Add another "-free" to the list!

Wow, it's been a while since I've blogged.  Well, blogging hasn't been on the top of my list of things to do lately, mostly because it's been a VERY long list of things to do...
 
See, I could be blogging about Occupy this and Occupy that or the recent school closure discussions that have been hovering over San Diego Unified like a stinky cloud lately, but I wont.  No, today I really just feel like blogging about myself.

As a gluten-free eater I've had to rearrange my diet and pay more attention to nutrition labels.  As the mom of a daughter who was born with a dairy and soy allergy I got used to delving deeper into the nutritional content of everything in the house.  I had to remove all dairy and soy from my already scant diet while nursing my daughter, which aided in my milk supply drying up and me losing all of my baby weight rather quickly.  I noticed after I stopped nursing my daughter I still had trouble digesting dairy (or soy, who knows).

Oooh, intestines!!

Now that my daughter is four and has grown out of her birth-related allergies/intolerance, I have been focusing on just the gluten, wheat, rye, oats, barley, etc. for my diet restrictions.  Lately I've noticed that perhaps there may be another intolerance lurking within the walls of my intestines...It's not a fun thing to think about and most people don't like talking about their digestion habits.  Most of us either spend hours on Web MD or we sheepishly ask our doctors about why we're always so bloated, dancing around the real issue.  I have been refusing to admit an intolerance to dairy for a while.  Sure I cut back on it a year ago but MAN, I love cheese!

But, alas, I think the cheese has gotten the best of me.  I'm not the only one, though.  I know a lot of other women who have fallen victim to the dairy intolerance lately.  It seems that once we turn 30, a lot more than just wrinkles and grey hairs seem to reveal themselves.  According to WebMD, "Sometimes people who have never had problems with milk or dairy products suddenly have lactose intolerance. This is more common as you get older."

I've heard that technically we aren't supposed to be able to tolerate milk after we're one or two years old, anyway.  Those people who can tolerate lactose are more like genetic freaks than those who cannot digest lactose.  Though, at this point I can't remember where I heard that (but I will find out!).

So, today begins a week of being dairy-free.  This will be tough.  I know it will be tough because my diet often includes GF bagels and neufchatel, pepperoni and cheese, grilled cheese, or rice crackers and cheese.  Notice the cheese trend?  It will be hard.  I will do my best to check in and blog about my progress.  Perhaps it will help.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Budding Yogi

So I'm starting to feel a bit like a yogi...well, almost.  Today was Day 6 of 30 in the 30-day Yoga Challenge, a little Vinyasa 1.  This one was different, we used the blocks between our thighs during our down dogs and our chaturangas. Now, doing a true chaturanga requires strength in the upper arms (of which I have little) and core (which I am still working to restrengthen after two kids).  I never really considered the role your thighs played in the whole process until today.  It was different. That's what's great about yoga.  The poses can often be the same, but the feeling is always different.  I guess that can be the same for any class you take. Last night was class number 5.  I took the Vinyasa 2 class and it was a little tough.  The evening classes are more challenging as the day rolls to a close and I've been working so my brain and body have been chugging along for 12 hours already.  My upper thighs were sore, my core was feeling weaker and so my up-dogs t
Read more

Yoga: 30-Day Challenge!

Image
First, let me start by saying, I am no Yogie.  I don't consider myself to be a guru or even an expert.  I just like to do yoga.  It's good for my muscles, good for my joints and it's good for my mental well being. Image courtesy prweb.com Second, consistency is key.  And balance, balance is also key.  Consistency is key to a lot of things (keeping your blog followers being one of them), and I could write an entirely different blog post on the art of balance (we'll save that for another time).  I've also found that consistency and balance go hand in hand with a positive, well-rounded yoga experience.  You must be consistent in your practice; weekly, daily, monthly, whatever your thing, keep it consistent.  Balance is essential but it's not something we are all born with nor is it something that comes easy to most.  You can develop both consistency and balance, but you have to actively develop these two things. I am on my way to developing my consistency a
Read more

Enchilada Casserole, Slow-cooker style

Image
Ah, my masterpiece! So yesterday I prepared my first (of many) slow-cooker recipes from Stephanie O'Dea , the chick who cooked with her crock pot each day for a year.  I decided to start with the Enchilada Casserole because I had been staring at the corn tortillas in our fridge for over a month (thank goodness they last that long!).  I was excited too, because I've always loved enchiladas and the silky, spicy enchilada sauce that is drizzled over the top of them.  I can usually tell how good the Mexican food is at a restaurant based on their enchilada sauce.  You have to be careful eating out, though, most places use flour as a thickener in their sauces and I've had to resort to using the table salsa at many a Mexican restaurant.  Anyhoo... I had my crock pot, my tortillas and my enthusiasm; now all I needed was chicken, black beans, bell peppers, cheese and enchilada sauce, of course!  My husband called to say "Hi," and I told him what my plan for dinner wa
Read more