Elimination Diet – Update 1

It’s been 9 days. I’ve been feeling like a bit of a yo-you lately. Up and down, up and down. My emotions and physical reactions have been all over the board, changing sporadically. My husband, claims to feel no different. Actually, no, that’s not right. He did say he’s been extremely hungry and thirsty. Hungry isn’t really a surprise or a difference. He always seems to be hungry, but that’s because he just eats large meals and doesn’t snack enough. But the thirsty part – interesting. I’ve been feeling the same way and we certainly haven’t increased our salt intake. Like my insides are shriveling up. It’s either this diet or the fact that our house is only 20% humidity right now, which is scarily low I’ve been told.

Here is a list of how I’ve been doing/feeling:

Jan 9 (Day One) – Depressed, foggy feeling – maybe the winter blues? I couldn’t feel that way from the first day of the diet could I? STARVING.

Jan 10 (Day Two) – Craved sweets. Thirsty. Still felt in a bit of a fog. A little depressed.

Jan 11 (Day Three) – Slept REALLY well and fell asleep fast, which is rare. Slight headache.

Jan 12 (Day Four) – Mistakenly consumed cane sugar, but in a very tiny amount. No headache – not surprising since I had some refined sugar.

Jan 13 (Day Five) – Felt pretty good. No headache. Sugar cravings were reduced.

Jan 14 (Day Six) – Slept great again. Digestion starting to change – don’t want to get too graphic.

Jan 15 (Day Seven) – Same digestion issues, headache, slightly bloated, but lots of energy

Jan 16 (Day Eight) – Same digestion issues, heartburn, indigestion, headache – all after a large vegetarian dinner. I didn’t eat anything new. Maybe I over ate? I don’t think these are all typical withdrawal symptoms. Oh, and a very short temper. Thirsty.

Jan 17 (Day Nine) – Headache in the morning. Digestion issues again. After pilates class and before lunch I felt utterly exhausted, like if I laid down I’d be out for hours. Also in a fog again. And a cranky, short temper. Thirsty.

So, that brings us to today. I was reading about how removing gluten from the diet can bring about opiate-like withdrawal symptoms. Crazy!

Sugar cravings haven’t been too bad as I’ve been eating natural sugars like honey and maple syrup. But, try to find chocolate without refined sugar – not easy. I’ve cut my overall sugar intake by like 75%, so I feel good about that. I just didn’t realize how much sugar is hidden in our processed foods…even supposedly natural products. It’s really shocking and very sad.

I’ll post another update in one week.

Here is the link back to the post at the start of the diet, if you missed it.

Here is the results post.