Almost 4 years ago, I decided to change my diet. I was constantly inflicted with so many health issues and since then, I’ve overcome every single one.
Ever since I was little my diet basically consisted of milk + sugary cereal for breakfast, top ramen + msg for lunch, and processed, microwaveable, and nutrient-lacking dinners. I also ate a lot of packaged and processed items, candy, artificial foods, and so on. I ate hardly any fruit and vegetables, and meat and cheese made up a majority of my diet too. Plus, I never drank enough water, and I drank a little too much soda!
My whole life I’ve suffered from headaches/migraines, digestive issues, and anxiety.
When I was in kindergarten I actually had to be taken out of school for a year because my migraines were so bad that I had to stay home every day.
I’ve seen so many doctors in my lifetime I can’t even count! And none of these doctors ever told me that my ailments were connected to my diet. They never even asked me what I ate. I’ve been prescribed so many different meds and over the counters, all medications that only masked the pain I was constantly in. I remember I went to a doctor who told me to go to the store and buy an over the counter medication that you’re only allowed to take for up to 14 days. He said “…just take it every day… even thought it says to stop after 14 days. Just take it every day!” Then he sent me on my way. I remember after the fourth day of taking it, I was sick all night with crippling, painful stomach cramps. That’s when it hit me and I thought to myself… something has to change. The doctor was wrong and maybe if I change my lifestyle, I can improve my health issues.
One day, when I was 18 years old, a kind woman and angel in my life simply told me that I needed to start eating healthier and stick with it. I had no idea it could ever have anything to do with my diet! I was so oblivious and naive. I listened to her and after trying out at least 3 different diets, I became vegan. I cut out all processed foods, fake sugar, meat, and dairy. Let me tell you, the detox was not pretty. I remember one time I actually started CRYING bc I wanted chocolate chip cookies and ice cream so bad!
However, It was all worth it, because my life started to change drastically.
Although I was detoxing hard from the lack of casein (component in dairy that makes it addicting) and fake sugar (which is also proven to be as addictive as cocaine), I had never felt better in my life. I remember in all my years of school, I could never stay awake in any of my classes because I was so tired all the time! Now I had all this energy, it was incredible!
It’s funny because a lot of people we’re strangely very unsupportive of my choice to change my eating habits and I got made fun of and ridiculed ALL THE TIME for eating healthy. Sometimes it made me feel weird, alone, and insecure; but there was no way I would ever go back to the way my diet was before.
During my first few months of eating healthy, I became so strict with my diet that I actually developed orthorexia. Orthorexia is defined as obsessively and strictly avoiding foods that the sufferer believes to be unhealthy and harmful, and if those foods are consumed, it will cause extreme anxiety. I remember one time my friend made grilled cheese sandwiches and I took a bite of one, chewed, and then literally spit it out so I wouldn’t have to swallow it. I want to address this because I’ve been through many ups and downs since I’ve changed my diet. Not everything is going to go perfectly when you change your diet on your own without any help. I also do not believe that there is a “perfect diet”. Everyone needs to eat what is best for their own body and what makes them feel GOOD. Conscious consuming of foods is very important. I always make sure that I am consciously consuming, putting things in my body that actually make me feel healthy, and always expressing gratitude for my meals.
I wanted to share this story because so many people tell me they don’t know where or how to start eating healthy. If you’ve been considering making some small or big changes in your diet and you’re feeling a little scared, please comment or personally message me! I genuinely wished that I had someone to hold me accountable, root for me, and give me support during that time, and I would love to be able to do that for someone else!
Shanna Counts 