I’m the first to admit it: I’m a difficult dinner guest to cook for. Catering meals that accommodate a wheat, dairy and nut-free diet can be a mammoth task for any host. But I’m not “fussy” or “picky” or any other simplified tag that the privileged who enjoy a food- intolerance-free life like to give us less fortunate.
I have very real gut issues that are triggered by food sensitivities, not to be confused with an allergy. I hadn’t fully comprehended the extent of the situation until a few months ago when it felt like my insides were under attack. I had shaken up my diet to include more lean meat, dairy and almonds to fuel a strength-training routine.
Within a week it felt like a covert operation was underway in my digestive system, creating gradual havoc, not to mention irregular menstrual cycles and acne.
Until then I had ignored suggestions to get a food intolerance test. Despite all the signs being there, who wants to be told gooey cheese, sunny-side-up eggs and almond butter are off the table?
In January, I took the blood test that has altered my entire lifestyle for the better, although it didn’t seem that way at first. I was tested against 221 food panels and, predictably, have a severe sensitivity to cow’s milk, almonds (cue uncontrollable weeping) and wheat (I was sure I couldn’t survive without wholewheat bread). That aside, I also have a weak hypersensitivity to lots of other things: spices, ginger, mint and, strangely, pomegranate. But those aren’t menacing unless I overeat. My first reaction to the results: I’ll just stick to air and water for sustenance. It was depressing, to say the least. Three months down the line and several food eliminations later, I’m singing a different tune. I’ve never felt and looked more healthy, my hormones are in check and my skin has cleared up considerably. I often get asked what I’ve been doing to bring about this change.
Cleaning up my diet was restrictive, took a lot of discipline and a great deal of trial and error. Here’s what I’ve learnt: don’t get bogged down by an intolerance test. I wouldn’t get it done for mild symptoms. Try an elimination diet instead, removing common culprits such as dairy, nuts or eggs for a while and then reintroducing them one at a time to monitor effect.
If something doesn’t agree with you, it’s not the end of the world. For every food group you are intolerant to, there is an alternative, one that is equally flavourful and often more nourishing. With UAE supermarkets and speciality shops now catering to common intolerances, all it takes is initial research and reading labels for food comparisons.
Don’t be embarrassed by your diet, either. I was, apologising for being “choosy” all the time. But like any choice, the one you’ve made must be respected.
Changing my diet these past months has actually made me more experimental with food. So, while it’s out with the almond butter on whole-wheat toast, it’s in with the maple-laced coconut butter on quinoa-flour flatbread.
aahmed@thenational.ae
