How Food Changed My Life

The Immune System Recovery Plan by Dr. Susan Blum introduced me to functional medicine.

The elimination diet required me to cut out four key foods: gluten, dairy, corn, and soy. At first, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I quickly realized just how much these foods had been affecting my body.

• Gluten: I discovered I had a sensitivity—eating wheat left me sluggish, foggy-brained, and tired for hours.

• Dairy: I had always experienced digestive issues with dairy (an Asian thing?), but I also noticed it made me congested, like I had allergies.

• Corn & Soy: These were harder to pinpoint, but knowing that most corn and soy in the U.S. are genetically modified, I avoided them for a while. Eventually, I gave in to my love of guacamole and organic corn chips—only to learn years later that I actually had a sensitivity to all grains! More on that in another post.

After just 21 days, I lost 17 pounds. Even more shocking? When I went for my annual physical, my cholesterol—consistently over 220 for years—had dropped to 175. I was stunned. Could the foods I had eaten for decades really have been harming my body this much? The answer was a resounding YES.

It took a few more years to fully connect the dots, but the biggest revelation was this: the pain in my joints was directly linked to what I was eating. Any time I cheated—especially with dairy—the pain would come roaring back. And not just in my hands, but in my lower back, neck, and even my ankles.

That brings me to today. Over the past 13 years, I’ve had to completely re-learn how to cook gluten-free, dairy-free, and now grain-free. It hasn’t always been easy—cooking this way takes time, preparation, and a lot of dishwashing—but I’m here to tell you:

💡 IT CAN BE DONE.

You can make healthy, delicious, allergen-free meals without sacrificing flavor. And I’m here to show you how.

So follow along on my journey—where I’ll cook, bake, eat, and share how I use food as medicine in my life. 🍽✨

Missed my story? Start here with my food journey.

Next up: I try the 21-day elimination diet.

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