The Joy of Food I'll Miss

The Medical Update

I saw my functional medicine doctor Tuesday for my blood results - the basic stuff like iron, vitamins, minerals, blood cell count, etc., along with food allergy tests and tests for food sensitivities.

We'll start with the vitamins. Iron is stupid low and my iron stores are practically non-existent. Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, Vitamin B6 -- all very low. So there are supplements for all this PLUS a shake I finally made myself drink today. It's a cleanse with lots of vitamins and 26g of protein. I'm supposed to drink it once a day either as a snack or meal replacement. Oscar tasted it first and we made it warm - and it was not disgusting.

Still taking cod liver oil, apple cider vinegar and pro/prebiotic.

I'll get some enzymes after the doctor gets the results of some blood work I had done Wednesday.

Now here's the good news, bad news:

I don't have leaky gut. Yay! That means those supplements should start working very soon and I should start feeling better very soon.

The not so awesome news is that I have 34 food sensitivities. I have to avoid these 34 items for at least 3 months and possibly for life.  Ok, you say, if it makes you feel better, stop whining. Gluten and wheat were two of them - no problem - I stopped eating those already as have millions of other people also have. No big deal.

Now for the rest (a reminder I don't eat meat, only fish, eggs, cheese and milk - lactose free even - not anymore!). Foods in addition to gluten and wheat that must be avoided for at least three months: crab; almonds; all dairy including eggs, cheese, milk (lactose free or not); malt; brewers yeast (that includes wine. This is worth repeating - THAT MEANS WINE); honey (my only sweetener for the past year plus); bell peppers; asparagus; ginger; fig; pineapple; mango; banana; green beans; black-eyed peas; navy beans; kidney beans; and a few others I can't quite recall but have a little card to carry in my purse.

It certainly is going to make it hard to go out to eat - I'm basically a fish eater who is otherwise vegan and gluten free.

It's even hard to eat in a grocery store. B and I went to Whole Foods Wednesday night to eat at the food buffet and then shop. I ate basmati rice with green onions and a tablespoon of lentil and quinoa salad. Good thing I'm sick and have had very little appetite. When I say sick, I mean I have barely pulled my head off the pillow for days. It started with asthma - I suspect caused by a run outside during which planes dropped mosquito killing poison on me and the island.

 I told Jess that I'm reluctantly enthusiastic about the new food plan. An oxymoron I'm sure, but I'm all in, following the "Wellness Plan" - that doesn't mean I like it or that I don't already miss cheese and wine and bell peppers and eating out. I do. And I'll likely keep whining about it but I'll keep following the plan.

Keep you posted - and there's a heart and home update in the works.