Apparently, I’m unable to focus my blog on a single subject. I’ve tried numerous times since mid-2011 … and failed every time. If I can’t share what I want when I want, I get bored. And when I’m bored, I don’t feel like blogging. So I’m not just going to focus on writing. I love sharing the sneak peeks of my stories. The character profiles? Not so much. At least not for secondary characters. Those would be considerably shorter because, well, they’re not my main characters.
I also enjoy sharing my thoughts, stuff that’s going on in my life and with my family … and anyone who’s stuck with me knows I love to share information about good health and all things gluten-free and relating to the thyroid.
So I’m just going to keep doing that, especially since I’m making some big changes for my health again.
About a month ago, I confessed to spending most of the past eighteen (or more!) months eating gluten-containing foods. But even after realizing it was the biggest cause for the extreme fatigue I’ve been dealing with this year, I couldn’t force myself to give it up again. Not even after announcing what a wimp I am in my November 5th post.
So I kept adding to my gluten-free food stash, hoping that seeing the boxes and bags of foods I’d grown accustomed to over the past several years would help get me on track again. But making a major change in your diet can be difficult, especially when the foods you’re eliminating taste better and are a lot cheaper?
Unfortunately, there was no getting around the fact that I’ve been feeling awful. For months and months. I tried to blame it on having a baby (now a toddler) in the house again but that wasn’t it. Not even with Aria’s crazy schedule – because it pretty much lined up with my crazy schedule.
It’s the gluten – and I know it.
So I finally put on my big girl panties … and gave it up again yesterday. Two days off it now and while I’m not noticing anything dramatic, the feeling that my lungs are burning, that the Hulk is squeezing them after eating gluten and walking anywhere was greatly reduced today.
I’m keeping a journal I’ll be sharing here. Stop rolling your eyes, please. My experiences may well help someone going through the same kind of thing. There’s also the fact that it’s because of old blog posts about my gluten-free journey that opened my eyes to the fact that this time, since March of 2015, I’ve been making a conscious choice to damage my body.
And so I’m not going to do that anymore. Is it fun? Nope. Do I dread the reactions of family and friends who always acted like I was being a paranoid diva about food? Yup. Will I enjoy going to family potlucks and having to pass on lifetime favorites? Not at all.
Will it be worth it to feel better again? To be able to concentrate enough to write more? You betcha!
Seems kind of appropriate given that dealing being gluten-free is a huge mountain in my life – and one I should have conquered by now.
You’re not alone. I was doing great for a while with exercise and my diet, and then for the past year, I went right back to the old habits and my body is letting me know it. It is HARD to stay not that mountain!
Dang. I thought I responded to this. :/
You would think taking care of ourselves and doing the right thing – both with diet and exercise – would be easier than it is, wouldn’t you?
Until today, I hadn’t intentionally had any gluten since the 3rd of this month but because of cross contamination, I’ve gotten a little every single day. It’s hard to do when your family eats regular food, forgets that if they touch the knife to real bread then put it back in mayo, butter, or peanut butter, I can’t have anymore. Then there’s the touching of everything. Then there’s the baby and I’m not going to say no to kisses, hugs, or pats on the face with hands that have just held cookies or crackers. Someday, she’ll be too independent for that kind of stuff so I’m enjoying it while I can – whether I get glutened or not. Cutting 99% of it out of my life is going to have to be good enough for now. 😀