As part of a plan to try and find out what’s triggering my anxiety attacks, as well as perhaps discover what’s been causing general fatigue, foggy-headedness, morning soreness, bloating, and several other symptoms that scream “FOOD INTOLERANCE”, I’ve decided to try an elimination diet.
My initial plan was to cut out sugar, dairy, wheat, soy, caffeine, and chocolate, for one month. Then, when I wrote about this on a BBS I’m on, I was advised to cut out dairy for a full two months if I wanted to know for sure if that was a problem. TWO MONTHS. I know, you vegans are rolling your eyes, but I sneak in a little cheese at least 2-3 times a week. Two months without any dairy feels impossible at this point, but that’s why I’m going to take all this one day at a time.
I’m going to take a picture of myself every day, so you can watch as the sugar withdrawals cause boils and rashes to form all over my body. At least, that’s what I assume happens when you stop eating sugar, right? That’s me, up there, waiting for the boils to start. Do I feel a suspicious itch at my ear?
This morning I had two farm fresh eggs for brekkies, and…………..oh wow, that’s it. See, this is a problem, RIGHT HERE. It’s already after 1pm and I’ve eaten nothing but two eggs. I also need to work on regular mealtimes. I tried to make food earlier, but I got distracted by cleaning out the entire fridge (holy fuzzy guacamole, was that a lot of work), and then I was coloring with Beth, and then making appointments. See? This is the life of the person with adult ADD. On your way to do something, and then, OH SHINY! And now you’re doing something else…..
I’m going to go make a green smoothie.
Just out of curiosity, is the morning soreness in specific places? And do you have any specific areas on your body that are sensitive sort of all the time?
Also, you mean you’re going to cut out ONE of those things, each for a month, right? That is, you’re cutting out sugar only this month, and then you’ll go back to eating sugar and cut out dairy, and then go back to eating dairy (and sugar) and cut out caffeine, etc. Not that you’re cutting out ALL those things at the same time?
No no, ALL AT ONCE.
Because I’m just that crazy.
Oh! And morning soreness: back, bones, joints – pretty much everywhere a bone meets another bone, I feel it. I wake up and it’s usually pretty bad. I sit too long, and it gets bad again. Even moving though, I’ll notice it.
If I do a good workout and keep moving for 20-30 minutes, it will lessen considerably. But then when I sit again, it comes back.
Wait, you’re kidding about the all at once, right? I can’t tell! If you eliminate them all at once, you’re defeating the entire purpose of an elimination diet, which is to help you figure out which ONE of the things is potentially contributing to your symptoms.
Okay, Holls, DO NOT PANIC OR GOOGLE THIS. Have you been screened for fibromyalgia?
p.s. Your photo up there makes me laugh out loud every time I see it, which has now been four times. You are so awesome.
*laugh*
I’m a massage therapist, I know what fibromyalgia is. Okay, well, I mean I knew what it was when I got trained a few years ago, but now I’m not sure I remember all the symptoms. I just know how to be careful with someone I’m working on who has it.
Nope, I haven’t been screened for it. Should I be? They’ll probably just tell me the usual: IT’S ALL ANXIETY, GO HOME. p.s., Don’t forget to take your Ativan.
And yeah, I’m seriously doing it all at once, so I can really get my body clean, and so that I can really tell what’s going on, by introducing a food into a completely clear system. That’s what most elimination diets do, from what I’ve read.
Oh, I see — I had it backwards, then. Go off everything and then REintroduce each thing one at a time, instead of off something one at a time. Gotcha. That makes sense. I hope you survive the first month and will be rootin’ for ya!
I think you’re probably on the right track with the food stuff, though. I brought FMS up because the symptoms you listed are indicative of FMS and it’s something *I* have, so it’s on my mind a lot. But just listen to your body, as you always do, and I think you’ll eventually get this figured out. If the food elim thing doesn’t provide any answers, maybe getting checked for FMS or related syndromes might be a good next step. But I don’t think you’re there yet.
Good luck, sweetie!! Go, go, green smoothies!
Hey lady! Good luck! If you just remember that every meal you need to get some protein, some carbs, and some fruit & veg (people say 25/25/50, but 20/60/20 is about my norm) you will be a-ok. I think the biggest issue will be figuring out how to sit with the feelings that are there when you’re not treating the feelings with sugar/dairy/carbs/etc. I know the mushroomfairyprincess can say a few smarter things about that.
I discovered every year that I was a practicing Jew that reducing my carb intake below about 40% of my diet led to immediate anxiety & depression–and many years later, I found out that there’s a connection between processed white flour, specifically semolina (helloooo pasta!) and serotonin levels. Yes, I self-medicate with pasta. It’s better than booze, I guess.
And I suppose now’s the time to come out of the closet and say that I used to treat my feelings of being out of control and upset by simply NOT eating. And I still do sometimes… it’s nice to have a “reason” that I feel like crap, instead of just feeling like crap. And when I get very anxious it is hard for me to eat, and even harder for me to eat anything but total comfort foods (mushy and carby or sweet: pasta, applesauce, banana, yogurt, chocolate pudding). So in a way I know how it is to have your moods and your intake completely connected in that way.
Also? If two months without dairy = two months *without panic attacks* I’m betting I know which side of that equation you’ll really enjoy being on. :)
I’m totally spoiled by Terry serving up lunch and dinner at regular times, so on the weekends my body still announces at 12:30 and 7:30 that it wants food NOW. Maybe you could set an alarm on your iPhone so that you stop and eat something or at least check in with your body about eating?
Also, my mom has fibromyalgia and went through an elimination diet and found some stuff that is now on her ‘avoid eating for happier living’ list. But it was frustrating for her (and my dad) while she was on the diet. Any which way, I hope this process helps you.
I get joint pain like that (though not as bad, sounds like) when I eat gluten. Pain deep in my joints (particularly elbows, for me) that goes away temporarily with workouts. Now that I’m six (or maybe seven?) weeks off gluten and my joint pain is 100% gone. As I’m sure you know, it’s really common for food intolerances to cause inflammation in the body that in turn causes joint pain. I wouldn’t go worrying about fibromyalgia yet – there are a lot more people in the world with joint pain that DON’T have fibromyalgia than there are who do!
In my (extensive!) experience with elimination diets, they get EXPONENTIALLY easier after about three weeks. There’s definitely a hump that once you pass, it’s mostly smooth sailing and way less bummer time about missing foods. You can do it! You can do it! Rah! Rah! Rah!
One more thought…instead of focusing on all the foods you’re not supposed to eat right now, maybe plan ahead some meals you _can_ eat, so that (a) you’re not focusing so much on stuff you can’t have and (b) when you suddenly realize you haven’t eaten in several hours, you’ll have options instead of standing lost in the kitchen. (At least, I would dwell on what I can’t have and stand lost in the kitchen!)
Meg – Yeah, if this keeps up past the diet, and I really can’t do anything about it, I’ll talk to the doc about getting tested. It’s good to be aware of it anyhow.
YAY GREEN SMOOTHIES! *cheers*
Johanna – Yeah, I think that’s the problem I had when I’d try to drink only green smoothies – the lack of protein would give me a huge rush. I was surprised, I didn’t think kale could be so powerful that way (it was probably the pears, anyhow, since that’s where all the sugar is).
I totally relate to coping with feelings with food. I’ve written about that a lot, and I still do it. It’s a very hard habit to break.
Liz – An alarm is actually a good idea, I’ll definitely do that. It will give me yet another reason to look at my beautiful new iPhone, anyhow!
Natasha – Yeah, I strongly suspect the gluten, since when I went on that Eat to Live program last year, even though I only lasted about six days, all my joint pain went away after about 3 days! I was so shocked! What do you eat for bread and the like? You can still eat dairy, right? I’m not sure how I’d manage if I had to give up dairy AND wheat. OY!
Thanks for the encouragement, it’s so good to hear that from someone who has done this! I hope it gets easier. It’s less than 24 hours without sugar and my headaches are already starting. *sigh*
Liz – Yeah, that’s what I tried to do, but then I kind of lost my way today with the timing. I really think regularly timed meals is the way to go.
Well I give you 10 out of 10 for perseverance Hollie.
Good luck. I’ll be with you along the way.
I have a slight intolerance to gluten – in so far as I can’t eat too much of it and when I do my tummy expands like a balloon and I feel bloated and sore in my belly and I get constipation. Constipation is a real big problem for me.
I do eat dairy now, and would hate to give it up, but I did go without wheat and dairy for several years because of migraines. Really, after a few weeks I didn’t feel deprived at all (except when my family would go out to some special-diet-unfriendly restaurant and all I could have was a baked potato.) It was when I started to eat little bits of dairy again that I started really really wanting it.
And I realized I forgot to answer your question about what I do for bread – I am REALLY lucky to live in Portland, because there’s a high awareness about gluten-free diets. There’s a gluten-free bakery that makes amazing pizza crust and pastries. Their bread doesn’t taste like wheat bread, but it’s totally fine for sandwiches, breadcrumbs and stuff like that. I get brown rice flour tortillas and pasta at Trader Joe’s. A lot of the local pizza places have gluten-free pizza now. Coffee shops often have gluten-free cookies, cupcakes, etc. It’s rad.
Mostly I eat foods that are naturally gluten-free (well, I do eat a fair amount of the brown rice pasta) but it’s awesome to be able to get a pizza or cookie when I want one!