the reasons for my food exclusions
and why one method is not for everyone
in short
I noticed shortness of breath, stomach and digestive issues, aches, loss of energy and overall irritability while eating the foods I've since excluded.
trends will fade. our bodies are with us forever; treat them kindly.
- Chelsea -
{connect well. thrive. love}
trends will fade. our bodies are with us forever; treat them kindly.
- Chelsea -
{connect well. thrive. love}
longer version
the various health issues mentioned above, as well as others, led me along a path of trial and error - including a myriad of doctor's visits and prescription medicines.
some of the medications worked for certain aspects of the issues but did not completely eliminate the entire spectrum of issues. then, early in 2014, I was referred to a naturopath doctor by a medical doctor.
I met with the naturopathic doctor (N.D.) and discussed what was bothering me. I was given a few options as to how to proceed and chose blood tests, as my symptoms were interfering with my daily life. one of the blood tests done at the N.D. clinic was an in-depth analysis into which foods bothered me, including the scale of the irritation and what each food reaction meant for me. some foods reacted very little or not at all, meaning I could continue eating them. other foods were high on the scale which meant I needed to avoid them or the adverse reactions they caused in my body could become worse.
my N.D. discussed each food reaction with me thoroughly, including options of different ways I could proceed. I also was advised on what to include in the way of supplements, since the foods I would be excluding included a large amount of nutritious foods. the N.D. also recommended ways to assist the healing process, reduce inflammation and so forth - all without prescription medications or increasing reactions and irritation. thus began the avoidance of dairy, gluten, corn, broccoli, cane sugar, yeast, etc.
this process also meant excluding everything that contains all these items - from finding a juice or cracker that worked to finding vitamin C supplements without sugar or lemon. I was very fortunate that the N.D. clinic was very accessible for questions and advice, provided an expansive list of recipe ideas, and knew a variety of places in my town that carried various alternative items.
I am also very grateful for having to research each ingredient in the food I eat because it has made me more conscious of food origins. this knowledge has helped me feel a greater sense of control and freedom which has initiated other informed choices. even if I am one day able to reincorporate most or all of the current irritant foods, I will have a greater knowledge of what goes into store-bought food, paired with a solid batch of recipes created at home.
the many positive changes I noticed since I began the exclusion process are still present almost four years into it. my breathing is easier, I have increased energy, I sleep better and have less aches and pains overall. my body is no longer irritated, inflamed or fighting against the foods I eat. instead, it happily absorbs the nutrients I give it. I feel more myself because of this process than I did before avoiding the foods.
I still enjoy food given the many alternatives that exist both naturally and in today's allergen-aware world. the many accommodating restaurants across my country, Canada, means I can still enjoy going out. we also have fun making our own creations in the kitchen - from homemade dairy-free chocolate to rice flour cookies and baked goods to cashew-based "cheese" and quinoa sushi! plus, I can still have my beloved squash, in soups, spaghetti sauce or served alone. creativity has helped fuel our journey, paired with the flow of support from family, friends and co-workers.
my journey is based on excluding food my body was unhappy and irritated with for its own reasons. I am in no way advocating my exact exclusions for another person, but encourage those who experience issues to look into it further with help of a medical doctor and/or a naturopathic doctor. blood tests helped me learn my specific body needs in a well-rounded and informed context and meeting with the naturopath helped me identify issues causing discomfort which were not dietary related, alleviating a greater amount of physical stress than that of any previous medical advice.
each person's body is built differently and bothered or energized by different foods. the only way to really know what to do when faced with health issues is to listen to our bodies and see if they need more help; one way of doing that is by seeking quality medical guidance. improperly self-diagnosing or following a trend that omits ingredients or foods, invites the risk of upsetting the uniquely delicate balance within our bodies and only worsening, or creating, health issues.
trends will fade. our bodies are with us forever; treat them kindly.
- Chelsea -
{connect well. thrive. love}
some of the medications worked for certain aspects of the issues but did not completely eliminate the entire spectrum of issues. then, early in 2014, I was referred to a naturopath doctor by a medical doctor.
I met with the naturopathic doctor (N.D.) and discussed what was bothering me. I was given a few options as to how to proceed and chose blood tests, as my symptoms were interfering with my daily life. one of the blood tests done at the N.D. clinic was an in-depth analysis into which foods bothered me, including the scale of the irritation and what each food reaction meant for me. some foods reacted very little or not at all, meaning I could continue eating them. other foods were high on the scale which meant I needed to avoid them or the adverse reactions they caused in my body could become worse.
my N.D. discussed each food reaction with me thoroughly, including options of different ways I could proceed. I also was advised on what to include in the way of supplements, since the foods I would be excluding included a large amount of nutritious foods. the N.D. also recommended ways to assist the healing process, reduce inflammation and so forth - all without prescription medications or increasing reactions and irritation. thus began the avoidance of dairy, gluten, corn, broccoli, cane sugar, yeast, etc.
this process also meant excluding everything that contains all these items - from finding a juice or cracker that worked to finding vitamin C supplements without sugar or lemon. I was very fortunate that the N.D. clinic was very accessible for questions and advice, provided an expansive list of recipe ideas, and knew a variety of places in my town that carried various alternative items.
I am also very grateful for having to research each ingredient in the food I eat because it has made me more conscious of food origins. this knowledge has helped me feel a greater sense of control and freedom which has initiated other informed choices. even if I am one day able to reincorporate most or all of the current irritant foods, I will have a greater knowledge of what goes into store-bought food, paired with a solid batch of recipes created at home.
the many positive changes I noticed since I began the exclusion process are still present almost four years into it. my breathing is easier, I have increased energy, I sleep better and have less aches and pains overall. my body is no longer irritated, inflamed or fighting against the foods I eat. instead, it happily absorbs the nutrients I give it. I feel more myself because of this process than I did before avoiding the foods.
I still enjoy food given the many alternatives that exist both naturally and in today's allergen-aware world. the many accommodating restaurants across my country, Canada, means I can still enjoy going out. we also have fun making our own creations in the kitchen - from homemade dairy-free chocolate to rice flour cookies and baked goods to cashew-based "cheese" and quinoa sushi! plus, I can still have my beloved squash, in soups, spaghetti sauce or served alone. creativity has helped fuel our journey, paired with the flow of support from family, friends and co-workers.
my journey is based on excluding food my body was unhappy and irritated with for its own reasons. I am in no way advocating my exact exclusions for another person, but encourage those who experience issues to look into it further with help of a medical doctor and/or a naturopathic doctor. blood tests helped me learn my specific body needs in a well-rounded and informed context and meeting with the naturopath helped me identify issues causing discomfort which were not dietary related, alleviating a greater amount of physical stress than that of any previous medical advice.
each person's body is built differently and bothered or energized by different foods. the only way to really know what to do when faced with health issues is to listen to our bodies and see if they need more help; one way of doing that is by seeking quality medical guidance. improperly self-diagnosing or following a trend that omits ingredients or foods, invites the risk of upsetting the uniquely delicate balance within our bodies and only worsening, or creating, health issues.
trends will fade. our bodies are with us forever; treat them kindly.
- Chelsea -
{connect well. thrive. love}
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