the sides, was set down before me.  I was more excited than the motivational speaker I saw earlier. I held myself back from tackling the server with unbridled happiness.  Just so you have a visual, the sandwich (pictured left) is not one that I had eaten, but it looked just as beautiful.

I inhaled half of the sandwich in what felt like seconds. I could have stopped at half of the sandwich, but this was my first sandwich in a long time. I didn't need the other half, the first half of the sandwich needed to be reunited with the other half... in my belly. Down the hatch it went.

After the entire sandwich was ingested I was in pain. At first I thought it was because I had eaten myself silly. But after an hour my stomach was distended and there was a lot of gurgling going on.

My body was rejecting the sandwich. Nooooooooo. 

I have noticed since starting Paleo I have been less bloated, but this was a little ridiculous. Do I think that gluten caused this? It certainly could be. Obviously my body is not used it since it has been a few weeks since I had a full serving of grains, let alone gluten. But as one RD friend pointed out, our intestinal lining is replaced every 3 to 5 days. Because I have went longer than that without any grains my body simply isn't used to processing it. It probably didn't help that I had two slices of refined bread rather than easing myself back into eating grains.

Do I think gluten is the devil and that people should avoid it at all costs? No, absolutely not. I should have been more careful when making my dinner decision. Everyone should also be sure to choose whole grains over refined grains. In this frame of thought, if I thought that I had to avoid gluten the rest of my life due to the way it made me feel I would have to avoid fruit too. Think about it, I managed to eat myself sick on fruit but I know that blueberries aren't evil. These both illustrate the point that everything, including fruit, in moderation.

The Irish, Cave-made Cupcake

Cupcake: cup-cake (noun) a small cake baked in a cuplike mold.

A cupcake is generally meant for one person to consume. Although if you go to someplace like Gigi's, one cupcake is large enough to be shared. (However, I'm not going to say that finishing one by yourself is impossible and I can attest to that.)

Lately, I have had an insatiable cupcake craving. Partially because I have yet to find a cupcake cafe to act as my safe haven here in Portland after a hectic week. Mainly because I am attempting to be fully Paleo and haven't had one in a long time.

After spending a good part of the week researching Portland cupcake stores, I was inspired to be more pro-active. Of course there are gluten-free bakeries here, but why not try to do a little of my own baking? This was also my first time baking with something other than wheat flour.

In the spirit of St. Patrick's Day, I decided I wanted something "Irish." Being the Naughty Nutritionist, I thought Irish cream would be a good flavor to work with. I also am a big fan of Bailey's in chai lattes- a concoction I discovered on a cold, snowy night a few years ago- so that is where the chai idea came from. But as much as I like the color green, I declined on adding food coloring.

I will forewarn you that these are not your typical cupcakes. The recipe I created was a mash-up of a cupcake recipe and a paleo muffin recipe. My cupcake does have a moist, spongey characteristic to them similar to most paleo mock-grain foods. They also aren't nearly as sweet, so it could easily pass for a breakfast muffin (minus frosting).

Bailey's Chai-Spiced, Gluten-Free Cupcakes
Makes approximately 18 cupcakes

What You Need:
12 Eggs
1 c. Butter, melted
2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1/4 c. Honey or Maple Syrup
1 c. Water
1 T. of Chai Tea
1/4 c. Irish Cream
1 c. Coconut Flour
1 tsp Sea Salt
1/2 tsp of Baking Soda

What To Do:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Brew one cup of chai tea using the water and chai tea according to package instructions. (I used Rishi Tea Masala Chai loose leaf tea.) If you use chai concentrate, feel free to omit the honey and up the amount of chai used.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, butter, vanilla, honey, chai tea, and Irish cream. Sift in the coconut flour, salt, and baking soda in and stir until well combined.

Line the cupcake pan wells with cupcake liners. If you do not use liners,  use pan spray or butter to lightly grease each well. Fill each cupcake well with 1/4 cup of the batter. Place the pans in the oven and bake for 30- 40 minutes.

Remove from oven and remove cupcakes from pan to cool. If you would like, frost or ice the cupcakes. (I used a marshmallow cream since I would not be able to refrigerate them.) Green food coloring would be a better addition to the frosting or icing than the cupcake itself due the dark color of the cake.  

Saturated Fat and Shamrocks

It started because I had to go to the bathroom.

I was at a craft store thinking that I was in need of some sort of project, when all I really needed was a restroom. Not seeing one in sight (at least for the public), I went to the nearest convenience store. Which was conveniently on the same intersection as a Burger King and a McDonald’s- with an enormous poster of a Shamrock Shake gracing its window. Like many Americans who love green things in mid-March, the Shamrock Shake is one of those things I have to have almost every year. Not just have rather need. But with me being on the Paleo Challenge, a Shamrock Shake in all its green food coloring goodness is off limits.

I went into the convenience store only to find the most dismal public restroom I have seen in a long time. I've seen cleaner ones in the middle of Montana, where the maintenance staff might come once a week. In my moment of need, I headed for the golden arches.

Upon entering I was struck by the stale fryer smell, the one that permeates your clothing after being in the area for more than 30 seconds. I bee-lined for the bathroom and then decided that I should probably get something there since I was using their facilities. I went to the counter where a man stood, seductively wrapping his lips around a straw was connected to a Shamrock Shake.

Need that... no, not the guy. The shake. Hey, when did they start putting whipped cream and cherries on this thing?

Then my willpower took over and I ordered a coffee. I was dangerously sedated from the potpourri I inhaled at the craft store. I was in no condition to be driving with out a pick-me-up. The coffee helped, but I was still craving my minty treat. 

On my way home, I stopped at a grocery store and after some deliberation I picked up a mint flavored, coconut milk frozen treat. I was a little curious as to how this was going to go. How are mint and coconut going to pair as an "ice cream"? Its brand name was So Delicious and I was So Willing to give it a shot.

Upon opening the pint, I was a little sad to see it was white. What the heck? This is supposed to be mint flavored and every mint-flavored thing I have consumed has always been green. Half the reason I get the Shamrock Shake is for it's green color. (That's because it’s authentically Irish, like green beer.) Now I was lazy and finally home from a tough day of window-shopping. I wasn't about to venture out to call shenanigans at the grocery store over this so I grabbed a spoon and dug in.        

   

   

This first spoonful was full of coconut flavor (shocking). After a few more bites, I started to get more of the mint flavor. It was no Shamrock Shake, but it was doing the trick. It was also incredibly easy to eat. I have only eaten an entire pint of ice cream in a single sitting once. I was not about to do that a second time, at least not today, so I coached myself to put the lid back on and put it in the freezer, for later.

After eating about half the pint, I decided that I should look at the nutrition of this. Some people believe that just because it is made from coconut milk, it is instantly better than the real dairy thing. But coconut milk is high in saturated fat. Even though this form of saturated fat is primarily composed of medium chain fatty acids (I'll save this topic for another blog), it still packs 9 calories a gram like any other fat.
I am going to the take the liberty to compare 12 ounces of the So Delicious Coconut Milk Frozen Dessert with the alternative, a 12-ounce Shamrock Shake. Let's take a look, shall we?


So Delicious Coconut Milk Mint Chip
Calories: 510 Calories
Fat: 27 g.
     Saturated Fat: 24 g.
Carbohydrates: 60 g.
     Fiber: 18 g.
     Sugar: 39 g.
Protein: 1 g.
Iron: 24 %

Shamrock Shake

Calories: 530 Calories
Fat: 15 g.
     Saturated Fat: 10 g.
Carbohydrates: 86 g.
     Fiber: 0 g.
     Sugar: 73 g.
Protein: 11 g.
Calcium: 40 %

The So Delicious was 120% of my daily value of saturated fat intake. That's 120% if I had nothing else to eat yesterday. This helps illustrate the importance of enjoying your favorite treats in moderation even if you do find it in the natural section of the grocery store. Unlike the Shamrock Shake, the So Delicious lacked calcium but had plenty of iron. The Shamrock Shake was no shining star though. It had more than double the sugar (part of that due to the natural lactose in it) and no fiber.

When it comes down to it, it's a pick your poison situation. Either way both options are going to be high in calories. The question is: do you want those calories to come from sugars or from fat? That choice is entirely yours. My only suggestion is to do whichever one you will get the most enjoyment from.  

Week Two: Let the Contradictions Begin!

Earlier this week, a book I had on hold at the library finally came in. I had put this book, The Paleo Diet by Loren Cordian, Ph.D.,  on hold a few weeks ago prior to starting this challenge. I wanted this book serve as my main guide for the Paleo challenge since Cordain is one of the main figures Paleo enthusiasts know of. Cordian and his research is referred to on numerous websites and in books.

Unfortunately, there were 10 people ahead of me on the wait list so I had to refer to what I could find online and in books a friend loaned me for advice. The funny thing about this was that this Paleo book didn't even have the longest wait list. There were numerous Paleo cookbooks with a long list of holds ahead of me, including one with a 54 people already on it. Is it really that hard to think of recipes that basically only involve meat and vegetables?

Prior to reading The Paleo Diet I was little shocked at things that were considered okay on this diet. In the Practical Paleo book I found numerous recipes involving bacon, ribs, skin-on poultry, butter, and coconut oil. These foods are not exactly low in saturated fat. The first week of the Paleo challenge my blood felt more like sludge and I had less energy than before I had started. Week two, I cut out the bacon and went back to eating more egg whites. I started to feel better and I was a bit less reliant on caffeine in the morning.  

Here are just a few notable things a learned from The Paleo Diet: 

• Choose lean meats, game meat, fish, and shellfish
• Limit your whole egg intake (Note: There is nothing mentioned in regards to cholesterol free egg whites.) 
• Eat your fruits and veggies (Note: All potatoes, not just white, are off limits in this book.)
• Nuts and seeds are permitted
• Oils (olive, avocado, walnut, and flaxseed), most beverages (besides water), and dried fruits are all allowed in moderation
• In addition to dairy, legumes, and grains, also avoid butter, bacon, potatoes, yams, olives, canned meats, chicken skin, pork sausage, and honey most of the time. 

I found a lot of what Cordain was recommending to make sense. Eat lean meat, eat a lot of fruits and veggies, and use healthy fats. He also notes that you don't have to cut out foods such as dairy, grains, and legumes forever. (That's a relief.) The version of Paleo that Cordain recommends is very similar to Clean Eating, which is something I usually adhere to. 

Still, the hardest part of this is going out to eat. Every time I went somewhere for food this week I was satiated, but not full. At our favorite burger place, I found myself staring at people smushing down their bun as cheese oozed out the edges. Last night I would have killed for pizza. Killed. I also miss my beer; which would be amazing with the pizza I've been fantasizing about.

The grocery bill is still up there. The picture above is the latest load from my last shopping trip and that's not even half of it. Nutritionally speaking, I am still lacking calcium. My cholesterol and saturated fat intake are also both still high. I am hoping now that I am going to be following more closely to what Cordain outlines as Paleo, both my cholesterol and saturated fat intake will be in a more acceptable range.


Goals Update

• My energy levels have increased, but nothing terribly notable. 
• I'm also not sleeping any better. Hopefully this week will be better than last.   
• I still have cold toes and fingers. I have a feeling this is not going to change in 4 weeks. 
• I am so ready for spring break... mentally.  

I am now at the halfway mark of the challenge. Next weekend I have a conference to go to, let's see how Paleo I am able to be at a school nutrition conference. Since most of the foods that schools serve are commodity, and the majority of these foods are processed in some way, I am going to predict not very. Saint Patrick's Day (one of my favorite holidays) is also coming up. No reuben for me this year, but corned beef can still be on the menu!