Self-LOVE

Where have I been, you ask?

I've been focusing on the positives, such as...

Polka dots on my toes.

A new jar of organic, unrefined coconut oil. 

Fuzzy socks. 

Two packs of Paleo (sugar-free) bacon from Whole Foods.

Sleeping heavily enough to miss my alarm. 

A beautiful bouquet of fresh flowers from my boyfriend. 

Going to my first yoga class in almost THREE years.

Positive changes as a result of adherence to the low FODMAP diet.

Mismatching socks. 

A message from my professor that says, "Allie--You're doing great! Hang in there!"

Skinny ankles.

Zucchini noodles.

Affectionate nudges from my kitty.

Enough energy to do laundry, empty the dishwasher, send emails, and do homework all on the same day.

No bloating. 

Joints that sing instead of scream. 

Food seasoned with nothing but pink Himalayan sea salt. 

Steak. 

Earning a grade of 100% on your Research Proposal that was completed while battling tears, muscle fatigue, exhaustion, anxiety, & frustration. 

Gluten-free, organic, non-GMO sweet orange-scented shampoo. 

Falling asleep without having to take Benadryl. 

"Pizza" meatballs.   

Grass-fed meat. 

A day free of pain, both emotionally and physically.

 The existence of an online education.

When your already-short list of "safe" foods shrinks even more & your body still requires a boatload of TLC from you, you have to focus on the positives.

Despite the fact that launching this blog saved my life (in more ways than one), posting seemed like an impossible task.

[To be perfectly honest, I wanted to be able to write you all & tell you that I'm a new person.]

I wanted to tell you that I'm working full time, going to the gym every single day, drinking healthy protein shakes, munching on granola bars, eating salads for lunch, running the New York marathon, no longer receiving tri-weekly infusions, and moving out of my house to live on my own.   

However, that time has not come yet. MY body has some more healing to do. SO, in the meantime, I shall continue to do what I've done for the last four years: write posts that encourage daily positive thoughts, creative recipes for restricted diets, & self-LOVE, for that is the only way to heal oneself from these dreadful diseases.

Lots of love & healing vibes,

Allie

❤︎