Why I'm Doing This.

So I know a lot of people think that this whole "anti-elimination diet" is a little odd. Believe me, I did, too.

Did. Because I had something happen last night that might have validated this whole situation.

Last night, I ate at Zoe's Kitchen. Thinking that as long as I steered clear of the feta, white beans, and hummus, I would be fine.

I ordered steak kabobs, rice pilaf (vegan), and roasted veggies. It was absolutely delicious and I was glad I had found something I thought I could eat there that wasn't lettuce. (Not a fan of salads, I'd rather not pay $12 for hamster food if I don't have to.)

Not even 10 minutes after finishing my meal, I started feeling a headache coming on. The exact same feeling I've had for months before I started this diet. I was so sad and wasn't sure what was causing it, so a friend suggested I look up the ingredients in the marinade. Sure enough, there was soy sauce in it.

I am 100% positive that's what caused my headache. Here's why: It's the only thing I've eaten that I didn't ask the chefs what was on it before ordering and the only thing I ate in the last few days that I didn't cook myself.

Last night, besides my head hurting, my stomach hurt and I had acid reflux, and I slept like crap. Today, I feel exhausted and I still have a mild headache, almost like a hangover, but I'm hoping with a couple of days of clean eating I'll be back to feeling better.

You guys, I have been a long-time skeptic of the importance of what I put in my body, but I'm starting to believe this could be the answer to my issues.

I will continue this diet for now, and after next week I can start *SLOWLY* trying things that my doctor told me to avoid at first to see what may or may not be causing the headaches/migraines.

So far, I think soy/msg is the #1 culprit. Coming close behind I think is gluten. As for the other allergens, I'm not sure if any of them cause problems, but for now, I'm going to steer clear. It's not worth going back to the constant pain just for something that I crave but is not good for my health.