Upon waking one morning not long ago, I found the skin on my cheeks to be inflamed with rough and reddish patches of what looks like some sort of rash. ” Great”, I thought. ” I have a new client to meet in a hour. Fabulous.” What could have caused this overnight skin reaction? Oh, I don’t know, probably gluten. Maybe it was the dairy and possibly even the eggs….of the vanilla creme doughnut I ate yesterday.
This is how I started my morning. Now to be clear, the doughnut was a treat for being very strict with my diet since returning from Costa Rica. It was just one little treat that might have bothered my stomach, but I honestly didn’t see it being painted on my face the following morning. Yet this is what can happen when you’re sensitive to certain foods, as I am. We tend to think that you’ll only end up with some digestive distress that will pass with time, however the reality is it can be a crap-shot as to how your body will react to consuming something on your “avoid list.” I periodically get this cheek rash, but never connected it with what I was eating until this incident.
In the grand scheme of things, it’s rather inconvenient for anyone to always maintain a strict clean diet, especially if you’ve got a busy life. So its not entirely uncommon to ‘cheat’ thinking that no one will know how badly the food affects you. Yet, truthfully that not the most accurate picture one can paint about food sensitivities. In fact, most people believe that symptoms non-digestive in nature are completely unrelated to what they’re eating. Think again. Food is a foreign substance, just like drugs. There can be side effects, but unfortunately Mother Nature doesn’t provided any enclosed paperwork disclosing every potential side effect that could mess up your body’s homostasis (natural balance). Mind you, I’m not saying that food and drugs are the same because they aren’t. However, they can and do affect the the body in varying ways depending on your own unique situation and background.
Even non-digestive issues such as acne, psoriasis, anxiety, depression, headaches & migraines, foggy thinking, fatigue, arthritis and asthma can be a consequence of a sensitivity. The list of potential ‘side effects’ is actually longer than this, but these are a few that are non-digestive in nature. It is worth considering what you could be doing to your body if you are, in fact, sensitive to something. Long-term consumption can lead to all sorts of problems and poor health-holes that you probably would rather not stumble into. I know from experience personally from struggling with IBS-like symptoms for many years of my adult life, chronic headaches, exhaustion, skin issues, and almost 20 lbs of extra stubborn weight that was actually systemic inflammation. Plus, I work with clients who suffer from many of the same issues and have spent an incredible amount of time feeling sick as they bounce from doctor to doctor with no answers to show. Though standard Western medicine doesn’t always have the best approach to these sort of problems, there are clear steps available for everyone to take that can redirect the body back towards good health.
As a certified health coach, I work with clients to make progressive changes in both diet and lifestyle based around individual goals. Clients learn how to incorporate in new nutritious foods and cooking techniques which will support their unique health situation. We work together to help you to understand food labels, feel comfortable at the grocery store, cleanse your pantry of ‘bad’ food, release old “bad” food habits with ease, and actually become creative and confident in the kitchen. All of this helps clients transition from foods which were causing all these chronic health problems to those that now enable and support good digestive health and general wellness.
For further information about my services, articles, recipes and events, visit my website Evolving Well. You may also contact me at (484) 682-2008 or jenfugo@gmail.com.