Giving Thanks and Lowfat Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

*there's some potty humor in this entry, so don't say I didn't warn ya!

One of the best things about my husband is that he never ceases to give thanks. Every Friday evening, after arriving home from the grocery store, we empty out our overflowing bags of produce onto the kitchen table and the hubby notes how fortunate we are. "We eat so healthy!" he says, " We're so blessed to be able to eat this way!". Then, after restocking the refrigerator with a good amount of yummy food, he stands back and examines it; holding the refrigerator door open he says "We are so lucky!". I can't deny that we are blessed, that's for sure. I am certainly blessed to be married to someone whose positive attitude keeps me going on a bad day.

Speaking of bad days, just last year I had to have my gallbladder removed. Even though the procedure itself wasn't that invasive, being severely sick before the gallbladder disease diagnosis was not fun. First off, on my own, I couldn't afford to have the surgery. I'd just graduated from college, got my first full-time job, but had to resign. I had too many doctor appointments lined-up and I wasn't getting more than 2 hours of sleep per night due to the pain. It took the doctors about 6 months to diagnose me because I didn't have the 'textbook' symptoms. I was taking acid-reducing proton pump inhibitors for 4 months, but I didn't have acid reflux even though the doctors thought I did. On top of that, I lost a lot of weight, which isn't good when you only weigh 107 pounds. So, I was actually relieved to discover that my gallbladder's ejection fraction rate was 17% when it should've been at least 80%; I was ready to say goodbye to Mr. Gallbladder, the green gooey monster. There wasn't nearly enough bile pumping into my intestines to help digest my food - that's what was causing the annoying gut pain!

Now I'm happy to be gallbladder-free...well, for the most part. Yes, I am definitely grateful that I didn't develop stones - that would've been even more dangerous. Yes, I am extremely happy that I can eat again. But there is a reason why we have a gallbladder, and I know that now more than ever before! The gallbladder holds all the bile that the liver produces; since I don't have a gallbladder, I have a constant trickle of bile flowing directly into my intestines (sometimes it feels more like a river). Also, the more fat one eats, the more bile the liver produces. And guess what else? Bile acts as a laxative! It is a strong acid-based digestive juice that'll get you going more than a bottle of prune juice will, especially if you eat the wrong foods; watch out for those abdominal cramps, too. It's not rare to experience funky digestive issues after having gallbladder surgery, it just isn't fun (Postcholecystecomy Syndrome is the technical name for it). Thankfully, I am taking a wonderful soluble fiber that acts as a bile sponge, it's a great alternative to Questran (a medication meant to lower cholesterol and minimize the amount of bile produced by the liver).



But living without a gallbladder still requires a few more dietary modifications. Some folks develop lactose intolerance after having their gallbladders removed, I recently discovered that I am one of them. I can handle small quantities of dairy products here and there, but, to avoid the tummy discomfort, I try to cook with soy/rice based products instead. I am also sensitive to certain fats and oils, which is why I never use hydrogenated oils. To be completely honest, sometimes I eat something I know will make me sick but I eat it anyway because it's just soooo delicious that denying myself that kind of yumminess would be considered a small crime! (That and I am incredibly stubborn.) Other times, I actually exhibit self-control and eat something considered 'safe', but I still end up taking the nonstop trip on the porcelain bus* the next day (*I stole that term from Anthony Bourdain, so don't credit me for it ;). This is why the gastro gave me the IBS label the last time I was in his office; irritable bowel syndrome - my gut is like an unruly spoiled brat that has relentless tantrums even though he knows Santa's watching.

Ok...so I'm sure you're wondering why this post is about being grateful. It sounds like I'm complaining, right? Well, no. I am super grateful, but I am also honest. I don't like pretending that everything is perfect and that the crazy blogger behind Flour Arrangements just spends her time cooking, blogging, and baking tasty treats all day. Like you, I have my bad days. Even though mine usually revolve around a toilet, we all deal with crap everyday; PUN INTENDED. So what am I grateful for? Well, aside from the loving husband and countless other things, I am eternally grateful for comfy toilet paper and the ability to get up and go to work in the morning. You know how I had to resign from that first full-time job when I was sick? Well, now I have an even better one. It's more fun and better paying - who could ask for anything more?!

Yummy vegetables and fruits wouldn't exist without stinky fertilizer, sometimes we have to get covered in crap in order to blossom into a more deliciously ripe version of ourselves. Lovely analogy, eh? I know my plight isn't nearly as bad as that of others, but, sometimes, when my stomach is in knots due to the missing organ, I just give thanks to God that I'm not missing anything else. Emotionally and physically speaking, I feel full; I'm pretty sure that's something worth being grateful for.

P.S. I should also note that I became even more obsessed with food after having my gallbladder removed. Going so long not being able to eat much taught me how to appreciate food even more than I did before...and that's what gave rise to the birth of Flour Arrangements and recipes like this lowfat lemon poppy seed muffin! It's still tasty and sweet, but it doesn't have nearly as much fat as traditional muffins do, making it a 'tummy-friendly' food. Instead of using a stick o' butter, I enhance the flavor of these muffins with aromatic spices.