Food Troubles.

This post could also be titled “More Than You Ever Wanted To Know About How I Eat.”

I have IBS. Or so my doctor told me six years ago when I explained my symptoms. She didn’t run any specific tests, but she said everything I was telling her pointed to that, so I should treat it like that and if it works, then that’s probably what I have.

So that’s how I’ve been living my life ever since. Only the IBS seemed to get worse over time. So I started doing more research about what I should be eating, and two months ago, I stumbled on the low-FODMAP diet.  On the one hand, I felt so validated–the foods that triggered my IBS suddenly made sense. On the other hand, I felt sad, because science was telling me foods I loved–and was still eating regularly–often triggered my IBS.

And yes, I should probably see a dietician (and I will, eventually), but since I’ve been following the advice from various medical websites and bloggers who adhere to low-FODMAP diets, my IBS has been much easier to manage. Occasionally, something will throw me for a loop, but it’s happening with less frequency.

Last weekend I went on a bit of a food bender. It was the last weekend of the musical, I didn’t want to cook or grocery shop, so I pretty much just ate whatever. And I felt lousy.

This weekend, instead of approaching Saturday and Sunday with a “whee-I-can-eat-all-the-things” mentality, I ate like I would during the week. And I was much more productive, happier, and healthier.

I know that most of my life I’ve used food to medicate my emotions. Yesterday a thought popped into my head that I can still use food to medicate, but in a much different way. If I don’t want to end up depending on Big Pharma to alleviate my symptoms, then I need to really learn and apply how food can be the good kind of medication for me.

I just wish bagels were still part of the formula.