Last February I took a food sensitivity blood test. The test revealed a hold bunch of “red” and “yellow” flag foods I should avoid. After almost a year of stressing over this food list (not to mention my friends and family having to deal with it), and going on two vacations where I eat things on said list but in minimal amounts, I’ve learned a few things.

1. Stress ruins your stomach

   • Whenever I’m on vacation my stomach is fine, the second I’m back home, the tension returns

   • Frequently when I deal with my mother, my stomach bothers me

   • When I’m stressed, I eat

2. Overeating has a bigger impact than many foods on either “red” or “yellow” lists

   • Whenever I go to bed satisfied or hungry, the next morning my stomach feels amazing

   • Whenever I binge eat, not only do I feel disgusting, but food takes much longer to digest

3. Certain foods cause way more bloating than others

   • Nightshades (peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, potatoes)

   • Gluten

   • Dairy

4. Certain foods slow down digestion, while others don’t have an impact

   • Slow: Carbs, sugars

   • No noticeable impact: Veggies (other than nightshades), protein

5. I recently discovered that I have a hernia in my stomach and for all I know the strain of my digestive issues could be the culprit.