I didn’t eat Chinese food until I was 18 years old. My brother took me to a place and we had the beef with broccoli. It was a revelation! Why was I so late to the party? Because my Dad always said, “Why would anyone want to eat in a Chinese restaurant? They don’t serve bread.”
And that’s pretty much my childhood food story in a nutshell… or a bread bowl. I grew up in The House of Good Bread. Loaves of Italian bread, still warm from the bakery; round or torpedo-shaped rolls, crusty on the outside, soft and doughy on the inside; Russian rye or pumpernickel (or marbled!) for roast beef sandwiches; Diet Rite bread for everyday school lunches. A bread for every occasion, and every occasion required bread.
So it’s not rocket science that I would develop a gluten allergy. Or maybe it’s my Type O blood. Who knows? All I know is that a couple of months ago I did a 10 Day Blood Sugar Detox Diet from a book by Dr. Mark Hyman and it called for giving up all grains and sweets.
The results were amazing. Bloating? Gone. Sagging energy in the afternoon? Gone. Foggy brain? Gone. Restless energy? Gone.
I’ve pretty much stuck with the grain-free part of the detox. It’s not as hard as I thought it would be, thanks to my figuring out that in order to stay balanced and regular I needed to up my fiber intake a whole lot. Hello, Sweet Potatoes!
When I gave up white sugar in 1981, dairy in 1992, wheat in 1995, and gluten in 2008, I felt really shut out of the world around me. Socializing left me feeling deprived, isolated, and sorry for myself. I experienced how food was about so much more than sustenance, how it really is about love, connection, and another kind of nourishment.
Mostly not eating grains (I have rice every once in a while) has been different than those earlier experiences. I feel empowered around my body and more self loving. I’m choosing this because it feels good and gives me energy, so I don’t really feel deprived. I’m more creative in the kitchen and open to new experiences with food, like kale in my morning smoothie. My eating has completely shifted and it’s been pretty effortless, led by how my new choices make me feel, rather than by forcing myself. As I’m becoming more and more attuned to what my particular body really needs, which I find to be an ever shifting landscape in midlife, I need less discipline. The energy and clearheadedness I feel is a great motivator.
I’m not advocating that anyone give up grains. What I am saying is that the battle over food, for many people, is long fought and with no winners. Eating for energy, strength, clearheadedness, and calm, whatever that means for YOUR body, is a self sustaining act of self love. And it creates a lot of awareness about how you’re getting, or not getting, your emotional needs for nourishment met. Then you can find healthy ways to nourish that part of yourself, too.
I’m wondering what your relationship with food is these days? It’s a big question, I know. Is there one small way you could let your body lead you to a good decision about food today? Some gentle way to respond to your body with the kindness and friendship of the real nourishment it needs? I’d love to hear about that.
Over 2 years ago when it was discovered that my husband had some severe food allergies to wheat, eggs and milk our eating did a complete turnaround. I am the cook and baker so consequently I decided if I was preparing all the foods I might as well join him in eating them. 15 lbs. lighter and feeler a whole lot HEALTHIER I have concluded that I DON”T want the wheat or( glutens) that are in the wheat. For baking I use buckwheat which isn’t a wheat at all. Sometimes the eggs are hard for me so I have an egg. I believe we really are what we eat and it pays to be careful about what we are eating.
That process of self discovery and then honoring what you find is so important, Yvonne. It’s not easy to radically change, but it sounds like your body’s response was a wonderful motivator!
I am reading Grain Brain and it is both eye-opening and scary. But may be exactly what I need to make some healthy dietary changes. Thoughts on this book, those of you who read it?
I just checked this out on Amazon and it looks amazing, Amy! So many great endorsements.
Annie, I am loving this website. I can really relate to this foodhack article. I feed my family completely diferently than I feed myself so that I can keep up my energy and compassion. I beleive whole heartedly that being gluten, dairy and wheat free helps me to keep my clarity and be a better mother. Until now, I felt like I was kind of alone in this.
Thank you, Carolyn! I love what you said about energy and compassion, that says it so beautifully.
Very nice blog post Annie, I too am a O blood type and have been trying to do best I can of eating foods to my blood type, but I do fall off the wagon so to speak because of my love of good bread, fresh mozz, tomatoes, and basil lol but I am too looking to going gluten free. Its a slow change but it is a change that will happen. Thank you for the words that I needed to see today. Hope you are well, hopefully bump into you in the Valley in the near future when we visit.
Thank you, Loren! I’ve been playing around with the O diet as well as avoiding foods I’ve tested allergic to, and trying to not make myself too crazy! Have you tried Udi’s gluten free products? They actually taste good. And I think mozz is actually allowed for Os. I guess it really comes down to eating what makes us feel vibrant and energized, most of the time anyway!
I recently read Deepak Chopra’s book, “What are You Hungry For?” I’ve added mindfulness while eating to my meal and WOW! I’m in love with food (rather than love hate) and so gentle with myself. I had become extremely disciplined with my eating habits and have experienced wonderful improvements in my health and especially digestion over the past 8 years. But I hadn’t been able to feel nourished by life and nourished in my soul as consistently as I have since I read this book. Now, the “discipline” doesn’t feel like that at all; it feels like True Love. That’s true of my work (like grading essays) and daily exercise… and caring for my two teenagers, etc.
Rose, that sounds like a wonderful book, I look forward to checking it out. I would love to move forward into more True Love with my eating and body!