dear girl with a food sensitivity

It can be really deflating to watch another person across the kitchen table diving into a sizzling cheese pizza.

You sit there, eyes glazing over your own salad topped with—surprise—chicken, five strawberries, and a bit of olive oil (You checked your favorite dressing, only to realize it contains milk . . . why??? Who does that?!). It’s probably the, what, seventh time this week you’ve had this meal. But it’s one of the only ones you’ve found that doesn’t make your stomach do the polka.

Back in the day . . .

For the majority of my life, I was able to eat whatever I wanted. Fruit loops for breakfast, PB&J with Ritz crackers for lunch, a pop tart for a quick snack, and three pieces of pizza for dinner. That was the life.

Then I quit the soccer team and life caught up to me. No more second dinners; no more daily ice cream rewards.

Then, this February, things really started going downhill. I was eating healthier than I ever had in my life: salad for every meal, sometimes no breakfast, always water and never soda.

But

I

felt

worse

than

ever.

Over the summer, I always felt so uncomfortable. It made no sense. I was eating things like grapefruit, peanuts, rice cakes, ham, and salad. Why then did I feel so terrible?

Dear girl who has gut problems: I get it.

Of course I can’t understand your specific situation completely. Maybe you have a serious gluten allergy; maybe you are dairy intolerant; maybe you have a temporary sensitivity because of a deficiency (like me); or maybe you are still trying to figure out what in the name of multigrain bread is wrong with your gut.

I just want to let you know that there are others out there struggling too. I watch my mom daily say no to macaroni and cheese, coffee, cake, and bread since she’s been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease and, more recently, breast cancer. She slurps down carrot-and-ginger smoothies with hardly a complaint, occasionally sniffing a cookie just for kicks and joking about how she’s going to eat them when she gets to Heaven.

Not-so-merry-go-round

Some days you’re okay.

Sometimes you’re less okay.

Sometimes the people eating fried chicken right in front of you don’t bother you; other days it sends you to your room wishing you were just normal again.

Here’s the thing: God knows what’s going on inside of you. He ordained it. He checked that part of your life before it even happened and gave His holy approval so, ya know what? You’re good.

Walking around day to day feel cruddy on the inside stinks. It really, really does. Other people are dealing with homework; we, on top of it, might not be able to sit down because we’re so bloated or we might be crying because of the mysterious heaviness inside of us.

“I. Just. Want. To. Eat. Pizza.” Maybe you’ve whispered that into your pillow tonight.

But, because of my own battle with gut issues, now I can relate to people more. I used to tease people who ate salads; now I understand they might not have a choice. I also know that my body is the temple of God and I shouldn’t be filling it with trash. Sure, enjoy the better things in life now and then; go crazy and get a Bojangles box and splurge on a Friday night.

But don’t be like high-school-me and be callous about

1. All the people around you who don’t have the freedom to eat whatever they want, and
2. Our body’s role as the temple of God.

Although I’m glad I now have an official diagnosis, I’m really glad I went through this part of my life. I can relate to girls way more now and can add another “wearing-another-person’s-shoes” experience to my tool belt.

Suffering from sensitivity?

1. Realize that God knows exactly what is going on inside of you. He’ll fix it when it’s time. If you can, go to a doctor and see what’s going on (don’t be too proud like I was!). (Psalm 139)
2. Find a group. There are other girls around you smiling on the outside but miserable in the inside. Start chatting to girls about gluten and dairy sensitivities and getting help. The people around me have been so helpful and I’ve learned about a lot of my friends’ sensitivities. That makes going out to eat so much easier because I can plan in advance for their sensitivities and, therefore, comfort. (2 Corinthians 1:4)
3. I had to keep reminding myself: there are people out there worse off than me. Someone has more sensitivities than I do; someone doesn’t even have food today. Keep it in perspective!

Do you or anyone you know have a food sensitivity? How have you coped (or is it really no big deal)? What are your fave snacks?