Dammit Jim -- I'm a doctor, not a fluffer!

I've been waiting to use that line all day.  Hello to the new followers!!

Still having problems with my brain.  I think I have a sinus infection together with an odd interaction between  the new blood pressure meds I went on in December and my antidepressant.  Or else I need to adjust the dosage on the antidepressant.  When you know you're having a depressive episode and that you just can't snap out of it, you almost keep telling yourself to snap out of it -- it's a depressive episode!  Very chicken and the egg that, yeah?  Lack of exercise isn't helping -- again with the chicken and the egg, I'd feel better if I exercised but I feel so lousy I don't exercise, blah blah blah.  Lather, rinse and repeat. 

So.  I see my regular doctor for a meds checkup in a little over a week.  I still need to call the allergist about my sinuses.  The pressure has been so intense lately that it causes my right eye to weep as I sleep.  I wake up with one eye glued shut.  It's been great for my Popeye impression.

Anyhow, since I have nothing interesting to report I thought I'd pull out a back burner idea and describe what I eat in a day under this plan we call paleo.  Yes, please try to contain your excitement. 

For weekday breakfasts, I often have shrimp with a dab of cocktail sauce.  Everybody thinks that is weird.  I don't know why.  To me, it's like having a fancy brunch every day.  Because when you go to a fancy brunch, don't you go for the shrimp too?  Mmmm, yummy.  I usually get a pound and a half of cocktail shrimp and split those up into five days.  It works out to about 15 or so shrimps.  Later in the morning I have a banana.  I don't do hot beverages first thing in the morning (unless somebody else in the office buys me a coffee) so I'm drinking a diet soda or two in there.  Lots of water; my 32 oz. college drink (read:  adult beverage) cup is now my office water cup.

Weekend breakfasts are usually some sort of scrambled egg creation.  Ham or bacon, mushrooms, a little cheese, leftover shrimps if I've got them.  Orange juice (the reduced sugar kind, else watered down with about 2/3rds juice and 1/3 water) if I've got it.  If I'm still hungry, I'll have fruit too.  Usually a banana.

Weekday lunches are grilled chicken, pork, or beef; baby carrots; and some sort of fruit.  Not a banana if I can help it.  Berries in season, else grapes or pineapple are my go-to fruits.  I like apples but they're too much work, and the pre-sliced apple packs you can buy taste funny to me.  A variety of supplements if I remembered to pack them:  fish oil, glucosamine if I'm training, vitamin D and CoQ-10.  I don't do a multivitamin every day anymore; I'll take them for a day or two if I'm feeling run down. 

Weekend lunches are usually non-existent because (a) I sleep in late if I can and (b) I eat a big breakfast.  If I do feel the need for lunch, it's usually snacking on nuts or grilled meat, maybe fruit.

Dinners are more or less like lunches, except sans fruit.  I try to do shellfish or fish a couple of times a week at least, because otherwise I'm eating the same grilled meat I just had for lunch and I get bored.  Veggies are typically of the hot variety.  I like those steam in the bag kinds; the broccoli/cauliflower/carrots with a light cheese sauce are a favorite.  If I'm feeling particularly virtuous I'll make a side salad as well.  If I'm really feeling virtuous and not so very hungry, I'll do a big salad as the meal.  One of my favorites is romaine hearts with walnuts, dates, grilled chicken, goat cheese crumbles, and a pear-gorgonzola vinaigrette.  Yummmm!!!!!  Chicken caesar salad is another favorite.  So is avocado/shrimp/romaine with a honey dijon vinaigrette.  Litehouse makes some really nice light vinaigrettes with minimal ingredients-you-can't-recognize.  Bolthouse Farms is another good source for dressings. 

You'll notice there's no grains in there and almost no dairy.  While I do miss a good bagel and a schmear, I don't miss bread.  Well, okay, I miss really really really good bread, like fresh homemade rolls, but those are more of a treat kind of thing from my perspective.  Like cinnamon rolls and chocolate croissants, two of my particular weaknesses.  It is also hard to thoroughly enjoy a good burger without a bun, but I'm working on it.  Just need to shift gears to a knife and fork kind of attitude. 

There's also no potatos.  I will make sweet potato fries occasionally, but now would rather do steamed veggies instead.  Weird, yeah?  Sugar and processed foods I try to limit.  With sugar, I have noticed that things taste sweeter now.  That's why I cut my OJ with water.  I don't really count the steam in bag veggies as being processed.  The dressings are, but I do look for ones comprised primarily of natural ingredients.  The diet soda, let's not mention that.   I do do my paleo with cheese, but more for flavor.  And a little calcium.

Well, there you have it!  It doesn't sound so scary, does it?  Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to have some lunch!

Cheers,
the CilleyGirl