While searching my old internet bookmarks, I found a website which I had saved during one of my sickest moments since cancer, and it sparked a stark comparison to the Whole30 food experiment. In late 2014, I became extremely ill after treating a long-festering nasal infection with general antibiotics. My otolaryngologist’s office also conducted an allergy test due to my narrow nasal passages and discovered that I had a severe allergy to candida.

For those of you who may not know, Candida is a bacteria that we all have in our digestive tracts to assist with the absorption of nutrients into the bloodstream. An overabundance of this bacteria, however, can cause a breakdown of the intestinal walls, and lead to symptoms such as fatigue, brain fog, and many more.

I had read up on my symptoms during this, the worst period of my physical health, and they all matched this known issue called Leaky Gut. I had discovered a potential solution to the ailments I was facing via that very bookmark. The link referred to a method of cleansing the body of any and all sugars for about thirty days, including alcohol and grains. I had scoffed at the idea of no sugar for thirty days; there was no way I could do it. I needed one sugar in my coffee every morning, my iced tea during lunch, and my beer at night to unwind after stressful days at a dead-end job.

Essentially, this website suggested the EXACT process of the Whole30 (maybe they stole it from the book). Had I completed the experiment then, I would have felt better immediately. Instead, I continued to feed the fungus, and my anxiety took the wheel from there. My digestive specialist who had performed a colonoscopy assumed it was Crohn’s disease, even though I vehemently denied that claim as my symptoms seemed to resemble Leaky Gut more. I spent seven months in hell until I finally conquered my panic-induced aggressors, and eventually settled with my symptoms.

That was until I finally attempted the Whole30 three years later. Seriously. I waited three years to finally try something that could have saved me thousands of dollars of doctors visits, testing, and medications.  That’s the definition of insanity: avoiding a solution because I couldn’t stand to go without sugar. Oh well, you live, and you learn.

Are you experiencing some long-standing ailment like I did? Maybe you should try the Whole30 now.

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Let’s get to my weigh-in!

-April 25th — 209.2 lbs.

-May 2nd — 206.4 lbs.

-And this morning, Tuesday, May 8th: 202.6 lbs.

I figured my weight loss would plateau just as it had before (and as the book forewarned). The majority of your initial weight loss is water weight, and this is no different. I’m already starting to feel my mental energy return to its peak levels as it had on my first Whole30 run.

Here’s to two months of mental clarity! Should I continue onward and eat this way forever? Comment below, share your stories, and as always, I’ll see you next week!

-Jamie (@GuyOnAWire)

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Week Eight Recap (Dumb Doctors) – #Whole60

Week Seven Recap (Cravings) – #Whole60

Week Six Recap – #Whole60 (Something Old, Something New)

Week Five Recap – #Whole60

Week Four Recap – #Whole60

Week Three Recap – #Whole60

Week One Recap – #Whole60

The Whole60 – I’m Back at It

My First Whole30 below:

The Beginning of Whole30

The Wrap-Up