Those foods are foreign to me !? They sound healthy … sadly I go for pizza or nachos (childhood birthday party food!). Good for you for being adventurous and creative with your food selections ! 
. Good luck with your testing !!
Kristy's Journal
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I’m not sure if I’m adventurous or have just been lucky enough to grow up with foods from all over the globe? What would really hit the spot right now would be a black sesame paste icey with yuzu juice (yuzu is a Japanese citrus that is a mix between a lemon and grapefruit).
Yeah … never heard of any of that sadly 
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@Stacia Do you have any specialty grocery stores near you?
I lived in the Vietnamese part of Chicago for a long time and when eating there I discovered I can eat pickled carrots and diakon radish on almost anything!
Interesting ! I actually do but I look at odd foods to me and just can’t imagine eating it… I’m one of these people that eat the same healthy food or binge foods over and over … my son asked me to go to a Korean restaurant once I was like WOA, do they just have some pho with chicken ?! Lol… I will need to work on this
I’m going to make an appointment with my doctor asap but I’m a bit concerned about my inability to focus. At first I thought this was solely due to my pain and the medication. However, I’m now wondering if more exercise and fasting is contributing.
First it’s important to know that I have a neurological disorder. My body creates almost toxic amounts of dopamine, very little serotonin, and my other 5 neurotransmitters are constantly out of wack because of hormonal changes. I am under close medical supervision but some of symptoms (inability to focus, quasi- euphoria even when exhausted [fasting can make this worse], increased TMI desire to spend quality time with my husband 
, obsessive desire for endorphin highs from exercise, uncertainty of the passage of time [this could be part of loss of schedule and being cooped up because of covid] and some others).
This can also be a long term side effect of extreme sleep deprivation I had over the last year and my inability to make long term memories. It was why I had to close my bakery. I was on an insanely scary amount of medication (that made me gain almost 80lbs). Enough to put most people in a stupor, yet I could not sleep. Since I closed my business in February I’ve been able to get off a lot of these medication.
Fasting messes with my ability to sleep and I’m certain that is a also a trigger. On no certain terms am I willing to go back on even more medication. So I’m between a rock and a hard place. Fasting also increases some hormones which could be throwing me out of wack. Since it also increases my metabolism it could mean my current medications aren’t able to stay in my system long enough. I started around 220 lbs and am now at 183. I have no idea if being in ketosis could effect any of this either. I highly doubt it but it’s an avenue I need to consult with my dr. I do know that any type of electrolyte imbalance can be a trigger.
I’m worried my doctor will tell me that fasting is a big no-no.
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I became so irritated and antsy that I chose to take my in case of emergency dopamine blocker. This medication has to be taken with food, especially fat, for optimal absorption. So I broke my fast with some sautéed crispy shiitake mushrooms
Sending you hugs and glad that you are listening to and being gentle with yourself! Maybe take a nice bath if you can or get a massage if that’s open where you are, or whatever it is that you find offers you calm and relaxation. Love & peace to your day! 
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I’m foreign born - but American raised - so growing up my family only shopped at Eastern European markets & Jewish delis because American food was very foreign to them. Have been to the Devon area of Chicago sooooo many times as a kid. So I don’t eat standard food as I was never raised on it. I love the red bean Japanese desserts & everything sesame - especially halvah - and I literally crave roasted seaweed & add nori as often as I can. Especially combined with avocado it just does something special for me haha. Ok - off this topic - I’m fasting & I can feel my digestion starting up - no more food chat for me for now! 
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Indian food is my all time favorite! I grew up in Chicago and got a little homesick when you mentioned Devon street! I’ll stay away for food talk as well except to say that I love all the foods you mentioned and I miss making challah and choc babka everyday!
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Kristy, sorry to hear about all the things you are going through … I pray God will lead you to healing and the answers you seek. Congrats on the weight loss too, I bet that does help physically and emotionally. Insteresting about the over dopamine production… from what I’ve read Binge eaters (like myself) do it to raise our dopamine … do you crave junk food/binge eating or was your weight gain simply due to the meds (which I know can reek havoc on weight (anti depressants can be brutal for weight gain !) Hoping your day is well !! Hang in there!
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The weight gain was mostly from medication, hormonal imbalances, and extreme sleep deprivation. This happened once before and I completely stopped sleeping and ended up in a coma. I create unsafe amounts of dopamine so I don’t need to do anything to up it. This being the case, it would be wise to cut out caffeine. But I know my capabilities. I can stop eating and be fine- but no coffee?! That is just unfathomable!
If I craved anything it is my insanely amazing refined carb/fat pastries. I made everything from scratch. I think one of the reasons I also stopped baking was that the pastries were so addictive. You could eat them until you got sick but not feel full!
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. I hear ya on the pastries … at my worst with binge eating I would eat a 1/2 a cake in one sitting (white cake with loads of butter cream frosting - hated that whipped stuff )… I could never own a bakery, I’d end up 600 pounds for sure. Cake, cupcakes and donuts are on my “never” list (have been for a long time)… they are like crack to me … 
… hang in there Kristy !!! You’re on your way to health …
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Swimming today after PT! I’m going to try an hour and a 1/2 in the pool if they’ll let me.
I’m going to be switching to OMAD because of my medication. I have to eat 350 calories with it otherwise my body will not absorb it and I’ll get insanely nauseous. Once things stabilize I might be able to switch to every other day.
Stopping by the co-op today to get some goat cheese and arugula. I just pick a ton of tomatoes and I love sauteing them in EVOO, then topping a big pile of arugula with them and some yummy goat cheese. Unfortunately the goat cheese is not local like most of my other cheeses but I think I deserve a treat during PMS. I might even crisp up some polenta to put on it as well. I also have some 100% chocolate with cocoa nibs on standby if my monkey mind asserts itself.
My PMS is gnarly and I think it is an accurate assumption that it is a major contributing factor to my flightiness. My husband only has a four day week so I’m looking forward to spending more time with him.
Was able to meditate for a bit this morning. I could barely focus on my breath but each moment was sacred. All things are transient but I hope I can continue with my sitting practice of 2-3 hours a day when capable.
Yesterday I drank a liter of unsweetened tamarind slushy. Reminds me of home!
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After eating a fat bomb before swimming I’m not hungry at all. Will try to wait as long as possible before I take my meds with another meal. Have to take the rest of the day easy.
One of my motivators right now is a great book series about some super awesome special operations space pirates that are saving the galaxy with the help of a hilarious AI. All the marry band of pirates are some sort of military from earth and their refusal to give up is very inspiring. Fiction or not it’s good stuff!
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PMS has hit me like an unstoppable force running into an unmovable object. Yesterday I wasn’t hungry for the longest time and then I turned into a ravenous pac man that had to eat every power up on the screen. I don’t have a problem with binging. I know this is transient and I’m not judging myself for it. I’m not worried about the food but the emotions that are 100% irrational. However, I am feeling much better today. I was actually able to swim for 1 1/2 hours! I’ve graduated to breast stroke with paddles and flippers. Pain has been manageable too!
Going to take the rest of the day to relax and plan on destressing by staying off the computer for the rest of the day.
I’m not going to get on the scale for a bit. PMS and periods always come with a giant weight flux. A encouraging NSV is that my wedding ring no longer fits on my ring finger! I also did something hard. I stood up and refused to let someone spread dangerous misinformation.
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Going to try for 2 hours in the pool today. A bit sore from yesterday so I’ll just have to monitor how I feel. Listening to the order of the phoenix while I swim. My loathing for Umbridge is great fuel.
Ate and Ate and Ate yesterday but kept it in a 5 hour window. I ate very wholesome foods and am still in ketosis. My body was telling me that I needed more protein so I ate some grilled tofu. I’m soooo bloated (from PMS not food). I’ll usually gain 5 plus lbs of water weight during PMS/period then about a week after will have lost all the extra weight plus a few lbs. Was really craving some eggplant so I picked some up at the store. Did you know that eggplant is a fruit, a berry to be exact! Very cool!
4 more week until we pick up our new puppy, Data! Going to try to stay off the computer again today. Everything online at the moment is just so depressing. I can’t even watch stuff on youtube without being bombarded by vicious ads. No matter what your political views are I’m sure we can all agree that political ads are the worst! I just want to watch cute otters playing the piano! I don’t need a diatribe about how horrible xyz is. I hope we can all take social media fasts as well. It’s just as important for our mental health!
I’ve been staying hydrated with lemon “flavored” La Croix with some ACV added to it. Or SanPelligrino mineral water slushies with a splash of homemade raspberry/blueberry Kombutcha.
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Today I am a blubbering wreck with everything that is happening in the USA today. I’m sending loving kindness to EVERYONE. Luckily I have a 63 lb lap dog that refuses to let me move until he’s smooched the suffering away. I find it comforting knowing that even the Dalai Lama cries when experiencing strong emotions.
Swimming is the only thing keeping me sane. However, I’m overdoing it. I swam so hard yesterday I had to break down and take pain meds. Ate some wonderful whole foods yesterday. I stepped on the scale and I’ve only gained 2.5 lbs. I doubt any of it is fat since it’s PMS. Still in ketosis. Ate in a bit longer window yesterday, 7 hours. The most important thing is that I’m getting stronger. I’m able to do PT exercises in the water. It seemed the more my physical therapist worked on my back the worse it got.
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Hello Kristy, you’re doing great one day at a time! I’m sad for the US too. I’ve been obsessed on and off with reading and watching utube on everything that’s going on and then when I get way too stressed about it I shut it all off for a few days to reconnect to my peace again.
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