Good morning, friends! Happy Wednesday!

That title sounds more like one to a crime novel or reality tv show, but really, for today’s WIAW, I wanted to share with you the new diet I’ve taken on because of this unbearable acid reflux.

Hosted by Jenn of Peas and Crayons.

My allergist actually suggested this diet back in August, but my reflux wasn’t bad enough at that point for me to want to try it. And I say want because this diet has taken so much will power that it’s evident I’m suffering if I want to do this. So anyway, the whole process is essentially an elimination diet: I eat only certain foods, and after a number of weeks, I can re-introduce another food group to see if it gives me symptoms. If it does, I eliminate that food group for a while or, worse, forever.

The foods I need to completely stop eating:
– Dairy
– Eggs (already allergic)
– Nuts (already allergic)
– Soy
– Corn
– Gluten
– Potato
– Rye
– Beef
– Fish

And that means everything within that group or of that food, so things like corn starch, corn syrup, tofu, potato flakes, whey, barley, wheat, etc. are out. Following this has quite literally upended everything that I’ve known as far as food goes. There are so many aspects to it that it’s impossible for me to eat the same meal I would have before – including my beloved Greek yogurt in the mornings. It’s so frustrating.

However, my acid reflux was getting so bad that something had to happen. I was in such pain every day that my mood, exercise, and sleep were all affected. Plus, after a visit to the dentist, I learned that I’m at high risk of gingivitis, not because I have bad hygiene habits (quite the opposite, actually – I’m doing everything and more that they suggested), but because the acid is backing up all the way into my mouth, affecting my gums. Because it’s me (read: I have allergies), I knew the reflux had to do with food intolerance, so the next step was figuring out what food(s) are the problem. All that leads to this diet.

The foods I’m allowed to eat:
– Any kind of vegetable (but I’ve personally ruled out peppers, onions, and garlic, as I know they give me symptoms)
– Any kind of fruit (but I’ve ruled out oranges)
– Quinoa, rice, oatmeal
– Chicken
– Beans
– Water and tea (the diet says pop and coffee are allowed, but I know those give me problems, so those are out)

Now, with all that said, here’s a glimpse at what my daily eats might look like:

Breakfasts

Oatmeal or quinoa breakfast bowls. For a few days I was able to tolerate Greek yogurt in the morning (the only dairy I’d have all day), but noticed my reflux coming back.

Lunches and Dinners

I’m not a huge fan of chicken, so beans have become my favorite source of protein. I also will eat rice and quinoa to increase protein and fiber in my meals. I’ve been eating a lot of vegetables, too, which helps with satiety. My lunches and dinners are frequently repeated meals, but at least there’s room to be creative. I don’t really find myself missing too much – except cheese. I miss cheese so much.

Quinoa with pasta sauce, green beans, kidney beans, and chicken.

A Butternut squash, Apple, and Cranberry Bake. I wasn’t the biggest fan of it, but decided to puree and freeze it to use in baked goods. 🙂

Brown rice pasta with pasta sauce, sweet potato (I really don’t think potato is the problem, and a sweet potato is different, right?), and asparagus.

Snacks

Do you know how difficult it is to find a snack that doesn’t contain one of the above ingredients? I can tell you: it’s very difficult. Fruit, homemade granola, applesauce, kale chips, and rice Chex have been my friends. I’ve also taken quite a liking to Honest Tea’s Half and Half tea.

Desserts

By far the hardest category to figure out. No ice cream, chocolate, cookies, or anything fun. Fruit is pretty much all I can do.

Have I noticed a difference?

As much as I hate to admit it, yes, I have. For a week I was strictly on this diet, not wavering once, and I had hardly any symptoms. When we went out to eat for my mom’s birthday, I had a few of the “bad” food groups, and almost immediately had symptoms. If I deviate even a little bit, I notice things. Now I just need to be patient enough to be on the diet for a week or two in order to re-introduce a food group.

Another interesting perk is that my cravings or desire to snack have dramatically reduced. I have a feeling it’s because I’m not eating wheat (which, I think, is addictive), but maybe part of it is because I’ve been forced to eat more “whole foods”. I haven’t really lost any weight, but the fact that I can eat a meal and not want to snack an hour after is definitely a good thing.

So there we have it. My new, annoying, frustrating, boring, but helpful elimination diet.

If you have any suggestions of delicious foods I can enjoy, I’d be more than happy to hear them! 🙂

Questions for the day:

Have you ever had to do an elimination diet?

Is it easy for you to admit things?

Any food suggestions??

🙂

As always, thanks for reading. Have a great day!