Allergy & Intollerance testing
Hello. Hi. How are you?!
I almost missed my writing window for today. The “I just have to get this done really quick” demon has been whispering in my ear since 8:30 this morning. Luckily, I DID end up doing some important things for work and could take a break and that was after an 11 min morning guided meditation from an app called Headspace.
Jamison and I have had a whirlwind month and a half. The wedding prep and Wedding on March 24 at Garycon.com (officiated by one of my best buddies Luke Gygax), DnDinaCastle.com at the beginning of April in England, Photoshoot with Maria Mirage Photography mariamiragephotography.com in England, Honeymoon in Costa Rica with Becca Scott & David Kerns. There was so much celebrating and eating and drinking and drinking and drinking that by the time I made it to Costa Rica I was incredibly bloated and my body felt really sick on top of being overwhelmed. I’ll be 42 on May 22 so I have to really make sure I keep on top of how I care for myself as, and I know you know this, being healthy only gets harder the older you get.
Before we left for our wedding I took a home Food Sensitivity Comprehensive test by Everlywell.com. I received the results a couple weeks after sending it in while in England. The results told me what Jamison had suspected: There were things I eat that cause inflammation. What I didn’t expect was that EVERYTHING I love eating (except sashimi) I have an intolerance to. Eggs, Almonds, pistachios, Whey (protein), Chicken, Figs, Pacific Oysters, butter, Ginger, Curry, … and so much more. What it also told me is that many of the foods I have been trying to avoid because of things I’ve read over the last 30 years or what others have told me from their experiences are foods that I do not have an issue with. Oats, Wheat, gluten. The foods that I know I have an intolerance to that did not show up on the test are Garlic, Onions, Sugar Cane, and Soy. So maybe the chemical reaction I have to them is different than what this test picks up as my reaction to them is pretty instant and severe without sending me to the hospital.
The effects of these foods have confused my body so much that I am constantly bloated, constipated, and can’t seem to loose weight even while I go to the gym regularly and cut calories.
We have only been back from Costa Rica for 5 days and with some digestive aids and eliminating all of the foods on my intolerance list I am suddenly shedding water weight, gut waste, and my excema is clearing up. Almond is my favorite flavor, Eggs were my perfect food, Ginger solved all of my digestive problems… So many false narratives. But now I can eat things I didn’t think I could before and I actually feel healthier in my skin. I promised Jamison I would stay on this elimination protocol for 6 months. So, May to November. I will track my progress by dress size, bowel movements, and skin health. Being in my 40’s is a lot of work, but If I want to keep this youth thing going as long as possible this is what it takes. So, today I’m a size 4 and I probably need to drink more water than I have in the last 2 hours. I’m on a 14 day colon cleanse. I’ve switched to Bovine Bone Protein instead of my favorite Isopure Whey Protein. I’m eating Cashew spread or avocado on my English Muffin instead of butter. And when I go in to Whole Foods on Friday for $1.00 Friday oysters I’ll be sure to pick the Atlantic instead of … my favorite Kumamotos.
(NOTE: Pricking your finger and dripping blood on 8 circles is NOT easy! The first time I failed and it hurt! The second time I had to warm my hands, do jumping jacks for a couple of minutes and after pricking my finger, massage the blood from the base of my finger out of the finger tip/side repeatedly until all of the circles were filled. This is NOT my favorite activity and my finger was annoyingly sore in a dull kind of way for over a week after.)
FOOD SENSITIVITY VS ALLERGY
THIS differentiation is super important. Growing up, many of my friends had allergies to food like peanuts & shellfish. When I turned 23 I became allergic to Garlic and Onions until I was 31. A food allergy is a potential life threatening immune response, often immediate, to a specific food.
An intolerance is usually non life threatening, often delayed by 24 - 48 hours, response of the digestive system often resulting in symptoms like bloating, rashes, gas, migraines, or nausea. Common intolerance are Gluten, Lactose. My Allergy to Garlic and Onions has now turned into an intolerance that makes my eyes dry and itchy, causes hives, and makes my veins itch.
This is what life looks like. These are the things I think about when I’m not game mastering, writing adventures, or in meetings.
What kind of Allergies or intolerances do you have? How do you manage them? What kind of guidance can you share that help you with these things?
Have a wonderful day & thanks for hanging out with me for my morning writing.
Satine
