Eliminations

The Last Americano
Ink sketch plus digital colorization

I debated on whether to discuss a new journey of food I will be embarking on here. I try to keep this blog geared towards art and the business of art and don't consider it necessarily the place to discuss my personal journey with health and diet. But as soon as I sketched this farewell to my favorite morning coffee I knew that I should at least post my artistic ways of coping with the journey towards health.

I have an inflammatory condition that can be triggered by shifts in my diet and excercise. When I found out the root of my back pain over a year ago now I began the switch towards eating more anti-inflammatory foods and exercising more frequently. And it didn't seem to help. So I started seeing a Naturopath who put me on an anti-inflammatory diet which meant that I not only eat more of the good foods but I had to try to cut out the bad. Known inflammation triggers included processed wheat flours and nightshade vegetables. And it still didn't help.

And then a friend led me here: Whole Life Nutrition where they lay out guidelines for a simple elimination diet. Chances are good there is a food type that serves as a cumulative trigger for me and I'm determined to find it. So for the next few weeks I'll be drastically cutting all known triggers out of my diet. This means not only going gluten free but vegan as well.

No Eggs. No flour. No dairy. No soy. No nightshades.
No citrus. No tree nuts. No alcohol. No refined sugar.
No problem... seriously. It's worth it to me to know.

The only one that strikes terror into my soul?
No caffeine.
Oh my.
Whatever will this overly inspired artist with a day job do??

I welcome any pick-me-up/wake-me-up tips you may have that are caffeine free --- cuz I sure am going to need them!