Diet overhaul

Dietary changes recommended by a local acupuncturist have resulted in me feeling a whole lot better.

A few weeks ago, I was told to make the following dietary changes: no dairy, no sugar and no wheat.

Many people questioned the satisfaction of those changes and asked, “What will you eat?”

Let me say making those changes was hard at first, and I really had to watch what I ate. I started reading labels and went back to eating basic foods - nothing prepackaged or not made from scratch.

If the ingredients listed wheat or sugar, I couldn’t eat it. I also avoided all drinks and foods made with dairy.

So what am I eating? I have been eating lots of fruits, vegetables, eggs, fish, meats, nuts, oats, gluten-free, and corn-based products.

I did find gluten-free breads in the freezer section of the grocery store that don’t contain sugar, wheat or dairy. That was exciting and they taste great, but are pricey.

By the way, the breads are made with tapioca flour, peach, pear and pineapple juice.

I am using healthy cooking oils instead of butter, almond or coconut milk in place of cow’s milk, vegenaise rather than mayonnaise, and balsamic vinegar in homemade dressings rather than bottled balsamic vinaigrette.

I am also drinking lots of water.

The hardest part is dining out. There are not many restaurants that don’t have those three ingredients in all of their food. So for the most part, I have avoided going to restaurants or I order a salad and no soda.

Some people would be against cutting these foods out of their diet, but if you are not feeling your best, maybe you have a food allergy or sensitivity.

It’s only been a few weeks, and the health benefits have already outweighed the “lack of those foods.”

I do not get the major headaches I use to get daily, and rarely take headache medicine anymore.

I am not getting stomach aches, my aches and pains are gone, and I no longer get heartburn after eating.

So overall I feel so much better and have even lost weight.