For three weeks, we eliminated all alcohol, sugar, caffeine, gluten, dairy, red meat, and most carbohydrates and foods known to trigger allergic reactions; we also took supplements to ensure that we were getting the nutrients we needed. The first few days of headaches and fatigue were difficult, but we soon adjusted to the restrictions and were rewarded by radically improved elimination, increased energy, and surprising weight loss. We then began adding some foods back into our diet. In the process, I discovered that I have problems with gluten and milk, so I now avoid them, although I can eat yogurt, cheese, and bread made with spelt instead of white flour. I use soy and nut milks and have developed a blend of gluten-free flours for baking. We allow ourselves one or two coffees a day, red meat once a week, a martini on Friday night, and a shared bottle of good wine on the weekend. We have eliminated white sugar completely, sweetening with stevia and occasionally honey or maple syrup. We eat far less starch than we used to and buy organic whenever possible.
Five months into this new way of healthier eating, Laurent has lost about 35 pounds and I about 25 pounds. Thanks to reduced toxins, his skin has improved, as has my eye inflammation and sinus congestion. My recent liver scan was completely normal as was my blood work, with triglycerides reduced by half and liver enzymes well within normal range. I no longer need to take a statin for cholesterol, and the doctor told both of us not to lose too much more weight: we’ve never heard that before!
Our change of lifestyle has literally changed our bodies, and we’re determined to stay on this healthier road. Now, instead of walking to the bakery to buy bread and drool over chocolates, I go to the nearby green grocery store (épicerie)
to buy colorful and healthy fruits and vegetables, our new comfort foods. Laurent’s garden supplies seasonal abundance: we currently have rhubarb, raspberries, rainbow chard, lettuce, cucumbers, and way too many zucchini. Luckily, creamy zucchini soup is delicious served cold in the summer, a close cousin to vichyssoise.
We finally changed our lifestyle and are living proof that what we choose to eat and drink determines how we look, feel, and function. At last, we have choosen health. Which doesn’t mean I won’t really enjoy my martini on Friday night.
