I'm sorry I haven't been keeping you in the loop about my elimination diet too well, save for a few recipes. It's been a little busy around here. As I type this I'm looking at things that have been sitting on my desk for months that still need tending to.
I'm back to eating nightshades. A couple of days short of the end of February I made a dish with both potatoes and tomatoes. I know that's a terrible strategy to use in an elimination diet because if I had had a symptom there would be no way of knowing what was at fault - the potatoes or tomatoes. But luckily nothing happened. I am very grateful for that because avoiding nightshades independent of other dietary restrictions probably wouldn't be too difficult, but avoiding nightshades AND gluten was surely a challenge. I was running out of things to cook that seemed appetizing.
I'm still going strong on being gluten free. I think that one is going to stick. In the little bit of research that I have done recently it seems there is a strong link between many autoimmune diseases and Celiac Disease or a gluten intolerance. I read an article that actually suggested 20% of people diagnoses with lupus actually have Celiac Disease, a gluten allergy, or a gluten intolerance and are being incorrectly medicated with harsh drugs. I'm not taking any medicine released to lupus but still.. if there's a chance that my body is not dealing with gluten correctly.. why not give it up. Of course there are other reasons for avoiding it as mentioned in my initial elimination diet post.
I'm still trying to eat paleo-ish. I've been having a lot of rice lately in kheer. But I'm not eating the rice to gain nutrition.. it's just for fun as a nice way to use up the plethora of milk we have. Speaking of milk, I've been having more dairy for that reason as well. But at least I've been making yogurt. :)
The biggest thing that I want to report is on the sugar front - that's the reason I thought to write this update post today. Save for natural sugars I've been almost sugar free since the start of February. A couple of nights a week Tyler and I have Theo Chocolate sipping chocolate (or as I like to call it.. drinking chocolate..). Tyler got it for me for Christmas and I absolutely love it. We both have a small cup and it contains only a little bit of sugar (it's dark chocolate). I have noticed a bit of correlation between this and ankle stiffness in the morning but nothing unbearable by any means. (If you're in search of good chocolate - check out Theo. They have a small chocolate factory in Seattle where they make organic and fair trade amazingness.)
Yesterday I ate some regular chocolate that I got in my Vox Box from Influenster. It's milk chocolate and contains 20 grams of sugar per serving (three squares). I enjoyed eating it but I don't enjoy the consequences. It's amazing how quickly and noticeably it affected me. Not only did it cause my ankles to be stiff this morning but my legs have been aching all day and this afternoon my wrists even joined in. Woah! So... I'm staying sugar free. For obvious reasons.
I will occasionally compromise since the consequences will not kill me, but overall I'm labeling myself sugar free. Compromisses will be for special occasions such as a small cup of sipping chocolate with Tyler, my friend Brooke's birthday cheesecake tomorrow, my birthday on Saturday, and a celebratory gluten free cupcake on Monday with Amber (celebrating both of our birthdays).
If you're an achey person I STRONGLY suggest you give going sugar free a try. In addition to reducing inflammation it has many benefits.. it's really not good for us in the first place. And why not have a sugar free home if you have little kids around?
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