33 Days.

I've been *strictly* Vegetarian for 33 days now. It doesn't seem that long, yet it seems longer at the same time. For the past year or so, my goal has been to incorporate heaps of veggies into my everyday diet, while trying to determine what makes me sick. (At the same time, cutting out the obvious "junk" and trying to be more active.) Up until now, I've gotten the veggie thing down pat...it was/is the *major* temptation of foods that I'd known and loved before, that had always made me break. So, I feel like I was never really able to "heal" properly. Now that I have a good basis of ~1 month of zero meat in my system, I can start eliminating other possible hazards from my diet, while continuing with a vegetarian lifestyle. (For the foreseeable future!)

I will admit that having a buddy who shares your eating habits makes for much easier meals, while also limiting temptation and peer pressure. Which has probably been my most difficult battle thus far. Example: Growing up I always heard, "Dude, your mom is the best cook!" ...Yeah, I know. She still is. And I'm learning to become my own "best cook", by necessity. So, when Mom makes one of those meals from my childhood that I have fond memories of (when in reality, they were probably exacerbating my symptoms and contributing to my illnesses), I'm taken back to a time of delicious comfort. Not to mention the convenience of having a meal ready to eat. UGH! I've gotten much better at this within the past ~month; "If It Has Meat, I Will Not Eat!"

Next stop: Dairy. Shouldn't be too bad, since I've been egg-free for years now. I crave cheese. =( Cheese hates me. In fact, all dairy hates me. I break out. I bloat. My migraines are intensified. I get achy(/ier).

So, yeah. Toodles, dairy!

Are there any Veggie Lovers out there?
Peace, Love & Veggies <3