Sometimes, You Slip Up!

Traveling with friends is even better, and this week I had the opportunity to do just that. One of my best friends, someone I’ve known since I was 7, received a fellowship at the University of Southern California to pursue a PhD in electrical engineering, specifically photonics. He is, obviously, a genius, and will undoubtedly do well. When it came time to move across country, he knew who to call.

I’ve written before about eating on the road. Unless you plan for it, it can be one of the trickier times to try to eat on the Kaufmann 1 or 2 diets. Whether it is fast food fare or the carby, sugary snack concoctions offered a gas stations and truck stops, you’re fairly hard pressed to get fresh, healthy Kaufmann 1 or 2 friendly food on the road.

Plus, when you get to your destination, there is the local cuisine! And unfortunately, it is rarely Kaufmann 1 or 2 either.

I do my best to stick to Kaufmann 2 at the very least. I don’t really crave bread or sweets anymore. Occasionally, a beer with my dad, pizza with friends or a glass of wine with dinner will slip through. But I avoid corn (and any byproducts) like the plague, never take pills (esp. antibiotics), rarely consume bread or sweets or drink soda. I hardly ever consume fast food. I just don’t need those things in my diet, and I’ve found things I like more to replace them with.

Some of my friends think those choices are weird, and that’s ok, because they are certainly in stark contradiction to what most Americans eat. If they press me for information, I outline some of the points that I’ve learned from Doug. Most of them find this reasonable advice, even if it sounds a little weird.

But reasonable advice flies out the window when you’ve been driving for 6 hours and you are starving in the middle of the Mojave Desert. And inevitably, that is when the golden arches come into view off the highway.

Like I said before, I don’t eat fast food. But sometimes, if for no other reason than to preserve the peace, it is necessary to acquiesce to everyone in the car’s wishes. I did, and I have a confession to make – that burger and fries, something I hadn’t had in a long, long time, tasted really really good. I remembered it from childhood, and from what I can tell, it really hasn’t changed in 15 years.

But about 20 minutes later, I remembered why I had given this kind of food up. The general malaise, the discomfort in the stomach, the “food coma”, all came rushing over me, and I regretted everything I had eaten.

People who are conscious of their diet know the feelings I just described. When you get used to eating a certain way, you just have a hard time deviating. It’s true – these things aren’t going to kill you if you occasionally indulge. But they can make you feel like garbage. But, sometimes it is necessary; here are a couple things to remember for times that you slip, whether it is accidentally or forced upon you by grumpy road passengers:

Psyllium Hulls
Taking this insoluble fiber will help “mop up” any mycotoxins that might have hitched a ride in the food you eat.

Natural Anti-fungals
Keeping some oil of oregano or olive leaf extract nearby to chase Non-Kaufmann 1 or 2 food with is a good idea.

Probiotics
These will help repair any damage caused by mycotoxins, and make sure your digestive system keeps working smoothly. Great for trips!