My Journey Back to Health

I am embarking on a whole new adventure in my eating and lifestyle. No gluten, dairy, eggs, HFCS, sugar, processed foods or fried foods... well, at least for the next 7 days.

Here is my story:

Back in November 2008 I took a blood test to find potential allergens. I was having several allergic type reactions to foods I was eating and unless I went on an elimination diet, I didn't feel better. I wanted to pinpoint what foods were causing me problems and when the results returned, it was confirmed.
Wheat
Dairy
Eggs
Yeast
Kidney beans
Pinto beans
The doctor said it is a small list, and the sensitivity number didn't come back as high as he had seen on other patients, but for me, it was the beginning of a whole new journey.
Now finding out these results in November posed a problem for me knowing that Thanksgiving and Christmas were right around the corner and it would be really difficult to refrain from eating the foe foods. So I watched it, and suffered a bit, but managed to get through the holidays armed with the knowledge that at least I knew the reason why I was feeling so bad all the time.
After the holidays, I did an 8 week elimination diet, excluding all of MY problem foods. I felt great, my problems, which we mainly digestive in nature, seemingly went away without a hitch. I was feeling so good about my problems, that I began to let the foe foods creep their way back into my life. Slowly at first, but with more frequency and quantity.
Before I know it, I had a rash around my neck, a ring, that would not go away. It started under my favorite chain, sterling silver, which is not supposed to cause reactions in people, but this rash got bigger and it burned and itched. Nothing I did would take it away so i resorted to one of my nemisis in life, the conventional doctor. Friendly enough, yes, but before I could finish my "I'm fine, thank you," retort to his, "Hello, how are we today?" He had two prescriptions written for steroid creams and was out the door.
Reluctently, I filled my steroids and dutifully applied my cream, know how bad it was for my body but not being able to face the rash one more day. Within a week, it was cleared up and I went on my life again without a hitch.
That lasted until May, when my body brought me back down in flames.

Stay tuned for the conclusion tomorrow...