#MedxMonday – California, The Autoimmune Patient’s Heaven?

Going out to eat is kind of a stressful event now a days. Autoimmune patient food choices can be verrrryyyyyyy limited.

I get kinda creeped out when reading menus where ONE of the dishes will be “all natural, no hormone” chicken. Sooooooo does that mean all the other chicken options are not natural and use lots of additives and hormones? More than likely that answer is yes. Vegetarian dishes always include gluten filled pasta and lots and lots of cheese. I’m not saying that some don’t enjoy these dishes (I mean, cheese is fantastic), but to someone who is eating gluten, dairy, soy, corn, refined sugar, gmo free and grass fed, no hormone meat & no farm raised fish it’s extremely difficult to find 100% compliant options. You usually have to compromise something. And no, eating iceberg lettuce with 2 tomato chunks, and a few cucumber slices is not my idea of a “meal”.

I’ve never been to a place that catered to my dietary needs SO intently.

CaliforniaDreaminWhile attending MedicineX I always had options to eat and they were all delicious. I mean, I’m pretty sure I’m not going to find a gluten and dairy free chocolate, chocolate chip taco dipped in half dark chocolate and half peanut butter in the Pittsburgh area. (If I’m wrong PLEASE correct me because I need to check this place out).

Even going to the airport to fly out, signs of organic, non gmo, no hormones, gluten free, etc were all over the food options located in the terminals. I didn’t even know what to do!? There was even a huge place that offered so many different meal options, but unfortunately it wasn’t close to my gate. Since it had already taken the lady almost 2 hours to get me from point A to point B I wasn’t going to ask her to stop and wait for me.

It got me thinking, if all autoimmune patients lived in an environment like this, would our outcomes and symptoms be different? Would we be able to heal our guts more easily by having readily available healthy choices on hand? I feel like this is an experiment that I should test out. Haha! I’ll move to California and test out my hypothesis. Any other autoimmune patients want to come with me? We can start a commune. Haha!

But seriously, why are all these options available in some states, but not in others?

Is it due to lack of education? Do we need to be educating the city of a Pittsburgh (and other cities that we live in) on making healthier food choices? I mean, we’re not even talking about big places in Cali that do this, we’re talking even the little bars who have a limited menu are serving farm to table, organic foods. We need to vote with our dollars and eventually cause places like these to pop up all over.

I didn’t want to leave paradise, this autoimmune patient on a journey for wellness haven.

I’d love to hear about where you come from and what types of options you have available to you?

If there’s a fast food place and right next door is a fast food, organic, no hormone meat restaurant who offers gluten and dairy free options, which would you honestly pick? I’m curious.

Leave your comments below!

Wishing You A Pain Free Day!

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4 Comments

  1. I’ve seriously heard so much good stuff about the availability of gluten free, dairy free, etc choices in California. When I was in St. Louis earlier this year I actually cried because there were SO MANY places I could eat and not get sick. There are more places around here now than before but Chattanooga is still really lacking in allergen free choices.

  2. Juls, you’ll need to come for a visit – more and more restaurants are offering gluten-free options. There’s even gluten-free pancakes available at De Dutch Pannekoek House! I’m not sure, but they may use corn flour, though.

    You ask a lot of good questions – if nothing else, food for thought!

    How are you feeling with your dietary restrictions?

    I’ve noticed an improvement in my C-Reactive Protein tests from restricting gluten. Sugar is my next challenge. Oh, my!

    Thanks for sharing, and making me laugh, in the process!

    • YUMMMM – ok, I’ll come visit! 🙂 haha!

      I’m doing really well. My CRP levels have come down DRASTICALLY. They’re almost at a ‘normal person’ level! Sugar is really hard to cut out. I’ll be honest, I stay away from refined sugar, but I still love maple syrup, honey and I will eat organic pure cane sugar/evaporated cane sugar. We’re all human and there is NO WAY that I can live my life without it.

      I’ve been feeling better, BUT I feel like I hit a plateau. I’ve been planning for it, but starting today I’m going to switch it up and go paleo to see if cutting out legumes and grains and adding back more meat will help my energy levels. It’s all trial and error. I try to have fun with it! New recipes, new restaurants. I kind of make it almost like a game – try to find the best tasting food I can with the restrictions I’m given!

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