<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>
I'm a nurse. I was so ill with GI issues from October through January, I
lost my former job as a recovery room nurse which I dearly loved. But
I've managed to get another position elsewhere. I can't tolerate any
grains, starches or sugars & have multiple food allergies (soy, milk,
eggs, beans, nuts, etc). Two of my sons are also dairy & gluten
intolerant. I must prepare every morsel that enters our mouths & am on
the Specific Carbohydrate Diet. I now work in a busy family practice
clinic. It's a very "foodsy" group frequently having luncheons. Of
course, I never participate & always have my own simple whole foods.
People often ask questions. They want to know why I won't even "taste"
the lasagna, fried rice, egg rolls, pizza, etc. I'm glad to answer as
simply & clearly as I can hoping to further the message that celiac
disease is NOT a rare disease & perhaps reach out & find a few converts!
Ha ha!
I work four 10 hour days a week. On weekends & my day off
(Wednesday or Thursday), I prepare most of my family's meals for the
coming few days. I've learned to cook poultry, fish & meats in quantity
& vary the menus with sauces & side dishes that are simple & quick. It
was hard at first, but now I've got it down to a system that's not so
time consuming. I don't have diarrhea often, but do suffer from
dramatic blood sugar drops if I'm not careful. I have found that high
protein breakfast & lunch with well spaced snacks is the best insurance
against blood sugar crashes throughout the day. For breakfast I have
bacon, liver & apple sauce or left over meat from the night before. In
mid morning I have a whole apple. For lunch I always have a very large
serving of fish, meat or chicken.(my favorite lunch is two chicken
thighs & a green veggie on the side.) If I start to feel weak in the
afternoon, I go for another whole fruit such as an orange. Often by
dinner time I'm satisfied & well enough fed that my dinners can be light
including fruits, veggies & a smaller serving of protein. (Yes, I do
get sick of meat, meat, meat!) My system works because I work it. It's
hard & takes effort & discipline, but it's worth it. I make mistakes
here & there, but pick myself up & try to do better the next day and I
usually succeed. Oh yea, I forgot to tell you another thing I do that
really, REALLY helps me get through each & every work day. I make sure
I drink at least two quarts of fluid by the end of each work day.
That's about 2 glasses with each meal & a 24 ounce water bottle sipped
during the day. For some reason this really helps keep my energy level
up. I totally know how devastating diarrhea can be. One day I had the
runs all day. By the time I got home that night, I was so exhausted, I
could hardly move. I hadn't taken the time to replace the lost fluid
like I should have. I probably needed another quart that day. ~
Valerie in Tacoma
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