Almost two weeks have passed since I began an elimination diet. For nearly a fortnight I’ve eaten no grains, no diary and no sugar. Things have changed and mostly for better.
The itching is gone. The bloating is gone. The gas is mostly gone. My liver doesn’t feel heavy and full. I’ve sacrificed the enjoyment of eating many of the foods I love but I’ve gotten something back in return. I feel healthy, light on my feet, and not a step behind like I used to.
Still, I haven’t made a complete conversion. I do look at those unhealthy foods with a sense of loss sometimes. I look at peanut butter and think, “Wish I could have some of that right about now.” I see signs for restaurants and think, “Man, I’d sure love a burger and fries right about now.”Sweets still get me too. A trip to Dairy Queen for a Blizzard would really hit the spot. Seems the healthier I get, the less I’m affected by those cravings, but they’re still there.
Let Him Eat Cake…
Case in point, we recently celebrated the 5th Anniversary of our son’s adoption finalization. It was great day, capped off by our neighbors stopping over for cake. I’d decided not to have cake as a final test during my two week elimination diet. Things went well for a while as I helped Jennifer serve the neighbor kids and their parents. I allowed the temptation to get the best of me, though. I had a piece of the amazing cake we’d purchased for this special occasion.
It was, without exaggeration, the best cake I’ve ever eaten. I’m convinced this had nothing to do with it being the first sweet food I’d eaten in two weeks. It was just that good. I ate the piece and decided not to dwell on it. An hour later, the power of the gluten and sugar had taken hold. I found myself going into the fridge to nibble on the remainder of the cake.
After that, the itches came. My chest and my arms were irritated the rest of the night and into the next day. Then came the gas. In a way, it felt like I’d gone right back to square one. The cake was awesome but I was paying dearly for it.
I Was Itching To Learn A Valuable Lesson
What did I learn from this experience? Well, there were negatives and positives to take away. The negative, quite obviously, was that I still have a ways to go in my quest to effectively deal with temptation. I’ve resisted the call of many unhealthy foods this past two weeks but, when the cake was right in front of me, I was unable to say “No.”
The positive, however, was the knowledge that my itching and gas issues were directly related to the ingredients in that cake. The gluten and sugar combined into a dangerous cocktail triggering an allergic reaction. I can’t think of a better learning experience about the power of food and how it can affect my health so quickly. There’s never been a better reason to steer clear of cake.
What I experienced has a very close relationship to the process of confession, repentance and avoidance of future sin. I admitted I had done things that were unhealthy, I forgave myself for hurting myself through my own actions, and I resolved not to do it again. Being human, I inevitably failed again. For that failure, I experienced the consequences of physical discomfort and mental stress. I again took responsibility for what I’d done and resolved to get back on track.
I know this is not the last time I will fall down but I also know it’s not the last time I will pick myself up and begin again. With the Holy Spirit by my side, I’m back my elimination diet. I’m getting the rest of the gluten and sugar worked out of my system and back on track enjoying natural foods with no grain, dairy, or sugar. I’ll let you know how I’m doing a bit further down the road.
Question: When have you fallen off track and resumed a bad habit? What did you learn from the experience?