My Story - My Diet

A  Brief  Overview  Of  My  Story


For those of you curious about how or why I got started on this path, here is a bit of why and how I wound up on the road I'm on. In the year of 2009 my health started to decline at a rapid rate. The arising issues and startling symptoms started piling up faster than I could count. It began with confusion, memory lapses and a complete loss of sense of time. Weight loss, depression, excessive fear and food allergies set in by November of 2009. By December I officially had Panic and Anxiety Disorder, compounded with Agoraphobia. I was so nervous that even just going to the store brought about Anxiety and a great deal of stress. I suffered digestive issues, stomach aches, intestinal problems, hiatal hernia, indigestion, malabsorption and nutritional deficiencies. I  have lost around 30 pounds against my will because of the weight loss problems and I still struggle to keep weight on. I was diagnosed with severe vitamin D deficiency, among other things and the food intolerances/allergies/sensitivities started to really make themselves known. At the age of 22 I suddenly and inexplicably became Lactose Intolerant. I had to give up carbonated beverages, spicy foods and most acidic foods due to the hiatal hernia. Somewhere in the process I gave up ALL caffeine because of the tachycardia I developed, the one exception to the rule was chocolate. I still ate chocolate like a fiend, upwards of 20 fun size candy bars a day. I had a poor diet of fast food most every day and I ate mostly things from a package or can. I was so weak and tired that I couldn't hardly manage to sweep the floor, let alone do other chores. I went to multiple doctors of all kinds and was suspected of having everything from Epilepsy to MS to Anxiety to a Brain Tumor to a Neurological Disorder, you name it. All I knew was I was slipping away and if I didn't get back on track or do something to help myself, I would have a very grim future. I simply wasn't very present in my life and I could feel how far away and detached I was. These things and more went on or continue still to this day... three years later.

My Current Diet


I have made many changes and adaptations to my diet after much research. I am Caffeine Free, Gluten Free, Wheat Free, Grain Free, Corn Free, Soy Free, Refined Sugar Free, Processed/Packaged Food Free, almost but not completely Dairy Free, see I still allow myself Butter for the time being, as I seem to tolerate it. Though at some point I want to dive in totally Dairy Free and see if that makes any difference. I refuse to eat any processed foods, that includes but is not limited to canned food, packaged food, bagged food, boxed food and container foods. With a few exceptions, I allow jars/cans of Tomato Sauce/Paste, I try for BPA free whenever possible but again those things are rare, not daily staples. I also allow minimally processed or healthy alternative staples like Coconut Flour, Coconut Oil, etc. but I use them for baking. For the most part my diet consists of Meat, e.g. Chicken, Fish, Beef or Pork. and Vegetables, e.g. Romaine Hearts, Carrots, Green Beans, Broccoli, Brussles Sprouts, etc. I am also for the most part Legume Free as I do not eat Peanuts, Beans, Peas, etc. I gave up my Chocolate addiction roughly six months ago and haven't even had pure cocoa since November of 2011. I consume Fruit fairly regularly, usually a Banana and an Orange for breakfast but I also eat other fruits on occasion. This is just the beginning for me though, even though my new way of eating has been six months strong at this point, I plan to fine tune and configure this in the future to hopefully rid myself of the remaining health problems I have.

As a result of the new diet, my stomach issues and intestinal problems have almost completely resolved, the chronic nausea I was plagued with is pretty much vanished. I have a bit more energy, I can think a bit more clearly, I have more purpose, no depression, less anxiety but this is still a big problem for me. The weight loss has seemed to bottom out at around 83-85lbs so hopefully I'll start regaining weight and muscle and body mass soon. Luckily I am very short so this doesn't look too horrible on me, just quite thin. I still have a lot of aches and pains but I think this is due to becoming somewhat lax and allowing things like Butter and a relatively large amount of natural sweeteners like Maple Syrup, etc. Also I have had to make sacrifices and buy more conventional things like conventionally raised Beef or Chicken and include those and all their hormones, antibiotics and grain fed glory in my diet. I do not approve though at this point I'm stuck.

Ideal Goals
Ideally I want to be able to switch over to a 100% organic vegetable/fruit supply.
I want to be able to consume only grass-fed/grain-free/free-range/pastured Beef, Chicken, Eggs, etc.
I want to remove ALL Dairy, it shouldn't be too hard, the only Dairy I still consume is Butter.
I would like to start a Daily Exercise Regimen.
I would like to remove my newest crutch... Maple Syrup, at least for a time.
I want to simplify my meals to just Meat and Veggies and simplify my diet overall.
I NEED to increase my fluid intake by drinking more water, as I am always dehydrated.

Disclaimer:
I am not a medical professional, a nutritionist or dietary expert in sense of the words. I am an average person who through research, decided that this diet and way of eating was best for me. I am in no way, shape or form suggesting anyone follow my way of eating or change their diets. I do strongly suggest that everyone do their own dietary and nutritional research to discover what is best for them as individuals. Nothing said here or on any of my other pages or blog articles have been evaluated by the FDA.