Are the things we eat daily really doing our bodies any good?

I recently discovered that I am lactose and gluten intolerant. This means that I cannot eat milk, cheese, butter, yoghurt, cream, most sauces, wheat, bread, biscuits, cake, or anything made with wheat flour.

I discovered this because I was feeling... well, just a bit rubbish really. Sluggish and slow, lethargic, and a bit depressed. I wasn't really ill, I just didn't feel good. I went to the doctor and they did a few tests, for diabetes, coeliac disease, and clinical depression. All came back negative. So I went to a nutritionist for a diet check, and she suggested that I might be intolerant to certain food groups.

She suggested that I kept a food diary, recording what I ate and how I felt. After a month, I went back in and had another consultation. We discovered that I had been eating milk, cheese and bread almost every day - probably like most people, I thought. She suggested cutting lactose and gluten out of my diet for a while.

The hardest part is finding the things you can eat. However, removing lactose and gluten does not restrict your diet too much. I can eat any meat, fish, or poultry, and all fruits and vegetables. I can eat oats (different kind of gluten) and sugars. I can eat nuts, seeds and pulses (beans).

The difference has been amazing. I feel a lot better - more energy, and I feel more positive too. I have started losing weight - lactose and gluten can cause bloating, particularly around the stomach area. I'm getting my 6-pack back for the first time in years! My skin has cleared up, and I'm more flexible.

Now I'm not saying everyone should give up lactose and gluten. Far from it! If you feel like I felt, maybe a visit to your doctor or nutritionist would be a good first call.

If you do find yourself intolerant to these foods, there are plenty of resources online to help you discover what you can eat to maintain a balanced diet. I started at Google and I now have pages and pages of online recipe resources.

Happy eating!

Learn more about this author, Steve Clinton.
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