I just wanted to stop and take a minute to thank you all for sticking around. I know that this blog is fairly new, and for a while I was successfully able to pump out about 2 new posts per week. To those of you who read, shared, and reacted to those posts – your feedback and support has been greatly appreciated. However, as of late you’ll notice that my posting frequency significantly dropped. I didn’t get bored and I didn’t get lazy… rather, I had to take a moment to reevaluate what I knew about my health.
It started in the tail end of summer. I was swimming with some friends when, BAM!, water in the ear. I have dysfunctional ears, so this water never came out and ended up festering its way into a full blown ear and sinus infection. I tried to wait it out but eventually wore down and went to the doctor, where I was prescribed antibiotics. Well, I had an abnormal reaction to the antibiotics and while the infection went away, a whole new crop of medical issues popped up in the aftermath. I was always nauseous and tired, with the taste of bile constantly coating my throat and a mystery pain in my abdomen.
After a few tests, we weren’t able to find anything conclusive in terms of a diagnosis. The current suspicion is a combination of IBS/GERD, which we’re experimentally treating with a total diet overhaul and daily antacids. If this doesn’t solve the problem, it’ll be back for more labwork.
This hasn’t necessarily hindered my everyday life. I can still go to work and take care of my daily tasks. But it’s drastically changed my diet (now following a low-FODMAP plan wherever possible) and caused a stop gap in my fitness routines… which has really put me at pause in terms of my blog writing.
Where once I had tried to limit my dairy and meat intake, I now have a diet chock-full of probiotic yogurt and bland chicken. I used to love all fresh fruit and vegetables, but now I’m avoiding high-sugar and acidic produce like apples and tomatoes. There’s also a constant battle between the IBS and GERD diets. Foods that are low-FODMAP may not necessary be non-acidic and vice-versa. Meal planning has become a real chore. Likewise, all of my fitness progress has been reset since it’s been a few months since I’ve hit the gym. I’m essentially back to square one in my training.
The good news is, I’m not abandoning this blog. I enjoy writing too much to let the blog slide while I figure all this out. There may be hiccups along the way, but it’s important to keep looking forward. This is just, more or less, an update and a heads up that some of the focus of the blog will shift a bit. I’ll be sharing different types of recipes (still healthy, but focused on low-FODMAP/acid where possible) and my workout posts will target a beginner level as I get re-started. I hope you’ll all continue to stay on this journey with me – I’m always glad that you’re here!
If you have any low-FODMAP or GERD-focused tips/tricks/recipes, please reach out on Instagram, Twitter, or in the comments below!
Diary of a Healthy Nerd 