I have been reading a lot lately about diet, especially as it affects mood and mental health. One thing that seems apparent is that I should probably cut out dairy and eggs? I have been wondering about dairy, and to a lesser extent, eggs for years, really. I know that if it's something
you're really resistant to giving up, you're probably allergic to it, right?
Milk and milk products -- not for humans?
I have always felt I couldn't live without yogurt and cheese, and in the past, milk and ice cream (I've given up the latter two for the diet, and been ok). But on the other hand, yogurt, for one, is a great natural source of enzymes and probiotics, and at least the proteins are pre-digested. There are other ways to get probiotics -- coconut milk yogurt, for one -- but they are not as appetizing and not as satisfying, either. Not to mention the nutritional value of it. I mean, coconut milk tastes ok, but it has no protein and no calcium, either. However, I'm a blood type O, and that's supposed to mean dairy is bad for me. And I know I get thicker mucus when I consume it, even goat's milk dairy and even as yogurt. And after all, we're the only species that drinks the milk of another species (but we're the only one that wears clothes, too, and the only one that raises our own food -- other than ants). I actually am not even consuming much dairy these days, since milk and cream are not allowed on the SCD (specific carbohydrate diet) and I don't really care for the tart 24-hour fermented goat's milk yogurt I've been making (cow's milk yogurt gives me migraines, as does cow's milk aged cheese). Is that enough?
Eggs: the perfect food? Or the perfect allergen?
I can't imagine how I'd get by without eggs. They're full of protein, including all the essential amino acids. It's so easy to cook them, they keep so well, they have good fats in them, and they can be used to hold together stuff, like nut-based baked goods (since I can't do grains), and
custard-type foods (ah, dairy and eggs together!). Sigh. But they are one of the most common allergens and one of the first foods to try to eliminate to test for allergies. On the other hand, I don't get a strong physical craving for them the way I used to with ice cream or still do with nuts if I go a few days without them.
Nutso for nuts
Ah, nuts -- another food I can't seem to live without. I was just reading that nuts roasted at high temperatures should be avoided, because the high heat oxidizes the fats in them, and I've read elsewhere that most have a bad lysine to arginine ratio (whatever that means) and are high in omega 6 fatty acids, which should be limited for most people. And I definitely have addictive
type cravings to nuts, especially peanuts and almonds which I can't get enough of. So, we cut out nuts, eggs, and dairy, along with grains, and what's left?? Meat, veggies, and fruit?? That's no way to eat! Ack! I'd starve!
Leftovers - never again?
I forgot to mention, leftovers are also apparently very bad for you. I first
heard this from my homeopath over two years ago, who said I shouldn't be feeding
leftovers of any kind to my baby, because they had no nutritional value and were basically rotten. I guess that would include canned baby food, right, since it's not fresh? Funny, I thought not liking leftovers was just one of those picky kid things, like not liking liver or veggies. Well, it turns out they are full of molds, too, which feed candida albicans -- which ds and I definitely have in abundance. So, I'm supposed to throw away any food I don't consume immediately and eat only fresh fruits, veggies, and meats. Or, according to some anti-candida diets, avoid
fruits as well. So that leaves just fresh veggies and meats. (I don't even want to think of the anti-meat arguments).
Unrealistic dietary expectations
I would have to spend all of my waking hours at home in the kitchen, either cooking or preparing to cook, tons and tons of veggies and meats to get enough calories. That is, when I wasn't at the store, right? After all, if leftovers are bad, doesn't that mean day old lettuce is a no-no too? My
grocery bill would no doubt be over $1500 per month on such a diet, and I would have no time to do anything else. How on earth could anyone live like that? If I were rich, I'd hire a personal chef (or two or three!), and spend a ton on fresh foods, but what about the reality, poor me? Am I doomed to malnutrition and candida overgrowth? That's how I feel at this point. The only other way I could do it would be to move to a farm in a milk climate with a long growing season say, central California, and grow my own (but the air quality there is terrible, and land prices would prevent anyone but the wealthiest to buy land there). You can't win for losing, can you?
