Day 7: Asparagus

Roasted Asparagus

• 1 bunch of asparagus
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• Sea salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a sheet pan with coconut oil and dredge asparagus through the oil. Salt and pepper and cook for 30-40 minutes.

Completion! There is nothing like a sense of accomplishment to build momentum going into the next phase. After this 7 day investment I would be completely showing myself no respect by straying from the course. Not only that, but I risk feeling like total butt and not to mention dragging it as well. This is a crucial period where I need to listen to my body as I slowly re-introduce foods back into my diet. I have a pretty good idea of what foods cause issues, but there might be some surprises looming. The results will also be a big boost to the momentum, but I'll have to wait until tomorrow morning to get these (I'm sure I'll post them).

Starting tomorrow morning I will continue hormone support and control inflammation through medical foods and eat a diet called an Elimination Diet. This is basically a gluten-free, dairy-free, leans and greens food plan designed to lower inflammation and maximize nutrient density. I'll be taking it a step further and removing all grains, not just wheat. As for the medical food, I will continue using Estrium as I work on my lean body mass through resistance work and interval training. For targeted anti-inflammatory support I am adding a different medical food called UltraInflamX. This one works great as a post-workout meal as it has a good amount of protein too.

Medical food has been mentioned a few times this week, but I don't think it has been thoroughly defined. They are the glue of this detox, as they are with many functional medicine protocols. Medical foods reside in a FDA regulatory category between supplements and pharmaceuticals. They are intended for specific dietary management of a disease or condition and are based on recognized scientific principles. Plainly said, medical foods are the only supplement that carry an FDA claim. Pull any supplement off the shelf and you'll find a disclaimer to the effect of "not evaluated by the FDA" and "not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease". This is not the case with medical foods. They are guaranteed pure, guaranteed safe, guaranteed effective and they have guaranteed potency. All of this and yet no unsightly side effects like their flashy third cousin, the pharmaceutical.

Whether it's blood sugar issues, out of control hormones, irritable bowels, chronic pain and fatigue or inflamed joints, medical foods get the job done! When used right they will accelerate any course of care or prevent issues from arising. It's always easier to prevent a mess than to play clean up afterwards. So keeping checking back in to see how I clean up and move towards preventing further messes.