How Do I Find The Foods That Love Me?
And why its vitally important for your mental and physical health.
If you are a foodie like me there can be no truer statement than “ I love food”. I love cooking it, talking about it, and especially eating it. However, after I was diagnosed with an autoimmune condition, celiac disease, I learned that as much as I love food not all foods loved me back. I had trouble not only with managing my weight but I also had skin issues, depression, irritability, anxiety, chronic fatigue, and a frequent upset stomach. It was the pits. I would wake up exhausted and angrily make breakfast and school lunches for my kids. I felt sad all the time and hated walking by any mirrors. I’d have trouble staying awake midday, all I wanted to do was sleep all day and all night. It wasn’t until one day that I was feeling extreme drowsiness while driving on the freeway with the kids in the back that I contacted a doctor for help. Enough was enough.
A blood test and endoscopy later and I was diagnosed with celiac disease. Celiac is an autoimmune condition where the immune system sees gluten as an invader and attacks it. During the onslaught the intestines become collateral damage causing a wide range of symptoms. I stopped eating gluten as directed and… I didn’t feel any better. What gives?
It took an elimination diet to help me figure out what all my food triggers were: grains, dairy, kale, almonds and eggs! Phew, that’s a lot! Once I eliminated theses foods I felt like a million bucks! I had energy, my mood shifted and I felt happiness, my skin cleared and was radiant, my weight dropped. It was like magic. Once I eliminated the foods that didn’t love me back I got my life back.
Since healing my gut I have been able to reintroduce some grains, ghee, almonds and kale back into my diet. Just because you have an intolerance doesn’t mean its a life sentence. With healing you can gain back foods that you lost. Everyone is different and what foods trigger you may not trigger others. It’s important to figure out what foods are causing you pain and to avoid them for a time being. That is the greatest form of self care that one can do.
I did the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP diet) but there are many elimination diets out there for your specific symptoms. Some have you avoid FODMAPS for excessive gas and bloating caused by Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO). There is the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD), Whole 30, Full elimination diets, the Wahls Protocol… so many, how do you choose? Working with a nutrition consultant or other nutrition professional can help determine which one is best for you. They will look at your symptoms and help you to choose the right elimination and help you through the process.
Elimination diets are not meant to last forever either. When you start to feel better, after giving our body a break and allowing it it heal, you can start reintroducing foods to find the trigger foods. When done right, it will be clear what foods cause issues and which love you back.
It will take time but finding foods that you love and the love you back is worth it. Don’t get complacent in feeling terrible and resolute that this is your life now. It can and it will get better! Just eat foods that love you back!
