Before I begin, yes, I did race this weekend. I'm staying in Colorado for MP Multisport High Altitude Training Camp so I'll have my race report combined with that in about a week. In the mean time, as promised here is a little update on the saga of my allergy and nutrition woes!
I have always had a fairly finicky stomach; it seems as though the smallest things will set it off and make me feel terrible for days. This improved dramatically after giving up wheat three years ago but things again became progressively worse over the last year. A dramatic change occurred then after spending several weeks sedentary while on pain meds/antibiotics/etc last fall; it was as though something latent had been set into motion. This spring, I finally decided to go to the doctor for some blood work and to knock out a basic allergy test at the same time. In late April, I was shocked to be told that in addition to my wheat sensitivity, I am allergic to corn, eggs, sesame, and peanuts, yikes!
It's taken
about a month but I am finally starting to feel better! A few weeks ago I accidentally ate something
that I believe was corn/sesame based and I felt crummy for two days; this
served as an excellent reminder of how much healthier I am beginning to feel. The extra weight that seemed to pile on in
late fall/early winter is slowly starting to peace out, I'm training stronger,
and recovering faster. I know that I am
still learning a lot and have a ways to go but it's beyond exciting to be on
the road to recovery! A huuuuge thank
you to Tess of MP Multisport (Registered Dietician, MP Coach, and great friend)
for tirelessly working to help me navigate this mess!
I have always had a fairly finicky stomach; it seems as though the smallest things will set it off and make me feel terrible for days. This improved dramatically after giving up wheat three years ago but things again became progressively worse over the last year. A dramatic change occurred then after spending several weeks sedentary while on pain meds/antibiotics/etc last fall; it was as though something latent had been set into motion. This spring, I finally decided to go to the doctor for some blood work and to knock out a basic allergy test at the same time. In late April, I was shocked to be told that in addition to my wheat sensitivity, I am allergic to corn, eggs, sesame, and peanuts, yikes!
Originally,
I was most concerned to be forever bidding adieu to my banana-egg concoctions
and holiday themed peanut butter cups.
Outside of tahini and Asian food, I didn't consume much sesame anyway
and I figured corn would be an easy one to avoid; then my research began. Corn is in virtually everything! Seriously, it's disgusting; I carry around a
10 pt font, two sided, double column list with me of all of the products out
there made from corn. In addition to the
obvious (corn syrup, corn starch, corn oil), things like baking powder, xanthum
gum, most sweeteners, most artificial sweeteners, flavor extracts, food colors,
alcohols, fillers, and preservatives are made from corn. Even fresh fruits and vegetables are usually
sprayed with a corn based preservative before hitting the shelves and require
extensive scrubbing. I've had to take a
close look at and make changes to most of my pantry - about half of my vitamins
ended up on the "no" list as well!
It has been a trial by fire month of figuring out what I can and cannot
consume. On the plus side, I've
essentially been forced to adopt an even healthier lifestyle with a diet of
organic meats (no additives allowed for me) and fresh fruits and vegetables
with natural seasonings primarily cooked at home. I've been forced to give up my diet soda and
energy drink vices and to put a lot of thought into everything that I consume. I'm now an old hat at calling 800 numbers and
sitting on hold to find out what their citric acid or "natural
flavors" are derived from.
Unfortunately, in our nation of subsidized corn, it is hard to find
information on this allergy. For some
reason, marketers are happy to advertise corn-free dog food but it's stunningly
difficult to find information on corn based ingredients (wheat, nuts, eggs, and
soy seem to be the primary ones listed).
My weirdie "mush" breakfast now minus the eggs: sweet potato, Hammer Vegan protein powder, chia seeds, psyllium fiber, sunflower butter, almond milk, and a banana - yum!
Lunch time delight: kale, spinach, tomatoes, peppers, tuna, avocado, and mango
Zucchini "pasta" with ground turkey, spinach, tomatoes, peppers, and olive oil
I think it's as good as dessert - or at least I tell myself that
Mashed beets, ground flax, raw dark cocoa powder, and stevia
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