I tested positive for being sensitive to 25 different foods. I expected a few of these, like yeast, cheese and cow’s milk. I’ve noticed crashing and a mental fog after consuming different types of sugar (yeast), and bloating and discomfort after milk or cheese, but I was most surprised by the amount of “healthy” foods. Some of these include almond, coconut, chia seeds, chicken, chicken eggs and green beans. I never realized that the healthy foods I was eating every day could actually be affecting me in such a negative way! As a fitness enthusiast, chicken and eggs have been staples in my diet for the past two years. I eat them both almost daily, for the high protein/low calorie combo. Plus, I’ve figured out how to perfect a mean egg scramble. I honestly can’t picture a meal plan without the two. Aside from the obvious, sausage, deli meats, baked goods, soups, and mayonnaise can and a lot of times do contain chicken and/or eggs. Sources of yeast are found in all forms of sugar, fruits high in sugar, vinegars, aged cheeses, and mushrooms, just to name a few. This means I have to read the ingredients on EVERYTHING, and cook pretty much everything I eat myself.
Almond and coconut flours, sugars and butters are popping up more and more in grocery stores and healthy alternative recipes. I recently found a go-to paleo chocolate chip cookie recipe, which is made with almond butter and honey. I thought I was doing myself a favor by using more natural ingredients, but because I am highly sensitive to almonds, I was STILL having negative reactions, and couldn’t figure out what they were coming from. Elizabeth_Sheridan_A Click to see her results IgA
Elizabeth_Sheridan_G Click to see her results IgG
Reading my results was, at first, overwhelming, intimidating, and frustrating. Almost everything I was eating on a regular basis contained something that I was sensitive to. Then, it became empowering. About a year ago, I started experiencing decreased discomfort around meals, even balanced meals, like grilled chicken, green beans and sweet potato chips cooked in coconut oil. My skin is dry, I struggle with adult acne, and no matter how disciplined I am in the gym and with my nutrition, I can never seem to get rid of the inflammation and discomfort I feel all over my body, especially after eating. Plus, my body seemed to be taking longer to recover from workout intensities I had been accustomed to doing for years. Something was going on with my body that seemed out of my hands, and it had been very frustrating trying to find foods that wouldn’t cause any negative reactions. Now, I am finally beginning to understand why. Knowing, without a doubt, which foods my body is sensitive to gives me the power to take better control over what’s happening with my physical and mental health.
Elizabeth Sheridan -11-15-2016-WellnessPlan Click to see her Wellness Pain
I know that eliminating these foods from my diet will be challenging. I’ll be spending more money and time on buying and preparing food than I’ve ever been comfortable with before. I’ll have to be constantly finding new recipes and reading up on how to cook (because I’m not good for much more than grilled chicken and egg scrambles) and going unprepared for any length of time could make it difficult to simply find foods that are okay for me to eat. Passing up on cookies for months or going without a glass of wine at the end of a long week seems downright wrong. This is going to take a lot of work, and self control. But I know it will be worth it. A few of the benefits I look forward to experiencing include a clearer mind, soar in energy, decreased gastrointestinal discomfort, clearer skin, and decreased “fluffiness” in my body.
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Tags: Food Sensitivity