New Diet: low FODMAPs for Me.

Over the last few years my gut had been getting worse.  I went gf a few months before conceiving Felicity and felt SO much better.  But over the years I have been cutting out more and more foods that appeared to give me stomach pains.  The difficult thing about a food-elimination diet is the time it takes (irritating foods may cause distress anywhere between 1/2 hr to days later).  I have been following these guidelines of the low FODMAP diet for 5 days now and this is the best I've felt in years.  Last month I was convinced I had liver or pancreatic cancer because of the constant pain.  The Blood tests showed otherwise. (Praise God). I had cut out all dairy, sugar, gluten and still felt icky. 

I don't know how I stumbled upon a low FODMAP diet, probably one of my many "abdominal pain" google searches.  Mainly they explain that you that you go on the diet for 4-6 wks and then slowly re-introduce irritating foods.  I was SO surprised to find out that the soy, peas, beans, cauliflower, garlic, onions, I was eating were making my insides churn and causing such pain.  The good thing about this diet is that I don't have to avoid the foods altogether.  I can have the moderate and high FODMAP foods, just in moderation.  I haven't officially been Dx with IBS/IBD, Crohn's disease, or anything of the sort, technically.  I'm so tired of going to doctors, paying a hearty co-pay and bill, and have nothing to show for it.  Sometime you have to be your own advocate.  Scratch that--ALWAYS you must be your own advocate.

I'm constantly reminded that we eat to live not live to eat.  (But if I could a donut occasionally, I'd be one happy camper!). It's a weird diet.  Grapes are good, but raisins are bad. Maple syrup is good, honey is bad.  Dry wine is good, sweet wine is bad. Most white cheeses are good, processed or yellow cheeses are bad. Mainly fructose is the culprit, but also fermentable foods.  And anything that gives the average person wind (cauliflower, cabbage, beans) reels havok on IBS sufferers guts.

FOD·MAP 

ˈfädˌmap/

noun: FODMAP

1. one of a group of compounds thought to contribute to the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome and similar gastrointestinal disorders. The term is used mainly with reference to a diet that is low in these compounds (which are mainly carbohydrates).

   
   

Origin

early 21st century: acronym from fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols .

My 1st GF Apple Pie

Crustless, GF Pumpkin Pie

I'm going to try this recipe this wknd for Easter. The recipe states any GF flour can be used and (half the) cornstarch in place of the tapioca starch. Here's hoping it works:  

1 14 or 15-oz can organic pumpkin
1 1/2 cups full fat coconut milk (or vanilla soy/almond milk)
2 teaspoons bourbon vanilla
2 tablespoons light olive oil
1 tablespoon Ener-G Egg Replacer
3/4 cup organic light brown sugar
1/2 cup GF buckwheat or sorghum flour (or see tips below)
2 tablespoons tapioca starch/flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Homemade Granola Bars

I copied this recipe from Sister Jen. 

Mix 1/2 cup honey & 1 cup peanut butter. Microwave for 1 minute. 

Add 2 cups quick cook oatmeal & 2 cups Rice Krispies. Add 1 cup of nuts or dried fruit of your choice. Press into 9x13" foil-lined pan, press hard! Add choc chips & press again. Refrigerate. Take out & cut. Keep refrigerated. 

So ... How Do You Feel?

May 18 of this year one of my doctor's diagnosed me with gluten intolerance, and I have been living the GF (gluten-free) lifestyle since.  Let me clarify, this is related to but not the same as celiac disease - I do not have this. Gluten is the protein in wheat, barley, and rye that gives elasticity to dough helping it to rise and to keep its shape. It is in so many foods because wheat flour is cheap, easy to produce, and is everywhere, making shopping and eating out difficult.  I've read that it is estimated that gluten intolerance is anywhere from 10-25% of the US population.  It is so misunderstood and misdiagnosed in America because our medical system is powered by medications.  Pharmaceutical Corporations and Medical Research go hand-in-hand.  While there is no medication for celiac disease or gluten intolerance - it's all in the diet - so often times it is misdiagnosed or not diagnosed at all.  European countries are so far ahead of the US in gluten-free lifestyles.
Funny story: I have a GF girlfriend who went to Ground Round for dinner with her husband.  From their GF portion of their menu, she ordered a hamburger.  They served her a hamburger patty, with lettuce & tomato, but NO bun!  (And yes, they do make GF hamburger & hot dog buns).  When she inquired about a bun, they stated that this was their GF hamburger option.  I give her credit: She ate it and paid.  I would have walked out for false advertising - that's not a hamburger, that's a hamburger steak.

The Gluten Connection was a HUGE help to me in understanding the why, how, and the 'now what?' of my new lifestyle by Shari Lieberman and Linda Segall

I also consulted a nutritionist and he said that I was allergic to milk & if I knew that.  I stated that, yes, it came up on all allergy tests I had taken, but that since I wasn't appearing to have any affect on my body, I still drank it daily.  He said that when we put something in our bodies that we are allergic to, it causes a constant state of inflammation - making us more susceptible to other allergies and illnesses.  Now, I still eat the occasional ice cream or cheese, but it's only Silk vs milk for me (& it is GOOD!).  And really - the human body wasn't designed to drink from a cow - but that soap box will have to wait.

Jenny McCarthy wrote the book, Louder than Words. Her son has autism and she has gone through great lengths to "heal" him.  He is on a gluten-free, casein-free (milk protein) diet and he can now speak, learn, communicate, & behave better and has improved concentration/focus.  I would not recommend buying this book and giving this woman a cent - if you're aware of her background and lack of moral beliefs - but it is at the library.  It does use some foul language (she uses the "F" word at doctors when her son has persistent seizures), but her dedication as a mother and heart-wrenching journey, I have to admit, was enlightening.

Lastly, I just finished Change Your Brain, Change Your Body  by Dr Amen.  It was AWESOME.  He talks about the different areas of your brain, what they do, how to exercise them to decrease your anger, improve concentration, improve sleep, decrease anxiety, decrease poor habits, etc. He talks about the pros/cons of supplements vs prescriptions.  He pretty much says for everyone: eat right/healthy, drink water, exercise, sleep 7-8 hrs/night, meditate/pray daily, and take a multi-vitamin supplement.  He also has an appendix at the end of the book for specific supplements and their benefits to your brain & body for certain brain needs.

"So ... How Do You Feel?" is the question I get asked often times by people once they find I've gone GF & pretty much milk free.  Well...
* No longer have shortness of breath, and actually started running every morning before work.
* My resting heart rate has decreased by 20 beats per minute, it was beating too hard and too fast.
* No longer having allergic reactions to "unknown" foods
* Decreased body aches and no more daily headaches
* No longer have a lump-in-my-throat feeling
* Increased patience and concentration (I know, weird, right? But gluten intolerance can actually increase aggression and decrease concentration.)
* My blood sugars are much more stable and I don't get hypoglycemic crashes hardly anymore
* My seasonal allergies are little to nothing this year - maybe its a good year or maybe I'm better (?)

This is a long post, but I wrote it so that I remember where I was before and where I am going.  I think we often times forget how bad we felt until we relapse into the old habits.

"Every day you get better or worse...but you don't stay the same," Bo Schembechler.
So we are supposed to improve our physical, emotional, spiritual, and intellectual self.  It's a constant vocation that I feel drawn to because I'm feeling better all the time.  I hope I can keep it up with the support of those around me who can challenge me and maybe even vice versa. God bless & Shalom.

Gluten Free Me?

I try not to whine or complain and am generally a private person.  Those who know me personally may beg to differ, but really...it's how I feel, yet maybe not the persona I tend to display.  Don't correct me...I did say, bold, & underline the word "try". :)
That being said, my health has wavered for years; including heart issues, fatigue, increased anaphylactic allergic reactions to the most common foods, skin sensitivities, and more.  I've gone to the doctor, tests done, "normal results" return, and a pill is recommended.  I'm not big on meds & currently don't take any prescriptions.  I want answers, not a bandage.  I don't want a beta blocker, I want to know what is causing my rapid heart rate.
Finally it got to be too much.  I was fearful of eating, drinking, & was often getting sick.  I typed up my whole medical history as best as I could recall & went to see a doctor friend of mine on Friday.  There's no complete conclusion, but she believes it's gluten intolerance.  Tests were taken and I am waiting the results.  After researching it, it makes sense & it would cause all my symptoms.  So I am trialing the gluten-free lifestyle.  With my husband supporting me, I'm hoping this journey ends in good results.
Back in the 80's, antibiotics were used, and used a lot, and  I was a sick kid who got them a lot. Those antibiotics reek havoc on the good flora in the intestine.  The small intestines cannot work when out of sync like this and inflammation starts - sometimes affecting many parts of the body.  I am not blaming anyone - this is why doctors "practice" medicine.  I just hate being the guinea pig.  Here's hoping that my new high fiber & protein diet with OTC probiotics aide in the healing process and I learn what its like to be normal again.
Have you ever spoken with someone who has been sick for a while and they finally find out the diagnosis, and while the diagnosis isn't the best, there's a sense of relief on their face in knowing what it is?  That's how I feel.  This isn't a "for sure" diagnosis, and I may not see results for months or more, but there's hope, and that's what I want at this point.
PS: Gluten is everywhere.  It's actually quite depressing.  But if it works, it's a lifestyle I'm willing to accept.