Posted 1/9/2012 3:13 AM (GMT 0)
Hi all! It is so nice to be able to check in here after almost two years away and see familiar names! For those that remember me, I am still doing very well. I have switched jobs to a smaller firm and I'm very happy there. My 2012 resolution brings me here, however.
While I have been "mostly in remission" for a long time, I still have urgency and bloating. As you may recall, when I am sick, I go on a short liquid diet and have avoided steroids that way. After my last brief liquid diet all my pants were huge on me and I thought I had lost a ton of weight. I weighed myself and I hadn't lost a pound. I had just lost a ton of bloat! So at my husband's suggestion, I've been trying to identify what is making me bloat and cut it out of my diet.
My boss was doing the "clean diet" by Dr. Junger and bought me the book too. I am following the book loosely and have noticed a HUGE difference. I realized my daily yogurt, though not causing regular lactose intolerance issues was still causing me to bloat. I have also, sadly, cut out gluten as well. I remember posting here when my husband did South Beach that I was feeling great on a low carb diet. I've also recognized that I am completely allergic to avocados (causes diarrhea, vomiting, cramps, itchy-ness). Rice also may or may not be causing me to bloat.
For those that read the book, here is how I am doing it. I do a smoothie for breakfast using allowed ingredients, a can of Amy's Organic Soup w/ only allowed ingredients for lunch, and a "regular" dinner (but dairy and gluten free). So, I'm not following the diet to a T but I am following it in spirit.
Since I'm seeing such dramatic improvement on this elimination diet, I have started researching blood tests. I see a hypnotherapist for stress management (love her and highly recommend) and she mentioned she had food sensitivity testing done with Sage Labs in Florida. Here is a list of the items they test: http://www.foodallergytest.com/list.html.
I don't think it will be covered by my insurance and is pretty pricey. Has anyone here done it? Have you had good luck? Anyone else have any revelations after doing Clean?
Lastly, I'll share one of my other New Years resolutions with you. I started a photography blog on tumblr. I think I recall posting personal links was frowned upon here. If you want to check it out (I don't make money off it) just google Mundane Art Tumblr.
Here is my "elevator speech" about the project:
Using just my iphone and free editing software, I am demonstrating that it doesn't take a fancy camera or lessons to make art through photography. It involves cultivating the eye and seeing the beauty among the mundane.
Each day I post three pictures of the same scene. One is artistic and edited, one is artistic but unedited, and the last will be a wider shot of the scene. I hope to demonstrate that this "mundane art" would have been lost if one wasn't looking for it. My goal is to inspire other people to try photography and to see the beauty around them.
Hope all is well with everyone else! Glad to see that the HW community is still going strong!