So remember when I thought I was allergic to soy? Well it hasn't been ruled out because I am still waiting for allergy tests (I asked my doctor to refer me in December 2011, he finally referred me in February, and my appointment is at the end of September 2012--ridiculous? YES!), but I don't think it is soy. I THOUGHT it might be soy because I had some reactions whenever I drank a soy protein shake but months later I think I figured it out. I can't have caffeine!
I was shopping at a bulk foods store with my mom and she bought some chocolate covered jujubes. I ate 3 and was in pain. My first thought was, "Chocolate has soy." NO! Chocolate has caffeine. I was putting instant coffee into my protein shakes. Iced tea gave me the same reaction. Tea as well. Hmm...coffee, tea, chocolate all have caffeine, not soy! Then yesterday I baked my mom's birthday cake and made a gorgeous chocolate buttercream frosting and decided to try out my theory again. I had a teeny tiny bit of icing on my finger, licked it, and was in instant pain (although far less and for a very short time compared to when I drank a latte!).
No chocolate? I love chocolate. Even "caffeine free" isn't really caffeine free, so no more tea or coffee either! Life isn't fair.
The beautiful (and apparently yummy) vanilla cupcakes with chocolate buttercream frosting I made for my mom's birthday.
Yesterday I posted about the 10K Step Challenge I signed up for and it began today. I set the pedometer on my dresser so I wouldn't forget to clip it on in the morning, like I did yesterday.
I woke up at 6:30, well I hit snooze and then got up at 6:40 a.m., and began my day. I didn't think to clip on the pedometer first thing but probably should have. I went up and down the stairs probably 5 times, walked back and forth from the bathroom to my "dressing room" (really just our guest room near the bathroom where I do my hair and make up) about 30 times and that was all before 8:00!
So at 8:00 when I got dressed for work I clipped on the pedometer. I was almost at 1000 steps before 9:00 when school officially starts. I was shocked when I checked it for the first time.
I had a lot of questions about the pedometer (by both staff and students), but the kids really liked the idea. They are used to me ranting about healthy habits everyday so this wasn't weird to them at all. Maybe I even inspired some of them? It amazes me the influence I have over them and I try my best to promote good life choices. I am especially proud of about 3/4 of my students who bring a water bottle to school everyday (and having 24 students 3/4 is a big success!) because they see me drinking out of my cup all of the time. Most of the girls have even bought (or asked for as a gift) a cup just like mine!
I hit 10 000 steps around noon.
At 9:00 when I finally called the day done and jumped in the shower and put my pjs on the pedometer read 20 726 steps or 9.79 miles walked today. Now I will lay here on the couch until bed....I think my feet deserve it.
While checking out Facebook tonight, I came across the link to a friend's blog (10kstepcrew) and read that she wants to get more active. This is something we have discussed before, and being the fitness/health freak that I've lately turned into I got excited! She decided to dust off her pedometer and count her steps each day. This is something I have always wondered myself...I know I walk ALOT (I am a teacher after all) but have no idea how many steps I take.
Of course I signed up. Luckily my dad owns a pedometer that I can borrow. The challenge starts Friday, April 20. I'm starting tomorrow! I can't wait to see how many steps I take.
I love a challenge!
Well I reluctantly did it.
I went back to my doctor.
I hadn't heard anything from the clinic about my complaint, but my mom talked to her doctor about my situation (AGAIN) and her doctor told her that she would talk to my doctor. Okay.
So on Friday at noon I went for an appointment to once again discuss being sent for allergy tests. This time my doctor said okay. He asked a lot of questions about my symptoms, triggers, etc. Then he took my blood pressure, pulse, asked more questions, and felt my glands- then said "I feel something". I proceeded to explain about the pain I feel in my jaw and how my chiropractor diagnosed me with TMJ and how since my jaw is now aligned properly but I am still in some pain that it may have something to do with the nerves instead of the joint/muscle. I was a little frustrated since I had tried to tell him about the jaw pain last month and he brushed it off saying I have a cold.
But this time he listened. He also asked if my mom was a patient of Dr. S and I knew he had connected the dots! She had talked to him about me.
So ONE HOUR later I walked out of his office with an allergist referral, a whole page of lab work that I need to get done, plus instructions to make an appointment for a complete physical. Normally he kicks me out after wasting my 15 minute appointment time typing what I tell him into the computer. This time he actually listened to me and went back into my file history to find out the whole story.
Then as I was leaving I was asked to stop by the Clinic Manager's office to speak to her. She asked how my appointment went and if I was satisfied with the doctor today. "Ding ding ding", the bells went off in my head. She must have spoke to him as well, since I had called her twice and left messages about switching doctors.
So thanks to my mom speaking with her doctor I feel a bit better about the whole situation, and that my doctor is going to make more of an effort to figure out what the heck is going on with my body! What would I do without my mom?
Yesterday I called the Clinic to make a doctor appointment because it has been a month since I last saw Dr. "A" and a lot of my symptoms that I originally had in May/June are back since I've stopped talking Nexium in December. I decided to stop the medication because I had some really bad side effects to it that my husband pointed out to me. I hadn't really connected my aches and pains and reactions to the pill I took everyday, but luckily my husband looked at the package and suggested I stop. Of course he was right.
So I called and requested an appointment with a doctor that just moved back to town and whom I was a patient of before he left the first time. I had inquired about seeing him back in December as soon as I heard he was coming back and was told it wouldn't be a problem. Then in January I asked 3 times if I could get on his patient list but was told each time that they weren't booking appointments for him until February. February 2nd I called to make an appointment with him and "he is not taking any more clients. His client list is full." WHAT? How is that possible? You weren't booking appointments until February. Then I find out from a friend that he will be her new doctor and got to see him at the end of January.
Fine. I'm pissed but fine. I request to see a different doctor then. I am then told that there are no other doctors taking new patients. I will have to see my regular doctor. My response to that was, "I refuse to see that idiot ever again." Then I'm told that there is nothing else they can do for me.
Fine. I'm even more pissed but I calmly ask to speak to the person in charge. Of course she isn't available. I leave a few numbers that she can reach me at, but still haven't had a call from her. I'll try calling again Monday, but will not be giving up. I am sure I have the right to a second opinion and health care. I refuse to see the doctor who for 8 months has told me I have anxiety and a cold. 8 months of pain, food documenting, weird allergic reactions, cutting out almost all foods, total life changes...I would think that 8 months would be enough time for a doctor to find something, but besides a few blood tests he has done nothing. (More on his incompetencies later) Something is wrong, and I am not going to let this go on for a full year.
So in January I decided to make an appointment with a Naturopath to see if someone else had any ideas of what is going on with me. I traveled 4 hours, since that is the closest Naturopath to our town.
I liked that both the Naturopath and the Nutritionist spent about an hour with me listening to "my story" and asking questions. They couldn't believe all of the things going on with my health! Unfortunately they suggested I go back to my doctor to get referred for some more tests that hadn't been done yet. My doctor isn't likely to send me for these tests since that wouldn't fit in with his Anxiety diagnosis. Or his "you have a cold" diagnosis either.
Then I spent an hour with the Nutritionist alone. Since my diet is pretty strict and clean already there weren't many changes I need to make, but she did request that I cut gluten out for a month to see if there are any changes in how I feel. So in addition to not being able to eat red meat, pork, tomatoes, and soy now I can't eat any grains! No bread, flours, pasta, rice, corn, cornstach! The list for gluten is almost as huge as soy!
Today is 1 week gluten free....I can't say I've noticed any changes in how I feel. I am craving bread. Or my aunt's homemade scones. Or a cookie. Just sayin...
So besides not eating beef, pork, and tomatoes I also had some really bad reactions around Christmas that I attributed to the protein powder I was using, which was made of mostly soy. So I cut out soy from my diet, which is easier said than done. Do you know how many items contain soy? Pretty much everything that comes in a package, box, can, bottle, or jar.
Chocolate, bread, salad dressing, soup, salsa...I challenge you to read a package and NOT find soy or a soy derivative on the ingredients list. And it might not say soy. It could say:
Bean curd
Bean sprouts
Edamame (fresh soybeans)
Kinako
Miso (fermented soybean paste)
Natto
Nimame
Okara
Shoyu
Soy sauce
Soya
Soybean (curds, granules)
Tamari
Tempeh
Tofu (dofu, kori-dofu)
Yuba
AND ingredients on a label are not always recognizable as soy. These ingredients are created from soy that has been processed in some way:
- Hydrolyzed soy protein (HSP)
- Mono- and di-glycerides
- MSG (monosodium glutamate)
- Soy (albumin, cheese, fiber, grits, milk, nuts, sprouts, yogurt, ice cream, pasta)
- Soy lecithin (see above)
- Soy protein (concentrate, hydrolyzed, isolate)
- Soybean oil (see above)
- Teriyaki sauce
- Textured vegetable protein (TVP)
AND these ingredients may or may not contain soy. You need to call the manufacturer of the product of interest to find out the source of the ingredient. Which I spent hours phoning and e-mailing my favorite products to make sure they were safe.
- Bulking agent
- Hydrolyzed plant protein (HPP) or hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP)
- Gum arabic
- Guar gum
- Lecithin
- Mixed tocopherols
- Natural flavoring
- Stabilizer
- Thickener
- Vegetable gum, starch, shortening, or oil
- Vitamin E
PLUS these foods often contain soy. You should be extra cautious about eating these foods if you are unable to get a complete ingredient list.
- Asian cuisine (Korean, Japanese, Thai, Chinese, etc.)
- Baked goods and baking mixes
- Bouillon cubes
- Candy
- Cereal
- Chicken (raw or cooked) that is processed with chicken broth
- Chicken broth
- Chocolate
- Deli meats
- Energy bars, nutrition bars
- Imitation dairy foods, such as soy milks, vegan cheese, or vegan ice cream
- Infant formula
- Margarine
- Mayonnaise
- Meat products with fillers, for example, burgers or sausages
- Nutrition supplements (vitamins)
- Peanut butter and peanut butter substitutes
- Protein powders
- Sauces, gravies, and soups
- Smoothies
- Vegetable broth
- Vegetarian meat substitutes: veggie burgers, imitation chicken patties, imitation lunch meats, imitation bacon bits, etc.
So soy is out. I eat fresh fruit and vegetables, bread, plain yogurt, greek yogurt, fish, chicken, turkey, olive oil and balsamic vinegar on my salad., I only use butter, olive oil, and canola oil when I cook. Pickles and olives are safe (check the label). I bake my own treats-muffins, cupcakes, etc.
I still haven't mentioned soaps, shampoos, lotions, chapstick...the list goes on and soy is in everything! Ugh.
I always feel like the "About Me" section doesn't really tell much about the blogger and since you are taking the time to read my posts you should know who I am and why I'm blogging in the first place.
First of all, I've taken up blogging from a personal viewpoint because I am beyond frustrated with my life at the moment. I blog as a teacher in my classroom but that is much different.
Here's the story...
About 8 months ago (June 2011) I started to feel unwell. I had stomach pains, chest pains, numbness in my leg and arm...I just felt awful. Several trips to the ER and doctor, an EKG, ultrasound, blood tests and nothing turned up. There is no reason for me to feel this way. My doctor pegged me as "anxious". Now to people who know me, yes I am an intense, determined, can get stressed out but can handle it type of person who gives 100% all the time, but not anxious. I wanted a second opinion. But in my town you can't see a different doctor if you already have a doctor.
I drove 4 hours to see a new doctor. She listened to my symptoms, sent me for more bloodwork, and prescribed antidepressants right off the bat. SERIOUSLY? I am not depressed either.
I was so frustrated. How did I go from being a healthy person who ate "clean", worked out an average of 6 days a week, had just usual work stress in my life, was newly married (as of July 31, 2010), and happy to someone in so much pain? I'm not a doctor (in fact I am a teacher) but I just didn't think it was anxiety or depression, but yes, after seeing 2 doctors and going to the ER and seeing 2 other doctors and no one knowing what was wrong was making me anxious! No one knew what was wrong but they liked to guess. Anxiety, depression, an ulcer, GERD. I tested negative to H. pylory (a bacteria that causes an ulcer) and they never tested me for GERD or any other digestive problems either, but decided to put me on medication for it.
So I started food journaling. I wrote down everything I ate and drank as well as how I felt everyday. And I felt miserable. It got to the point where I didn't want to eat anything because it caused me pain. Eventually I saw which foods caused me the most pain and stopped eating them. Beef, tomatoes, pork, and anything acidic.
I went back to the doctor again and told him that my symptoms were related to food. No, he wanted me to see a therapist to deal with my anxiety. I wanted to yell at him, "YOU are causing me anxiety! But my issues are not from anxiety!"
So here we are, 8 months later. Still food journaling and still feeling unwell. This blog is a way for me to vent my medical frustrations, share some of my research, share recipes, and try to convince myself that everything will be OK.
