One of my resolutions, not just for 2013 but for my life- for the benefit of my own health as well as the health of my family, is to move to a more natural diet; to cut out as much as possible prepackaged and artificial foods that we have come to rely on so much over time.
In my pantry, there is hardly any space at all. We have food enough to feed a small army, and yet I have been struggling for over a year on what to make for dinner! With my own health issues really coming to a head over the past year, and many more questions than answers from the slew of Doctors I have seen, I am putting a long-standing theory of mine to a test.
A little bit of background…
I have never had any food allergies, until my child was born, at which, it seems overnight, I suddenly became lactose intolerant. Granted, this was not officially diagnosed, simply assumed based on symptoms I was experiencing and a conversation I had with a friend who is also a Physician’s Assistant.
Not long after that unofficial diagnosis, I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and Hemiplegic migraines.
Then little over a year ago, I began having urinary trouble and severe intestinal issues.
In the past six months, everything has gotten worse by leaps and bounds, which has forced me to take seriously my symptoms. ((Since my Fibro diagnosis, I paid little attention to symptoms relating in pain, as I just assumed they were all Fibro related, and therefore not serious enough to see a Dr for.))
Since seeing a Rheumatologist for one thing, a Neurologist for another thing, and now a Gastroenterologist for yet another thing, I have zero answers as to how to stop the symptoms and only a lot of medication to control pain, and more tests to look forward to.
The Dr’s have ruled out stroke, mini-stroke, Celiac’s, ulcers, lactose intolerance, and gluten/wheat allergy. Yet the symptoms overlap and persist.
My theory…
I have long suspected, well, since my supposed lactose intolerance was so random- acutely severe one day, and then days at a time with no traces (I never did stop eating dairy… ask my friends, they thought I was crazy!) that any allergy I might have to food products might not be to the food itself, but rather to the preservatives within those foods.
I have wanted to test that theory, but procrastinated for a while, then got busy with school and family, and then went to work again.
However, now that I am not working again, with my DH’s approval and desire to see me pain free, or at least in less pain, we have decided to test this theory.
The plan…
Like I said, our pantry is full to the brim. Unfortunately, very little in it is not pre-packed and full of artificial ingredients. We do not have the money or the heart to just get rid of it, not even to a food pantry. That would be foolish now that we are on a tight budget again. So, for now we are going to reduce our meals to only one prepackaged, boxed, canned, etc item. All else will be made by scratch, so that I know exactly what is going into our meals.
Granted, this will prolong my experiment, but I am hoping to use the transition period to get used to cooking from scratch, to making foods that I can freeze or can, and to baking from fresh ingredients.
My goal…
We will be moving shortly. We do not have an exact time frame yet, but it is coming just the same. My goal is to have emptied our pantry of the prepackaged items by then. Ideally, I hope to have it restocked with true, old-fashioned staples for cooking from scratch, or canned items with ingredients I can be sure of.
My ultimate goal is to be able to be used to cooking and baking in this manner in such a way so that when we get to our next home, I can return to the work force without having to sacrifice truly healthy eating, while also being able to present my new family Dr. with my theory and results up to that point.
That’s the plan at any rate. LOL I hope He will guide me along this new path for our family!
If you have any hints or pointers, please share them with me! I would appreciate any and all advice as we make this transition!
God bless you!
A God-blessed Life 