I didn’t realize how bad I felt until I stopped feeling bad all the time. Recently I found out it was both the air I breath and the foods I ate that were putting me in a constant state of allergic reaction. These allergies were wearing me down like a river slowly carving through stone. Sadly, this had an impact not only my physical health but on mental and emotional as well. Luckily I’ve been able to turn everything around with a little diligence and foresight.
Growing up I was always a healthy, normal kid. I played sports year round and even continued into college. Keeping physically fit was part of my regular lifestyle. But as I got older I kept feeling worse and worse. Tired? I just assumed my constant state of exhaustion was a byproduct of getting older and not exercising as much (or at all at times). I didn’t know I was trapped in a viscous cycle: Allergies left me feeling too tired to exercise. Eating “healthy” and I was consuming more foods that I was allergic too leaving me too tired to exercise.
It was a slow accumulation over years. Looking back I see symptoms that didn’t seem out of the ordinary but were actually early warning signs. Frequent bathroom breaks. Heat rashes in the summer. Sinus issues galore; pressure, pain, stuffiness. My teeth would hurt from so much sinus pressure and pain. Most days I couldn’t breath through my nose at all. Regular headaches. Hyper sensitivity to perfumes and any “chemical smell.” Sick all the time. Flu like symptoms. Intestinal issues. You name it and I suffered from it year round.
Then there was the foggy head. Irritable, short-tempered, slow to process. Most days I didn’t feel like all my pistons were firing. I was miserable and not the person I knew. Irritable and depressed when I had only reason to be thankful.
I know! I’ll eat healthy!
Surely eating better will start to turn things around. After all, I’m not a teenager anymore and can eat whatever I want with no ill effects. Lean proteins, fruits, veggies. Those were the staples of my diet. Boy was I wrong. Turns out I ate something I was allergic to at every snack or meal. Further compounding all my previous miseries.
The Diagnosis
I mentioned it in passing to my doctor during my annual physical. He, in turn, sent me to an ENT. 6 months of allergy meds and a trip to his allergist and this is where my health begins to turn around.
A simple allergy test reveals I’m allergic to pretty much everything: dust, cats, grasses, pollen. But what was most interesting was the correlation between environmental allergies and food sensitivity or intolerance. My allergist gave me a list of foods to avoid based on my environmental allergens.
I’m allergic to all the foods I love. Mammals are the tastiest creatures: beef, pork, lamb. All things I have to avoid. No more steak or greasy burgers. No more bacon, prosciutto, chirizo, or pork loin. No more lamb chops or leg of lamb.
Apples, pears, strawberries? Nope. Nope. And Nope.
Eggs? No more hard boiled eggs or egg muffin tin cups.
Carrots. Who knew? I do know they don’t like me.
The road to recovery
I immediately avoided all the foods she gave me and within a few days to a week noticed an improvement. I wasn’t as tired. Was able to breath easier. I bought a vacuum cleaner with a hepa filter and started to wake up being able to breath clearly for the first time since I don’t know when.
I’m still on the road to recovery but feeling better every day. Ok, I feel better every day I take care of myself. I watch what I eat but still give myself a cheat meal about once a week.
Weekly allergy shots have made a huge difference too. Now, some of my worst days with a sinus headache would have been a welcome reprieve just a few years ago. Most days I don’t have any issues.
Granted I’m still tired but I’m also a bit older and out of shape in comparison to my youth. But with a strong foundation in eating right I’m turning that around too.
I struggled to cross the finish line at a half marathon earlier this year. I was able to train and finish before I started any allergy treatment. Who knows? Now that I’m feeling like a normal human I might actually enjoy the next race.
All Things Dave 