Is My Blog Allowed During The Elimination Diet?
Cause I have been ignoring it so long. It now feels like one of my much beloved foods I have banned until after next week.
In an attempt to self-diagnose a gluten allergy, I have put myself on an elimination diet. It has really become all consuming. So much so that I have been ignoring my blog even more than before.
My uncle said his adventures with the elimination diet brought him to the realization that he has a gluten allergy, so with a few weeks of research, and careful planning, I am doing the same.
What is the elimination diet?
It is a 2 week to month long diet eliminating all possible known allergens. Milk, gluten, soy...the list can go on. When one begins to feel better, the allergens are brought back into the diet slowly. The whole process is documented to pinpoint how one feels after eating the offending foods.
Now, since I'm not a doctor, or a nutritionist, I really had to do a lot of reading.
The problem with all the reading, is it seems many out there who have the information have an agenda. A few of the websites dedicated to the diet, are people who have a product to sell. So they only give you snippets of advice, then prod you to buy a book they wrote on the topic. I had to view many websites, and even scoured you tube for helpful advice. I then compiled a list of common diet "rules" and had to go it alone.
It's not just the allergens I had to eliminate. I also was instructed to eliminate processed foods, corn, fried foods, and a gaggle of other foods. Basically, I have to eat as plain as possible.
I'm losing my mind...I'm also starving. This whole experiment has consumed my entire life. :) I can't wait until it's over. Like clockwork my tummy starts to rumble every two hours. I can almost begin to tell the time by my hunger pangs. I have begun eating all day long. And eating around other people has become a great lesson in dealing with envy.
I have been documenting this whole thing to get a better idea of what is happening to me. I am watching my weight, and how I look, but paying close attention to how I am feeling.
It's really interesting to see the changes. If you remember a past post of mine on the trials and tribulations of being a female consumer in America, then you know I stopped wearing make-up. Over the past few months however, I have had to start wearing concealer again. Due to my anemia-like symptoms, I had developed red circles around my eyes, leaving me looking just plain sick. I had to begin covering them up to hide my crack-head like appearance. Now, they are slowly fading away. HOORAY! I am also waking up with much more energy, requiring less coffee in the morning. Perhaps I will be able to give up caffeine soon. While I have lost a pound or 3, I actually "look" my weight. Even at a slim 113 lbs before the diet, I was still a bit bloated looking, and puffy. I like to say I have deflated. My naps are slowly becoming a thing of the past, leaving me with more hours in the day.
I'm only a week into this experiment, and still have lots of healing to go. Several areas of my health can still stand to improve. But I have hope.
I really hope this experiment tells me I am gluten intolerant. While living with an allergy may be difficult, compared to how I was feeling, I am confident I can deal with the inconvenience of an allergy.
Not only has this taught me about my own body, but I have learned a lot about allergies themselves. As a waitress, people always ask me to leave the weirdest things off their dishes claiming a strange allergy. While I would take their request very seriously, and double check their order to ensure it has been left off, I would always scoff a little while notifying the kitchen. I was just under the assumption that the customer really, really hated onions (or some ingredient) and the only way they could ensure the kitchen would leave it off is if the claim they have an allergy.
Boy was I wrong. I had no idea just how many foods can cause reactions. Citrus allergies?! I had no idea. So I'm sorry to all who I scoffed at behind their backs. I believe you now. :)
In an attempt to self-diagnose a gluten allergy, I have put myself on an elimination diet. It has really become all consuming. So much so that I have been ignoring my blog even more than before.
My uncle said his adventures with the elimination diet brought him to the realization that he has a gluten allergy, so with a few weeks of research, and careful planning, I am doing the same.
What is the elimination diet?
It is a 2 week to month long diet eliminating all possible known allergens. Milk, gluten, soy...the list can go on. When one begins to feel better, the allergens are brought back into the diet slowly. The whole process is documented to pinpoint how one feels after eating the offending foods.
Now, since I'm not a doctor, or a nutritionist, I really had to do a lot of reading.
The problem with all the reading, is it seems many out there who have the information have an agenda. A few of the websites dedicated to the diet, are people who have a product to sell. So they only give you snippets of advice, then prod you to buy a book they wrote on the topic. I had to view many websites, and even scoured you tube for helpful advice. I then compiled a list of common diet "rules" and had to go it alone.
It's not just the allergens I had to eliminate. I also was instructed to eliminate processed foods, corn, fried foods, and a gaggle of other foods. Basically, I have to eat as plain as possible.
I'm losing my mind...I'm also starving. This whole experiment has consumed my entire life. :) I can't wait until it's over. Like clockwork my tummy starts to rumble every two hours. I can almost begin to tell the time by my hunger pangs. I have begun eating all day long. And eating around other people has become a great lesson in dealing with envy.
I have been documenting this whole thing to get a better idea of what is happening to me. I am watching my weight, and how I look, but paying close attention to how I am feeling.
It's really interesting to see the changes. If you remember a past post of mine on the trials and tribulations of being a female consumer in America, then you know I stopped wearing make-up. Over the past few months however, I have had to start wearing concealer again. Due to my anemia-like symptoms, I had developed red circles around my eyes, leaving me looking just plain sick. I had to begin covering them up to hide my crack-head like appearance. Now, they are slowly fading away. HOORAY! I am also waking up with much more energy, requiring less coffee in the morning. Perhaps I will be able to give up caffeine soon. While I have lost a pound or 3, I actually "look" my weight. Even at a slim 113 lbs before the diet, I was still a bit bloated looking, and puffy. I like to say I have deflated. My naps are slowly becoming a thing of the past, leaving me with more hours in the day.
I'm only a week into this experiment, and still have lots of healing to go. Several areas of my health can still stand to improve. But I have hope.
I really hope this experiment tells me I am gluten intolerant. While living with an allergy may be difficult, compared to how I was feeling, I am confident I can deal with the inconvenience of an allergy.
Not only has this taught me about my own body, but I have learned a lot about allergies themselves. As a waitress, people always ask me to leave the weirdest things off their dishes claiming a strange allergy. While I would take their request very seriously, and double check their order to ensure it has been left off, I would always scoff a little while notifying the kitchen. I was just under the assumption that the customer really, really hated onions (or some ingredient) and the only way they could ensure the kitchen would leave it off is if the claim they have an allergy.
Boy was I wrong. I had no idea just how many foods can cause reactions. Citrus allergies?! I had no idea. So I'm sorry to all who I scoffed at behind their backs. I believe you now. :)
7 comments:
I recently did a nutritionist supervised elimination diet (found a sensitivity to sugar...). Basically I had to eliminate 10 categories of food/beverage for a month (including caffeine) and then slowly bring each one back one at a time and document how I felt. It was an eye opening experience. You wouldn't believe how hard it is to go out to eat when you're not allowed to have soy or canola. (Most restaurants use only soy or canola oils.) I'm interested to see how you do.
Be aware, you may go through a "withdrawal" around the second week as your liver detox's. It's not pleasant, but you can get through it. Be strong. I'm always open if you have questions or want to cry on the shoulder of someone who has been there. :)
thanks for the advice chelsea.
along with a few positive changes, i am having some negative ones as well. it's funny you mention "withdrawal" because i have been looking into that.
i wonder, were you always hungry? no matter how much you ate?
did you lose a few lbs? i have been, and i really can't afford to lose anymore without people thinking i stopped eating. :) with the comments i've been getting from friends, i wouldn't be surprised if i get an intervention soon. :)
i have been doing this diet to the best of my ability, but i can't seem to give up the coffee yet. the thought of having hunger pangs, and migraines terrifies me.
Hi, how come you're not posting? i miss you :) it's allways fun to read your blog.
/ love from a swedish reader
Did you pull through? Find anything informative out about your allergies? I hope you're feeling better!
How's the elimination diet going? Hey... maybe that's why I've been eating so much lately. Somehow I'm trying to make up for what you're leaving off. (I'm pretty sure you're skipping cherry cokes and chocolate. I, sadly for my waistline, am not.) Hope you're well... miss your blogging...
Come back, Krista!
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