Happy Anniversary

I wasn't sure it was possible. To go one full year without oral antibiotics or steroids. This is coming from a girl who hadn't gone more than eight weeks before being represcribed drugs for endless sinus infections. Considering all the visits to the otolaryngologist I made over a ten year period, not once did the doctor suggest dietary changes or natural supplements to help give my immune system a boost and prevent future infections.

As of now, I have gone one full year without any of these drugs. The past year has taught me how much doctors and patients over use antibiotics and steroids. Through dietary changes, I've discovered that I can control a lot of my symptoms. Often, when I get sick it's my body telling me I fed it too much dark chocolate or too many fries. When I switch my diet, my symptoms diminish.

My actual anniversary of this event came and went three weeks ago. I've been too busy to mark the occasion. I also got hit with a cold, seasonal allergies and freelance work on top of my full time job.

So, this weekend I'm celebrating with dinner at the new Upper West Side Candle Cafe. Can't wait for a little down time with my husband and to properly toast the occasion. With a shot of echinacea of course.

The Results Are In

Last Thursday I received the results from the ALCAT allergy test I took two weeks ago. I had been really excited to get the results. Not sure why. Well, I want answers. But it wasn't like the test was going to reveal amazingly great news. It was going to reveal and confirm food allergies and sensitivities for 200 foods.

According to the test I had no severe intolerances. Good news there.

For the rest of the list:
MODERATE INTOLERANCE
Banana (WTF?)
Millet
Pear
Barley (also on skin test)
Rye
Malt
Spelt

MILD INTOLERANCE
Oat
Wheat
Acorn Squash
Apricot
Asparagus (also on skin test)
Black-eye Peas
Broccoli (also on skin test)
Butternut Squash
Cabbage
Carrot (ugh)
Chamomile
Chili pepper
Cocoa (WTF!!!)
Cow's milk
Cucumber
Egg white & yolk (also on IgE test)
Fructose
Grape (guess this means raisins are out)
Honeydew
Kiwi
Nectarine
Papaya
Parsley
Psyllium
Rice (Life is truly unfair. What's a g-free girl to do?!!!)
Scallions
Shrimp
Soybean (also on skin test)
Turkey
Walnut
Watercress
White Potato (lovely)

That's some list, right? But that's not it.

According to my skin test I'm also sensitive to:
Blueberry
Cantaloupe
Coconut
Raspberry
Strawberry
Artichoke
Celery
Lettuce
Sweet corn
Buckwheat
String bean
Beef
Chicken
Cinnamon
Sesame

Sick of reading? There's a few more. According to my IgE test I'm also sensitive to:
Peanut
Almond
Gluten

Feel sorry for me? I feel sorry for myself which isn't very empowering.

I got hit with a cold last Tuesday. The good news there is that the real yucky part came and went in four days. That's the shortest cold that's ever lived in my body. I must be doing something right and well something wrong to get sick. When I saw my doctor last Thursday he was concerned about my getting a cold, fearful of it turning into a full blown sinus infection. He asked if I was still taking echinacea and mycoferon. I admitted I had totally forgotten. Back on the regimen now. Eye droppers of elixirs are getting dumped into shots of water, which I'm downing with regularity.

My doctor suggested I avoid all the foods on my various lists for a week and then see if I'm feeling better.

Chocolate is impossible to avoid. Instead of avoiding my goal is to cut back. But eating 2 dark chocolate bars in three days hardly qualifies as a cut back. This morning at Trader Joe's I practiced absolute restraint by purchasing zero dark chocolate.

A feel a little like I'm in an eating conundrum. It's not fun in the conundrum even though the word has drum in it.

So this week I've made big batches of sweet potato and black bean soup with wild rice and curry quinoa. Just realized that I put dried chipotle pepper in the soup. Does this qualify as chili pepper under my sensitivity list?

Breakfast is a real head scratcher. Oatmeal and rice-based cereals are out. I tried to make smoothies without banana yesterday and today. They're just not as tasty.

Any ideas? What would Jesus do?

Sick Avoidance Tactics

Yesterday, I started feeling like a cold is coming on. Or, possibly it's my fungal infection trying to take hold again. My husband has been sick, so there's a good chance he cold have passed on the evil germs to me. In an effort to give my body a boost, I've been taking echinacea drops twice a day, attempting to get more sleep (last night I went to bed at 9:15pm.) and drinking more green juice. 

This time when I visited Organic Avenue, I boldly selected their Mellow Green blend, which combines cucumber, celery, romaine, spinach and parsley. This stuff is the color of a dark forest. I expected this juice to be stronger than other green versions simply because it's lacking fruit. However, I was surprised to discover that it's actually smoother than the Green Love, which has lemon and pear. The name Mellow Green says it all. The juices are a whopping $12 for 16 ounces. However, if you return the glass bottle, you get a $2 credit. Yesterday's cost my only $8, since I turned in two bottles. 


I've also been trying not to touch my face. Why does my face always itch when on the subway?