On: Unhealthy Choices
I admire people who can stick to strict dietary plans.
I know a man who was diagnosed with Crohns and has managed it almost entirely with dietary changes. He doesn’t cheat. He remembers to take his supplements and non-medicinal pills everyday. He only drinks a special kind of water. Et cetera, et cetera.
I am ashamed to talk about this because, god, I hated being in the hospital so much. I hated being sick and feeling sick. The truth is, I am being so irresponsible and so selfish. I just won’t delay my gratification.
Coming out of the hospital I knew it would be a game of trial and error when it came to my diet. I’ve found it pretty easy to let go of nuts, seeds and whole wheats (and man do they ever bug me). I haven’t touched milk for over two months now. I am finding it hard to let go of fruits and veggies but thankfully, there are some options that my bowels say yes to.
I know that chocolate, coffee and alcohol are basically universal no’s. But I also thought they deserved a fair shot like everything else. Chocolate seems to be fine. Coffee does too as long as there is no milk in it. And sadly, I discovered that vodka (and vodka alone) left me feeling pain-free. The problem is: I drink beer and tequila and other alcoholic beverages that make me feel kind of ill anyway. And let’s be honest, the vodka can’t be doing me any favours, whether it causes immediate discomfort or not.
I feel pathetic saying this because I am a really friendly person and I do NOT need alcohol to have a good time. But at my age and in my every day environment, drinking is very much a social past time. During the first week of school there was a “Beer Garden” on campus. I went expecting the option of coolers but beer was the only thing on the menu. And so, I drank.
This story gets even worse when I remind myself that I am on Humira.
I have no problem dropping typically healthy food items like whole wheat bread…but stop drinking beer!? How could I when everyone else is!?
Am I feeling really sick? No.
Are my bowels working normally? No, not my normal.
Am I feeling the occasional shooting pain? The occasional cramping? Yes.
Am I taking away what Humira could be giving me by drinking? Maybe.
I don’t think I am alone in this. Do you guys break your diet rules and eat or drink things that make you feel sick? If you don’t, what are some tools you use to say no and stick to that no?
