Lupus and Gut Health: Food Sensitivities Patterns Part 2

Today, we're talking about the patterns that emerge, for better or worse, as we navigate our food sensitivities over in here at Gorman Headquarters. Have you ever changed your diet or modified your eating habits in order to improve your health? Was it doctor-directed? Or self-imposed? Did you learn anything from the experience? 

Often times, we learn that the food eliminated isn't the culprit - it's actually something else altogether. While frustrating, this process of elimination technically gets you closer to the end you're seeking. But getting there can be so hard. Here are two other trends that we're seeing as all four of us are eliminating foods or beverages. I'll number them 3 and 4 since this is officially a part two!   

3) Searching for answers stinks.  

I wrote about this in a recent post, but I don't think it can be overstated. Searching for answers, trying to pinpoint a culprit, decoding our body's signals - they all take an inordinate combination of patience and determination. My daughter is about to start a topical for her skin, and we're just bracing ourselves for the rollercoaster that comes with these creams. Seven to ten days of reaction, another seven days to calm down and adjust, and then several weeks to see if it works. This two to six week process can be trying, but considering that she's tried a handful of other topicals before, enduring the same lengthy process, I can see why it's become a hopeless game of "wait and see". This can happen when we start any new treatment. Is this the one that will finally work? Will it make my symptoms worse? Or will it be a dud just like the others? All the unknowns, on repeat. 

When you try treatment after treatment, you see the disheartening and frustrating pattern emerge. Is it possible for us to see it as a means to an end, or at least focus on the process? This leads me to #4...

4) What works for me might not work for you

This is always a tough one. It's tough to acknowledge, and it's difficult to understand. But bottom line -even if a medicine, supplement, or food regimen works beautifully for one person, it might not work for another. Even within our own family of four, we see different results, despite the same sensitivity. So instead of the treatment or accommodation itself, we try to focus on principles - whatever is being tried, give it time and attention. More specifically, focus on patience, awareness, and consistency, or PAC.  

When you're patient, you allow the treatment to work its magic. Just as I mentioned above, sometimes it can take weeks before you see any results. Setting yourself up for the wait time is key. 

I was super proud of my daughter, because as we were debating whether to start the topical mentioned above, she had calculated the seven to ten days of reaction time to coincide with her spring break. She was preparing to be patient, to allow the medicine to work, and had strategically factored in the time it would need. She would ride out the effects of the medication at home, during her break. Smart and patient! 

Being aware is also key. When you're tuned in to the signals your body is sending, you can catch reactions, both positive and negative, fast. You can also assign blame easier - when you're watching for triggers and tuned into your symptoms, you don't miss what exacerbates them. Nor do you miss what makes them better. 

For instance, I tried to ignore that stress at work was impacting my flares years ago. But after this one vacation abroad, I couldn't deny the connection. I remember boarding the plan to leave, hobbling and in pain, due to terrible joint pain and swelling. By the end of the third day of the trip, without a cell phone, without email, without any tether to work, my lupus symptoms had all but gone away. That was one piece of undeniable evidence, but here was the kicker. On the way home from vacation, I boarded the plane, feeling fantastic. I was sure the renewal would last. But by the time the plane touched down on the other end, after I had spent time outlining and planning for my return to the office the next day, all of my joint pain returned. It was like a flip switched in my body. I've never forgotten it all these years later. 

Staying consistent is probably my favorite secret weapon when it comes to health and wellness. Whether you're testing a new medication or trying to avoid a food, if you're consistent, the results won't lie. Either you'll see benefits, or you won't. You won't be able to make excuses for the results you go or why the medicine isn't working. Consistency is the way to ensure a meaningful outcome. Even if the treatment isn't the answer, you can say that you gave it the necessary time and attention to work, and when it didn't, you can very confidently put it into that latter category.