I’m twenty-one days into a month-long elimination diet that forbids added sugar, grains, legumes, potatoes, alcohol, dairy or even goat or sheep milk/cheese. And it’s the hardest challenge I’ve undertaken to date in my ongoing eyesight-healing quest.
I knew I was addicted to food. Cheese-covered tater tots and pizza washed down by double IPAs had become part of my weekly stable, and I couldn’t start my day without my morning double-shot hemp mocha.
But I also know inflammation plays a huge role in RP and after trying and failing at similar cleaning diets in the past, I decided to force my way through this–to prove that I am stronger than my cravings, and to see what affect, it any, eliminating these foods from my diet would have on my eyesight.
Three weeks in, what I’ve learned is that I can do this– and that I feel better all the way around as a result. I can’t say that my eyesight has suddenly opened up, but I know that eliminating high-inflammatory foods and eating plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits are key to overall health—eyesight included. And the surprising part of all of this is that I’ve discovered that root vegetables actually have a purpose, and that there are plenty of great-tasting ways to put fruits and vegetables to work. A few examples:
- Spaghetti squash and zucchini both make great substitutes for pasta (this a definite keeper for my family).
- Soups are lifesavers, and there are plenty to choose from
- You can’t go wrong with smoked salmon and spinach
- Smoothies made of fresh berries, bananas and a splash of coconut milk satisfy any sweet tooth cravings
- Baked sweet potatoes fries rock
- Broccoli and onions scrambled with eggs makes a filling breakfast (the pic above is from our breakfast this morning)
I’m not saying I won’t incorporate some of the “no” foods back into my diet. But now that most of my cravings for the bad stuff have subsided, I know I’m going to steer clear of dairy and wheat, considerably limit my sugar and alcohol intake, and continue to explore recipes built around vegetables And the great news is that John, Sydney and Hannah are on board, too.
If I can do this, so can you. Don’t think about what you’re giving up. Think about what you’re gaining: health, empowerment and possible eyesight preservation.
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