Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Experiments in Eating!!!

I love food.

I love everything about food, it's taste (obviously), its smell, it's texture, practically everything.

BUT I have learned that there is one part of food that still doesn't sit well with me, literally.

I have found that as I have learned to eat in a more healthy way, in a way that feels better for my body, I have gotten more sensitive.

Doesn't make sense?

It didn't make sense for the longest time to me either.

Here's the way I think about it.

I used to eat anything I wanted. Since I was very active, it never seemed like a big deal. But once I started studying nutrition and all of the ways that our bodies react to the things we put inside of it, I started to think.

What if, there was a better way for me to eat?

See, my allergies have been just this little annoyance for me. No big deal. Sinuses, same. I'd always be a little warmer than everyone else, so winter was okay for me but sometimes summer could be brutal.

Why do I mention this? I mention it because I honestly feel like all of this manifests itself directly in proportion to the way I eat.

I eat "bad", my allergies, sinus issues, heat problems become blown up out of proportion.

So I started eating more fruits and veggies and wouldn't you know it, I started to feel better. I slept better. I had more energy. My skin cleared itself up and PMS, well that wasn't so much of an issue. Any premenstrual cramps I had disappeared once I decided that milk wasn't doing very much for me. I was happier and healthier and my digestive system ran like a well oiled machine.

BUT and this is a huge but here, all of the benefits that I had stopped at the ones I listed above. I was eating better, but still wasn't where I should be for my body.

Let me make a huge distinction here. I say "My body" specifically because each of us have out own stuff to deal with. My body is different from yours and every one elses on this planet. What may work for me, may not work for you.

There are, however, some universal truths that we can all embrace that will make everyone feel better. Period.

This is where I am taking May.

I eat well but I know I can eat better.

For instance, I've realized that wheat doesn't work for me. My stomach blows up like a Macys Thanksgiving Day parade balloon whenever I eat a "regular" slice of bread, have any sort of pasta and for the most part, baked desserts.

Terrible!

I have learned that I can eat well and even better if I make a few adjustments.

This is what has been working for me so far. I know that this will change as I get older, as the weather changes and as my life situation changes.

So far:

1. Wheat and gluten are no friends of mine.
2. Same goes for milk and most dairy products
3. I still love cheese but I understand that if I want to eat it, I need to deal with the stuffy nose and other consequences afterwards, i.e. it had better be worth it
4. Sugar. Yes I have a sweet tooth, but this needs to be limited to natural sugars, period. My body doesn't like you. My body does like extra dark bitter chocolate.
5. Vegetables are more than just good for you, they are delicious too! Yay kale!
6. Pot liquor! If you don't know what it is, ask or google it. It made my world turn green, in a good way, for a whole day!
7. I love, love, love fruit. Smoothies are the way to go for me, even if they all turn out brown.


There will be plenty more.

My question today is about peanuts and peanut butter. I didn't know that they were or can be classified as a fungus, or react as such. Maybe that's why my tummy protests after some plain peanut butter...

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