Testing out a low chemical diet
After my week long series of migraines over Christmas, several of which I know to be triggered by msg in foods I wasn't suspecting, I decided to give the Failsafe elimination diet a proper go and see what comes of it. I have been avoiding additives for a while now (no artificial colours, flavours, preservatives or msg) and have seen some success (or rather seen some obvious negative consequences when I lapse). In addition to that I have been going to the gym 3 times a week with the goal of over all health, wellbeing and longevity. Still, I haven't been seeing as much of an improvement as I had hoped in terms of my energy levels and and, um, wellness.
So I have decided to try the full elimination diet as developed by the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital allergy unit. The basic premise is that in addition to noxious food additives that are finding there way into most processed foods there are a whole lot of natural food chemicals found in fresh foods as well that people can be sensitive to. The build up of these chemicals can cause a host of both physical and mental/emotional/behavioral reactions. The natural chemicals groups that cause common sensitivities are salicylates, amines and glutamates (natural msg) and they are found in varying levels in different foods. For the first month I will be eating a very strict low chemical diet, followed by trials of adding in foods that are high in one of the particular chemicals at a time and observing to see if there is any reaction.
So far I have been on the low chemical diet for just over a week (started new years day) and I am finding it not as hard to follow as I first thought it would be. I am quite surprised at the many different ways that you can cook the limited selection of foods. The biggest restriction is fruit, on the diet you are only permitted to have pears, which have to be peeled, and can be tinned as long as they are in syrup and not in juice.
As far as symptoms go I am feeling quite good compared to the last few months, emotionally very stable, and physically slightly less tired. Definitely sleeping better, and the tinnitus and gooeyness in my ears seems to be improving. Probably one of the biggest changes I have noticed is that I have stopped getting 'restless legs' at night time - a feeling like I need my legs don't want to be still, like I need to shake them or stretch or flex them, but no amount of stretching changes it and the rest of me has no energy, so it is not like I could go for a run or something to try and shake the feeling out - it makes it very hard to get to sleep sometimes.
So far it is looking good, but I am willing to accept that this could also be because of other factors, such as less stress post Christmas, or feeling good because I am getting work on my PhD done etc, and also I had a session of acupuncture done just before new year that may be contributing. I guess the telling things will be how lasting the results are and if symptoms reappear during the trials.
So I have decided to try the full elimination diet as developed by the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital allergy unit. The basic premise is that in addition to noxious food additives that are finding there way into most processed foods there are a whole lot of natural food chemicals found in fresh foods as well that people can be sensitive to. The build up of these chemicals can cause a host of both physical and mental/emotional/behavioral reactions. The natural chemicals groups that cause common sensitivities are salicylates, amines and glutamates (natural msg) and they are found in varying levels in different foods. For the first month I will be eating a very strict low chemical diet, followed by trials of adding in foods that are high in one of the particular chemicals at a time and observing to see if there is any reaction.
So far I have been on the low chemical diet for just over a week (started new years day) and I am finding it not as hard to follow as I first thought it would be. I am quite surprised at the many different ways that you can cook the limited selection of foods. The biggest restriction is fruit, on the diet you are only permitted to have pears, which have to be peeled, and can be tinned as long as they are in syrup and not in juice.
As far as symptoms go I am feeling quite good compared to the last few months, emotionally very stable, and physically slightly less tired. Definitely sleeping better, and the tinnitus and gooeyness in my ears seems to be improving. Probably one of the biggest changes I have noticed is that I have stopped getting 'restless legs' at night time - a feeling like I need my legs don't want to be still, like I need to shake them or stretch or flex them, but no amount of stretching changes it and the rest of me has no energy, so it is not like I could go for a run or something to try and shake the feeling out - it makes it very hard to get to sleep sometimes.
So far it is looking good, but I am willing to accept that this could also be because of other factors, such as less stress post Christmas, or feeling good because I am getting work on my PhD done etc, and also I had a session of acupuncture done just before new year that may be contributing. I guess the telling things will be how lasting the results are and if symptoms reappear during the trials.