[BestLaidPlans]

(Sorry that I'm coming and going on the thread. Hard to type much on my phone, and hard to get time to sit down at my computer.)

Originally Posted by The Tickle Momster

I think I need to do this. I'm in pain and I don't like admitting it. I can still function and I feel like I'm too young to be dealing with this much discomfort. It is not all in my head.

So, tell me what you know, what I need to know and where to start.

I believe you that it's not in your head. And I'm sorry it is happening for you.

Suggestions of where to start?

There are generally accepted categories of foods that cause or worsen inflammation. I'm guessing you're somewhat familiar with at least some of them. Grains, dairy, sugar - these are the big three for most people, it seems to me. So many people start with avoiding processed foods. That's revolutionary in and of itself. It does allow you to avoid all grains, dairy, and sugar very "easily."

That can be overwhelming. So maybe you'd rather just decide to cut out one of those categories. Once you have that category down, then add in another.

Or, you can do it by meal. "For breakfast, I will eat no dairy, no grains, and and sugar. I tend to eat the same three meals all week. So now I need to find three new recipes for breakfast." Much easier. Then you can move to lunch, then move on to dinner. Or whichever order.

Another way you could begin is to simply decide you will add X number of vegetables to every meal, and decide that you will not allow yourself any of a certain type of food until you've had the extra servings of veggies. "I know I'm going to eventually totally cut out grains, so to ease into it, I will always eat 3 servings of veggies before I allow myself a roll at dinner." Because eventually, your meals will be very heavy on the vegetables anyway, and this way you simply are too full to eat grains. It can be a gentler way to push the grains/dairy/sugar out.

Another suggestion is to look at seasonal allergies. Some of the allergies to pollen have foods with which they cross-react. Not everyone has these sensitivities, but they can be useful to keep an eye out for. I discovered several links to my symptoms, but they were after I had a better handle on the big inflammation foods.

One thing is for certain. This is a marathon, not a sprint. And if you're feeling overwhelmed, some of us are always available to commiserate. But every day you try is a day you're better off than you used to be.