introduction to me

Firstly a little bit of context. I am intolerant - I mean food intolerant. I have a lot of food related allergies and intolerances that are ridiculously specific with some very strange effects. The list of things I can eat is much shorter than the list I can't eat. So I decided to create this blog to help explore the world of food, its effects on me, and get some ideas from anyone about what I can do about it, or what I could eat instead! Also I want to create a channel that also shares my good food experiences too!

So what's the difference between a food allergy and a food intolerance? Well, in my language, allergies mean I can't eat them ever because the side effects are super bad. Intolerances mean I could eat them once or twice a week and the side effects are just not great.

What happens to me? Well the side effects of eating bad food really vary depending on what it was, but it will usually be one or more of the following:

• serious bloating
• overnight or rapid weight gain (1-2kilos)
• random red blotches on my face
• itchiness and rashes
• hyper sensitive skin
• constipation and/or diarrhea
  
• lethargy
• headaches and migraines
  
• severe depression
• erratic uncontrollable anger & short tempered-ness
• irrational thought process

Now I know that some of these sound like normal female traits, but there is a notable difference and everything seems a bit not quite right when I eat something bad.

So ever since I found out about this, I have spent every day experimenting with food. I like to think I'm quite diligent about it - but that could just be the scientist in me (or the ocd coming out). I have to try foods individually and as a combination with other things. Let me tell you it’s not a trivial process – but it is definitely consistent and definitely repeatable.

Basically I have to start with a good safe baseline, which basically means eating my staple foods of chicken and potato. Once I’m sure nothing crazy is happening to my body, I pick a specific food, and I try it for a week. On the first day I eat it. On the second day I wait and see if anything happens. If not, I try eating it again. This continues until either something happens, or I get to the end of the week. It’s really exciting celebration when I find something new I can eat. But more often than not I get to about day 2 or 3 and I have to stop eating everything interesting and go back to chicken and potatoes until I’m better again. Tedious I know. I am completely open to any suggestions.