Week Three Begins

I've known about my food allergies for about a month now, but it's only been since January 1st that I've completely eliminated all of the foods that I'm sensitive to from my diet. People keep asking me how I feel and what I'm eating, so I thought I'd address the questions in a blog post.

First of all, I don't miss wheat! That's right. I don't miss it all. There are many other grains that breads, pastas and baked goods can be made of, and they're all really tasty, so there's really nothing to miss.

I do miss garlic and spinach. I've been cooking other greens such as kale, boy choy, collards and chard, but I do miss spinach. I love garlic, and it's tough not to cook without it. Luckily, they are not foods I'm severely allergic too. I have a slight sensitivity to them, and once my system has healed, I can add them back into my diet.

I've been enjoying cooking. I had been in a rut with my cooking before, but after I found out I couldn't eat wheat, soy or corn, I pulled all of my cookbooks down from the book shelf and started looking for new meal ideas. I've made some delicious dinners that I probably wouldn't have made otherwise.

I do not feel deprived. In the past few weeks, I've had peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, oatmeal, pancakes, cupcakes, cookies, scones, grilled cheese sandwiches, pizza, chocolate smoothies and hummus with rice crackers among other things. How can I complain about what I can't eat when there is so much that I CAN eat?

I've been feeling better. I have noticed an increase in my energy level, my skin has been looking better and my hair feels thicker. My digestion has also started to improve, and I no longer feel bloated all the time. I've also lost three pounds. I'm sure I will be seeing more improvements as the weeks move along.

And so begins week three of my elimination diet. I already have ideas for meals that I want to make and I'm looking forward to eating out in NYC this evening!