I sometimes think that food in the United States is made of poison. I am someone with severe diet restrictions and an entire laundry list of digestive disorders. Somewhere in my mid-twenties, my body decided it didn't much like food anymore. Therefore, I went through years of pain and vomiting and bile until I finally found a GI doctor who was able to diagnose and treat my treasure trove of issues.
About three years ago, I had several procedures and then a surgery to diagnose and then correct some of what was going on. Now I am a slave to pharmaceuticals that take the edge off the indigestion and pain and help me to function as a somewhat human person. However, they don't fix the problem; at least they haven't fixed it yet.
So, I took the advice of my GI doctor and eliminated many things from my diet. I no longer eat beef or dairy. I also try to avoid cruciferous vegetables, fake sugars and beans at all costs. I can handle a small amount, but I prefer not to. In addition to this, I severely limit anything fatty and fried. What does that leave, you might ask. Chicken. Lots and lots of chicken.
Following the advice of my doctor did help some of the issues I was facing, but it didn't solve them. Several vegetables make me nauseous immediately after eating them--cucumbers, carrots, peppers, and so on. Because I can't stop eating everything, I decided to try organic vegetables instead. They are more expensive, but it was worth a try. The interesting thing was that the organic variety of vegetables didn't make me sick. I can, in fact, tell the difference between organic and non-organic vegetables just by eating them. One makes me sick, immediately. The other causes no issues. I've had similar issues with things like chocolate and coffee, but I've found that if I purchase the organic variety or things that are imported from Europe, I don't get sick.
It's really no secret that the quality of your food is important. Limiting the ingestion of chemicals and pesticides cannot be a bad thing--at least that's what science tells us. This re-invention helped me to feel better on a regular basis.
In 2015, I traveled out of the country to the UK for work. I was admittedly very worried about this. I'd just gotten my food intake somewhat straightened out and was unsure of eating new food in a new place. But, my fears were completely unfounded. At first, I was very careful with my food choices. Nothing made me sick. So, I decided to be more adventurous. The food quality standards and laws are much better in the UK. They've banned several unhealthy additives and have a healthy stock of organic foods.
I started ordering bacon... lots and lots of bacon. It didn't give me any digestive issues. Then, I started ordering butter. Same results. No problems. After the first two days, I ate whatever I felt like eating. I was still somewhat reserved, but I was able to eat things I hadn't had in years without as much as a little gas.
This year, I went back to the UK for work. The same thing held true. But, this time I was more adventurous. I ate schwarma from street vendors and meat pies from outdoor markets. I ate breads and vegetables and all the Indian food I could stand. And, again, I had zero problems.
The first meal I ate upon my return, both times, made me incredibly sick--doubled over, crying in pain, sick. And, this, all of it, seems indicative of a larger problem--our food is making us sick. This slew of digestive disorders that I've been diagnosed with disappears in Ireland, in England. These stories about our food and its growth and production are so much more than just stories. The concerns that some brush off their shoulders and call "whining of suburban soccer moms" are truly problems. The food here is actually poison.
