Warning: This is not a fun post. I still don’t name the new prospect and I use the word phlegm at least three times. Read at your own risk.
I was prepared to make at least one of three grand, sweeping changes when I started this whole groove-finding journey. I fully expected to change states or jobs or form a romantic attachment (or five) during the 500 days, but as of 301 days in, there has not been definitive progress on any of those.
There are, however, a myriad of smaller changes that have been made and even more so that need to be. Among them, tweaking my diet after entirely too many months of ignoring signs and symptoms of a potentially larger problem.
I am honestly not sure the last time I ate a sandwich or bowl of pasta and didn’t go into into a coughing fit immediately after. Or feel pressure in my chest after a meal out or sudden trip through the drive-thru. And, more times than not, when all was said and done I was left with a gross, phlegmy (I really hate that word; it even sounds nasty) feeling after meals.
After analyzing all of this, as of a week and a half ago, I decided to give up gluten. At first I thought it wouldn’t be that big of a deal to go without bread, pasta or even beer, as much as I absolutely, positively love, adore and cherish it. The more research I do, however, the more places I learn it has the tendency to hide out. In addition to binding together grains like wheat, barley and rye, gluten often is used as a stabilizing agent in stuff like salad dressing, ice cream and ketchup, especially in the low-fat varieties I generally opted to buy. It can even be found in toothpaste.
Overwhelming, much?! I mean, I can’t tell you how many times I Google “Is ________ gluten free” a day or look over the list of ingredients in seemingly innocuous foods to find something like “wheat protein” listed. (I’m looking at you, Ben & Jerry’s).
Fortunately, there is a wealth of information out there and, thanks to the library, I have a pile of books on my coffee table like “Gluten-Free Girl” and “The G-Free Diet.”
I feel markedly better in just the last several days, but it has been, and will remain, a process. I think everyone would notice a positive difference if they started eating only vegetables, lean meat, fresh fruit and natural/unprocessed foods. Gone are the low-fat or reduced sugar varieties because I figure if my carbs are limited, I’m going all out on stuff like cheese and dressing and strawberry jam. And it’s so freakin’ good.
I am, quite honestly, not sure giving up all gluten is the solution or that there isn’t something else that still needs to get cut out from my diet. There are still times I get phlegmy (there it is again; sorry) after a meal and I can’t put my finger on what might have set it off. I am 90 percent sure everything I ate for dinner was g-free, but here I am still clearing my throat two hours later.
Giving up gluten just seemed like the trendy thing to do.
If I have learned anything from these books though is the right diet can literally change your life. These women were miserable for years because they ignored what their bodies were trying to tell them and/or didn’t have the resources to interpret what they were saying.
I was shocked at how many side effects of food allergies I exhibit and haven’t been able to figure out the source. If changing the way I eat alleviates the respiratory stuff, eases some of the joint pain, gives some psychological relief and improves the overall quality of life, I would rank it right on up there with forming a romantic attachment (or five).
Until then, I am going to crack open a g-free beer.
No comments:
Post a Comment