This week I’m working at my uncles’ shower business on RAGBRAI (the Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa). I’m also biking a small part of the week-long ride. I’ve abandoned my food sensitivity diet (more on that later) and am eating a gluten free and dairy free diet again. Eating this week has been a lot like what I eat when camping.
I love Colorado.
I love that the climate is a sunny and dry high desert which makes outdoor play extremely enjoyable. I love that the eastern range is a playground for adults. I love that the people of Colorado are friendly, outgoing and active. I love that Denver is a fun, culturally diverse city for people who love art, nature and especially the mountains. I love that you can get up at 4am in Denver and summit a mountain in Rocky Mountain National Park by 8am.
I have avoided restaurants for the past month because of the restrictions of my elimination diet, the LEAP Program. Since I am traveling this week I did venture out to restaurants twice. I am a fundraiser for higher education and I frequently meet alumni for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
I travel for a living. 30% of my working time is on the road. As you might imagine, this makes eating an elimination diet like the LEAP program exceptionally difficult. I’ve been in Denver for the last four days and trying to maintain my progress towards determining what I can and can’t eat. It has been a challenge, to say the least!
Baked potato with sauteed onions, zucchini and green pepper with fresh bartlett pears.
I would describe the last two weeks as a roller coaster. I have days when I am high on energy and feel great, and days when I am barely functional and sick. The LEAP program is a challenge and infinitely more difficult than any gluten or dairy free diet. But, despite the difficulty, I am optimistic that this is absolutely worth it. In the end, if I can identify all of my food sensitivities and mitigate reactions, I will ultimately be able to live a healthy, happy lifestyle without fear of eating.
Amaranth-breaded catfish and fresh melon pear salad.
It has been a frustrating nine months. When I first began to investigate the cause of my various health issues I believed my symptoms were caused by intolerance to gluten (wheat) and casein (dairy). What I have found is that my sensitivity to food is much more complicated than I originally thought.