Starting the New Year In a Battle

I went to the Naturopath doctor last week Thursday and she was really nice.  I’m going to get my stool tested, which isn’t fun.  It’s like playing with your poop, smearing it and putting it in different containers.  Anyway, along with that, I got put on fairly strict diet, which I expected would happen. 

Things I Can’t Eat:

-Wheat or anything containing gluten

-Anything with soy

-Peanuts + peanut butter

-Red meat, deli meats, and canned meats

-Anything with dairy or eggs

-Margarine, butter, mayonnaise

-Pop, alcohol, coffee

-Chocolate, ketchup, bbq sauce, all other condiments

-White or brown sugar, honey, syrup

 

Things I Can Eat:

-All fruits except oranges

-All fruit juices except orange juice

-All vegetables except corn or anything creamed

-Rice, oats, anything made with rice flour, millet, buckwheat

-Potatoes

-Almonds, cashews

-Chicken, turkey, lamb, fresh, frozen, or canned fish

-Rice milk, almond milk, coconut milk, egg substitutes

-Olive oil, canola oil, flaxseed oil, sesame oil

-Water, decaf herbal tea

-Vinegar, all spices including salt

 

It’s a daily battle for me to not be jealous of most other people who can eat all kinds of food that I can’t.  I’ve also been concerned that friends + family aren’t going to want to have us over, especially for a meal, with my strict diet.  I know it’s such a stupid thing to be concerned about, but those relationships are really important to me.  I’ve been bringing my own snacks with me when we go out in the evenings and that’s been good.  I was sitting and praying about it this morning and God spoke to me and I just started crying.  He told me He already knew this was going to happen and He wants to use it to increase my faith.  It’s a mental battle as much as it is a physical one, to turn my worries over to Him every day, multiple times a day, while not knowing what’s wrong and not knowing if something can or will fix it.  I know I can trust Him and every day I pray for healing.  I REALLY don’t want this to be a very long-term thing.  He knows.  If you think of me, I wouldn’t mind some prayers! :)

I’ve been on this diet for 4 days and for the most part, I feel better.  It had gotten to the point where I felt gross almost all the time and I would eat 3 bites of food and then would have to stop because I felt so gross.  I often couldn’t even finish a meal or sometimes even half a meal.  I also had stomach pain.  Now, my appetite is back to normal and most of the time, I feel good.  My main symptom, though, has not improved.  I still have much to be thankful for.  My Grandma is on an even stricter diet, plus she has to put anything she eats into the blender first.  We never have to look far to find someone going through much worse.  I was reminded of this verse today: Romans 8:18 “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”  I have an eternity of perfect health to look forward to!  That may not change my symptoms right now, but it sure does change my perspective!