One Year Anniversary

It has been exactly one year today since I found out all the things I'm intolerant to.

I can't believe how time goes by. As I look back on the past year, the journey that's happened and all that has already been accomplished I can't help but smile.

I am thinking about 2 things on this day:

1.  Leah Vachani - Thank God for fabulous nutritionists like Leah. I have worked with her for the past year. If it weren't for Leah, I would not be where I am today. If you have been following my Blog all along, you know that we had to try many things before we found out what actually worked for me. But never once did Leah recommend medication or anything unnatural. She was patient and listened to what I was telling her. She modified when needed. And so I listened to her every word because I trusted her. I am so thankful for that!
2. I am Just Getting Started - I still have my struggles. Each and every day. Why? Not because I'm necessarily trying to figure anything out, but because the information I am armed with is not the information I want. Knowledge is Power. But with this power comes decisions I must make each and every day:

• They begin at 6am, when all I want is an egg white omelet with a piece of toast and sugar free jam (NONE of which I can have). And I've got to be honest - that makes me want to cry. 
• And then when I'm trying to achieve fitness goals, but I don't know if I'll ever get there with my hundreds of restrictions. I need to have oatmeal with protein powder or fish with quinoa or chicken and a sweet potato. Yes, I can have the fish and chicken in those scenarios, but it's the carb that I'm lacking. The good carb. And without that carb it's a vicious cycle I circle around: Lack of food - hungry - craving more fruit - more hungry - not enough calories - difficult to build/maintain muscle - repeat. Let's be honest, there is only so much meat I can handle. As a matter of fact, day-in and day-out it makes me super grossed out.
• Finally, going out to eat in restaurants or being out with friends is embarrassing for me. When I order and say, "I just want salmon - plain - no seasonings or anything on it - skip the side," I feel like I'm high maintenance. Typically they don't get it. I don't expect them to. Or when we're out with new people oftentimes I try to "hide" what I order or just simply say "I'm not hungry." I feel like an anorexic. And that's not the case. It just gets old answering 100 questions, when I just want to have fun and enjoy the company of people - not the (unwelcomed) company of food that will probably make me look 9 months pregnant within 3 minutes.

BUT AGAIN, despite all that, I am looking back and smiling. I'm happy to know that I have days that are near flawless now (today is NOT one of them - ha - coincidentally). And those days give me hope for this next year. I am happy that there are people in my life who understand and support me. But mostly, I think I'm the most happy because of the commitment I've made to me! This is not ever going to be easy, but because of it, I know me so well. I know how to listen to my body. I know when something is right and when it's not right. And I take care of it - because I'm worth it. And how can you not smile about a respect like that?!

Cheers to (an even better) Year 2!

GAPS Diet

Day 111.

Today marks Day 111. Let me tell you about what is next for me, diet/health-wise: GAPS Diet.

I have improved a lot from where I started, but I should probably be farther along than I am. I still have such reactions and we are unsure why. The answer may lie in the fact that my body can't process carbohydrates and sugars properly. After my major reaction(s) a couple of weeks ago, I began to think a lot about what could be going on. The SCD was brought to my attention. You can find out all about SCD HERE. SCD stands for "Specific Carbohydrate Diet." The website I directed you to was a website geared more towards children, but can be applied to anyone. The SCD helps with gut issues, including Colitis, which I have a form of. It's also helpful for those with allergies. After I spent a lot of time on this site, I brought it to Leah's attention. Then, we met on Wednesday and she said, "how ironic - I was going to talk to you about this."

What Leah wanted to discuss with me wasn't necessarily the SCD, but definitely a form of it - perhaps an even more strict version of it. And so here I sit, mentally preparing to begin the GAPS (Gut & Psychology Syndrome) Diet. The GAPS Diet was created by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride. You can learn all about the GAPS Diet HERE.

I believe this is just what I need. I believe that this is going to help me and that perhaps, just perhaps, this was my missing link. Directly from the website:

"Food Allergies and Intolerances

People with food allergies and intolerances should go through the Introduction Diet in order to heal and seal their gut lining. The reason for allergies and food intolerances is so-called "leaky gut" when the gut lining is damaged by abnormal micro flora. Foods do not get the chance to be digested properly before they get absorbed through this damaged wall and cause the immune system to react to them. Many people try to identify which foods they react to. However, with damaged gut wall they are likely to absorb most of their foods partially digested, which may cause an immediate reaction or a delayed reaction (a day, a few days or even a couple of weeks later). As these reactions overlap with each other, you can never be sure what exactly you are reacting to on any given day. Testing for food allergies in notoriously unreliable: if one had enough resources to test twice a day for two weeks, they would find that they are "allergic" to everything they eat. As long as the gut wall is damaged and stays damaged, you can be juggling your diet forever removing different foods and never get anywhere. From my clinical experience it is best to concentrate on healing the gut wall with the Introduction Diet. Once the gut wall is healed, the foods will be digested properly before being absorbed, which will remove most food intolerances and allergies."

There is no better reason than that paragraph for how I justify this working for me. I believe that this is exactly what's going on with me. And I think she was talking to me when she said, "Many people try to identify which foods they react to." So has been my life. It wasn't all a complete waste because it has solidified for me the concept that my gut is just yucky right now, and until it's healed anything and everything at any given moment could make me react now, in 10 minutes, 2 days or a week.

I will say this, though, these past 111 days have not gone to waste. What can be more satisfying than treating your body well through Organic, fresh and non-preservative foods? Nothing, except, for the idea that we stick to these same exact principles but we tweak it.

So you've gone to the website and you've seen the "Introduction Diet" and its "Stages" and then perhaps you've read "The Full GAPS Diet." You're thinking, "Wow - no way could anyone do this." But I will promise you one thing....I WILL! And furthermore, after I get through the Introduction portion, I will be able to keep it fresh, fun and interesting. I will come up with things that I didn't know existed. And I guarantee that not only will it be good for me, it will taste fabulous!

Priceless

Day 66.

My supplements have increased. This is okay. Here is my new supplement protocol.

• Chlorella - 1/2-1 tsp daily
• Betaine HCL - 1-4 caps with each meal
• Probiotic - 2 caps per day
• Zinc Solution Mouth Rinse - 2 tsp at night
• Aloe Vera Juice - 3 Tbsp daily
• Fish Oil - 1 tsp daily
• B-Supreme - 2 caps per day
• Digestive Enzymes - 1-2 caps with each meal
• Cal/Mag/Citrate - 1 scoop at night
• GI Microb-X - 2 capsules in the morning and 2 capsules at night
  

I am doing very well with keeping up on this all. I have failed to keep up with the Betaine HCL. I need to get back to that, since I know I'm still not fully digesting the way I should be. The GI Microb-X is very new for me. It is a parasite detox cleansing. You can find out more information about this particular brand I take here.

I was talking to a trainer at our club today. She told me a story about a woman she knows. The woman's husband has Chrons. Chrons, for those of you who don't know, is another "digestive" disease. You can learn more about Chrons here. When I found out I had Proctitis, I had a Colonoscopy and Endoscopy to determine what was wrong. They thought it was most likely I had one of three things: Colitis, Celiac or Chrons. All three are no good!

Anyways, this woman was telling the trainer that she wanted to have another baby, but that due to his Chrons medications the doctor advised they should not have another one. He is also overweight (at least she thought he was). And here is where I jump on my "medication soap box."

I am not a doctor. I do not give medical advice. I do not prescribe medication. What I do prescribe to, though, is the theory that we are over-medicated and under-educated when it comes to medicine. And I believe that I am able to do this because I have witnessed it first hand.

I was diagnosed with Proctitis around May of 2008. I went on "medication." Around July, I had a major flare-up. We were able to take care of it for the time being. I continued to go up-and-down. My mouth, meanwhile, never improved. I didn't change my diet too much, since I always ate very healthy. Sometime this past (early) winter, is when I decided I'd had enough. I was done with the medicine that was costing a fortune, getting me nowhere and even pushing me backwards. Shortly after that is when I found Leah, got my blood allergy tests done and finally moved forward in my life!

• Cost of my medication - $600/one-month supply
  
• Cost of my initial consultation and blood tests with Leah - $427 ($202 for blood tests)
  
• Cost to follow a clean diet, avoiding the foods that don't like me - PRICELESS
  

I have experienced first-hand what medication can do to someone. But please trust me when I say that medicine is not the enemy. The enemy is not educating yourself on what the medication you're taking is/does. Furthermore, the enemy is the one who is closed-minded to the idea that food can heal or at the very least can aid in healing.

If this man took this approach, then perhaps, just perhaps, the medication would not be the determinate as to whether or not they will have another child. I guess we can all take that for whatever it is worth to you.

I felt pretty good again today. My stomach hurt a little bit after lunch. My mouth was about a 5/6 today. Not sure why that would be? Overall, though, I cannot complain much. I took a nice Epsom Salt Bath tonight. Relaxing!

Here was my day:

Breakfast

• Nutribiotic Vanilla Rice Protein Powder with Unsweetened Rice Milk, Coconut Milk Light, Flax, and Stevia
• 1/2 Fruit Fusion Bar (Dried Apple and Cranberry)
• Unsweetened Applesauce
  

Snack

• Organic Apple
• Organic Raw Carrot

Lunch

• Sweet Apple Chicken Link (TJ's)
  
• Squash (steamed) + sea salt
  
• Baby Scallops + Ancient Harvest Pasta
  
• White Peach
• Organic Cranberry Green Tea
  

Snack

• Organic Raw Carrot
• Orange

Dinner

• Squash (steamed) + spinach (steamed) + garlic + sea salt + fish oil + spirulina
  
• Wild Salmon Burger
• Snap peas with Olive Oil/Salt/Pepper
  
• Unsweetened Applesauce

Time to relax with my Chamomile Tea (and my wonderful husband!).