2015 may be the year of "submit," but it's also the year of migraines, tiredness, anxiety and eczema. I keep trying to convince myself it must be "something in the water" or "allergy season" or "this bag of tortilla chips just fell in my lap." Just when I thought I'd established a good rhythm in one area of my life, my health is dancing to an entirely different (and altogether funky) beat.
So it is with an extreme amount of regret that I inform you that I have begun an elimination diet. Clearly there is only one way this can go and that is with an eventual mental breakdown. I can't decide on a can of diced tomatoes at the grocery store, let alone meal plan as a mother of three who needs to go off gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, fast food and alcohol. I'm having a panic attack just thinking about it.
(why those things exactly? I'm following this elimination diet for now because it looks relatively simple, together with heavy influences from my friend Nicole, who is forcing/encouraging me to read this book).
Also, I think I might die without cream in my coffee. I LOVE dairy. I love cheese. I really, really love bread. I love all manner of foods that give me metaphorical hugs (this does not include fish, which I hate with the heat of a thousand suns).
Not to mention this is the worst time of year to do it: in summer, when we will soon be hosting a team and visitors from the States, traveling to Germany and celebrating birthdays... but I absolutely cannot put it off any longer. I'm sacrificing my own happiness in the hopes that we might eventually find Ella's eczema trigger, too. I'm such a good mom.
This is bad news, friends. The worst. And I'm only sharing it with you because of one thing: I need help.
I need someone to tell me what to eat, when to eat, and not ever make me eat fish. I need a meal plan I can do for myself without torturing my children. And I need it to be somewhat accessible in a small European capital city and still reasonably affordable. Are you this person? Can you help me?
Or better yet, can you just do it for me and let me know how it goes? I'd reeeeallly appreciate it.
PS. Tortilla chips are still on the menu. No one is taking maize away from me.