elimination diet

Weekly Therapy: two steps forward, two steps… harder.

- Mel

the week:
Well, that was a short week. Thankfully, I was able to switch my Monday shift to visit friends up in Chautauqua for some fall outdoors and boating fun. But whew, I have been feeling like unmotivated crap since. Thanks, sugar.

weekend:
Both the boyfriend’s parents and my dad and aunts are visited this weekend, separately. I opted not to attend a neighbor’s chili cookoff (not much there for me anyway). I also fit in homework (a research paper AND a proctored exam). What was that about me wanting to take a full-time position at work? Remind me about the money. Also, also: I had this bright idea to run the Fineview Step-a-thon race. 371 steps and 5+ miles. WHO AM I?!

You know that whole thing about “my weekend needing a weekend”? Yeah, that.

seven things, seven days:
1. Trying new cat boxes and litters… again. And new Feliways in a couple new spots. I’m determined NOT to put my cat on anti-depressants.
2. This gluten-free food study scares me and makes me SO MAD.
3. The personality trait that doubles Alzheimer’s risk. Welp. {via PsyBlog}
4. After two-and-a-half years in my part-time role at work, I’m moving into a full-time position. Not the dream, but it will get me through the end of school.
5. Speaking of school: OMG FINANCIAL AID. Why is there a lapse in communication with students ALWAYS. Until they need money.
6. Been thinking a lot about being mindful since my last Happiness Conspiracy. This Psychology Today article about How to Spend the First 10 Minutes of the Day makes sense.
7. Why resilient people are happier: And how to be more like them {via The Muse}

Weekly Therapy: GIMME ALL THE SUGAR!

- Mel

the week:
Oh boy, am I having sugar withdrawal headaches. It’s almost enough for me to say EFF THIS and eat an entire package of gluten-free blueberry muffins with a side of gluten-free honey nut Chex. I won’t, and I’ll survive, but I am miserable. *takes more Tylenol*

I started my statistics course! Woot!

weekend:
The annual Mexican War Streets House Tour (our neighborhood) is happening today. We — well, our garden — participated last year, so I’m excited to NOT be stressed about that, but looking forward to seeing all the incredible houses on the tour this year. Also, neighbors serving mimosas in a couple hours. BRB.

housegarden2014

Last night we went to a live reading of The Wonder Years (first season) at Arcade Comedy Theater. Super psyched as their programming is always hilarious, and the show was one of my favorites as a kid — plus Rick Sebak as adult Kevin, narrating!

seven things, seven days:
1. Have you heard about/done NET type of behavioral therapy? Someone at a happy hour was recently discussing having NET, and I find it fascinating.
2. I lived without my phone for 24 hours (and drove 2 hours home by myself). OH THE ANXIETY.
3. My boyfriend’s parents remarried in a beautiful, small ceremony at Gervasi vineyards in Ohio. So lovely.
4. Burned my finger trying to heat up an oatmeal cup for breakfast, even though I had a hot pad. #dumb
5. I. LOVED. Acupuncture.
6. And then I woke up feeling like I threw my back out (hashtag, old lady). I basically couldn’t bend over or make any sudden movements propelling myself forward. Seems to have worked itself out, but WTF.
7. Something I’m sure we’re all talking about this week: Psychology lessons from the Ray Rice fiasco {from PsychCentral}

Retesting and being tested.

- Mel

Guys. I did NOT pass my food sensitivity test. At all. In fact, this six-month retest is worse than my initial one. My body was obviously trying to tell me something what with all the sugar cravings, and well, now I can’t have sugar. NO SUGAR. No cane sugar, no HFCS, no brown sugar, no white sugar, no corn sugar. NO SUGAR.

paraorganizarte_keepcalm

Do you know that sugar is in basically everything?

List of items in my pantry/fridge that are now off-limits:
My gluten-free oatmeal packs.
Peanut butter AND the PB2 that I recently fell in love with.
Gluten-free honey nut Chex. (Obvs, but this makes me sad.)
My poop bars.
Mayo. FREAKING MAYO HAS SUGAR IN IT. Do you know how hard it was to find a brand that didn’t contain paprika?
Nomato ketchup.
Bolthouse Chai drink that I use in my fridge oats.
My gluten-free, nightshade free honey mustard from Annie’s. See: mayo.
The chocolate milk drink boxes that I have after every workout/practice. OMG.
My gummy Vitamin D supplements. Seriously. I can’t swallow pills. What am I supposed to do now?
That brand of beef jerky that finally (FINALLY!) didn’t have nightshades.
Sugar.

On top of ol’ sugar, I again tested for nightshades and gluten and hops; I also tested for potato starch, which I didn’t have a sensitivity to in my prior test (pick up a gluten-free anything, there is potato starch in it). So, buh-bye gluten-free pancake mix and frozen waffles and anything easy that I can make for breakfast when I haven’t had enough coffee in the world. Incredibly, my shellfish sensitivity (which I consider to be truly an allergy) fell off the radar, but I’m NOT ready to reintroduce projectile vomiting into my diet changes just yet.

I feel really lost right now. Have you given up sugar in your diet (because of medical/sensitivity reasons or otherwise)? Send help.

{photo credit: Energy We Bring}

100 Days: you FEEL what you eat.

- Mel

I’ve passed my 100 Day mark for eliminating gluten and nightshades from my diet. Replacements are fairly easy for gluten (breads, cereals… poptarts) save for finding potato flour and an abundance of sugar or swapped starches in a lot of items (most packaged sweets are gross, tbh). Nightshades are still really difficult, especially when out dining (and I’ve turned into this neurotic TELL ME ALL THE INGREDIENTS visitor when scanning menus). I’ve been to a neighbor’s dinner party and hosted a cookout where I shared my dietary restrictions with anyone and everyone (I really wish my sister would listen!). And annoyed a whole bunch of people via social media about the who/why/what. Yet, I’m still surprised at the ignorance of many about WHAT gluten is (clue: it’s not a wheat allergy!).

no gluten no wheat

The diet started out as basically cutting all gluten products; now I am replacing, which I feel very… meh about because I still eat so.many.carbs. So I want (and plan to) do better in my next 100 Days. Pinterest has saved our marriage (lol); we plan meals ahead, and I can even swap out some ingredients in Blue Apron without a lot of waste. But planning ahead is SUPER important to combat the HANGRY. The use of Day One app has been incredibly helpful to log meals and any possible reactions.

A few days of “testing” my sensitivity proved to be BIG mistakes. On one occasion, after a particularly amazing 5-course meal, I couldn’t get out of bed to check out of the hotel. It was awful. I also tried a gluten-free beer in NYC (oh, did I mention that I’m additionally sensitive to hops? Yeah, that made me feel like crap too). And then I went and drank a bunch of whiskeys and bourbons this weekend at the UGP. These were not controlled testings (aside from the gf beer), so I have no clue what is the bigger culprit of wrecking havoc on my body (mostly joints): gluten or nightshades.

I’m incredibly grateful for Emily Levenson for helping me through this journey.

Alas, I realize this is for life, which makes me as sad as it makes me relieved. And I know that white potatoes are the devil. The end.

If you need a resource to learn more about gluten and Celiac disease or gluten sensitivities, I highly recommend reading: Gluten Freedom.

Still think gluten sensitivities are bullshit? Read this. And focus on the last sentence. {via glutenfreegirl}