I just read this success story blog on Mark's Daily Apple website, and I just related to it so much that it really hit home with me, I wanted to write a little about this.
As a kid, whenever I think of diet and health, the first things that come to my mind are my extremely poor appetite, slow growth, frequent severe stomach aches which were sometimes accompanied by vomiting, yearly fall or spring 1-2 month long bout of constant coughing, and frequent alternating bouts of constipation and diarrhea all throughout my childhood.
How bad were they?
Well, mom would fill a smaller than cup portion of food on my plate which I would spend over 2 hours to finish on my own, or after much fighting be hand spoon fed by a running-out-of-patience Dad. That is, until I grew older and learned to hide the evidence of me skipping or eating only a couple of spoons of lunch/dinner.
The fact that I was ravenous and ate a ton when the food was something I liked, like roast chicken or grilled meat only counted towards the opinion that I was a picky and stubborn eater.
The Stomachaches! I complained so much that it became a running joke. Everyone assumed I was either A. making it up, or B. when I was clearly crying my heart out from the pain, that I was wimpy and couldn't handle much pain.
I probably received every home remedy for stomachaches known to man. I remember several occasions when dad stayed up the night with me for several hours (on one occasion till 2-3am) putting alcohol wetted paper towels underneath my PJ's on my stomach to warm me up (which did help) while I alternated between crying curling up in a ball to make the pain go away.
And who can forget the time they took me to infirmary because everyone got worried I had appendicitis, and then gave me a rough time and joked about it because it turned out I didn't and the doctor said, "Oh, she just has gas. You can take her home." Never mind I spent the rest of the day crying and throwing up.
And then there was my constipation and diarrhea, which I was always being accused of making it up (because I complained so much) to get out of eating X food I didn't like.
I don't think I need to elaborate on my slow growth, what with doctor visits and constant testing, to find nothing really wrong.
Oh how little we listen to kids, and simply assume they're just being stubborn and difficult when they refuse to do something.
I discovered in college, by mere accident, that I was a little lactose intolerant. I say a little, because I can drink a little milk when it's pasteurized at the proper low temperature, any higher, and there's nothing little about it. Hello really bad bloats and stomach pain. I'm also somehow sensitive to what the cow eats. I couldn't tolerate the regular supermarket milk in Arizona. There was only one type of organic grass fed milk at WHFoods and only one brand here in Lebanon that I can tolerate.
Still appetite was an issue. Going out to dinner with friends, they may have not realized because I ate so much, but they also probably didn't realize that I'd likely as not skipped lunch that day because I simply forgot to eat it.
A few months ago, I went primal, and made the jump to going grain free. Meats, fruits, vegetables, and some dairy (mostly cheese and yogurt). I also eat dark chocolate.
May I talk about appetite? I finally get hungry! I mean, really hungry, not just stomach complaining from lack of food and feeling lethargic because I hadn't eaten much (which was my cue to eat). Hungry with a full blown appetite that makes get off my butt and make a big meal for me to eat. I haven't skipped a meal due to appetite or forgetfulness since I went primal.
The "Wheat Stomach". I always had a stocky middle. Not fat (there was little to no fat on my skin), just kind big like a child's despite exercise, which added to my 12 year old appearance.
I was well and truly surprised when the stomach disappeared along with the wheat in my diet.
So here, after 25 years, a diet and health mystery for me solved. Might things have been different had I discovered this at age 6 like that little boy in the story? Would I have been taller, less puberty problems? Maybe, maybe not. But I'm glad I figured it out now rather than later.
As a kid, whenever I think of diet and health, the first things that come to my mind are my extremely poor appetite, slow growth, frequent severe stomach aches which were sometimes accompanied by vomiting, yearly fall or spring 1-2 month long bout of constant coughing, and frequent alternating bouts of constipation and diarrhea all throughout my childhood.
How bad were they?
Well, mom would fill a smaller than cup portion of food on my plate which I would spend over 2 hours to finish on my own, or after much fighting be hand spoon fed by a running-out-of-patience Dad. That is, until I grew older and learned to hide the evidence of me skipping or eating only a couple of spoons of lunch/dinner.
The fact that I was ravenous and ate a ton when the food was something I liked, like roast chicken or grilled meat only counted towards the opinion that I was a picky and stubborn eater.
The Stomachaches! I complained so much that it became a running joke. Everyone assumed I was either A. making it up, or B. when I was clearly crying my heart out from the pain, that I was wimpy and couldn't handle much pain.
I probably received every home remedy for stomachaches known to man. I remember several occasions when dad stayed up the night with me for several hours (on one occasion till 2-3am) putting alcohol wetted paper towels underneath my PJ's on my stomach to warm me up (which did help) while I alternated between crying curling up in a ball to make the pain go away.
And who can forget the time they took me to infirmary because everyone got worried I had appendicitis, and then gave me a rough time and joked about it because it turned out I didn't and the doctor said, "Oh, she just has gas. You can take her home." Never mind I spent the rest of the day crying and throwing up.
And then there was my constipation and diarrhea, which I was always being accused of making it up (because I complained so much) to get out of eating X food I didn't like.
I don't think I need to elaborate on my slow growth, what with doctor visits and constant testing, to find nothing really wrong.
Oh how little we listen to kids, and simply assume they're just being stubborn and difficult when they refuse to do something.
I discovered in college, by mere accident, that I was a little lactose intolerant. I say a little, because I can drink a little milk when it's pasteurized at the proper low temperature, any higher, and there's nothing little about it. Hello really bad bloats and stomach pain. I'm also somehow sensitive to what the cow eats. I couldn't tolerate the regular supermarket milk in Arizona. There was only one type of organic grass fed milk at WHFoods and only one brand here in Lebanon that I can tolerate.
Still appetite was an issue. Going out to dinner with friends, they may have not realized because I ate so much, but they also probably didn't realize that I'd likely as not skipped lunch that day because I simply forgot to eat it.
A few months ago, I went primal, and made the jump to going grain free. Meats, fruits, vegetables, and some dairy (mostly cheese and yogurt). I also eat dark chocolate.
May I talk about appetite? I finally get hungry! I mean, really hungry, not just stomach complaining from lack of food and feeling lethargic because I hadn't eaten much (which was my cue to eat). Hungry with a full blown appetite that makes get off my butt and make a big meal for me to eat. I haven't skipped a meal due to appetite or forgetfulness since I went primal.
The "Wheat Stomach". I always had a stocky middle. Not fat (there was little to no fat on my skin), just kind big like a child's despite exercise, which added to my 12 year old appearance.
I was well and truly surprised when the stomach disappeared along with the wheat in my diet.
So here, after 25 years, a diet and health mystery for me solved. Might things have been different had I discovered this at age 6 like that little boy in the story? Would I have been taller, less puberty problems? Maybe, maybe not. But I'm glad I figured it out now rather than later.
I've been meaning to comment but that took a while. I read this with great interest (both your story and that kid's) but first things first, sorry for giving you such a hard time back in the day. Teenagers can be so cruel. I am truly sorry :(
ReplyDeleteHugs?
What perplexes me is that low-carb never really worked for me. I do not have the appetite for a lot of protein or meat. I tried for years to make it work but I'd always miss the starch. Martin has no problem eating meat/protein three times a day but I could never stomach it. And if what one liked as a kid is an indicator of what the body wants, I loved cheese, and starchy food. And sweets of course.
And I wanted to offer Alina a lot of healthy food so we gave her fish, meat, veggies and fruits. Still the girl loves fruits and sweets. I just wonder if a sweet-tooth is something inherited or learned. I really am starting to feel that everyone is born with a preference for certain kinds of food.
Haha..hugs for sure. After it was a little character building right? :P
ReplyDeleteI do think that our bodies may be born with a preference for difference foods.
I'm not necessarily on a low carb diet. My carb intake on average will hover around 8-9 bread units or 100g so well above 72g, but it definitely is lower carb than most people. And I don't count carbs or eat things intentionally like that although I did track my food for a few days to see the on average if I was getting enough calories/nutrients. I just choose primal friendly food and it happens like that on its own. I also still crave some starch sometimes, but I easily satisfy that by an apple, or a sweet potato. Sugar cravings go away with a small piece of fruit, date, or dark chocolate. Additionally my starch/sugar cravings go all the way down if I eat plenty of meats/fats.
But I have noticed that the key ingredient for me is fat and protein.
I just get ravenous when theirs a lot of meat in front of me. It's like something turns on in my brain at the sight of it. You put a couple of steaks or 1/2 of a roast chicken in front of me at lunch or dinner, and that thing will be gone in under 30 minutes. On the other hand, I will want and eat starch like potatoes occasionally, but I tend to eat a LOT LESS and feel full on a much smaller amount of food than if that food had been protein and fat.