Like air and water, food is essential to the human body. We must eat (one, two, three--up to eight times) every day. What happens if we don't? I'm sure you've experienced the symptoms. You become weak, irritable, moody, tired, frustrated, sad--we like to describe this as "hungry." Everyone puts some thought into what he will eat every day (hmm, do I choose the frozen dinner or the McDonald's?) but these types of people are usually the ones who don't realize cooking brings joy. At least, cooking brings me joy. I honestly believe that every cook must find joy in cooking--why else would they do it? It certainly wouldn't be because they like to fail sometimes, or have people insult their food, or get messy, or burn themselves, or stress, or...
My story:
My love for cooking started with baking, actually. I made these chocolate chip cookies for my oldest brother's English class and one boy remarked they were the best cookies he had ever eaten. He named them "Becca's Butt-Kicking Chocolate Chip Cookies of +3 Power." I have since become famous for these cookies with my friends. In high school I sold them and Butterscotch Brownies to fellow students to raise money for Toys for Tots, a organization that gives toys to needy children on Christmas. I was therefore able to spread my joy to others--I enjoyed baking and everyone enjoyed eating my baked goods.
My problems:
They started sometime around the beginning of last school year (06-07). I wanted to get healthy. Ok, I wanted to lose weight. I didn't like what I saw in the mirror. I had the typical image problems lots of teenage girls have. I wasn't allowed to diet (so said my mom) but I basically did anyway. I read my parents' South Beach Diet book and learned all about "bad carbs." I tried to completely cut out bread and lost about 5 pounds in one week. After that they kept coming off. By spring of 07 I was starting to have weird symptoms. I got headaches often, I often felt tired, I got light headed sometimes, among other physical issues. Mom took me to the doctor, thinking I may have a weird blood sugar problem or something. Nothing showed up in tests. I even had an MRI to check the headache problem (where I lay and felt like I was on the TV show Lost, seriously, the noises were the same...). Besides the fact that I had lost about 15 pounds, I seemed fine.
The solution:
I started researching my symptoms on the Internet. This lady I babysat for has a daughter who can't have gluten and had told me that I might have a gluten allergy. *Google* I now think I have a wheat intolerance. Wheat intolerances can sometimes "pop up" after you go off of wheat for awhile (I did). My body was used to wheat, but after taking a break from it and then re-introducing it, my body got upset. I decided to try this theory again and went off of wheat for 3 weeks to clear out my system. Those were some of the hardest weeks, because I often got depressed as I watched others eating cake, bread, and basically everything else. "I can't have that" was a popular phrase. After the 3 weeks I put wheat back into my diet with lots of whole grain, high fiber foods for a week. Let's just say my stomach was upset all week and I had mood swings and depression. I went back off of wheat. I have been off of wheat since then.
My story (continued):
In the summer I became the usual chef for dinners at our house. I live with my parents and my oldest brother. We are all picky eaters. Mom is the best--she, like me, is willing to try new things. My brother is the stick in the family who can eat anything he wants (chocolate chip pancakes, sandwich and chips, snickers bar, hamburger with cheese and fries) and not gain any weight, but he is the one who complains the most ("Why can't we have it the "normal" way? I like the "normal" version better. Why'd you make it different?") My dad is the most unhealthy in the family. He is overweight and has lots of health problems. I've come to realize that I can't help him though, no matter how healthy the dishes are I prepare. It's up to him.
Being a health freak, I always try to cook healthy dishes. However, I love cheese and I love pasta. I could also (and probably do...) eat chicken every day of my life and be perfectly happy. My biggest struggle is incorporating baked goods into my life, now that I have this wheat issue. Since last year I have gone from 124 lbs to 97 lbs. Some say "good job;" others ask if I'm anorexic or bulimic (I'm neither). I'm currently trying to gain weight, believe it or not. I'm fighting a hard battle but I'm sure I can win. Well, with a little help from food, of course!
My goals:I'm obsessed with food blogs! I usually don't make any dish that doesn't have a picture, which is why I love blogs! I am too scared to venture out on my own into the world of cooking, which is why a lot of my dishes are recipes from someone else. I will always put the original link, recipe, and cook, but will add my own comments. I dream of owning my own restaurant some day but I don't know where God is taking me in life. Please, comment all you want!
Above all else, remember,
Enjoy!
~Becca
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