Food. The Enemy?

    On occasion I get a trifle annoyed that food has become The Enemy. Not by my choice, let me remind you. This has been a sneaky, subversive attack, unwarranted, unwanted, undeserved, unappreciated. I feel as if a long loved friend suddenly turned against me. Maybe it is my fault to a degree. I used to turn to my comforting friend, Food, when I was melancholy, or tired, or celebrating, and I have now turned my back on Food, turning to other, more productive methods of alleviating stress, assuaging emotions, or savoring triumph. I have spurned the tempting advances of foods that I know to be delicious, satisfying, and decadent, though less than optimal fuel for my engine. Could it be that Food is not the enemy, but retaliating against me and my diabolically healthful ways? I have wondered. It does seem as if the healthier I eat, the healthier I have to eat, or suffer dire consequences for ill advised choices. But where Food becomes The Enemy is in the random, sporadic attacks of gastrointestinal distress brought about by foods that have been previously deemed healthy, nutritionally dense, and perfect. I have run the gauntlet of late: raw mouth, burning and tingling of mouth and tongue, heartburn, cramps, bloating, sharp pain, dull pain, annoying pain. The odd thing is that a food that has been a staple will suddenly cause me severe problems, case in point: tree nuts, and bananas. Yes, bananas. A staple of my diet for their easy digestibility, palatability, good carbs, and potassium. Just the last week or so, I have noticed a burning sensation in my mouth when I eat them, followed by heartburn and various other less savory symptoms that I hesitate to mention in polite company. I'm pretty peeved over this one, I eat a lot of g'damned bananas.
    As much as I like being able to handle things on my own, figure out my own quirks, analyze issues, find solutions, I am thinking it may be time to call on the professionals. I am a hair's breadth from seeing an allergist. So many of my symptoms are allergy-like: burning mouth, sore tongue, chronic congestion in my throat and bronchia. The other option is to go on a cleansing fast, then add items one at a time. The downside of this is that I work out too prodigiously to not be eating a healthy assortment of nutrient dense foods. I have already dropped below what I think of as optimal weight. Okay, that is a bit of a lie. I am kinda stoked about my current weight, but I definitely don't need to drop any more, and need fuel to build and rebuild muscle. I am at a bit of a loss. I know I can keep eating foods that fuel me properly, and just suffer the consequences. But just how healthy is it for me to eat foods that are causing obvious inflammation? It is beyond frustrating. I want to be able to eat whatever the hell I want to, be it a PB&J, or a double cheeseburger, or a vegan taco, without worrying about the aftermath. So, until there is a dramatic change, a truce, an armistice, a cease fire, Food continues to be The Enemy