Weird But True

Monday, September 03, 2007

Totally random......

That best sums up my weekend - TOTALLY RANDOM!

Had 2 great gym sessions on Saturday - and while I had more plans than time for some reason - isn't that so often the case on the weekend - especially Holiday weekends - I was still able to pull it together to meet my friends for dinner. We met at a local overpriced, high showmanship, Japanese steakhouse. Good food - in fact delicious - but I find ANY meal hard to justify when my check alone was $25.00! That's one Japanese beer and the en tree! I know how much I can cook for $25.00 - and I'm a pretty good cook - if I do say so myself:) Yes - he can crack an egg open on the edge of his spatula - but I can make shrimp flare too - and I know how to "spit/throw fire" - old bar tending tricks never die:)

Anyway - good time was had - but as I used the rest room on our way out I noticed my face and neck were VERY flush. Odd - but I went home, drank lots of water, took a shower, and some Benadryil - and went to bed. No worries.

Up at dawn - head to gym - more cardio before lifting and breakfast. I notice I'm a bit "itchy" but blame it on dry skin and make a mental note to take t he time to moisturize better later. After cardio I glance in the mirror on my way out and notice I am REALLY red - hmm - must've been a better session than I thought.

More water - another shower - What the heck? I have red bumps all about - and the water feels like razor blades! Quick cool rinse - more Benadryil - more water - try not to think about it. 30 min. later - I'm calling the emergency referral line.

Long story short - I end up in urgent care. Where the random Dr. I get assigned asks me if I have any known food allergies. Not that I know how. Describe my diet - so I do. Do I use artificial sweetener? I try to avoid - but I was so run down from work this week I did have more coke zero than usual. And rather than claw myself silly I had been chewing sugar free gum since the night before - which I generally avoid. I know that since I had e-coli a couple years back artificial sweetener - even one piece of gum - will cause my to become gassy, bloated, and generally uncomfortable.

Did I know that MSG and aspartame have very similar chemical make up's? - she asks. Now that you mention it - I DO know this - I've watched documentaries and read a couple of books in fact. I immediately like this woman - we're on the same page.

She started asking patients about this when she noticed that when she consumed artificial sweetener's she would develop a burning acne on her face. Eliminate the chemicals - eliminate the acne. Her suspicion was confirmed when she started getting the acne again and couldn't figure out why - until she had a closer look at her chew able calcium tablet supplement. They had changed the formula and added - you guessed it - sucralose! Now sucralose is actually Splenda - so she didn't think this was the cause - however - eliminate the tab - acne gone. So it's all natural or nothing for her.

After watching my documentary a while back - my friend was diagnosed with "IBS". HE followed the Dr.'s advice, filled his RX and still suffered. I shared with him my story of the chewing gum and suggested that perhaps this might actually be the cause of his trouble. He rarely drinks anything but coffee, diet soda/tea or beer. He figured I was trying to get him on the "dark healthy tree hugging side" - whatever - call it what you want - what if it works? It took some convincing on my part - but I convinced him to give it up gradually - at least cut back - he noticed an improvement within days. Didn't change his lifestyle, or his coffee/beer - but no diet soda. He still enjoys wings and draft beer while watching the game.

You might remember that I have been battling skin rashes off and on all Summer. I recall the first on my finger back in April, right after my pics, while I was house sitting for XBF. I thought I had pulled the "wrong weed" and had a reaction. But then I remembered that I was drinking diet ginger ale like no tomorrow then.

Since then I certainly don't have an excessive amount of diet soda - most weeks. 1 or 2 cans a day max. But when I get run down - I use it for energy, sad but true, as I don't drink coffee and there is some caffeine in there. By the end of those "heavy" weeks I feel polluted and gross - so I get some extra water, extra Z's and go back to my limited consumption of 1 or 2 a day.

But this random Dr. got me thinking, when do I look/and feel my best? When do my digestive concerns/troubles go away? When do I have so much energy that I simply drive folks mad? When is my head/skin clear? Right around picture time - as my time with Sue seems to have me in front of a camera every 4 - 5 months. I always thought is was 2 weeks without beer - but really - do my 3 weekly beers make that much of a difference?

The other thing that is different is I don't drink diet soda, don't use protein powder, don't use salad dressing. I check the labels. Guess what is in every single one of these items - an artificial sweetener! Both "name brands" are listed in the ingredients of most of my favorites in one form or another!!!!!!!

I know not everyone will agree with this - and not everyone is effected by this. But I ALSO know that I have NOT taken RX steroids, or antibiotics or even hydro cortisone cream to treat this rash. I continued to train hard and sweat this weekend - as sweating is our bodies naturally cleansing system. I have only used medicated corn starch when the itching got bad and Benadryil the first 24 hours. As I type this 72 hours later - the rash is gone. I feel alert, energetic and BEYOND sore - LOL! My head is clear - and while we ate in last night - I did have 2 beers to test my theory - and I do NOT have the polluted sluggish feeling one might expect.

It's safe to say - in my mind - I will NOT be using anything but Stevia from here on out!

But I have one more random act to leave you with on this TERRIBLY long post - as I was leaving for the gym Monday morning I was passing under a tree and was struck square on top of the head by a falling object! The sky is falling!! The sky is falling!!!! It was a 1/2 eaten apple - dropped from a squirrel I must have startled - and it was a DIRECT hit! LOL!

What are the odd's????????:)

3 Comments:

  • Oh that squirrel dropping the apple on you is a classic! I can see the little bugger giggling in squirrel laugh at you : )

    I have developed an intolerance to artificial sweeteners. One can of diet coke and I'm getting kicked out of bed : ))

    By Blogger Di Broeren, at 10:42 PM  

  • Wow who'd have thought! Its great that you have worked out what affects you, I've just been diagnosed with IBS too so I might have to try cutting out the diet stuff. Good to hear the rash has cleared up now.

    LOL that squirrel has good aim!

    Hilary xx

    By Blogger Miss Positive, at 9:14 PM  

  • Do you think you could get someone who knows a bit about eyes to tweak your font so those of us who can't see well can read it. LOL

    Love you heaps
    Kerry

    By Blogger Kerry, at 5:40 PM  

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