After an interesting week in the land of Vegan - no animal products, and that included a trip to Gluten-free - no wheat. I cannot believe I have lived this long without spending time there. My life has been changed as a result. It's as if I have been living in the dark all these years. You'd swear I had taken a dozen energy pills the way I'm carrying on. Seriously, it's insane. Even Chichi couldn't believe her luck when I gathered her up the other day (she's a heavy little mutt) and washed her in the laundry sink. To add to the thrill I gave her a much needed hair cut. She was delighted, as was everybody else, because she had been stinking like a hog. I had been threatening to do it for a while, but hadn't the energy, or else it was just common procrastination. Some magic spell has been put on me since I visited the land of Vegan and gluten-free.
I must have been allergic to either wheat or dairy or something, because heck, I'm feeling pretty good. Vicky said it's because I'm eating clean, i.e. no MacDonald's, KFC or Indian food, coated in rich creamy sauce. Mind you, you'd want the gut of a ploughman to stomach KFC. That being said, I think the body is very forgiving. After just seven days of clean eating, I have been given a full absolution by the gut committee. In return I have pledged to renounce slothful habits in the kitchen.
The past week's experience has reminded me of a conversation I had some years ago with a lady I met at a hospital. I was waiting to get an ultrasound or something and so was she. We began to chat and she revealed to me how her life had been changed 'dramatically' when she discovered she was allergic to wheat. She told me she deeply regretted not having had it checked out years before, as she felt so much better since adopting a gluten free diet. For years she had suffered from a feeling of bloating and other side effects and never knew what the problem was. Since going down the gluten-free route, all her symptoms had disappeared. She said she had shed 20 years, and 20 lbs. with this simple change to her diet.
On Tuesday, Victoria and I had our first ever trip to a Naturopathic Doctor. She tested Vicky for various allergies. She used the muscle test which was fascinating to watch. She made Vicky raise both arms, while at the same time holding different foods and treatments to her tummy. She then tried to lower Vicky's arms asking her to resist with all her power. If Vicky was allergic to something, her arms dropped immediately. She had no power to keep them elevated. They remained raised if she was not allergic. Vicky said it felt really weird. As a result of the testing she suggested Vicky was allergic to dairy and wheat, and that she should try a Vegan diet. In case you think the Naturopath was trying to convert us to vegetarianism, think again, because I asked her if she was a vegetarian herself, and her answer was "No, but I'm considering it"
As a result of our meeting with Dr. Zimmerman, I went off today in search of Vegan and gluten-free goods, and what an adventure! I never knew there was such a vast array of goods out there, which catered to the Vegan/Gluten-free customer. On the negative side it is 'far' more expensive than the regular food. I guess they know they have a captured audience. In our travels, we happened upon a gluten-free bakery and discovered devilishly delicious chocolate cake, granola bars and eclairs, not forgetting the tiny hazelnut chocolate meringues. They were all wickedly good, and needless to add - sinfully expensive!
Tonight, we tried the rice pasta and soy cheese and I was surprised at how tasty it was. Later, I cleared out a whole shelf for Victoria to house all her special food, which included gluten-free porridge, cookies, spaghetti, fettuccini, hamburger buns, hot dog buns, sliced bread, pretzels and the list goes on. Yippee! She can have all the normal stuff, without the gluten. Even if it costs more - she's worth it! In the fridge we have vege burgers, vege dogs, vege chicken strips, vege mix for chili, lasagne and cottage pie, and a big selection of soy cheeses. The only thing we haven't explored yet is tofu. That needs a bit more study on my part.
Interestingly, Oprah was doing a show recently and all her staff, including herself, went on a vegan diet for a week. There were mixed reviews. Oprah concluded she herself was 'vegan..ish' but could not live without her meat. A few men on her staff said they felt a million times better since the diet change, which surprised Oprah. One man said he was going to remain vegan. For others, it was a challenge. At the end of the day, you just have to listen to your own body. For us, it's a whole new journey into the unknown...
After just a week into my '21 Days to a New You' experiment, I have learnt a lot, and feel considerably better. I made a promise not to weigh myself, which I have succeeded in doing, so don't know if I have lost any weight. It will be interesting to see in 2 weeks time! I no longer want a small inane object dictate my mood for the day. Crazy when you think about it! I'd rather listen to my own body, and hear what it has to say to me. Weighing machines should only be used in the kitchen. Some may disagree with me on that point. I think your waist bands will let you know! Right?
That's it for now my friends.
Tune in tomorrow night for another episode...
Love ya and be good to yourselves.
Shalom, Slainte, Adios, Ciao...xxx
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