{How This Blog Became Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free and Mostly Vegan } What Next?

Update June 2010 on How This Blog Became Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free and Mostly Vegan – I had originally named this series the Detox Diet Diaries, but my experience with these changes in my diet, while incredibly positive, has made me decide I really do not like the concept of  a detox diet.   It is ironic in that the diet my naturopath put me on was incredibly helpful, and a year later, it has become clear I have non-Celiac gluten intolerance, as well as a strong dairy intolerance.  I continue to avoid all dairy and gluten, as well as other problematic foods such as corn, but have grown to really dislike the concept of “detox” – the term promotes the concept of a quick fix, which is just nonsensical.  I firmly believe that the vast improvements in my health are based on the long-term changes I made, and want my posts on the experience to convey this.        
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So I have recounted my first 12 weeks on the detox diet.  I don’ t know about you, but I am kind of losing interest in reading about it.  You see, I live it every day, so writing about it is, well, less fun. Plus it makes me focus more than I would like on the diet and when I focus on it, the diet feels more restrictive.  

So too much thinking about it is not fun.  Especially since I will be on it until early December when I get a bunch of tests done for other health issues I have (which the detox diet should help).  Only once I get the results of those tests, do I get to go back to trying more of the eliminated foods and do the food allergy testing. 

So it really no longer makes sense to give you all a week-by-week update, especially since not much is changing in term of what I can eat.  But, while my eating is pretty much status quo for another couple of months, there have been changes.  Here is where I am at at 16 weeks on this diet:


* no more afternoon slumps
* heartburn has gone from 3-4 times a week to 3-4 episodes in almost 4 months
* I lost 13 pounds {to be fair, I did keep an eye on my calories, but that was to make sure I stayed in a healthy range, despite eating a lot of vegetables, and  I was also not actively dieting and I never went hungry}
* I eat 7-9 servings of fruits and vegetables a day instead of the 4-5 I used to eat before the diet
* I have developed a taste for kale smoothies {plus I find it motivating a smoothie can easily be 4 servings of fruits/vegetables on its own)
*marked increased energy and focus


So is it worth it? When I look at a list like the one above, it seems worth it, but on a day-to-day basis, the diet just feels restrictive when I think about it too much.  Most days I try not to think about it and focus on the food I am eating, which is tasty.  In the long run, though, I honestly need a little more flexibility for my eating to make things easier.  My trip last month really reminded me of that. 


I will be sure to check in again regarding this topic later in the fall.  In the meantime, I am thinking of starting a series of posts on balance and wellness in general, rather than in the context of a detox diet, mainly because I know so many of you wonderful readers are interested in the topic.  And what better time to start something new with a new season starting next week.


Thank you, very much, for all your thoughtful comments and questions as I shared my journey.  And once there are more news to tell on the subject (hopefully by year-end) I will post an update.