My diet journey

Diet. I do not like this word. To me it implies a fad and short-term fix designed to lose weight. What I am talking about is a nutritional lifestyle that makes me strong and healthy. Let’s talk about it.

The conversation starts with gas and poop. Unless you are in healthcare or a parent going through potty training with your toddler, this conversation may feel a little uncomfortable. It may even seem embarrassing. It certainly did for me. I was forced to talk about it after persistent stomach problems that I didn’t want to deal with anymore.

I struggled with bloating, gas, an all-too-often upset stomach, diarrhea, and constipation.

I did multiple labs, scans, a colonoscopy, and upper endoscopy. In the end I was diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

The good news is that IBS can be controlled by what you eat. The annoying part is everyone’s “food triggers” are different. It was a matter of trial-and-error to find what worked best for me. If this is something you’re struggling with as well, I recommend researching process elimination diet. You will find some great resources about how to eliminate and track foods to determine what causes discomfort and sensitivities.

I turns out that I do not tolerate dairy. Fun fact - I grew up on a dairy farm. How ironic is that?

Research indicates that approximately 75% of the world’s population is unable to properly digest milk and other dairy products. This was news to me.

Fast forward through the reading, researching, buying new foods, and throwing away old household staples and I can say that I’ve learned a lot. There is a lot of junk that we put in our bodies, and it is hard to know what is good and what isn’t. The way our food impacts our body is fascinating and will be shared in upcoming posts.

However, if you struggle with some of the symptoms I described below I welcome you to reach out. I’m an open book and it’s not always easy to know where to start.

I also recommend, Food: What the Heck Should I Eat, by Dr. Mark Hyman. Food Fiction is an excellent documentary to check out as well.