Saturday, June 15, 2013

So I must confess I have an addiction....

   So when I was on the oracea I could eat and drink anything basically and not have an issue, this has now changed. I have an addiction to coke, not the white powdery stuff but the liquid sugar kind that comes in a red can. I KNOW its bad for me in so many ways but I love it. LOVE IT. I have tried to cut back to a can a day and most days I follow that but I have been breaking that rule a lot lately. If I don't drink a can I can get a headache and I become a bit of a bitch. It's an addiction.

   I know that certain foods or drink can cause flushing but I have been in denial of this well known fact wanting to believe that it didn't apply to me. Well it does, and I am now coming to terms with that and starting to acknowledge this fact. It sucks, but for the last few days I have been noticing my face flushing when I drink a coke and the other day when I ate a slice of pizza. I didn't want to believe it (deny, deny, deny) but my face wasn't hurting at all today when I woke up then I popped open a coke had a swig and almost immediately my face started to get hot, burn and itch. There is no denying it, I have to give up the coke.

   I have been wanting to eat better and live healthier for other reason like to lose weight (the double chin in my pictures is also helping me with my denial of being overweight) and just to be healthier in general. My father died at 46 and I don't want that to be me. So it looks like my rosacea will help me get into gear with that and make sure I will stay on track. I am going to start keeping a log of what I eat and what makes me flush. I know I should have been doing this but again, I like to live in denial.

    I have been told buy countless people that I should try gluten free, that it will help with my rosacea and my PCOS but I am not sure I want to jump on that bandwagon yet. I'm stubborn, I'm a Taurus, I have to try every other way I think might help before I take the path I am told will help but I don't want to follow. So for now I will be cutting out beef, poultry and pork, I did this for a while and I felt better, looked better, and lost weight without even trying. Plus it is easier to follow I don't have to read a bunch of labels and ask a billion questions at restaurants, either something has meat in it or doesn't. If this doesn't work I guess I will give in and go gluten free. GRRR. I have one coke left, I know I shouldn't drink it but I know I will. I will savor every last drop slowly and enjoy my last coke. 

6 comments:

  1. Hugs, I totally get how your feeling. However, I gave up refined sugar and it has made a big different to me energy wise, emotionally and I am giving myself a break from grains starting on Friday for 3 months as I read so much about being grain free and how it helps skin. Intuitively I have been also having a strong feeling I have been having too much rye and oats lately and I am excited to see what changes take place. I will keep you updated if it helps me. When did you rosacea begin? I know mine came on not long after my father passed so I believe it was a huge stress response and is linked to emotional stuff too. Good luck with your self healing.

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  2. You know, I am not 100 % sure EXACTLY when it started I think it was kind of gradual but I really noticed it after Hurricane Katrina. I am from New Orleans so as you can imagine that was a huge stress in my life. Everyone I know lost everything they owned and on top of losing everything my family separated and went all over the country. But the first time I really thought to myself this isn't normal and maybe I should see a doctor, it's not just a few zits is when I was living in California after the storm. So yeah, that is pretty interesting. I never thought of a stress connection. Let me know how the diet works out.

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    1. I don't know if you're even checking in with this blog, Keisha, or if you're updating it for other readers (I hope so because it's a truly invaluable record for which I, and others I'm sure, thank you hugely).
      In any event, regarding the stress connection to the onset of this imbalance, it certainly played a role for me (unusually persistent virus/cold followed by unusually strong and persistent psychological stress). In fact until I self-diagnosed rosacea, I just called them "stress zits".
      Keisha, if you're around, give a shout, would you please?

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    2. I think it did for me, stress lowers your immune system and they take over

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  3. I can only imagine that was an awful stress. I will let you know how the diet works and you may be interested in looking into EFT (emotional freedom technique) its easy to do, free (may sound weird) but it works on a whole host of emotional roots. It helps me give up my sugar craving, a phobia to wasps and bees and other things. This guy does a lot of videos on different topics, helped me heaps http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiD72cZ5mcU

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  4. Thanks for writing your blog and being brave enough to add the real deal pictures. I Have subtype 1 rosacea, with quite severe flushing and burning and redness, with the odd p&p (but really very minor and not often). It must be so challenging to have to face new paps every single day in the mirror, this is a dreadful condition to have, in every possible way.
    I honestly think you are right about the coke. And the pizza. And other unhealthy foods. When your life is so restricted, it's extremely difficult to not allow yourself some comfort food at least, but as you already know, it will just add more trouble to the vicious cycle. I am struggling too (use a drug called remeron which makes you ravenous for anything sugary, fatty or carb loaded), but bad foods make me burn and flush badly. Perhaps try to stick to a diet with no gluten, simple carbs, sugar and additives for some time? Focusing on veggies (salads, stir fries etc), organic protein sources (I eat organic chicken, eggs, lamb and beef and fish) and fruits perhaps? Its truly a struggle to get rid of coke, chocolate and sugars in general, people often don't realize just HOW addictive they are and what type of withdrawel symptoms people might get from ditching them. But they have a massive impact on your face, or at least on mine. I try to see it as short term gratification versus long term gratification; the foods are short term, the clearer skin (hopefully) and weight loss are long term.
    All the best!!

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