Healthy Eating Part I

Has anyone noticed how difficult it is to eat healthily when you are on the go?  One thing we have precious little of is time; work, kids, house, etc leaves us often having to eat whatever is to hand.  

I have suffered for years from chronic headaches and if you add to that an acute allergy to Aspirin, all NSAIDs and most other painkillers, I was reduced to taking up to 3grs of paracetamol a day!

Then one day, a friend said, "I know this great doctor who I am sure could help you."  So off I went to see this "great doctor".  Yes I was skeptical  but so desperate that I had to give it a try.

Right now I will say, he is a truly great doctor.

We talked for a long time.  Amazing really, most doctors want you in and out as soon as possible, the more people they see the more money, or at least that's the way it always seemed to me.  He wasn't your usual doctor, all full of himself and convinced that he could change my life but I have to say - he has.  I will be forever in his debt.

He asked me about my eating habits, what a typical day was like for me and then sent me off for a blood test.  He warned me that the results would take a while and not to worry, as soon as they had them .... (get this) ...... they would call me to make an appointment - and they did!

I was quite nervous about going for the results, my mother had died of a brain tumor and let's face it - you never know and I certainly don't know how much you can tell from a blood test!  I was told that my vitals were all fine - cholesterol fine, sugar level normal, hormones normal, thyroids normal..... what a relief!  And then......

Intolerance to:

Garlic

Mushrooms

Nuts

All Pulses

Plums

Soya

Lactose

Egg

Peaches

Bananas

Pineapple

Apples

Grapes

And that didn't mean just eliminating these things from my diet but everything they contain too!  Nowadays Soya is in absolutely EVERYTHING, grape and apple juice are liberally added to loads of things too!  I was shattered - well maybe that was a bit over the top, but let's face it no more mayonnaise, no egg and chips, no Chai tea latte with Soya milk from Starbucks, no no no no oh god it doesn't bare thinking about..... NO CHOCOLATE!

The lovely doctor told me that from now on I would have to exist on a diet of fruit (that I can eat), vegetables, meat, fish, shellfish, etc.  That I could eat as mush as I wanted but I was not allowed to mix carbs with proteins in the same meal and to eat a minimum of 3 pieces of fruit a day.

I was thoroughly depressed when I left his office, I clearly remember it was a Thursday and I thought, there's no point starting this on a Thursday, I'll wait 'til Monday.

I then spent the rest of the day and the weekend, eating everything I was never going to be allowed to eat again.  By Sunday night I felt so awful I couldn't wait to start the diet the next morning.