The Quack

                 OKAY So I saw the holistic, naturopathic, eastern medicine doctor (or what my father refers to as "The Quack") and let me tell you, it was weird BUT awesome. Okay so first, I walked in and I asked if he would want to look over my extensive packet of blood work, and of course he didn’t.  These type of doctors don’t work off blood work they literally work off your energy. He was so down to earth and normal (as I was sort of honestly expecting some kind of weirdo that believed in like eating really weird shit and spoke in riddles about things I couldn’t mentally grasp).  He laid me down as a regular doctor would and more or less just touched my arms for I believe pressure points (honestly who the fk knows) and had these labeled viles to determine what is going on internally with me. I am not sure what they are filled with but there is definitely some sort of liquid and they rise when whatever is labeled is too high within you.  Now mind you this is my layman explanation of this, I am sure there’s an extensive way to explain what it was and what he did – but that’s more or less the gist of it - I hope you are with me so far.

                During my vile test he showed me one vile that the liquid was clearly raised and it was labeled NIGHTSHADES. Now, if you have been down the inflammation road, you’ll know there are many recommended diets for inflammation and nightshades is the top of the list of foods you should avoid. The most popular nightshades are Potatoes, Tomatoes, Peppers, and Eggplants.  So I knew that was the first food category he was cutting out of my life. He also had me fill out paper work and asked about my spouse's health which I said "healthy but has psoriasis". He told me he should stop eating nightshades too. No more potato and eggs for you Tubsy!! Next was gluten.  Mind you, I had a feeling gluten was going to be one so I went out with a bang and ate my last bagel with cream cheese literally on the way there. RIP bagels and shmears.😢 He said my dairy level wasn’t bad but to start to limit it. I was given 3 different bottles of vitamins: Cardio Support, Aminos & Enzymes, and Zinc Synergy and then he stuck me with a bunch of acupuncture needles and I took a 20 minute rest to clear the mind. 

                It’s been three weeks, I am to see him every week or two for check ups and remain on this diet plan. To be honest, I haven’t felt great. Honestly, I have felt no different.  The mornings are so hard sometimes it’s as if I am getting worse as the days pass. He told me it should take about 6 weeks to really feel the change of going gluten free and I am jonesing for that feeling.  Just something to say “Yeah Jacki this is working keep it up!” I saw him for my follow up visit last weekend and he said that my numbers are getting a bit better so that’s good. But I know I have to really trust my body before I trust his viles. If I feel good, its working. I was honest and told him I hadn’t really cut dairy completely yet. I have turned over the organic milk in our home to coconut and the dairy ice cream should I need a fix to coconut milk ice cream (which by the way is DELICIOUS). Butter is now officially olive oil. It’s the cheese my friends. The fkning cheese. To be honest my best friend suffers from celiac, she’s also dairy free. She's been a huge help and she swears by the vegan cheese. “It’s not mozzarella but it’s close”. I think it’s called Daiya or something.  I will try that next.  If it really isn’t so bad then I can kick dairy for good.

                I went gluten free for a short time a few years ago, and I didn’t find it extremely hard but let me tell you now a days, it is way easier. I went away with my two best friends on a quick trip to Lake George and this was in the first week or so I was gluten free.  I came packed with snacks (as did my celiac bestie) thinking we might be screwed over there for food and I was truly amazed by the extensive menu choices of gluten free items at the hotel.  It may not be in every restaurant you dine at but there are ways around eating gluten and still feeling happy with your dinner in a restaurant.  However I will say this - while yes some restaurants get it if you are a celiac its still quite difficult. I see it first hand with my girlfriend having to request pans to be cleaned and more or less becoming inspector gadget with how the chef prepares meals in the kitchen. Any hint of cross contamination will get her full blown sick and she’s out for the count for next day sometimes.  I am actually on a flight as I type going to Las Vegas for work and I am eager to see what the menus offer in the City of Lights. Tonight’s restaurant is steak and fish and while I am trying to avoid steak sometimes it’s the only safe thing to eat but tonight I know I am going for a steamed lobster. YUM. I suppose I will let the butter slide for this one. Come-To-Mama!

                I want to lightly touch on something I read recently about a woman who was having bowel troubles and had tested for every test under the sun like Chrons and Celiac and it all came back negative. She went to a holistic doctor who decided to give her several allergy tests for food and it came back that she was highly sensitive but not allergic to Gluten, Soy, and Dairy.  She was diagnosed with a leaky gut and completely changed her diet ever since omitting all the foods she had sensitivity with. Since then she feels completely better and although she will get very sick when she has a bit of gluten – all in all going gluten, dairy, and soy free has been worth it for her. This article really set a light off for me because back in 2010 when I was my first rheumatologist on my paper work it was written that I had a leaky gut. It wasn’t even discussed but I remember the term because I mean, it said my gut was leaking and I was like literally like WTF. I remember googling it back then and it more or less said that there was some food that got passed the walls of my intestines. None of my doctors recommended to change my diet and here I am 7 years later still with issues. So now, many doctors later, years older and wiser with my various diseases, I start to look into “leaky gut” and what can it damage it can cause. From the articles I have read is says a leaky gut is when the “lining of the small intestine becomes damaged, causing undigested food particles, toxic waste products and bacteria to 'leak' through the intestines and flood the blood stream".  This can cause anything from allergies, to migraines, to chronic fatigue, to rheumatoid arthritis, and a hell of a lot more. And what causes a leaky gut?? In many cases, food you eat everyday like gluten and dairy and also medications like steroids and over the counter pain relievers. Well what do ya know? So I got sick with the pancreatitis maybe because I had a leaky gut or MAYBE I got the leaky gut after they put me on TWO 3 month rounds of high dosage steroids which then caused body aches and my hands to turn white and numb in the cold (Raynauds) and later on becomes MCTD or Lupus. FML.  And yet not one doctor till 3 weeks ago told me to change my diet. The reason? They just aren’t educated on that type of nutritional healing. The average western doctor learns that medicine is the best and only way to get healed. I am hoping in time I can be like that woman, changing my diet to change my life for the better.  If I could have done anything different from the past, I would have changed my diet the minute I got pancreatitis. Who knows what that would have done. BUT it's better now than never - hopefully I will start to feel a change. 

Here’s hoping!!

I will keep you updated as each check up passes. Stay tuned!

Xoxo

Jacki

Keeping Positive!

Well... some time has passed.. a month since my last post.  The last blood work came back in July and my numbers were AMAZING. Doctor said they were "relatively normal."  My white blood cells were the highest they had been in 7 years!  I took blood again at the beginning of this month and by now I suppose by now the methotrexate is basically out of my system (minus the trace of it possibly in my eggs).  Truthfully, there has been a change in my body since last month - I am starting to really feel it. It hasn't been easy to wake up with pain every morning but I know it will be worth it so the show must go on. This month my results weren't as great as last month, my WBC dropped a bit and I have low glucose BUT my doctor wasn't concerned therefore I am not. We will see what next month looks like.

So where is the pain mostly for me? MY HANDS! Ugh, every morning I wake up and I can not make a fist.  My fingers are SWOLLEN. I try not to over work them at night and I went out and bought a paraffin. I got the Homedics one at Bed, Bath and Beyond - $40 bucks..  works great.  The pain subsides for a bit with the heat and it doesn't seem to have long term effects, but short form - and that's fine by me. The rest of my body does hurt here and there, sometimes it aches to even lift my arms.  Those days I will work from home, which I have, and also I decided that when I am really in pain - either NOT wash my hair or go get a cheap blow out.  The less work the BETTER.  Yoga has been helping and every morning I try to stretch at my desk before I start my day.  Whatever helps.

Some news.... This might sound a bit nutty but I have reached out to an alternative physician to look over my "case".  On days where the pain is unbearable I have been resulting to taking Tramadol to help me through the day.  I only take one tablet or a tablet in a half if needed however I really do not like to rely on pain killers of any sort - even Aleve - if i don't have to.  So that's where Dr. Joseph will hopefully come in.  I have an appointment with him next month and let's see what his thoughts are.  I explained in my email that I was hoping to not have to depend on medication and maybe he has some better life changing methods to alleviate the constant pain.  Truthfully, there is no way I would be able to manage getting through the day without help from SOMETHING.  And I pray it doesn't get worse but last month has been different from this month.

Another thing that has been an issue is fatigue.  I try to sleep on the bus to and from work and go to bed no later than 10pm but I am tired constantly.  After my fiance and I watched WHAT THE HEALTH on Netflix we have decided to try to eat more plant based so hopefully that will help generate some energy.  All in all whatever this new doctor tells me to do I am going to do.  I plan to bring my fiance with me because there may be things that will have to change his lifestyle as well (like eating habits) and thank god he is health conscious so whatever changes are to improve our everyday life, I am sure he will be down for.

I don't mean to scare the readers that are planning to go off the medicine, just know this, while the pain is there - for me, its bearable.  You will need help - cleaning help or cooking help - and if you have the means to go out to eat or have a cleaning lady to scrub the bathroom or toilets, now is the time.  I never used to use the dishwasher.  My fiance and I would scrub the dishes each night.  Now? That dishwasher is my very best friend.  Do what you can to make life more livable.  Instead of watching TV on the couch - take the time to lay down on the floor (I lay on my Acupressure mat I mentioned in an earlier blog) and I do breathing exercises. Little things like that will help day to day. If I can do it, so can you.

I will write again right after my appointment with my "holistic healer". (That's what I nicknamed him already hehe) Till then! xoxoxo

- jac

METHOTREXATE FREE BITCHES!

Hello!! It is ME, AND I'M METHO FREE !

I just can not believe it!!! SO, last week I officially have been off the methotrexate.  Still taking the Sulfasalazine and the Plaquenil but no methotrexate!  And I actually feel okay. I mean, not GREAT, but not TERRIBLE. BUT I will say this, I wasn't always the best with refilling my meds and sometimes I would miss Tuesdays hit of Methotrexate and then not able to take them till about Friday and I WOULD REALLY FEEL IT.  My body would like yearn for the hit like a crackhead. So in my mind, those couple of medicine free days was kind of like going cold turkey for the time being. But when that happened, I had massive pain. So all in all the end result is that tapering was definitely the way to go. I am so happy that I changed doctors and did it this way because I feel like so far it has been tolerable.

I did see my doctor last week and told him about the weird aches.  When I had the sciatic pain from my last blog, it went on a couple of days to the point where I had to call him.  He is a doctor who is against giving anything strong (narcotic wise) and prescribed me steroids. MEH.  ROIDS... PASS! I did fill it just on the chance one day I REALLY have to jump on it to avoid a potential hospitalization but F THAT.  I won't start a run of steroids till I am really a mess. I told him, and he gets it and said it was okay. Plus I do think I made the right choice since about two days after that my pain went away completely.  You know your body better than anyone and your limitations.  My opinion, don't ever just listen to a doctor if in your heart of hearts you are against it.  No one knows your body better than you.

Any who - since I was feeling better I decided to go shopping in Soho, Manhattan.  If you've been you know that requires a lot of walking. Soho is a lot of blocks.  I was dead tired by the time I got home and started to feel pain EVERYWHERE. The next day I woke up and I was achy but most of all my toe bones were like pulsating. WTF. My poor little toesies. So weird! I never think of them and yet, they were really bothering me. So strange that this disease reminds you of the muscles and bones you quickly forget you even use.  So okay, the usual knee pain, yeah sure.  Elbows? Of course they'll ache. But my little piggies - they were feeling the pain.  I told the doctor all of this and told me that the pain will come and go but so far with looking me over, the swelling is minimal and I "look good". He told me we have to keep our fingers crossed.  These next months are the scary ones.  The months where there's not much stopping a flare.  Keep calm and STAY OUT OF THE SUN.  He also said I can not try for a baby until December if all goes well.  Since he hasn't worked with me that long he doesn't know how I should do without my medication BUT since I am continuing to take blood work every month, he will monitor my numbers and try to catch a potential flare before it happens. Just took blood work last night.. I guess time will tell.

The biggest difference I'd say minus the aches is the FATIGUE.  Everyone is tired. You work long hours, or you have three small kids, OR you work long hours AND you have three small kids, I mean the reasons for being tired are endless. You can't compare your fatigue to someone else's but you can compare the tired you ONCE were to the tired you are NOW.  And I can honestly say, months ago yeah, I would be tired but if I slept a nice 9 hours, I woke up rested.  My body always felt better on my medicine in the morning and I had more energy after I woke up.  I feel the opposite now.  The mornings have become harder for me. I wake up tired. Even if I slept 10 hours, I am still fkn tired. SO ANNOYING. Even walking up the steps sometimes, I am tired. LOL But listen, if tired is what I'll be to have a god willing healthy pregnancy, then bring-it-on.  I'll spend my weekends sleeping - doesn't sound bad to me. My number one hobby is watching TV, eating and taking naps. #Judgeme

I will write back when my numbers come in and hopefully they are even better than last time.

Side note: The doctor said it takes about 3 weeks to really clear out of me but 6 months to be safe enough for baby making so I guess that's one more week to really be out and see what it feels like. Excited. TILL THEN ! 😃

And So There Was Two

Well Well Well.... The first week of two tablets has came and went and what's the prognosis?
This one is a fkning doozy. I mean I don't want to scare the readers who are reading this for their own tapering process and remember EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT but this last round, for me, it hasn't been easy. Honestly, I have been hurting. BUT we figured this was going to happen at some point and I think a couple of blogs back I said maybe when I am down to two pills I will feel it, and I was right.

So the fingers just continue to hurt and whenever I really use my hands like cooking or dishes or whatever, they will swell and just ache.  But the other night my pain was so bad between my back, my ankles, and my knees that it literally woke me up from my sleep and I had to put the heating pad on for like two hours.  Today has been an interesting one.  I woke up with sciatic pain. Like a constant shooting pain in the middle of my ass and it hurts so much to walk.  A five minute walk to my office from the bus turned in to almost 20 and I wish I was exaggerating. I did bring my heating pad with me and luckily my coworkers get it.  My usual daily meeting that would happen in the conference room took place in my office as I kept the heating pad warming the sciatic nerve. A couple hours of swamp ass later, I feel a bit better.  Limping less.

I wanted to quickly chat about memory because it's funny how we forget things like particular moments in life but quickly remember them by a song or perhaps a certain smell.  I sometimes forget what is was like prior to being on my meds, I know I mentioned how I don't remember having average health but I also don't remember being "sickish" without any medicine.  I was telling my fiance that memories keep coming back to me like being on a bus to get into work and not being able to open my water bottle. Sometimes I'd snack on the bus in the morning and I would be dying of thirst not because I didn't have any water, but because I was so embarrassed to ask someone to open the water for me.  I'd run in and have my coworker Lenny turn the cap of the Poland Spring for me. Luckily I can still open my bottles myself but it isn't as easy as it once was.  Even turning a door handle or buttoning my pants becomes a bit harder at times.  One day last week I had trouble doing my eyeliner because it requires a certain bend of my finger and a flick of the wrist to perfect my cat eye.  Lord please, I'll take an achy ankle or two as long as you leave my eyeliner alone.  I can take a limp - what I CAN'T take is the look of a wobbly eyeliner. Haha all jokes. I kid I kid. (not really) 

So okay, this week hasn't been the BEST but whatever I have been doing pretty damn good thus far and I can't have it all. I should have bad days and I am sure I will continue to have some not so great days.  The good thing is I am one step closer to being completely off.  Hopefully my doctor will prescribe me a muscle relaxer or something to help me get through the real pain days and I should be taking some blood work this week.  Let's see how it all goes..

By next week, I should be METHOTREXATE FREE !!! Can't Friggen Believe It! Till then XOXO!

Peaks and Valleys

It has been TWO weeks since my last post and a LOT has happened. Well maybe not a whole lot but some significant changes.

One - I took my first round of blood last week.. it has been on my mind since the minute I walked out of Quest Diagnostic.
Two - I have been a bit achy.. my fingers the most and the usual wrists and ankles for sure but my hands will throb and I feel like I can't really make a full fist.  It does come and go and honestly I can take this pain with the help of an anti-inflammatory or Tramadol if needed.
Three - I finally got my results back today.  And they look GREAT to me! I am still waiting to talk to my doctor, I am sure I will hear from him tonight via email however my Creatine Kinase (what can show inflammation) has risen a bit from 21U/L to 24 U/L - the norm is 29-143.  Obviously I'd want to be mid range but honestly, I am just happy to be somewhat closer to NORMAL numbers.  The shocker of all shockers was my WBC.  Since tapering off my meds they completely shot up.  I was once at 2.0 thous/mcL, my last read was 2.6 and weeks later since getting to 6 tablets a week - I am at 3.4! The normal range is 3.8-10.8 so I am SO HAPPY.  My liver levels look great and my C3 and C4 are all in range.  ALL IS WELL.  My doctor actually emailed me: "Hello Jacki--your labs were good--almost entirely normal."  Could you believe it?! ALMOST ENTIRELY NORMAL! Ugh music to my ears ❤

I titled this blog Peaks and Valleys for a reason.  When I was younger I had read a book my father picked up for me titled Peaks and Valleys.  It basically discussed the ups and downs of life and it really did put things into perspective for me.  Life isn't always great and shit happens and sometimes you are in the Valley.  Who knows how long you'll be there.. hopefully not long but it's okay because eventually you will be in the Peak again! This week has been a good week so far.  My girlfriends threw me a beautiful surprise bridal shower two days ago.  Yesterday, my fiance had his last successful operation on his leg which went really good, god willing and today I got the best blood results! I hope this Peak remains a bit longer since my 32nd birthday is 4 days a way! KNOCK ON WOOD!  Lets keep the Peak rollin!

I have one more week taking the 4 tablets and next Tuesday is the doozy. Going to just TWO pills till we stop ALTOGETHER.  I feel like it's so wild but I am so excited to just be off of it completely.  I found a new yoga place by my house and this yoga class is a bit longer but it was so awesome I am going to keep trying to make it there every Sunday and just keep this momentum going.  I decided to spend the extra money in massages and do things that make me happy, like booking a trip or buying that pair of shoes I wanted. I of course want to be physically healthier but mentally healthier too and every small change will help me get there.  I just know it.  Till next week!! XOXO

Sausage Fingers

Ah, the Tuesday after Memorial Day Weekend. YAWN. Would love nothing more than to be back home, doing nothing.  The working man's a sucker.  Figure to take some time out and discuss what has been going on with the 6 pill tapering.  Today is the day I take my next dose for 6 methotrexate pills and as you can see in my blog title, my body needs it.  I am so excited to take my medicine tonight because I am really swollen. My fingers are pretty bad - they really hurt today. This is a new kind of pain that I experienced on Easter too.  I was thinking about maybe getting a paraffin bath but I am not sure if it really would work?  I will do some research on it today.  My back was also hurting last night so I used the heating pad to help put me to bed and also this morning before I got up to get ready for work. It helps.  Tonight I will try to make yoga at 8:30 at my gym. Some stretching may help the fingers and bones. My ankles and feet hurt too but instead of staying behind the desk, I took about a 20 block walk today at lunch. Sometimes when you are in pain you just want to get into bed and not move but it's better for you to stay active.  I have to remind myself to get up and stretch more at work.  At some point I will get a mat for 10 minute stretch sessions.  My job already thinks I am a lunatic, so what do I have to lose? A couple of years ago I walked around with a back brace on to improve my posture - I literally looked like a toy soldier (and FYI my posture is no different, so save yourself the time and money and just push your damn shoulders back on your own ). 

Meanwhile, I am not sure if this has anything to do with the methotrexate but I got my period about a week early.  I tried to research a bit on this and everyone is different but there are a lot of people who have irregular periods or heavy bleeding with being on methotrexate.  I always was irregular, I mean it comes every month but definitely different days. However within I'd say a three day range.  This was way earlier than regular and I do feel like it has been heavier too. And I am positive that when I wash my hair I am not losing as much hair than usual. This proves that for me - the high dose of methotrexate was very much affecting my hair and nails even though I was on folic acid. My nails seem stronger because even though I get gel manicures, they would still crack down vertically and then not only is your manicure ugly but it can crack so low that it hurts.  As for my hair, I would sometimes wash my hair and I'd have to take a ridiculous mound of hair out of the drain.  There is still hair that falls out now but its not anywhere near as much so this is all good signs.  If only my fat fingers would calm the f down, I'd be in great shape. 

Also, I am still trying to do the sugar free thang.  I was getting headaches but this weekend we had friends over so I did indulge for dessert time but I did keep the espresso sugar free which is so strong but I am getting used to it.  I looked up Starbucks sugar free options and today I treated myself to a Tall Vanilla Skinny Latte which is Starbucks terminology for a small skim milk latte with sugar free vanilla syrup. It's pretty good. That can be a treat here and there because I don't really like to have the milk. 

I take blood next Monday so I will write after that.  I am eager to see if my white blood cells rise because people who are on methotrexate (or just have autoimmune issues) will commonly have low WBC and my count is LOW.  My WBC can vary between 2.0 - 2.6 thous/mcl and the normal level is 3.8 - 10.8 thous/mcl. My last hospital visit was so crazy that everyone had to wear masks because my WBC was so low I couldn't leave the room.  I was like the boy in the bubble, minus the bubble. And now in regular life, I always have to be careful around anyone who is sick or take precaution when I feel under the weather. Having low WBC can increase your risk of developing a potentially life-threatening infection so with that being said I am hoping that with reducing my meds it will get a bit higher. 

After blood - we go down to 4 pills!! Hip hip hooray! Speak to you then! 

Six Tablets and Sugar is the Devil

So this blog will be broken into two updates.  One, I had emailed my doctor on Monday morning and happy to see the man replied back to me Monday afternoon.  I can't stress enough how happy it makes me that I have this type of communication with my physician. No middle man secretary, straight from the horse's mouth. You know, I have used that phrase before and yet have no clue where it stems from.  This is a reason for the google.. please hold... Ah. It is a 20th century phrase: 

In horse racing circles tips on which horse is a likely winner circulate amongst punters. The most trusted authorities are considered to be those in closest touch with the recent form of the horse, that is, stable lads, trainers etc. The notional 'from the horse's mouth' is supposed to indicate one step better than even that inner circle, that is, the horse itself.

Well would ya look at that.  Learn something new everyday. Well anywho - I did explain to my doc that I feel good on the 8 and I am not sure if I should take blood now or since I feel good go right into 6 tablets this Tuesday.  He gave the green light for the 6 tablets.  Take them for two weeks and go get blood.  This is good for two reasons, one: although I have insurance, I will still pay partly for a blood workup and sometimes this is over $200.00 a pop.  Therefore, the less blood work the better.  Two: It means that I am progressing nicely which is what I had hoped for.

Feeling wise? I am tired. But this week had pretty shitty weather and I am okay in the inflammation area.  Just my left knee again, there's a little bit of pain there. The ankles and the wrists feel good but like I had said in my last blog, it will take a couple of days to really feel the effects of taking less tablets. Hopefully by the weekend I will feel good and reassured that I am tapering nicely. 

On another note, I had serious hypochondria last night. Which goes into the second part of my blog title. So anyone who knows me knows I have a sweet tooth.  My parents house was a house where Twizzlers, mini powdered donuts, and ice cream are staple items like milk and eggs.  And lets be honest, yes I could have had the will power to avoid them but I didn't because they are DELICIOUS and some how me and my entire family stayed thin so whats the harm in having some yummy treats?  BUT when I moved out with my fiance - he doesn't really have a sweet tooth.  He will indulge in cake or cookies but he doesn't really crave it however if it's there he will eat it.  Which means he would ask me to stop getting it because before we knew it - he ate the majority of it.  We also used to have Italian bread regularly with meals however I'd say about 8 months ago we kind of changed our style of eating.  No more bread, unless it's sliced 40 calorie whole grain.  Only whole grain or gluten free pasta and brown rice.  We do not have anything other than water and coffee in the house and our eggs and milk are organic.  BUT on the weekends we do get cookies or bake brownies or something yummy and I think sometimes that's okay. However, last night after my craving kicked in I started to research sugar cravings and came across a billion blogs of people who cut sugar out of their diet and said how much better they feel. Sugar makes you tired, it makes you fatter, it can cause cancer, and above all INFLAMMATION.  I got myself so crazy I have decided today is the day - I am cutting sugar as much as possible.  I will occasionally have wine but I will try to have more red than white since there's less sugar.  I have a double shot of espresso every morning and usually with two packets of raw sugar.  Today I just had one stevia and it wasn't terrible but tomorrow I am going to try to have nothing but the espresso. Eventually I should get used to it. Essentially caffeine is not great for inflammation either but I will be sleeping at my desk without it. 

And look, don't get me wrong, I will have sugar here and there when it comes to holidays or birthdays or even if we go out to a nice restaurant and we want dessert.  However, in my everyday life - I am going to remove it.  No more croissants or brownies every weekend.  If I do decide for a treat, there are tons of recipes that are sugar free and it should do the trick of calming a craving.  Also, I will still allow myself to have fruit.  Fruit is delicious and I love berries so that will be my "go to fruit". Everything in moderation!! One blog I read the woman said she had ice cream every night. EVERY NIGHT.  And if she can do it - so can I. GAME ON. 

We will see how this goes and if you are down with getting rid of sugar in your diet, Join me! Lord knows I'd do better with a friend!!  #SUGARFREECHALLENGEBIATCHHHHH !! 

Speak to you next week! 

XOXOXOXO