Why I Ditched Paper Food Logs (and What I Use Instead)

When I was first diagnosed with Alpha-Gal Syndrome, I quickly realized how hard it was to find a good food journaling app tailored to AGS needs. I downloaded a free printable sheet, thinking it would help—but it only tracked one day at a time. That meant printing page after page, flipping through stacks of paper to find patterns, and trying to juggle it all while managing a brand-new diagnosis on the go.

AGS is already time-consuming and hard to navigate. That system? It only made things worse. I literally cried when I realized that this was the method being recommended. There had to be a better way.

 

Step One: Build Something Better

When we created The Alpha Gal Pal, finding a smarter way to track food and reactions was one of our top priorities. I wanted something that went beyond just what I ate. We needed to incorporate a digital food log for Alpha-Gal that goes beyond just meals – it needed to  help you track: 

• Food and symptoms/reactions
• Co-factors like stress, exercise, and menstruation
• Water intake 

As well as be:

• Easy to access from any device
• able to house long-term storage
• Private and secure
• And of course… affordable

We Found a Solution

Every Alpha Gal Pal Community Plus+ membership now includes access to a powerful, easy-to-use journaling app. With it, you can:

• Log food and reactions
• Track co-factors
• Track water intake, activities, BMs, metrics, and more
• Monitor nutrients with a built-in customizable food list
• Add notes
• Sync with Fitbit or Google Fit

Getting Started Is Simple

Once you’re logged into your AGP+ account, just click the Plus+ link at the top of the page. You’ll see three options:

1. Create a Group
2. Journaling Link
3. MealGarden.

Click Journaling Link to create your account. After that, you can access your journal anytime through your dashboard or the journaling app itself.

Your Privacy Matters

We use a cloud-based EHR system, similar to what many doctors use for patient portals. This ensures your data stays secure. While our small support team can view entries if you need help, no other members or outside parties can access your account—ever.

If You Cancel Your Membership

Canceling your AGP Plus+ membership will archive your journal entries. You won’t be able to add anything new, but if you return later, all your previous logs will still be there waiting for you.

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Food logging shouldn’t make your AGS journey harder. With AGP+, we’re making it easier!