This diary is going to be my attempt in documenting my progress as I get back to good health - both physically and mentally. I used to "diet" all the time. It would start with something a family member said or something I would hear in secular culture that would cause me to want to lose weight. I was sometimes successful, especially when I used Alli. But it never lasted long. I don't think I ever had a healthy relationship with food before now. I loved junk food, especially Doritos and Coca-Cola. I remember a time not so long ago when I would drink at least 6 cans of soda a day and I'd get nervous when my stash would run low. We couldn't keep Doritos in the house, either, because they'd be gone so quick.
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| Pink slime, yuck! |
I remember watching "Super-Size Me" on Netflix and realizing how dangerous and addictive fast food is. All the chemicals they pour into the "food" makes you sick and craving more. The chemicals ensure you'll return time and time again because your body actually develops an addiction to the processed foods and simple carbs such as soda and french fries. That was the first step in helping change my attitude to foods.
I realized, over a year ago, that I was showing signs and symptoms of either Celiac disease or gluten-intolerance. Anytime I ate wheat or anything else containing gluten (especially wheat bread), I'd feel fatigued and achy all day. I broke out in rashes on my face and arms, including a weird chicken-skin rash on the back of my forearms that I could never explain. It was sometimes itchy. Then there was the mental fogginess. I had real trouble concentrating and remembering things to a point where a doctor thought I had ADD or something but it was never confirmed because I didn't show signs of the disorder as a child where it commonly manifests. I'd also had problems with constipation and was diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS-C). I had hormonal problems starting with female troubles and working up to thyroid issues (which run in my family). This constant string of problems was not explained away by any one illness or disorder though I realized there has to be a cause. These were just some of the problems I experienced.
Anyone who knows me knows that I love to research. I find healthcare to be the most fascinating and I'm currently enrolled in a Health Administration degree program. Since I'm uninsured, I had to work on finding my own solution and trying several different things that caused a tremendous difference in my overall health. The first thing I cut out was gluten. THAT was the most difficult thing to do because research showed me that gluten is VERY difficult to avoid since flour and/or gluten is in pretty much every processed food. From candy to lunch meat to soups and others, it was impossible to ignore how much I had to give up. But, it was the best decision I EVER made! I discussed my results with my doctor who concurred that I probably have a problem digesting gluten. It took some time for me to get rid of at least 95% of gluten from my diet. I'm still learning what foods I can and cannot eat and it's an exercise in trial and error. I have to remember to read food labels or nutrition menus at restaurants. I have made some mistakes recently, too, that caused me to become ill.
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| One of the many places where I ate without problems! |
The best thing about going gluten-free is that trips to one of my favorite vacation spots is not impossible! My family and I went to Disney World this past December and, though I had been there before, this was the first time I had to have special allergy assistance. Disney World is INCREDIBLE, though, in helping those with food allergies avoid their allergens. Each time we went to a restaurant, I would tell the crew member that I have food allergies and they would immediately call the manager who was trained to handle special needs. The manager would discuss my options and then independently prepared my meal so as to prevent contamination. I ate a total of 4 times at Disney restaurants (including at Downtown Disney) and didn't get sick once! It does take some time to plan but I highly recommend Disney to anyone who needs special food preparation. They even let you bring your own snacks into the park, as well.
Anyway, back to the topic at hand. The second thing I cut out of my food consumption was drinking soda. I realized, even while drinking it, that the negative effects of soda were all too real and I was setting myself up for diabetes. Research has shown that consumption of refined sugar increases LDL (the bad cholesterol) and lowers HDL (good cholesterol). Soda has absolutely no nutritional value. It's essentially empty calories. The sugar in soda causes a dramatic spike in blood glucose levels and then quickly wears off causing the "crash." I had attempted to give up soda for good back in 2011 and 2012 which lasted about 6 months. Then, somehow, I figured that occasional consumption wouldn't be so bad as long as I kept my intake low. Then, it gradually increased to 1 soda a day and pretty soon, before I knew it, I was back to guzzling about 2 liters of soda a day (sometimes, more). I think what caused my problem was that I switched from soda to half-and-half tea, so I was still craving the sugar. As long as that sugar was in my system, I was on a rapid cycle of getting my sugar fix. Then, my mom told me that my sister had cut out soda altogether and lost 8 lbs in a matter of months.
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| A staple in my fridge! |
I have been overweight for a while now and knew I needed to change my habits otherwise, it wasn't a question of "if I get diabetes" but "when." My sister told me about changing to tea and introduced me to stevia.
I'd tried it before but I wasn't crazy about the taste. Apparently, I
was using the low quality stevia because the bitter flavor was not
present in the stevia she had me taste. It tasted really good! As a
result, I gave up soda cold-turkey and bought a box of tea bags and a
box of stevia. I am not crazy about brewing my own tea, though, because
I can't get the concentration right. I discovered
Milo's unsweetened tea which I could buy fresh-brewed at my local grocery store. It has no preservatives and is really good - both in flavor and in health benefits since tea has powerful antioxidant properties. High quality
stevia is really good for you, too, and has been used in South America for centuries. I did some research online and found out that it has medicinal qualities such as anti-cholesterol, anti-hyperglycemia, anti-hypertension, etc. It's so much better for you than artificial sweeteners! I only buy high quality from natural stores such as
NuNaturals or
SweetLeaf. I stay away from commercial stevia, however, because they don't have the same properties or health benefits since they are made differently using chemicals.
Lastly, I've cut out simple carbohydrates from my diet as well as most additives and preservatives. I love switching from regular potatoes to sweet potatoes which have MUCH more nutrients and vitamins. I try to cut out starches like tapioca/corn/rice which are commonly found in many gluten-free processed foods. I try to avoid modified corn starch, monosodium glutamate (MSG), caramel color, artificial dyes (i.e. Red 40), artificial flavors, BHA and BHT, etc. Many of these additives and preservatives are banned in other countries. I recently read a
news article that opened my eyes. If other countries ban these ingredients, imagine what harm we are doing to our bodies by continuing to consume them! My thoughts are if it has a chemical sounding name, don't eat it! It's not necessary and causes health problems. I try to eat organic as much as possible to avoid pesticides, too.
As this blog diary continues, I will be posting how I have changed my food intake to healthier choices. I don't call it a "diet." I call it "healthy living, healthy life."
