So, if anyone can see this and is dealing with IBS, Rosacea, Transplant, susceptible to weight gain, here is what I’ve found. I lost 15 pounds by eating 1 sm meal a day over two months but the cravings drove me nuts. I began eating 2 small meals a day and gained the 10 pounds back, plus a few more. So frustrating! I have tried many diets, meal plans, exercise routines, some worked (2 veggie/fruit shakes a day, 1 small meal a day, Keto, Paleo, Cabbage, etc) for a short time and some didn’t (Food Pyramid, Whole Grain diet, All Veggie, etc).
My health issues have contributed to the foods I cannot have (IBS, Rosacea, Diabetes, Transplant, Heart issues and so on). In fact, i’ve written a poem of my food allergies:
Grains Greens
Dairy Soy Rices Beans
Caffeine Potassium Histamines
I cannot subsist on one small meal a day, I cannot subsist on 2 fruit/veggie shakes a day, I cannot subsist on veggie diets. All grains,greens and caffeine aggravate the IBS, yes even the safe ones, cause bloating and significant pain in my stomach and intestines. Same with Rices and Beans, causing painful bloating in stomach and intestines. Dairy, Soy, all Beans cause painful IBS bloating in stomach and intestines as well, plus level-8 facial pain due to the Rosacea. Caffeine, and all Histamines cause level-8 facial pains due to the Rosacea. I cannot eat high potassium foods due to heart issues.
What foods contain Histamines or cause histamine reactions? All grains, acidic fruits and most foods in Mediterranean and Mexican cuisines.
Why don’t I ‘just exercise the weight away’? I’m unable to exercise hard or long times due to IBS and Rosacea–causing level-8 painful bloating and facial pain and rash. I can only exercise low and slow for 20 minutes per day, plus my stamina levels are low due to transplant medications, heart issues.
Due to the Rosacea, I have to avoid sunlight, wind, heat, cold, spicy foods, histamine foods, plus due to the immunosuppressants and my DNA (all northern european) I have to either slather on cancer causing 70 PF lotions or wear long sleeve tshirts and long pants (hello summer linens!).
I’m also diabetic (due to dna and transplant immunosuppressants), so I’m on both long and short acting insulins. I don’t know the technical terms, but the insulin causes weight gain, bloating and facial rash and pain.
In my 40s, I did exercise 3 hours a day for about five years, then my body suddenly gave out. What followed was years of medical tests, procedures and treatments.
So now, in my 50s, I feel stuck. So many people give ‘bless your heart’ exercise/food suggestions. All I can do is smile, nod and agree. No one wants to hear the truth. I’d like a significant other but the age old ‘the guys I like don’t like me back’ syndrome is frustrating as well. While I’d like to be fitness-model perfect, it will never happen. Even within-my-BMI levels will never happen. But, I’m supposed to smile along with everyone, never telling my truth.
Plus, I’ve got what equals a 75% bilateral hearing loss in both hearing and speech discrimination meaning, I can neither hear nor understand people. People, by and large, talk with a soft mumble. Throw in background noise, ambient noise and mumbling, meeting people is a nightmare. Hearing aids only amplify–everything.
I’m an introvert as well (hello INTJ’s, we’re the rare 2% personality type (INTJs form just two percent of the population– it is often a challenge for them to find like-minded individuals who are able to keep up with their relentless intellectualism and chess-like maneuvering.) finding people with whom to connect is like trying to find the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
But still, I smile and nod.
Until next article,
Brick
Brick ONeil 