The last week has been pretty rubbish and made me consider, no, decide on a complete lifestyle change.
I have felt like utter crap, suffering from constant ‘oh my feckin’ god’ stomach ache, heartburn and stomach acid that feels like it’s burning a hole through my windpipe.
All in all, I’ve felt pretty wiped out.
If I’m honest I’ve been experiencing these symptoms for around two years, just not as frequent or severe, and I could usually pinpoint it back to pizza dough.
But, unfortunately for a bread loving mother-toaster, it’s looking like it’s a gluten thing.
A bowl of pasta almost finished me off following Tuesday night’s dinner, the last time I experienced stomach pain like that was when my appendix burst.
Things have got to change, and change quickly.
The first steps towards my lifestyle change
Changing my diet
I’ve been doing Slimming World for about a year now and I’ve lost quite a bit of weight, but as they’ll tell you in group, it’s not a diet and neither is what I’m about to embark on to be fair, but it is a completely different lifestyle so I’ll be taking some time away for now.
After doing the Dukan Diet a few times over the years I know there’s no doubt about it, I’ll definitely lose weight.
However, giving birth to a rugby ball after being unable to ‘go’ for two weeks isn’t something I’m looking to jump into again – I mean like seriously!
Obviously, gluten was the first thing to go, and for once the thought of going without bread didn’t bring me out in hives and hot sweats.
Funny how a little thing like it rendering you crippled in agony can do for your willpower isn’t it?
I’m currently eating a high protein, low carb type diet.
I actually did two days just pure protein when the stomach cramps were particularly bad, but as mentioned above, no good comes from that in the long term.
The stomach aches have become less and less since I cut out gluten, so I think it’s safe to say we have the culprit.
Needless to say, alcohol consumption has been reduced to once a week, having a few too many during the week is becoming a habit that needs shaking, and let’s face it, it’s no good when you’re having issues with your stomach.
I need to exercise more
Apart from power walking everywhere, which is just something I naturally do and has had nothing to do with health reasons, I don’t indulge in any sort of exercise.
I’m on my feet all day running my cafe, but that’s where it ends.
Inspired by my friend and fellow blogger Lynn of Mrs Mummy Penny, I’m going to get off my arse and start doing some regular exercise.
I’m not a personal trainer sort of guy myself, I’m not particularly keen on getting told what to do, I’m a lone wolf when it comes to training, I’ve done it before and I’ll do it again!
My OCD habits have been insane since the cafe came along, it’s another thing to worry about and there is no doubt that exercise helps with mental health issues.
I’m starting with some jogging and I’ll work my way up from there.
If you see a wheezing, panting, purple bloke shuffle past you it could be me so give me a nod.
Final word
I’ve undertook some hardcore dietary regimes over the years with my only thought being about how good I looked, this time it’s all about how good I feel.
It’s time I took my health a little bit more seriously, this week was an eye opener of what life will be like if I don’t, and believe me there is no bigger motivation.
As always, I’ll be attempting this lifestyle change spending as close to sweet FA as possible!
Thinking Thrifty
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Oh well done you. You have to start with the mind, and you’ve done that..hurrah. Gluten does sounds like the culprit, have you also considered acid? Food like strawberries and tomatoes used to affect me (my gall bladder!) too. I went extreme clean for 1 months and cut out 7 things, alcohol, caffeine, red meat, sugar, gluten, dairy, acid. Hardcore but oh my gosh if you look at me last July/Aug my skin is glowing. And I dropped all that internal body fat around the organs that you cant see.
Anyhow’s well done. Running is great. Its free (apart from get decent trainers and a good sports bra – ladies;-)).
David, as a long term fellow sufferer, I’d really urge you to go see a doctor about this one (and insist they have a look inside your stomach and check for the bacteria that causes ulcers). You may have a number of conditions and stomach is important…Apart from that, gluten has become the thing on which we blame it all; however, there are these things called ‘fodmaps’ that are different and account for most of stomach problems (google it; there is also an app to help change of diet).
Good luck and thinking of you.
I’m going today, it’s back with a vengeance today so I you’re right, it’s something I need to go and get checked out, especially as my brother suffers from ulcerative colitis, praying this isn’t a family trait!
Well done for doing the most difficult bit which is deciding to change things around! I am a Health coach and blog about health and healthy recipes, you might be interested. If you need any help you know where to find me Good luck
Thanks Mira! I’ll defo be checking out your recipes!
David, my mom has full blown celiac disease and was diagnosed 15 yrs ago when we were scratching our heads over this. I am gluten sensitive! I stay far away from it or else I become like you did. and lack of energy to follow and a few more issues. I LOVE bread, so I have learned to replace with gluten-free.
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Strange how it can blow up isn’t it. Pizza dough has been causing it for about 2 years in varying degrees, but recently pretty much everything with it in is making me feel pretty ill. I’m in the doctors tomorrow, we’ll see what they say!
At least you were able to figure out for yourself what it was. Now you’ll be able to go without gluten, and, at least, now is a much better time to do so as they make almost anything gluten-free these days. Hope you’ll adjust to this quickly and manage to go through with the exercise as well. 🙂
I’m at the doctors tomorrow and I know they would say cut gluten and dairy first so I’ve preempted it. Still a few cramps, but nowhere hear as bad in all honesty!
Poor you suffering from all of that – heartburn alone is horrible. But well done on taking positive steps to try and help it, hope the lifestyle changes work for you.
Yeah I can’t go on like this so things need to change quickly!
Sorry you’ve been feeling so under the weather! I really think gluten can have so many bad effects on your body. I definitely feel better when I don’t eat it although I do give in sometimes….thankfully there are lots of products around now, wheat and gluten free bread isn’t quite the same but at least there are options! good luck with it all x
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Thank Tiffany. The doctor seems to think it is more likely to be bad bacteria than an intolerance which would be easily treatable. Fingers crossed!!
Good luck with the food changes, tough avoiding bread etc if you’re a big fan but hopefully you’ll feel so much better! On the exercise side, have you come across Couch to 5K? It’s an NHS 9-week running programme via podcasts or an app which is designed to take real couch potatoes (like me) and get them to running for 30 minutes straight. Can’t recommend it highly enough as a thrifty way to exercise.
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Thanks Faith, this sounds really interesting I’ll give it a look. The doctor thinks I have dodgy bacteria, which is easily treatable if so and means I don’t have to cut out the things I love!
I started doing this, but slipped back. I need to get back into it.
Good for you and good luck on your lifestyle changes! It will be awesome!
Melissa Jellie recently posted…I Tried LipSense For The First Time and Here’s What Happened
My stomach has completely disappeared inside a week. I can’t believe the difference!
Wowzers, sounds like you’ve been having a horrible time of it. My brother is coeliac and he had similar symptoms to yourself prior to diagnosis
Gluten is in many things that you don’t expect, so if you end up having to avoid it, three lots of label reading to be done.
If it’s bacteria, not so bad. Either way, look after yourself, we only get one body
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Fingers crossed it’s a bacteria, I’m too busy for an intolerance lol! It is better since I started to cut down on gluten related foods, I’m keeping it low carb too and although it’s still there it’s nowhere near as bad!