But I want it!

Do you have a favorite food? I know you do, because I do. That favorite food of yours, is it bad for you? Or a better question: do you know if it's bad for you? It could be a food that by normal standards is considered good for the general population, but it could be doing damage to your body if you're not aware that you shouldn't be eating it.


I have many favorite foods...from potatoes to asparagus to coffee (Okay, coffee is not a food), but one of my all time favorite food groups is dairy (and coffee). I know...dairy, it's weird. I DO NOT DRINK MILK. That is gross. But I do love cottage cheese, yogurt, sour cream and cheese. I could eat cottage cheese until it's coming out of my ears, haha. And poached eggs...oh my goodness, how I love poached eggs on a plain English muffin with a cup of coffee and an orange. For years I have been eating these things and for years my stomach has been rebelling on me. I didn't know it was rebelling, I thought it was just the natural progression of digestion, but it wasn't. Whenever I eat these foods I feel bloated, I get indigestion and sometimes even get a headache. I never paid any attention to these symptoms and just brushed it off, until one day I ended up with an ulcer and gastroesophageal reflux disease. This was from years of eating food that I thought was healthy. I was ignoring the other signs that it actually wasn't healthy for MY body because I loved the taste of them; and I was informed that they were good for me to eat. This is when you have to ask yourself if your favorite food is bad for you, even if it's "good" for you. 


It's not easy giving up your favorite foods, I still struggle with it all the time! I love coffee...some would even say that I am addicted to it. I used to drink two pots of coffee a day. Yes, two pots. I am not in any way exaggerating when I tell you this. I love the taste, the smell, the emotional connection I feel when I drink it, but it's one of those things in my life that is "bad" for me. And it's not bad in a way that you might be thinking. I drink it black - it is bad in the way that it gives me terrible reflux whenever I drink it; yet it is the toughest thing for me to give up. So I have to ask myself if it is worth it. Is it worth the discomfort it gives me after I drink it? Is it worth the internal damage it does to my esophagus? No. There is always an alternative. And you might think you're depriving yourself of the amazing sensation this particular food gives to you, but you need to also think about the deprivation you are putting your body through.When you are consuming something that your body cannot process, you are putting unnecessary stress on your organs and over all well being. 


You might ask then -"Well how do I know if the food I am eating is affecting me in a negative way?" I will answer that I am not sure! Only you and your doctor will know for sure. Start small. Start by logging what you are eating and how you feel after you eat or drink a particular food in a diary. Write everything down. EVERYTHING - even if it gave you diarrhea. These are important things to tell your doc or natural path when/if you decide to go. If the food you are eating is giving you indigestion or a stomach ache, it's a possibility that you may have a sensitivity to it. That is how I came to the realization that I cannot eat pasta or eggs or yogurt or drink my beloved coffee. Whenever I eat pasta, I immediately get a stomach ache that feels like spikes are shooting out from all sides of my torso. Whenever I eat eggs, they constantly repeat on me...and yogurt gives me indigestion. I have been trying for the last year or so to test different foods and see what my body will allow me to eat and what it won't. Even tonight, I am sitting here writing and I have TERRIBLE indigestion. I can't think of what I had today that would have given it to me. I ate soup for lunch from Panera Bread - the problem with eating out is that you don't truly know the ingredients, and I can almost guarantee that there was something in that soup that didn't agree with my body. It's tough, but eventually you can eat what is right for you. We can learn together. 


I can't wait for that day when I can say that I ate my favorite food and it was delicious and not: I ate my favorite food and now I am paying for it. - the excuse "But I wanted it" cannot be a phrase you settle for anymore. Remember that eating your favorite food goes more than skin deep.


Thanks for reading!


-Twinspiration


Health and Wellness to all,


Patti xox