These past two weeks I have come to a realization. I love food.
"Uh, OK. Well this is a blog about food," you say. Well, yes it is. But what I mean to say is, I love food.
I love food so much that the thought of never being able to eat another tomato in my life brings a tear to my eye.
"Well, now you're just being ridiculous." OK, I am. But that was seriously how I was feeling earlier this week.
Finals week, and the so-called "Dead week" period leading up to it can have a strange affect upon people. In my case, Dead week really did try to kill me.
At least, that's what I was thinking when I had to stop studying for an hour or so to go to Student Health last week because I thought I was going to have a heart attack.
The doctor listened to my chest and said I "sounded" healthy. Then she gave me this piece of paper about Acid Reflux and said I should stop eating tomatoes, and chocolate, oranges, and onions (basically, anything that is worth eating, mind you).
Well, it's at least comforting to know you aren't going to die. Still, I really like tomatoes.
What's left to eat? Bland things. Low fat things. Boring things. Things that, hopefully, won't make you feel like your heart is going to explode.
A little search of the Internet for meal ideas (in between paper writing and studying for French, I assure you) didn't produce much.
Beans. Graham crackers. Carrots. No, thank you.
I tried to get a little more creative than that. Mostly repeats of everything you see here. I ate a lot of green things, so I guess it was fitting the worst of my symptoms transpired over St. Patrick's Day.
After a week of eating many sweet potatoes, numerous slices of bread, bowlfuls of split pea soup, and a seemingly endless stream of oatmeal, I feel better. Praise the Lord!
What have I learned from this ordeal? Well, besides the fact that I really love food (especially tomatoes), I've learned that I am really blessed to even be able to complain about a "lack" of food variety.
Also, that there are only so many bowls of oatmeal that a girl can eat.
Hah. Welcome to my life! I was having stomach issues and the doc told me to stop eating all the fun stuff too...onions, garlic, spicy food, carbonated beverages. I'm a terrible patient and have barely listened to her advice. A life without garlic is barely a life worth living.
ReplyDeleteGlad you're feeling better though!
Acid reflux during the week before finals? It's called stress, plain and (not so simple) stress! The good news is that it doesn't have to be a lifelong sentence. See it for what it is, deal with it the best you can, and cheer up! I see beautiful ripe heirloom tomatoes in your future! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, it comes and goes. But I'm right there with you--I just love the fun things too much to cut them out completely. Sorry, stomach...haha.
ReplyDeleteAw, thanks Stephanie. A very encouraging comment indeed!
ReplyDeleteAh! Acid reflux sounds awful, I'm sorry. :(
ReplyDeleteYou could always grab some OTC meds for when you know you'll be having tomatoes or anything like that - Pepcid or Zantac are good choices (being in pharmacy school has its perks, haha!).
I'm lactose intolerant, and the one thing I definitely couldn't live without is ice cream. We live in a pretty mean world, haha.
Hope your finals are going (or went) well! How are your semesters set up? We don't have finals until May!
I get acid reflux too, but from stress--I bet that's behind yours too if it was your finals week! Just forego the acidic foods when you know life is going to be crazy. No one should ever, ever have to give up chocolate! I'm glad you're feeling better now and I hope your finals went well!
ReplyDeleteAh acid reflux is horrible...I am so sorry. I hope you start feeling better and your new diet makes you happier as time goes on!
ReplyDeleteI don't think you need to completely eliminate those things, maybe just in moderation :-)
Believe it or not, when my doctor prescribed me Zantac it made me feel worse! Ah well, I'm doing better now. But pharmacy school? That sounds both scary and impressive haha! I am on the quarter system, hence the very early spring break :)
ReplyDeleteThanks! I think stress is the culprit too. After a relaxing weekend without homework I am feeling much better :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment, Meghan. With less stress in my life (and perhaps not as many acidic foods either heheh) I have already been feeling a bit better!
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