Drug side effects « hopscotchinaminefield

I am the second eldest of eleven children.  When I was growing up, my parents mainly fed us food…unprocessed food.  I say mainly, because at one point we lived near a convenience store which made it far too convenient for me to spend my babysitting earnings on garbage food.  Hostess cherry pies were my favorite, any type of frozen novelty, artificially colored of course, Doritos, Cheetos, and the like.  I had a fairly uneventful childhood as far as my health went.  I did have pretty severe mood swings and stomach aches, but there was never any explanation given by the doctors I visited.

It has taken years of practice for me to get to where I am with my diet.  Just like anything we aspire to do or be, it takes practice.  I went from Cheetos, to eating a half bag of Pirate's Booty…much better as far as the toxicity of the ingredients, however, still empty calories.  It took me having a son on the Autism Spectrum to really and truly change my ways for good.  I had to start looking at food as a means of fuel and energy, and not as a means of pleasure or sport.  Don't get me wrong, food should be pleasurable, and it is, but that is relative.  There is a huge difference between savoring the intense and complex flavors in a meal made from fresh organic vegetables, grains, and meats, depending on your body's needs.  I do firmly believe our bodies are different, and have different needs.  I do not require much meat, if any…neither does my husband or five-year-old son.  My three-year-old and sixteen-year-old do.  Different bodies, different needs.

I had the notion that I was allergic, or at least intolerant of apples…so I do not eat them. They make my mouth tingle and my throat feel swollen.  A few days ago, we got a new juicer.  I tried it out with an apple, celery, kale, carrot juice.  Mind you, there were about ten apples that went into the juice.  Within minutes, my throat was swelling and my chest was tight…alright.  Duly noted.  No apples for me.  Because of the severity of the reaction, I reached into the cabinet for an Allegra allergy pill and popped it.  The swelling in my throat lessened shortly thereafter…along with another surprise.  My mood turned to shit.  Because I eat so clean these days, and rarely if ever take any prescription drugs, I am able to clearly feel what is going on my body.

My kids are getting restless as I type…so let me finish.  Prescription drugs can be useful, but should not be taken lightly…they are pretty dang serious.  Some may say I am paranoid or overly sensitive in my opinions.  Was it the allergic reaction that changed my mental state?  Or the prescription drug?  My son who has ASD will become another person if he eats something that disagrees with his body.  The need for prescription drugs can, in many cases, be terminated with a proper diet.