An apple a day...

This is probably an overshare on blog. Oh well.
I have stomach problems.
And I've had stomach problems since 2002. If you eat with me, you may be aware of my sensitivity. Sometimes I can go for weeks/months without even remembering I have issues. Other times it's like everytime I eat. In high school the only problem I had to deal with was stomach cramps after I downed a huge 44 oz Cherry Limade from Sonic. (ahh...I remember those days... I love that drink!!) - and I would still drink it even though I knew the after effects. Although, I haven't had that drink for years now. Then around college I'd just get stomach cramps if I went out to eat. Like Cafe Rio or anywhere basically. Then the stomach issues hit HARD on the mission. Dang those darn member dinners!! Who knew that sister missionaries sometimes dreaded the famous member dinners?? Well, actually MOST of us did. I could go on and on about that... But maybe this will sufice (Nope - I did go on and on below! Sorry...) - Since a lot of Elders can eat like there's no tomorrow, members got the impression that missionaries needed the "Thanksgiving dinner" every dinner appt!! Just recall how you feel after you gorge out on so much food and then try to eat dessert too. And try to fit that all into 45 min - inbetween running from appt to appt. And I was stuck sitting in a car all day - no exercise! And if you already have stomach issues - these dinners really didn't help. I'd have wanted a salad or fruit, veggies, and perishables that we didn't have time to buy or cook. But I absolutely HATED desserts and usually avoided them at all costs. I could sometimes get away with not eating them at members if I told them I couldn't eat sugar or something random. That would help. And I'd see the Mission doctor who'd give us Prilosec or something. But usually we'd be fed TONS of food and sometimes (especially the Latinos) would fill our plates for us and give us 2nds, etc. And pile on the dessert which we'd stuff in our face so as we wouldn't offend. And then - the rest of the night - I'd DIE. Really - stomach cramps, bloating, throw up, you know the rest.... Anyway, coming back from the mission I learned how to really control these episodes a lot. (Granted, I was pretty strange when I came back - I promised to never feed my kids desserts, the microwave was an enemy, I only ate fresh produce if I could, I had veggie shakes and stuff...) But sometimes I still have stomach issues. And I don't know what's causing it.
Once I told a doctor - but he said I'd have to have blood work done and tests and tests and it probably wouldn't help - and that I just needed to recognize what my stomach didn't like and to avoid those foods. Yeah, great advice. Plus - blood work? No thank you! Well, today I have a new food to avoid...
APPLES
Isn't the saying - an apple a day will keep the doctor away? Well, that's funny. And actually I do usually eat an apple everyday - for lunch at work. But today, was not the day for apples I guess. Strange that most days I'm fine, but every once in awhile - I die. And maybe it was because I had hot chocolate before the apple... Sometimes I think it's when I mix food or have too much sugar or fatty acidic food. My theories change a lot, but here's the most promising diagnoses that I have given myself mostly:
- Fatty acid/sugar break down problem
- Colitis
- Food intolerance (not allergy) - to dairy or gluten or food additives/preservatives
- Irritable bowl syndrome
- Acid reflux
- Stress - i think this makes it better or worse depending on how stressed I am...
That's basically the list. And I don't know if I'll ever take my mom's advice and really get this checked out. Until it gets BAD, I think I'll just deal. And probably continue to eat apples since they are supposed to keep me away from my doctor. And that was probably a weird fluke occurance...or probably really the fatty greasy cookies I had yesterday that also gave my stomach some trouble. Yeah, that's probably it. Didn't you all want to hear about my random stomach problems??? No?? Sorry! Next post - will be better - promise!