After dealing with a full blown sweating, painful food allergy attack, and laying in bed in between bathroom and water trips, I decided to get out of bed and be a food detective to figure what bothered my stomach so much. I cleaned, researched, did laundry all while watching "The Great Gatsby" on television. More about that later...
After a night of cheese enchiladas, chicken quesadilla's and ice cream, then pizza for lunch, my body was not happy. I was getting a sever pain under my ribcage every hour. I literally had to hold my stomach when I laughed or moved too much. I came home from and lets just say I was unable to 'hold on' to any food that I was trying to eat. I even tried chicken broth, to no avail.
Now I'm not saying I'm lactose intolerant or have celiac (which genetically runs in the family), but I do love cheese. I put cheese on everything. In college I put Tostito's queso on hot pockets and frozen burritos. What can I say, I'm dedicated? Some people like sweets, I want a slice of Gruyere melted on toast. Could cheese be my new nemesis? I've already switched to almond milk, just in case.
As I get older it's probably time to start reflecting on what I do eat and what helps my body run properly. I have found ways to cut out processed and canned foods, which means I eat a little more organically, without the added cost of buying organic labels, I might add. I drink plenty of water, a necessity in Houston.
I've already learned what red meat does to me. We already know they've linked it to obesity, arthritis and hypertension. When I eat it I feel sluggish and, although to some it may sound melodramatic I can literally feel it in my stomach for a while after I eat it. We just don't work red meat and I. With all the infected turkey going around I've switched to chicken as my main source of protein.
I like coffee and consistently have one mug a day; no sugar, just non-dairy creamer. Everything I read says coffee raises stress levels and contributes to weight gain. I could try and give up coffee, there are some mornings where I'm not particularly interested in it, so maybe that's a sign I don't really need it. I can try tea or a hot breakfast.
I guess I'll be taking a culinary journey in nutrition and health.
As I sat home nursing my stomach, I ran across "The Great Gatsby". I read the book a few years ago and found it all style and mood, with no real plot or meaning. I figured this was the tone Fitzgerald wanted and I grew to be satisfied with the emptiness of the characters. The movie however is all style and no substance. You never get to the internal of all these decadent people. For all their talking and emoting you never truly understand their motives are. The casting is key when style is the main operation. Robert Redford and Mia Farrow play the romance perfectly, but it's an empty venture, they never click together for us. I won't say I was disappointed, in fact the movie I watched was exactly how I felt about the book; a deep, distant appreciation. Here's hoping the new Baz Luhrmann version can balance the style and the gravitas!
