Food used to be a huge activity for me. It was the fun, most exciting part of the day, and I would stuff myself with the most amazing and delicious things I could find. And about a half hour later, I would be sick to my stomach, bed-ridden for the rest of the day because of my culinary adventures. If this sounds like you, then you know what's like to love food but have a delicate stomach.
1. You always have ginger ale, Tums and crackers at hand.
You always have Tums in the bottom of your purse or extra ginger ale in your fridge, and your friends always know to go to you in case of a stomach emergency.
2. You've missed school/work/events because of a stomach ache.
"Hey, I can't hang out tonight..." "Do you have another stomach ache?"
3. You go eating pretty cleanly for a while, but when the opportunity presents itself to eat something fun and amazing, you always cave and you always regret it.
When you cook for yourself, you always know what to make. But it's those exciting moments you go out with your friends that cheeseburger is just calling to you...and 20 minutes later your stomach hates you.
4. You look up the menu before you go out to make sure there will be something you can eat.
To avoid the situation from above, you check on the menu to check on their most plain salad or extra bread as a side. Yum.
5. You've contemplated going vegetarian, vegan, paleo, no dairy, no gluten, no processed sugars, no frozen foods or changing your diet not because of your morals or beliefs, but because of your stomach.
There's Paul and George, who don't eat animals because they feel passionately about animal rights or their beloved religion calls for a vegetarian diet...and then there's Ringo, who doesn't eat meat because of his stomach.
6. You're quite familiar with the BRAT diet.
That's Bananas, Rice, Apple sauce, and Toast. Every time you go to the doctor for a bug or questioning your stomach issues, they reiterate this terribly plain, dry, carby diet.
7. You've actually been hospitalized for some stomach-related problem.
The best friends you have are the ones who willing drive you to the hospital at 1 am because you're in so much pain you can't even stand up straight or talk and sit by your side while nurses poke you with a million needles and IVs....and then it jus turns out to be a bad case of acid reflux.
8. You watch your friends eating cheeseburgers, pizza, and fried chicken and live vicariously while you eat your salad.
Sometimes, this is sad, because you want it. Sometimes, this is fine because you know those foods will kill you. Sometimes, it's good enough to simply smell the food and see your friends eating it around you to pretend lettuce is bacon.
9. Over time you get sick from eating something fun, you tell yourself "This is the last time! I'm never eating out or crap again!"....until next time.
It's a vicious cycle.
10. You don't miss the stomach aches though. And you don't mind losing all that weight from not eating crap.
