Is butter a carb? Day 1

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This is day 1 of my no wheat (so basically no gluten) diet. So far so good, but I've had a terrible barrage of images pop into my head. No pumpkin bread? No chocolate chip cookies?!

You're probably thinking "why in God's name would you do this to yourself Alannah?" I will probably be asking myself that in the next couple days as I go into withdrawal (yes, people experience withdrawal), but here's my attempt at justification. I've been hearing on and off for years had bad wheat/gluten is for you, and the other night I finally downloaded the book Wheat Belly, written by this physician who swears it's done wonders for his patients. Weight, especially around the midsection (love handles/spare tire anyone?), melts off patients, cholesterol levels lower, any number of skin woes clears up, and, most important for me, energy levels increase and that mental fog just lifts away. Considering my narcolepsy and the fact that I basically spend all my free time napping, this last one is a big one for me. I'd do just about anything to have more energy and a clear head (not that my brain is terribly foggy but it gets hard to concentrate when all you want to do is take a nap).

Wheat, and even whole grain, is what raises blood sugar more than anything else, even sugar. According to the good doc it stimulates appetite and doesn't help us feel full (this strikes a cord when I consider that I could eat half a box of pasta in one sitting and still be hungry). The wheat today is totally different from the wheat of past centuries thanks to genetic engineering and whatnot.

Whether you believe it or you just think it's bunk science, I'm going to be giving it a try. I certainly could use more fruits and veggies and less empty carbs in my life so why not (though I'm going to have to make certain exceptions for birthdays and holidays). Plus, I wouldn't hate it if my not so loveable love handles decided to hit the road. However, this did not stopping from having the most kick ass last supper of pizza, breadsticks, and cupcakes. Go big or go home right?