Tall Drink of Nerd: Is Hungry!

Skinny but cranky, I can’t eat anything and it’s my doctor’s fault.  Around a year ago I told you how I was going gluten-free (GF) and what a pain in the keister that was.  I had no idea that my dietary life was about to get much more challenging.

After a year of countless visits to my MD, to find the cause of/cure for high anxiety levels, chronic fatigue and recurrent vertigo, I decided to make an appointment with an Osteopathic specialist.  She was recommended highly by more than one friend. Her staff extracted various fluids for a battery of tests.  Two weeks ago, we received the test results.

First, I discovered that I’m allergic to peanuts and soy and chocolate.  Boo! (It’s Halloween-time, and I am denied mini Reece’s cups?  Not cool.)  Secondly, she told me about the yeast (Candida-like yeasts) present in my body, which was over-abundantly reproducing.  The yeast was causing havoc and needed to DIE!  Since yeast feeds on sugar, all sugar had to be cut from my food roster.  And by all sugar, she meant fruits and sweet vegetables (including yams, which I am madly in love with).  Bye-Bye to most grains.  So long to dairy.  Arrivederci caffeine.  Booze is blacked out and beef and pork stroll off into the sunset.  This left me with the question; ‘Aside from chicken breasts and brussel sprouts, WTF can I eat?’

Turns out, the answer is, basically, I get to eat chicken breasts and brussel sprouts.  This is not hyperbole.  Alright, it might be a slight exaggeration.  Green veggies and lean proteins are what I’m down to.  I’m rocking the avocado and quinoa every now and then, to avoid total boredom.

My thought was, ‘this is going to be tough, but we don’t have any plans for October, so I should be able to pull off these temporary restrictions.’  Then we got invited: to a party, to a dinner, to a birthday party.  This forced me into a role that makes me uncomfortable, telling people I need something special. I learned it’s better to tell people what your restrictions are beforehand, rather than not be able to eat any of the delicious dinner they took time to prepare.  While I much prefer being the “I’ll eat whatever” non-pain-in-the-the-tuckus girl, being honest with my limitations turned into some good food and good conversation about blood yeasts.  Yummy.

What’s been interesting to me is the psychology of a very limited diet.  Once I started examining what I ate, I realized that my fruit/veg choice is usually a peach or plum or pineapple, which isn’t unhealthy, but interesting to see how I always go for the sweetest thing allowed.

On the positive side, I’ve lost a little over 5 lbs in 2 weeks and my husband hasn’t stopped singing “Candida” to the tune of “Lido Shuffle,” by Boz Skaggs. The willpower it’s taken to not cheat at all in the past two weeks has amazed and encouraged me.  This diet is only a temporary thing.  It’s done in conjunction with anti-fungal meds to kill the excessive yeast.  Soon, my anxiety levels will stabilize and my vertigo will be grounded.  This treatment might, possibly, even reduce my allergies/sensitivities (hello bread!) and eventually I won’t be a pain in the butt at dinner parties.  When I’m all healed and healthy, which is 2-4 months away, I can return to eating like normal folks.  After that, as god is my witness, I’ll never be hungry again!  Until then, I’ll just be cranky and skinny.