So far, the lessons I've learned about myself on this elimination diet have not showed me much about my headaches, but A TON about other incredibly random things that are almost as debilitating. Here's just a few of my fun triggers:
Soy milk: large amounts makes me incredibly lethargic. Other soy products (like edamame) don't seem to have that affect on me.
Sweet Potato's, Banana's, and high fructose corn syrup: these spike my daily headache to become worse. In the first two, I think it's something to do with them being high in potassium. Already knew about the HFCS, so that's a fun* carry-over ;)
Gluten, in the form of bread: I become a 95 year old arthritic woman. No joke. Death becomes my joints, and I WHINE. It's not pretty.
Coffee: I had hints at this one before, but my entire body turns into this shriveled, aching mess with a headache. I don't like it.
Fake sugars: Not sure which one's really yet, and not sure I have the stamina to figure out which does what, but they make my muscles and joints just scream in pain. So I'm avoiding all of them.
Yogurt: Nausea like the day is long, and just wanting to snuggle in my bed. Started to feel a spike in my headaches as well? Even my co-worker (who sits like 15 feet away from my desk) said he could hear my tummy rumbling. Yeah, that's not embarrassing! So, letargy, gas & bloating, and trying to sort out what is what- if I'm just getting a headache because or if it was really something that I ate! Oh, the joys of being a human experiment and petri-dish!
So all these findings lead me to believe that I should have at least gone to medical school myself, since I have made my body my own experiment. If not medical school, at least I should have found employment as a detective. Advocate schmadvocate.
So, as I've flirted with adding things back into my diet again, after months of abstaining, I have been surprised at how my body has reacted, and how it has responded. It comes with an incredible amount of fear when you consume something you haven't in several months (Gluten free since October, All-out diet since Thanksgiving). I've learned that this diet is do-able, but incredibly expensive, restrictive, and takes tons of forethought and planning. I've become MUCH more mindful about what I consume. Processed foods that most American's consume (because it's cheap and easy) has it's toll long term. And I don't want that, for myself, my health, and who I'm becoming. I will not be mastered by food and what I consume. If I had infinite money, time, and energy to prepare things ahead of time... I could do it if I had to for longer. But no thanks.
I'm excited to experiment with adding other things back to my diet. It feels like forever since I've had "real" food, but I have had a good time with making up new recipes and trying new things. Turns out baking is still therapeutic, even if things don't turn out the way they are supposed to. And Gluten-Free baking is like 1000 times harder than normal backing, with the different flours and such. But I've found fun things like Teff- it's an Ethiopian grain, and it's yummy and full of protein. But before all this, I had never even heard of it! So now I can try new things and not be so afraid. Salads, stews, & stir-frys have been my go-to's of sanity for the last several months. And I'm also happy to report that GOD HAS BEEN FAITHFUL IN PROVIDING MY SUSTENANCE. Apparently I needed that reminder, even though I already knew that truth. When you have like 1,400 less options of what to eat and what you can cost's like 3times as much as what you used to pay... I've gotten worried- but God has showed up and taken care of all of it, and reminded me that HE IS IN CONTROL. And He knows what's best for me, and is with me as I learn more about what's keeping me trapped in pain. Great things to know first hand to be able to attest to. So with that, I can attest that He has been with me, He is good and my provider, and can go to bed and dream of a day with no more pain and no more tears. Until then, I will keep on praying for a earthly resolution to this pain, and trying to find ways to cope with it!
Love,
Amy Christine
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