An Argument Against Processed Foods.

Yesterday I went to McDonald’s. I have been to several in my life, and until I was 25 years old, it never bothered me. Then I started to get sick. Food poisoning sick. I would do nothing new all day except eat McDonald’s. I even went to several different locations in case it WAS food poisoning. But the next 10 times, without fail, I would eat McDonald’s and about 30 mins to an hour later it would start. I would feel awful,  my stomach churning around. A little while later it would feel like I ate a bag of broken glass. And then! Oh, for the next 4-6 hours I would spend my time running back and forth from the bathroom, either puking  or with debilitating diarrhea. My stomach would puff out, as if I had swallowed a large balloon. I would look pregnant and feel sick. Sweats, puking or diarrhea, gassy and extremely bloated. This is the effect McDonald’s has on me, even the salads!! Including yesterday. I felt like I was going to puke. My stomach was so sore and puffed out it made it hard to lay down and sleep that night. I was on my back but it was too much pressure on it, and on my side was pure pain and not comfortable. Any pressure on my stomach from the mattress was unbearable and made me feel as if I would puke.

I immediately blamed the bread, the oil they cook in, the amount of fat, and milk additives in the food. Bread, red meat and milk are enemies, dontcha know? But then I began to think about it. Even on days when we don’t eat meat (we believe in having a balance between having vegetarian and meat based meals in our home), dairy or bread I still have times where my stomach feels like crap and I am running back and forth from the bathroom. My stomach has become extremely sensitive in the last few years. It seems to take very little to cause heartburn, cramping or diarrhea. I need to remedy this. So if it’s probably not dairy it must be something else…

Another reason I blamed dairy and gluten was the dance camp I went to this summer . I didn’t drink milk while there; only tea, coffee or water. I ate spelt grain baking only and all of the food was locally grown and made from scratch. I was under the impression spelt grain doesn’t have gluten, but it does. It’s just a lesser amount. It is a completely different grain than wheat, but it still contains gluten. So I blamed dairy , but casually thinking about the days past, I don’t think that’s it.

I believe it is all the dyes, additives, preservatives and things-I-can’t-pronounce ingredients in food. I must have an allergy or aversion to one of the thousand things added to pre-packaged food to preserve it or make it pretty or what have you. Perhaps I am allergic to the most common red dye like others? Dance camp cook Melissa never used pre-packaged food while cooking for us. She made her stocks from scratch, chopped her organic, locally grown, pesticide free vegetables, etc…If we had a cream based soup it would not come from a can, but would be fresh vegetables and a homemade cream sauce. I think this is what made the largest difference. I ate meat while there, but healthily fed and raised before it was served.

I don’t think it’s the meat. I think we are made and built and meant to eat meat, but not every day- two or three times a week or maybe once a week. Maybe for some it’s the wheat or the milk or the steaks but I don’t believe that’s true in my case.( I actually think it’s the additives or preservatives added  to store bought bread etc which are causing our aversion to these foods anyway… Or for some of us at least.)

So what am I gonna do? Make more from scratch and whole foods.  Plan out weekly meals so I’m prepared and there is no “I didn’t have time!” excuse. We have bought a share in a local farm to get fresh vegetables and herbs delivered to us. They are a pesticide and everything else free farm so I know it’s just pure veg and nothing added. I am going to keep a food journal to pinpoint what bothers me, hopefully. I am sick of being bloated and feeling like crap, with no energy and a crappy stomach. Onward Ho!!!!