Healthy Choices

Like many people, I have an on-again-off-again relationship with healthy eating. I am only slightly into the "overweight" category, according to my Body Mass Index, and my doctor has advised that I try to lose a few pounds... really, about 10 would bring me within my healthy BMI. Most of us don't have chefs and personal trainers on call 24/7 (I'm looking at you, Oprah), so any weight loss can be a challenge. In the first year I was doing well, only to have Thanksgiving/Christmas/All-Inclusive Vacation/New Years foil that in one fell swoop. While I didn't go all the way back up to my Wedding Weight (I was actually my absolute heaviest around that time, just what every bride wants!) I had almost undone everything I worked that year to achieve.

I have been coming up with every excuse in the book... We are moving, we are unpacking, I just started a new job, we are still adjusting to our schedules, I have a sewing project and don't have time to work out today. 

My latest challenge has come in the form of allergies.... I found out several years ago that raw peas made my mouth itch. So, with sadness, I had to say goodbye to that summer snack. The next summer, watermelon and most other melons joined the raw peas. 

Last year, after my doctor gave me the orders to lower my blood pressure and cholesterol, I found almonds (good for lowering cholesterol) caused an itch in my mouth too. My daily crunchies had to leave. 

Last week, in another attempt to find something to fill that need to munch all day, raw carrots decided to wage war on my tongue. This reminded me of the time last summer when my in-laws gave me some fresh carrots from their garden, and one bite of this super fresh picked yesterday goodness set my mouth on fire. 

Cooked versions of these vegetables cause no issue, only the raw kind, and the fresher they are the worse it is. This latest occurrence with the carrots had my mouth tingling for several hours. I only seem to get a local reaction, isolated to my lips and tongue.

This prompted me to do a little searching, and I found something called Oral Allergy Syndrome. This is found in people who are allergic to pollen and suffer from hay fever. These people will suffer from itchy mouths when they eat certain raw fruits and vegetables, but the cooked versions are fine. This is because the allergen is destroyed by heat. The body recognises the allergen in the food as looking very similar to the allergen in the pollen, and gets confused. This causes a histamine reaction. In severe cases it can cause hives and last for hours. Occasionally, it can cause the throat to swell, but usually it is just a discomfort issue rather than a dangerous health issue.

I have plans to see the doctor to find out if this is the case with me, and what I should do about it. Should I be avoiding the foods, or just limiting how much I eat?

For now, I am avoiding them. I signed into my Spark People account for the first time in months. Today, I filled out my daily food, and updated my measurements. This website is a great way to track what you are doing, for good or bad, and doesn't cost anything like Weight Watchers or Jenny Craig. It has resources for cooking healthy foods, recipes shared by members and staff, forums to share stories and tips. There are daily articles that offer helpful advice, and you can customise them to your specific health needs. I often get updates on blood pressure, heart health, and cholesterol, and tips on how to control them. The only drawback is that you do have to put in the effort to log in and do these things. I guess that is no different that the paid ones, because you would otherwise have to drive to your Weight Watchers meetings... but there, you have to face your peers next time, so I guess there is the added accountability there. I have fallen off the wagon several times! 

So here I am, officially starting year 2 of my challenge.
This year, I vow to not postpone doctors appointments because I didn't do as I was told.

I vow to fit exercise in once a week, then twice a week, then three times a week, until I am doing it all the time.

I vow to find healthy non-allergy foods to fill my snacking habits with.

I vow to take my heart and health seriously.