"I would DIE if I couldn't eat cheese..."

That is the comment I got from a kid making me a burrito last year (when I was only off of milk & soy). . I wasn't new to food restrictions, so it didn't bother me as much as it might have. I could have replied, "
Really? Are you sure? Because I used to think that, and I haven't died yet..." but I didn't. I shrugged, smiled and said it's not necessary. We waaay overcheese things.

I think it's really important to be careful of how one speaks to those who can't eat certain foods, especially when it's not by choice. I didn't choose for me or my baby to have food intolerances. I prayed for self-control and God gave me food intolerances. I am thankful for these intolerances, because I have put into practice traditional eating/food prep that is healthy, delicious, and good for my family and me. I am thankful to now be at a healthy weight, to look and feel good, even being told I have a "glow". I am thankful that I am now modeling healthy habits for our growing children in a country where healthy habits are appallingly lacking. I am thankful that I get to share how the Lord has blessed me, and the way I eat and look at food, now with others. Almost everytime I'm with people who knew me 56lbs ago, I get asked how I did it. I've written before about attitude. I choose to have a good attitude about my restrictions. It can be really hard sometimes, when everyone around me is eating brownies (a former favorite) or pizza or I smell the nacho cheese food dip on the salad bar. I have hissy fits about it sometimes, when I am focusing on myself and not on God's will for my life. I have a wonderful friend who I text for encouragement and she also reminds me of why I don't eat certain things. I used to have bad GI tract problems. I'd have diarrhea, stomach pain, bad gas that felt like knives, felt icky, greasy skin, and lots of other stuff I don't remember right now or have blocked out. I would have to take Imodium AD if I wanted to eat something greasy, like french fries or onion rings. There was a nagging thought in the back of my mind that if my body was reacting this way and I had to take a drug to counteract the reaction, it probably wasn't the best idea.

So, please be careful how you speak to those who are restricted with their food. It can be really hard to see people eating things you used to love. It is also important for those of us who are restricted to have a good attitude about our restrictions and find new things we love to eat. I've made chocolate cupcakes (when I could have chocolate, lol), now I make Vanilla Bean Cake (yum!) and Cherry Smoothies. I eat  humanely raised beef and free range local eggs! Coconut Oil is not only the healthiest oil, imo, it's decidedly a treat to eat!