No More Cookies and Milk for You, Mister

[mrdreamjeans]

It's unusual for me to go more than three days without writing a post, but I didn't have much inspiration to write this week. It's never happened in the four years I've been on Live Journal. My work week consumed me. Seven meetings, 13 sales calls, 6 conference calls, a handful of reports, driving 800 miles in support of the calls and dealing with some pretty intense concerns at the nursing home. I got accolades from my regional manager of sales who accompanied me on my calls yesterday and then did a written critique, (which was nice) but I had little time this week for anything but work. Thanks goodness for calls from Casey and Tim, because my evenings usually were filled with my sister calling (she's very ill) and wanting to rehash the last 8 months of her divorce negotiations (it's still not a done deal).

It's been a week since I got over the stomach bug and my appetite returned. But, it's returned with a twist. Some of my favorite food items are making me nauseous; in particular, cookies and milk. I've always been a guy who likes his chocolate chip cookies. It's my major "source-of-comfort" food. Of course, I like a big glass of ice cold milk with them. Ever since I was a little boy, if I was feeling "puny", cookies and milk would make me feel better. Not lately ... I'm trying to separate if it's the gluten in the cookies .. or if it's milk (and other dairy), that is making my stomach sour.

There aren't a lot of resources nearby that allow me to follow a gluten-free diet. I'm making in-roads, but not to the degree I should. Milk would be tough to eliminate from my diet. I'm not a fan of soy or rice milk and fat-free milk is my primary beverage. As I've said often, I don't drink alcohol of any kind or coffee. I've tried to cut way back on soft drinks, so I'm drinking several teas, power drinks and cranberry juice, trying to balance weight-loss goals with what is the healthiest mix. And yes .. I'm drinking lots of water. But, I want my milk!

Is this what's it come to? Being forced to shed the tattered vestiges of a sunny childhood by a stomach that's saying, No more cookies and milk for you, mister?! I think I'm going to stomp my feet and throw a tantrum! :) Anyone have dietary suggestions?

Just because I feel like it .... Here's one of my favorite photos ... I just discovered it anew. It was taken by redbearmark in June 2005 in Virginia Beach. VA. Though the run of "Evita" in Norfolk was a tough time for me, I remember being completely happy on that day ... I had made a new friend!

Comments

[winbear.livejournal.com]

On milk alternatives, the only recommendation I have is try almond milk, but really only use it on cereal. There are also some lactose-free milk products, but I can't vouch for those. I have heard that goat's milk is often suitable for the lactose intolerant.

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

I went to Whole Foods last night in Houston and purchased Almond Milk. I'm going to give it a try. Thanks!

[winbear.livejournal.com]

I'm glad to see I wasn't alone in my almond milk recommendation. Have you found it useable?

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

It's not bad, particularly the chocolate. It doesn't taste like real milk, but it's tasty if really cold. Thanks again for the suggestion!

[dragonessfaire.livejournal.com]

Hi there- I love the picture. I love photographic evidence of happiness and new freind ships. I have one of myself and Poet (spoken_word on LJ) on top of Cowles Mountain where I consider our best friend status to have been solidified.

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

Thanks!! There's just something about the composition of this photo ,and the company on that day, that makes this photo just about my favorite of all time. Perhaps, you could post the one of you and spoken_word. I'd like to see that!

HUGS!

[geometrician.livejournal.com]

Sweetie, I think the first thing you need to do is determine what is causing your problem. There are two ways to do this. Both take a little discipline.

If you feel fairly confident that it is either gluten or dairy, then a four week experiment, eliminating each from your diet for two weeks, is probably easiest. Or, you could eliminate both, and add them back in one at a time.

The second, more methodical way, is to strip your diet down to bare bones, then gradually add foods back in one at a time until you find the culprit(s). A naturopathic doctor or a true osteopath could help you with either of these.

Lactose intolerance generally manifests as bloating, gassiness, and loose stools. Virtually everyone is lactose intolerant. It is only because we consume so much dairy that children are not, and many adults are not if they keep consuming it. But if an adult gives up dairy for a length of time, they will lose their ability to process lactose. I'm not sure how we got the idea it was okay to consume the body fluids of other species, anyway.

Gluten-free products are becoming more common. I think the key to managing diet for anyone is to make your own food from basic, whole ingredients as far as possible.

Have you tried Silk unsweetened, in the green carton? To me it tastes most like excreted bovine mammary discharge. However, one thing I always warn folks is not to expect soy milk to taste like cow's milk. It's not the same stuff. And different brand of soy milk taste vastly different. There is a reason Silk is so popular and Edensoy is all but out of business.

Nice, nice photo!

[theoctothorpe.livejournal.com]

There is a reason Silk is so popular

Yeah, because Silk has huge amounts of sugar in it (6+ grams per 1 cup). You can however, get the "unsweetened" version, but it's more rare in the shops.

Unfortunately, Silk also has the most filler content of all the popular soy milks.

[geometrician.livejournal.com]

Um... okay!

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

I went to Whole Foods last night at my dinner with joebehrsandiego in Houston. They had a wide selection of subsitutes; but the trip was informational for me, as I couldn't take any refrigerated items home ... too far ... and the day was too warm. We topped 78.

It was delightful chatting with you!

HUGS!

[theoctothorpe.livejournal.com]

There is a variety of "shelf stable" milks as well. They've been irradiated, so you can keep them in a cupboard until you open them. Obviously, those aren't in with the "regular" refrigerated stuff, but I can't remember where they're located off-hand. I'm thinking the tea aisle.

[theoctothorpe.livejournal.com]

And thanks so much for the call! I really appreciated it.

Excreted Bovine Mammary Discharge?

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

You may have just put me off milk for good! *giggle* I wonder how many other food items would be eliminated from our diets if we described them as they really are. For example, Jello ... colored and flavored powder made from ground up horses' hooves:)

I didn't realize that our stomachs lost the ability to process milk after a few days. When I was ill with the stomach virus, I went a week without it; perhaps, the longest stretch in my entire life. Makes sense. I appreciate the advice on how to identify the food allergies.

Big HUGS!

[labeartorycub.livejournal.com]

Wonderful picture, Neil! I'm sorry you've not been feeling great (I read your past posts this morning, too). I hope you find out what's been the cause. bearlyjoe had some good comments.

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

Thanks, Mike!! I'm mostly fine, just some digestive discomfort as I reintroduce several items to my system after the illnesses. Joey, indeed, has offered a lot of good advice, as have several others.

As to past posts, do you have a song or songs that are especially meaningful to you? I'd like to gather your feedback to "If Love Were All", along with the others.

Glad to know that your funk is lifting and that you've identified new goals for yourself.

Big HUGS!

[tonethbone.livejournal.com]

Is it the cookies or the milk

Might you be Lactose intolerant ...very common as one ages matures.

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

I accessed the link you provided. This sentence stuck out, as there is a supposition that I have a form of gluten-intolerance that presents itself in the skin. Perhaps, the answer to the question, cookies or milk, is both.

"Lactose intolerance associated with coeliac disease ceases after the patient has been on a gluten-free diet long enough for the villi to recover."

Thanks, Tony! This is great information.

HUGS!

C-c-c-changes

[ursusarctos.livejournal.com]

If you're not a soy milk fan, this might help Almond Milk. I've had to cut way back on carbs and found that for me unsweetened almond milk is a good substitute for real dairy. (The chocolate is great, almost like a chocolate almond shake.) There are also oat/rice/hemp milks that aren't bad. Soy isn't your only choice.
I doubt you'll find many of the alternatives locally, but can stock up on your trips to Austin or Houston. Whole Foods runs the almond milk on sale about every 6 weeks.
Good luck on pinning the source of your discomfort down.

Re: C-c-c-changes

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

I purchased three cartons of Almond Milk at Whoe Foods last evening. If I like it and it works, I'll have to figure out how to get it. The closest Whole Foods is 80 miles from my house and there are no options locally. Thanks for the tip!

HUGS!

Re: C-c-c-changes

[ursusarctos.livejournal.com]

Try the locals anyway. Winn-Dixie here carries the sweetened almond milk and most of the other options. I still have to schlep it home from New Orleans or Baton Rouge because to one locally handles the unsweetened. One more possibility is "Lactose free milk" which even Marché de Wal carries.

[elfkat.livejournal.com]

If you go with out milk for 5 days as you may have while sick you can lose the flora that processes milk proteins. The cure? Drinking milk. I found this out the hard way after surgery in '96.

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

I didn't realize any of this. It makes sense that I have to reintroduce it to my system. I didn't drink it for seven days (mainly, because milk was the item that triggered the greatest distress I experienced during the bout with the stomach virus. I am trying a few alternatives, as I've noticed in general in the past couple of years that my meal often doesn't sit well when I've had milk as the accompanying beverage. Now, I see that lactose intolerance is tied to the gluten allergy. *light bulb*

Thanks for the advice! HUGS!

I have one word for you...

[bearchitect.livejournal.com]

quinua!
:>

Re: I have one word for you...

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

OK:) Good to see you! You were mentioned very fondly at dinner last night in Houston. I met joebehrsandiego for the first time. He's visiting town for Let Me Entertain You Weekend (LUEY). Hope things are going well!

HUGS!

[bearchitect.livejournal.com]

see, that's what happens when one turns fifty, one is fondled during dinner and one doesn't even feel it!!!

I wish I coulda been there to do the archit-museu-shoppi-barhoppi-tour with youse guys, we had so much fun with JBSD and Mark (beeftenderloin) in Dallas... OMG!! that was TWO years ago!!

[use2bshy.livejournal.com]

No way jose could I give up milk! Am sure thats not the source of your issues.

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

Well, I don't want it to be! I appreciate the support from a fellow milk-lover! :)

HUGS!

Memoeis and good times

[redbearmark.livejournal.com]

Has it been that long? It was a distinct pleasure to meet you and become your friend. Gives me hope and happiness too.

Sorry to hear of your dietary travails. One thing I have pondered that was an option for literally cleaning my system inside and out. A simple bath with a bottle of hydrogen peroxide made me feel delightfully fresh and renewed. I had gotten some suggestions that for the inside there are some tablets to consume that would get rid of the negative things that are in the digestive tract.

Don't know if that would help any.Though it is a blah day here, my thoughts and well wishes are with you!

Re: Memories and good times

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

Yep, almost three years ago now. Hard to believe! Our time in each other's presence may have been brief, but it was meaningful. I won't forget a friend who helps me when I'm ill and in a foreign place. You stepped up immediately and went the extra mile (literally). Now to do Colonial Williamsburg together when I'm well! :)

As to the hydrogen peroxide bath ... You just sat in it? I had not heard of that before.

Sorry that it's a blah day ... You're recovering from the lack of sleep and overtime, it appears.

Re: Memories and good times

[redbearmark.livejournal.com]

I made it a warm/hot bath and stayed in about 10-15 minutes and got out. I literally felt really clean afterwards!
There is so many microbes living outside and inside too.

Re: Memories and good times

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

Once I scrub my tub, I'll have to try it! :) I always shower, so have never taken a bath in this particular tub. Though, I suppose the hydrogen peroxide would take care of a lot of the germs:)

HUGS!

[macduff131.livejournal.com]

maybe you're not fully better yet? i dunno...

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

Maybe so ... I've felt terrific except when I paired up the sweets and milk. So, the digestive reasons have to be examined.

Btw, did you see the post "If Love Were All"? As a singer, I'd like your feedback if you'd like to answer. I found the comments that I got absolutely fascinating.

HUGS!

[billeyler.livejournal.com]

Hope you're not developing milk allergies!

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

Moi aussi!!!! I love my "excreted bovine mammary discharge" as bearlyjoe called it:)

[designerotter.livejournal.com]

*sigh*... I guess the ancient Romans were right: there's no arguing about taste. I gave up drinking milk years ago, though I've used the non-fat kind on cereal.
Just a thought, intuitive, but feel free to ignore: do you like yogurt? (I've developed a taste for it)... it's a dairy product and contains live bacteria that are supposed to be beneficial, especially if you need to rebalance the system after intestinal bacteria have been lost naturally during a bout with stomach flu. Worth a try ?

Thank goodness you haven't lost your instinct for counterbalancing malaise with an upbeat image. That's a wonderful photo that I like for many reasons.
Hugs!

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

I do like it and have also taken to drinking the yogurt smoothies. I couldn't do anything remotely dairy during the stomach virus, but I do know the bacteria in it are beneficial. My sister had mom bring me "probiotics"; evidently, capsules introduce "good" bacteria in your system, because you lose both good and bad bacteria when you have a stomach virus. What the hell! I'll give em a try:)

As you know .. I'm also seeking balance in my life. I had a nice weekend, met new people in person and via phone. If I am to survive the job I'm in, I've got to create a life for myself outside of the job. I'm determined to do so, until it's time to sell this house, move to an urban environment and introduce theatre back into my life. BTW, did I tell you I purchased tickets for my folks, sister and myself for the national tour of "The Drowsy Chaperone"? If it comes your way .. or close by ... grab the chance to see it!

Big HUGS!

ps ... Glad you like the photo. It's by far one of my favorites!

[designerotter.livejournal.com]

It was great to chat with you on the phone this evening !
So glad to hear you're going to see "Drowsy Chaperone." I saw it in New York a little over a year ago, and it's truly splendid good fun. You almost have to be our age to get all the character references. If it comes around here I'll want to see it, not just because I love the show, but because I'd be curious to see how the touring production compares with the lavishness of the original.
Wishing you a good week - and the strenght to deal with whatever new crisis arrives on the job... I just know down the road there's a new TV sitcom in all this :0)
Big hugs!!