Eat to Live

Stay with me folks, this is going to be a long one.

The phrase "eat to live, do not live to eat" has been resonating in my brain as of late.  In America, we are very focused on food, so much that obesity in this country is rampant, as well as heart disease and many other diseases that come from a very processed diet with little or no exercise.  I am no different, I am way too food focused!  I love to cook, get excited about desserts, and on occasion do overeat my fill of food that may not be the best for my body.  Eat to live...food is fuel so we can live, that is really all it is.  If we don't eat, sooner or later we will die.  Kinda of morbid, but stay with me.

I received blood work back from the doctor early this week.  I have suffered with stomach issues that come and go, a type of IBS that will be fine, and then rear its ugly head.  It has been bad lately, so I decided to once again see a physician.  She suggested another allergy panel.  I have had a million allergy tests and they all say the same thing, "Congratulations Sara Funk, you are allergic to everything!" Well, close.  We know I am allergic to all things cute and fluffy as well as grass, pollen, dander, dust, and peanuts.  All these things have very prominent manifestations that let me know I'm allergic.  Food allergies (I need to start saying sensitivities) are a little different.  I guess you can have a sensitivity to some things and not show serious, sudden side effects.  We have always suspected that I have food allergies (more sensitivities), I'm anaphylactic to peanuts, so that one is easy (actual full blow allergy).  My mom tried everything when I was a kid, gluten free, egg free, dairy free, supplements, you name it. We never saw a ton of difference although I would do better.  I had a celiac panel done in college to see if I was allergic to gluten and that came back negative.  But when I got the results of my blood work this week, it indicated that I am sensitive to wheat, soy, pork, eggs, and peanuts.

That is a lot to try to cut out of your diet.  Wheat and soy alone are in almost everything, and eggs follow at a close second.  This is why "eat to live" has been resonating with me so much.  Obviously, there is something my body is allergic to that is making it unhappy.  It may not be a full blown allergy, like peanuts, but it is what they call a sensitivity.  I am definitely surviving while eating these foods right now, but I would like to thrive!  Suddenly, the idea of eating that chocolate chip cookie is not so appealing, especially if I know it is causing my stomach unnecessary inflammation and subsequently me pain.  So cut them out I must, which means eating out will become very problem-some, as well as eating at other people's houses.  Our grocery bill is probably going to get more expensive, bagels are cheap, eggs are cheap, bread is cheap, whereas cuts of meat, fresh fruit and veggies, seeds, and buying organic-type products that are gluten free/soy free/egg free are not.

As of today, I am okay with it.  I have started to cut everything out yesterday. We still have so much food in the house, thankfully I have Michael to eat it.  As we get rid of everything, he has expressed that he will begin eating like I do, which I greatly appreciate.  It will actually be a healthier way of eating.  Only fruits, veggies, protein, seeds, and dairy.

I'm not looking for sympathy, just stating what is going on and if I see you, to be aware of my dietary changes, not so you have to follow it, but so that you are aware why I am not eating some things.

One thing I have been thinking about as well, is we use food so much as a reward.  The first words out of everyone's mouth when I turn down the brownie with walnuts in it is "oh my gosh, that sucks, you must be so upset about it.  I couldn't live without nuts." Well, you can, and you don't miss them.  We are so focused on the negative in America, what we can't have.  We forget about what we do and can have.  My diet does nothing to affect what I can do, say skiing, hiking, or biking.  I can still do those things.  It doesn't affect my love of baking or cooking, in fact, I get to do more of it because I have to work around certain things now.  I realize now I spent a lot of my life, living to eat,  not eating to live.  Having food be the center of everything, when in relation, it is one of the smallest things.

So, is food a little to high on your priority list?  It was for me, but now, I am going to laugh harder, love more, and eat a little less.  :-)  Eat to live, don't live to eat.  Isn't life much more than food? (Matthew 6:25)