“Listen, “ I texted my beloved two days into an elimination diet, “I’m not an elimination diet kinda girl. I am however, an eat more veggies, drink substantially more water, and eat less junk kinda girl”. Just two days prior, on elim diet day one, I sat in a therapy session curiously commiserating that each difficulty I experience with food and gut health can be connected to physical manifestations of trauma in the body.
The fact that I have to consistently put food & water in my body to survive is my biggest peeve of being human. Trauma, neurodivergence, & post-concussion syndrome are players in my difficulty with food. Eating requires effort: there is plan-making, purchasing, and prep-work before storing, cooking, eating, and cleaning up. These tasks require intent, focus, decisiveness, mindfulness, faith, diligence, distress tolerance, mental & physical stamina. Eating healthy also requires knowledge and financial stability. The flipside of this is that healthy eating improves symptoms of trauma, neurodivergence & post-concussion syndrome because gut health affects mental health & cognitive functions. Pair that with my love of routines for wellness, and I saw hope at the end of a tunnel littered with old to-go coffee cups and way too many napkins.
The Plan:
I chose to try an elimination diet I learned about while taking a course on Gut Health by Dr. Mary Pardee on the learning platform, Commune. Alongside brain fog & consistent exhaustion, I also experience chronic inflammation and pain, and have an inflammatory bowel disease that requires constant management. I was tired of feeling incapable and unwell, desperate to reset my relationship with food, and to learn which foods were contributing to unpleasant symptoms.
Simplifying my diet by removing processed carbs and enriching with fruits and vegetables seemed like an essential step to achieve the reset and wellness I craved. My diet throughout August took steps to transform into what I needed it to. The elim diet was a starting point. My diet became less strict but remained focused on increasing the diversity of food I ate, while honoring routines for neurodivergent, post-concussion ease. With the exception of one coffee date, I stayed away from Starbucks and Tim's for the month; those that know me well know I love a matcha latte from Starbucks and a toasted plain bagel with butter from Tim's, items I ingested regularly. I had an inkling that while I loved them in the moment, they did not love me in return for the long-haul.
Most mornings in August I enjoyed a smoothie with fruit, avocado, spinach, and matcha. Lunch was usually a salad. I bought a vegetable chopper to make salads, but realistically those Taylor Farms bagged salads were an easier option for lunch. Eating salads for lunch did sometimes feel energetically taxing, like digesting all those nutrient rich raw veggies was a lot of work for my body, so sometimes I'd make soup, or eat a sandwich. Suppers varied but were usually meat & veggies. My dairy was limited to yogurt, cottage cheese, and cream in tea. I didn't cut out all junk food, but most of it. I paid attention to how I felt after I ate or drank something, and then noted if there was accompanying fog, pain or discomfort.
Results & Unanticipated Outcomes:
Amazingly, but not shockingly, my stamina levels increased, and my brain fog drastically decreased! I'm elated! I had more energy in August than I've had since my accident in Dec of ‘22. I still have headaches & tinnitus, but with less frequency and severity. I can emotionally handle much more than before, and feel less shame about the moments I eat junk food because they are fewer and far between. My disordered eating quirks have settled a bit. I know now that I need a new drink order from Starbucks because I didn't like how I felt after the one soy matcha latte I did have.
Taking breaks is a beautiful plan for increasing self-awareness. My holiday from coffee shop drive-thru's was surprisingly liberating. I have extra minutes in the morning for connection with my co-workers, which is much valued time. Overall, my anxiety has lessened; the mini panic attacks I experienced have decreased in frequency as well. My brain fog has lifted most days, and my depression is much less saturated with sorrow. Important to note here is that any mental health improvement might also be credited to the EMDR I am doing in therapy, however, I'm certain healthier eating has contributed in a massive way as well.
Because my stamina levels have increased, I have the brain power most evenings to cook a healthy supper. Deciding on supper before leaving for work helps me stay on track. Knowing what I'm cooking & eating when I arrive home from work gives me the entire day to emotionally prepare for whatever processes I need to utilize to make the meal happen. This change has brought about a simplicity in life that feels integral for success in healthy suppers, execution in which has also increased self-confidence in my ability to be a functioning healthy human that has capacity to care about food her family eats. This feels wonderfully sacred.
I'm taking my new food rituals and habits into September! My increased stamina has contributed to a work/life balance I haven't had since before my accident or maybe ever. This is thrilling because a life of just work, mothering, whiteknuckling, and sleep is not a life that fulfilled me. We all need energy for activities that light up our soul, and I have some of that now, so yay.
May we all have a healthy September of soul satisfying sustainability,
E
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