My first experience with this came some months after my original big changes in diet and resulting big improvements in my health. I had decided to try Menchie's for a treat one day, since they boast all natural ingredients and offer dairy free flavors (sorbet). Ever vigilant about ingredients, I asked and was provided an ingredients list (many food service places offer this now). There, in the ingredients was "corn syrup" - but, they specifically advertise "no high fructose corn syrup", and quite frankly, I didn't know the difference. I had heard that high fructose corn syrup is bad for you, but I figured just-plain-old corn syrup must be okay. I thought long and hard before I made my choice, and in the end I went home with dish of lovely sorbet.
I woke up in the middle of the night with terrible pain in my arms. My muscles were sore and tight, and I just felt "not quite right" all over. I strongly suspected the corn syrup, and I avoided it for a long time after that.
One day, several weeks later, I was feeling like a sweet treat after lunch, and I grabbed a package of "all natural" fruit snacks - the kind made with real juice and no artificial stuff. It was a small package (the kind you put in your child's lunch box), and it satisfied my sweet tooth quite nicely. Within two hours, however, I was in so much pain I could barely walk; my hips and thighs felt bruised, and my legs were heavy, giving me the sensation of wading through thick mud. I immediately pulled that fruit snacks wrapper out of the trash and read the ingredients - and there, amongst all the other natural stuff, was corn syrup.
When I get these terrible "fibro flares", they can last up to a few days, come with debilitating fatigue, and are sometimes accompanied by congestion. It's totally worth it to me to read ingredients and avoid certain thinks like the plague, if it means I am also avoiding the pain.
Many, many times, I have come across ingredients that I don't recognize, and if I don't have the means to "look it up" right then, I simply don't eat it. If I don't know for certain all of the ingredients in something (at a restaurant, or in someone else's home), I don't eat it. I've missed out on some things, but I've learned to eat before I go places and even bring food with me when it's appropriate. My general rule of thumb when reading labels is, "If I don't know what it is, if I can't pronounce it, if it has more than five syllables, then I don't eat it."
Of course, corn syrup is not going to affect everybody the way it does me. Be aware, however, that corn syrup is a common trigger food for autoimmune response, as are many corn products and other grains. These are what are called "inflammatory foods", and if you are experienced with the pain of inflammation, then that name should say it all.
My point in telling you about my corn syrup aversion is to give you an understanding of why it is so important to pay attention to your body and to learn your trigger foods. Each individual is different, and will respond differently to different foods. An elimination diet can help you begin to recognize those foods, and following the blood type diet can help you further understand and choose foods that are safest for you. Yes, there are times you are going to miss out, and you will miss certain foods. But, once you begin to experience relief from pain and health problems, you will find the effort more than worth it.
By the way, I still enjoy an occasional Menchie's treat - I load up my bowl with fresh fruits, almonds, walnuts, and chocolate chips, and I feel like I'm not missing a thing! I also love Chipotle, where I can get wholesome ingredients by the heapful for dinner and an all natural soda to wash it down.
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