Went to the Co-op today. Gazed longingly at the Woolwich Goat's Milk Brie in the round wooden box, remembering my hedonistic past - simple, indulgent meals with said Brie playing the leading role, accompanied by a fresh loaf of French bread, and a split of my favorite champagne.
Unfortunately for me, those days are over - at least for awhile. A month? 6 months? A year? Don't know how long. Don't want to know how long it will be before I can dig my teeth into a chunk of triple creme heaven and feel the crunch of golden crust between my teeth while I pause a moment to let the flavors meld together before washing it down with a glass of Veuve Cliquot. Am I destined now to be in some kind of foodie rehab? Did I just join some kind of gustatory nunnery? What in the hell am I going to eat now? No cheese? No bread? NO BUTTER!!!!??
After all those years of looking down on people who ate forbidden foods after having a triple by-pass or judging the diabetic guiltily wolfing down a huge slice of Death by Chocolate cake, I finally understand. Seems simple to the outsider to say, well, what's the big deal? If you'll live a longer, better life by changing your diet, why wouldn't you? What is so hard about it? Would you RATHER another episode of having your chest cracked open? Why are you being such a wimp about it?
Now it seems, I am in their shoes. Now I get it. It IS a big deal to change your diet so dramatically. It is NO fun to go to a party and watch everyone else eating and drinking while you have to find a way to politely turn down all the offerings your host or hostess worked so hard to prepare. But the alternative is to be sick all the time. To have health problems that just keep getting worse and worse every year. To feel like you are in a prison because you have to be careful about everything that touches your lips or the air you breathe or the perfume on the friend you are hugging. So I went looking for answers.
After rounds of office visits to every allergist, naturopath, hydrocolon therapist, cardiologist, and every other ist you can think of, after pouring thousands of dollars into that supplement program or this miracle pill or that miracle treatment, and after 15 years of suffering from increasing health problems including multiple allergic reactions, I finally found someone who gave me some answers.
Only thing was, part of me didn't really want to hear those answers. My wellness doc looked at me and I knew what was coming. Heavy sigh. I can't remember exactly how she put it, but the gist was this: part of my health problems stemmed from food intolerances. (Not food allergies, food intolerances. Google it if you want to know more.) I'd need to give up all gluten and dairy to start with. Here's where I'd normally include an expletive or two, but I'll spare you.
Kill me now, I told my friend Becky later. Before that dark day, my definition of the 4 food groups was meat, butter, dairy and bread. Sure, I knew I should eat more veggies. I even knew I should juice dark leafy greens and eat lots of salads. But when push came to shove, more often than not, I gravitated towards fettucine alfredo, chicken swimming in vermouth sauce, or some butter/wine reduction of one kind or another, accompanied with lots of yummy bread and some decent wine to wash it down. And don't forget dessert! Coffee icecream or pot de creme were my two favorites.
So I have two choices. I can look at this journey into a gluten free/dairy free world as a prison sentence, or I can look at it as a new adventure in learning how to create meals that are delicious and healthy without depriving my hedonistic taste buds. I choose adventure. For those of you on the same journey, I welcome your company, your recipes, tips and yes, even your gripe sessions. Tell me all about how much you miss Coldstone Creamery coffee icecream with chocolate shavings. It's okay. I will listen for awhile, then I'll send you a new recipe I've found for Coconut Chocolate Ice cream. It's really good. I swear on my Brie lovin' soul.
Unfortunately for me, those days are over - at least for awhile. A month? 6 months? A year? Don't know how long. Don't want to know how long it will be before I can dig my teeth into a chunk of triple creme heaven and feel the crunch of golden crust between my teeth while I pause a moment to let the flavors meld together before washing it down with a glass of Veuve Cliquot. Am I destined now to be in some kind of foodie rehab? Did I just join some kind of gustatory nunnery? What in the hell am I going to eat now? No cheese? No bread? NO BUTTER!!!!??
After all those years of looking down on people who ate forbidden foods after having a triple by-pass or judging the diabetic guiltily wolfing down a huge slice of Death by Chocolate cake, I finally understand. Seems simple to the outsider to say, well, what's the big deal? If you'll live a longer, better life by changing your diet, why wouldn't you? What is so hard about it? Would you RATHER another episode of having your chest cracked open? Why are you being such a wimp about it?
Now it seems, I am in their shoes. Now I get it. It IS a big deal to change your diet so dramatically. It is NO fun to go to a party and watch everyone else eating and drinking while you have to find a way to politely turn down all the offerings your host or hostess worked so hard to prepare. But the alternative is to be sick all the time. To have health problems that just keep getting worse and worse every year. To feel like you are in a prison because you have to be careful about everything that touches your lips or the air you breathe or the perfume on the friend you are hugging. So I went looking for answers.
After rounds of office visits to every allergist, naturopath, hydrocolon therapist, cardiologist, and every other ist you can think of, after pouring thousands of dollars into that supplement program or this miracle pill or that miracle treatment, and after 15 years of suffering from increasing health problems including multiple allergic reactions, I finally found someone who gave me some answers.
Only thing was, part of me didn't really want to hear those answers. My wellness doc looked at me and I knew what was coming. Heavy sigh. I can't remember exactly how she put it, but the gist was this: part of my health problems stemmed from food intolerances. (Not food allergies, food intolerances. Google it if you want to know more.) I'd need to give up all gluten and dairy to start with. Here's where I'd normally include an expletive or two, but I'll spare you.
Kill me now, I told my friend Becky later. Before that dark day, my definition of the 4 food groups was meat, butter, dairy and bread. Sure, I knew I should eat more veggies. I even knew I should juice dark leafy greens and eat lots of salads. But when push came to shove, more often than not, I gravitated towards fettucine alfredo, chicken swimming in vermouth sauce, or some butter/wine reduction of one kind or another, accompanied with lots of yummy bread and some decent wine to wash it down. And don't forget dessert! Coffee icecream or pot de creme were my two favorites.
So I have two choices. I can look at this journey into a gluten free/dairy free world as a prison sentence, or I can look at it as a new adventure in learning how to create meals that are delicious and healthy without depriving my hedonistic taste buds. I choose adventure. For those of you on the same journey, I welcome your company, your recipes, tips and yes, even your gripe sessions. Tell me all about how much you miss Coldstone Creamery coffee icecream with chocolate shavings. It's okay. I will listen for awhile, then I'll send you a new recipe I've found for Coconut Chocolate Ice cream. It's really good. I swear on my Brie lovin' soul.
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