or evil. It all depends on your perspective.
[WARNING: This post may have TMI for some]
I have never had a finicky stomach, in actual fact, I can pretty much eat anything and not have it bother me. After years of boarding school, university and my first few years of enduring my own cooking, that was a good thing!
Those days are gone.
Over the past five weeks I've been having terrible pains: up-all-night, writhing-and-retching, almost-as-bad-as-childbirth pain which required me to pass out to sleep. I know I could have, and probably should have, gone to the doctor but I'm a bit stubborn and I was determined to find the cause myself. (It turns out, I did exactly what my doctor would have told me to do anyway - process of elimination).
The source of my pain:
Marble cheese. The reality? All cheese.
I have to say this makes me terribly sad. Now that I've read everything there is to read on cheese allergies, it may be the answer to a number of my recent health issues. Only time will tell. I will miss my Oka and my Brie, but I may welcome more comfort and less bloat. Fingers crossed!
So to all of you who have enquired as to my health (especially over on Facebook where I've been whining the most), thank you! I think I finally have it figured out. I appreciate your notes, your advice and your encouragement.
* * * * *
On another topic entirely, in answer to my plea posed on my September in Review, the lovely Becky from San Diego sent me a note suggesting I pick up some Emu Oil. Huh?
So I did.
So far it's working. And a bonus for me is that it is working on clearing up my psoriasis, too. (I know, we're a collection of medical annoyances!) I've also picked up some aqueaous cream suggested by Amy. Some how we'll manage to get this beat. My poor girl can't even sleep with the pain of it all. In case you are not aware: teenagers who do not get sleep are CRANKY.
* * * * *
I'm taking some advice from a girlfriend (thanks, Elaine) based on a lunch conversation we had a couple of weeks back. The fact is, over the last six months or more I've been doing a lot of healthy eating and healthy exercise and still not losing any weight. In actual fact, I have been gaining. My only indulgence - cheese - has recently been eliminated! I've endured a number of tests (thyroid) and though the tests all come out "normal" I continue to wonder.
Some years back I switched to Kosher and Sea salt in my kitchen. I don't add salt to my food and my girlfriend pointed out that there's a pretty good chance that my iodine levels are bad and that would effect my thyroid.
Hmm.
Now, admittedly, neither of us have vast medical knowlege; but I'm thinking this might be an avenue to pursue. Who knows.
* * * * *
So there ends the summary of my current battles! If you know or can further my knowlege of cheese allergies, eczema/psoriasis or benefits of iodine in any way, let me know!
