Blessings in Disguise

So, it has been about a month since I found out that I am lactose intolerant, and it does have its obvious drawbacks. Many of my favorite foods (pizza, lasagna, ice cream, etc) have dairy, and it was a bummer not to be able to eat them anymore. As time has passed, however, I have realized that many hidden blessings came with this unfortunate situation.

Not being able to use cheese has forced me to eat much healthier. No more pizza, cheese puffs, or cakes and cookies and brownies for me, thanks! The dairy products used in many of my favorite recipes actually contributed most of the fat content in those dishes, as well. I can no longer use "cream of" condensed soups for cooking anymore. Butter is also a no-no. I have been unable to give in to those late-night junk food cravings, since what I crave is usually ice cream or cheeseburgers or something else that has cheese or milk in it.

I made a rich, creamy Nutella cheesecake for Brian (well, he made it while I held the baby and supervised), and then I couldn't eat any! Apparently, Nutella has milk in it. So does the whipper cream and cheesecake parts of that treat. Poor Brian had to eat all of it by himself!

When I want a sweet treat after dinner, I can't munch on cookies anymore, so I have been eating fruit. For breakfast, no more waffles or pancakes for me! I eat oatmeal and more fruit or maybe some toast or eggs. As a result of this dietary restriction, I have lost some weight! Yay! And I feel so much healthier without the horrible stomach pains that punish me if I try to sneak a slice of pizza. It has been far more effective at holding me accountable than my poor willpower has ever been in the face of tasty treats.

So I suppose I am grateful to have learned this lesson. Even when bad things happen (first world problems!), it is possible to find the silver lining.