When I was 14 years old I was diagnosed with a digestive disorder called CSID. Without going too far into detail, my stomach does not produce enzymes used to digest starch or sugar. Starch is in bread, pasta, potatoes, beans, rice, and a lot of other things and sugar is in everything.
If I consume anything containing sugar and/or starch my stomach gets big and begins to hurt (picture). The next morning I wake up with a sore throat, a runny/stuffy nose, a weak body, and a stomach ache.
This will last up to 5 days and sometimes longer. When my body is unable to digest that much, it also fails to digest the harmful bacteria, this causes me to crave what I essentially cannot digest. So whenever I want to make a small compromise on a pop tart, bread stick, gardettos, or maybe a burrito at Taco Bell, I am in a lot of pain but then I crave what puts me in pain! Not only that, but I am constantly hungry and what do I turn to? What I crave.
This disorder is also the reason that I am so skinny and weigh less that 120 pounds. My body doesn't absorb carbohydrates-which is generally what makes people gain weight. My Mom put it well: "what makes you fat, makes me sick."
Right now, I am sick because I gave in to some junk food. I am so tired of this! I feel like crap but I am craving sugar and starch every 5 minutes.Just imagine how difficult this is for me.
This is great, sweetie! Seeing CSID from a college student's perspective is so important. It is one reason I want to instill good eating habits for Parker, so that he is equipped to face these challenges once he is of college age. Keep it up!
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