It’s been a week since I got the news that I can’t have milk, wheat, or egg (or kidney beans or plums).
I’ve moved the last of my pantry items into a bag to take to work and give away or donate to the cupboard there (it’s my Dad’s company, and we stock everything anyway). I’ll take my now-defrosted 2L milk in with me tomorrow.
The hardest thing for me has been going off milk. This was a typical day for me, last week:
- coffee with 1/2 cup skim milk
- maybe 3-7 cups of tea with milk (depends how hard the day was)
- 4-6 slices (or equivalent) of light cheese
- a mug of warm milk with Milo
That is a LOT of milk. Seriously. It’s funny to think I was making myself the Milo because “it helps me sleep.” More like I’m addicted to it and was suffering withdrawals and needed another hit to calm me down!
I’m having general withdrawal symptoms. I can’t tell whether the muscular aches, fatigue and headaches are a flu or detox, but either way it’s making me just want a nice cup of tea. I’m only allowing myself one cup of coffee with milk, IF I MUST.
But some good points:
- I am sleeping better. I am actually tired at a reasonable hour and last night I was in bed before midnight! This is highly unusual. Then, I’m more awake in the morning. Nice.
- The fluid retention is slowly leaving. My face doesn’t look as puffy, my tummy isn’t spilling over everything, my fluid bingo wings are disappearing.
- My cellulite is disappearing! This is something I didn’t expect, but my butt and saddlebags don’t look as dimply! They feel FIRMER. Soon I’ll be wearing short skirts and short shorts in public, unafraid of assaulting people’s eyes with my dimples. And I think the reason we think cellulite is “gross” is not because we’re shallow, but, like most things we think are ugly (except for say, pubic/body hair), it’s a symptom that something’s wrong.
- I feel more optimistic. Apart from the detox “yuck” and the shock of losing so many convenience foods, I really only notice bad moods when I’ve had something bad. I’m finding more and more things to cook and eat (and I’m sure I’ll get some “fast food” staples, like finding Cruskit equivalents with no milk!), and am feeling good about my improving health and my future
- I feel a little sad. This may seem like a contradiction, but I’m a little sad that I’ve probably been sick for the last 20 years, more obviously sick in the last 15, and then very sick in the last 5. I feel sad when I watch ads for “So You Think You Can Dance,” where these beautiful teen dancers with amazing, fit, healthy bodies move without fear of fainting. I’m sad I was never “young.”
Recipes I made and their outcomes:
- Muesli Munch (Allergy Safe Family Food) – success, will make again!
- Chocolate Crackles (ASFF) – success, though Copha is too much fat for me to digest
- Risotto (ASFF) – really looking forward to making this again in a purely Allergy-Free way
- Tuna and Potato Patties (ASFF) – Yeah, no. WAY too fishy. Had to smother in lemon juice, salt and tomato sauce. Will try again as Veggie Patties or maybe with Chicken mince.
- Shepherd’s Pie (ASFF) – THE BEST THING I MADE ALL WEEK. Yes. Will be staple!
- Wholemeal Gluten-Free Bread (Orgran) – interesting, pretty gooey. I haven’t been having bread much anyway, but it’s nice to have some “convenience” stuff in the house. Was a little messy to make but didn’t take long.
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