Restrictive Diets

I recently read a book by Dr. Andrew Weil called Spontaneous Healing.  It is about osteopathic medicine; which is using treatments that support the mind-body connection in health and healing.  Instead of treating each symptom and medicating to suppress the symptom, it tries to find the root cause of the problem and fix it.  It is not Eastern medicine or homeopathic... it is a combination of some Eastern type theories, but used in conjunction with Western medicine. It uses hands-on healing, cranial manipulations, nutrition and supplements, among other things.  It's very fascinating.


I have found an Osteopathic clinic here that is covered under my insurance and I have had appointments with two docs.  One that specializes in the hands-on and breathing therapies - I'm learning how to relax and breathe properly.  Something that us folks with anxiety don't do very well.  Of course, we breathe, but we breathe very shallowly.  I have learned a breathing technique that allows me to breath more full, relaxed breaths from my diaphragm.  I'm finding it very helpful so far.


The other doc specializes in the nutrition aspect of it.  Besides upping a few of my vitamin dosages, she has me on an "elimination diet".  Most of which is pretty easy to follow since I already follow my "eat clean diet", but there have been a few difficulties (for me).  One is dairy - I like my eggs and yogurt.  The other is gluten - which I don't eat alot of because I don't eat processed food, but I do love my whole grains.  Chocolate is the other thing that I can't have.  I like a few dark chocolate chips in my yogurt as a dessert sometimes.  The funny thing is that I don't eat these things every day, but all of a sudden, when I'm told that I can't have them... it's a big deal!  It's a mental thing.  I've realized that I don't like being told what I can't have.  When I read something like my eat clean diet books and make up my own mind that I want change or eliminate a food, I'm fine; but being told what not to eat has been really difficult for me!


I keep telling myself that I can do it.  It's only for 3 weeks and I have actually discovered that I really like almond milk and coconut milk, so I might keep that in my fridge after the elimination diet is over.  Mental difficulties aside, I have actually been doing pretty well on this diet.  I find the most difficult meal to keep to it is dinner.  I wonder how effective it is if I still use a few of the restricted items in cooking?


How do you cope on such diets?  Do you find yourself wanting what you can't have?  Do replacements work to satisfy you?