32 replies to this topic

[Dejibo]

Hello, long time no see! I joined this board months and months ago thinking I would do well to try gluten-free free with my MS to see if I could improve my sx. Well, I did it, and discovered my sx remained the same, so gluten-free was probably not my issue. I continued to bloat, have severe constipation, Multiple sclerosis sx, headache, nausea, brain fog and the like. I was kinda bummed because I know someone who is gluten-free and does great on it. Clearly I dont have this odd problem. I was in denial a bit (ok more than a bit) and decided that I could continue to eat what I wanted when I wanted and since my trial and biopsies were negative I was in the clear. WRONG! A bit of time has gone by and my sx are so much worse. My intestines are swollen, gastroenteritis was worse gastroparesis was also always looming and my weight was crawling ever higher each day even though I was not eating that much. I started seeing a naturopathic MD and she investigated my whole background and didnt treat me like most of my MDs who treat one body part at a time, or one disease at a time, she looked at my history, my diet, my interactions with the world, my stress, my brain fog and so forth. My intestine has always been really sensitive and quickly flares into a mess. It was decided that MILK was my issue first and foremost and the reason I didnt react to the gluten-free diet was that I was allowing milk in it. So, it was decided that I would go not just gluten-free but FLOUR free. ALL flours! even rice, tapioca and all the others. Sugar free (without allowance for artificial sweeteners. Not just milk but Dairy free (except Ghee) and as a good measure since so many tropical fruits are so acidic to remove all tropical fruits for a while. I am told that after a while I can add a few things back in, but am promised I wont want to.

I have been doing this diet for the last 3 weeks, almost the last month and I have dropped 10 pounds. My tummy bloat is gone. My red face is much calmer. While my intestines are still struggling a bit to get moving, they are moving better. My brain fog is less, but still there, my MS sx seem to be less wild, but still there. All good news yes? then why am I here? OMG Im soooo lost! I dont have any idea what I should be eating, how to cook it, how to keep myself full, what are good choices, bad choices, and for good measure I am a breast cancer survivor so I am soy free. MANY milk alternatives have soy in them. MANY gluten-free products have soy in them.

You will probably see me stalking around the recipe threads, seeking things I can eat. My gluten-free friend has gone two steps further and asked me to remove Oats and corn to make it a complete "perfect way of eating" so even more restrictions! I am trying to see it as "what CAN I eat" instead of what CANT I eat, but its hard.

Dairy free, Flour free, Sugar free, Tropical fruit free, GMO free, corn free, soy free, and oat free make many traditional choices hard! To top it off I live in the backwoods and we have very few choices for grocery stores around here. There are no trader joe's or other such organic places. How do I know who uses GMO? I was upset to find Kashi does. This has been more than a challenge and with my addled brain im struggling. im hungry and im grouchy!

Wave if you see me in the halls. I could use a hug. im tired! but determined.

[tarnalberry]

Can you clarify a bit?

"Flour" free doesn't really make sense, as you can make flour out of many things. You can make flour out of grains, yes, but also things like tapioca (which you list, but it's not a grain) or arrowroot (also not a grain, but a tuber) or beans (again, no grains, but legumes) or almonds (neither grains nor legumes or tubers, but nuts). So "flour" free doesn't really make sense to me without clarifying the source foods you're trying to avoid.

When you say sugar free, are you talking about added sugars, or something else? Apples have lots of natural sugars, would you eat them? Even things like pumpkins have natural sugars, what about them?

Additionally, I don't understand "tropical fruit free" in a desire to reduce acid. Lots of other foods have higher acidity contents that wouldn't be included here (especially tomatoes!) and some tropical foods don't have a lot of acidity (bananas, for instance). So, what are you really trying to get at here?

So, can you clarify a bit the *foods* (rather than preparations) you are trying to avoid?

So far, I see:
gluten free (this should include oats unless you've determined otherwise anyway)
partially dairy free*
soy free
corn free

I'll leave GMO in a separate category, because it's not eliminating a specific food, but a process.

* if you're going to give diary free a try, I'd go totally dairy free, not mostly.

[Chiana]

I think, perhaps, the right next step would be to get really informed about food, and think through what you are trying to accomplish. You are cutting out a lot of foods, and feeling better, but some of those decisions are not necessarily consistent...you may be removing foods that are perfectly healthy and acceptable to you.

[1desperateladysaved]

I am grain free. I enjoy almond flour, garbanzo/fava flour, and buckwheat flour. I eat bites of fruit to keep my sugar intake low. I have used Mango to replace lemon juice and tomato. You will be able to find something to eat. I also eat good fats like coconut and olive oil. I use meat, fish, and eggs for protein foods. I eat cooked vegatables because they are easier to digest.

I do look forward to getting some things back in the future. Meanwhile, I cut out things that I was suspicius of, in hopes of optimal healing. I would rather start adding things in rather than take more out.

Diana

[GFinDC]

HI B,

Sounds like you are aiming for grain-free, but not flour free? That's fine, going grain-free is a good way to start gluten-free. Eating whole foods instead of processed foods is also good.

Quinoa or buckwheat are also good alternatives to grains. But make sure you get gluten-free brands. Cross-contamination (CC) is possible in the alternative flours, so it it important to buy from a company that understands CC issues.

[Juliebove]

I have gastroparesis. If in fact you do have it, you need to cut quite a lot of things out of your diet. Not just tropical fruits but probably most fruits and veggies. You may be able to eat applesause or canned/poached pears. Those things work for me although I don't really like fruit all that well so rarely eat them.

White rice is one thing that works very well for me. I used to eat instant mashed potatoes or made from scratch mashed potatoes with salted water or some broth and a bit of olive oil. But now for some reason, mashed potatoes sit in my stomach like a lead weight and I really don't have the desire for them. You might try a plain baked potato without the skin. You could add salt, pepper, parsley and perhaps a light drizzle of olive oil. But with gastroparesis, you really have to watch the fats.

I seem to do well with tomatoes, canned beets in small amounts, canned green beans, peppers, onions, celery, and carrots. Salad is the worst for me. I can manage to do two small bowls/plates of salad or the amount of lettuce that would be in a couple of tacos. But if I try to eat more than that it will usually come back up. Beans and peas work fine for me. But these things don't always work for people with gastropareis. Some do find that they can eat hummus or low fat refried beans. I also have to watch olives. I can eat a few. But if I go wild at the olive bar, I will pay and they will come back up. Too much fat, I think.

Protein is the tough thing for me. I get it mainly from beans. Non fatty fish and white meat chicken is usually good for people with gastroparesis. But I am intolerant to both. I can eat turkey. I just don't like it very well. I can eat ground beef. Again, don't like it very well. Roast beef is really iffy for me. Once in a while I can eat a few bites with no problem but other times it comes back up. I would only try eating it if I have been feeling pretty good for a couple of weeks. No digestive issues. I do eat a little bacon now and again and it's okay. But I don't really like any other meats so haven't tried them.

I can usually eat popcorn although I realize that I shouldn't be able to. I can eat peanut butter and some nuts (I am intolerant to some) and seeds with no problem. I use chia seeds made into a gel for protein. I just eat the gel straight up. I have bought rice protein powder. Just have been too chicken to try it.

I do have weight problems. And mine stem from not being able to eat enough. I know people think that sounds silly. Try using the Cron-O-Meter. You can access it online. Register for a free account and input your food and drinks each day. See how many calories you are taking in. Most of the time I take in about 1,000 and that really isn't enough for me. I just literally can't eat any more most of the time because my digestion is so slow. Then my metabolism slows down and I either gain weight or fail to take it off.

Recently my stomach seemed to be doing better and for some days I could eat about 1,400 calories. I dropped some weight very quickly. But then my stomach started acting up again and I put most of that weight back on.

As for GMO products, that is something that the vendors/manufacturers don't have to disclose. But I did see a list recently. Let me see if I can find it.

For starters, this link says there are some non-GMO Kashi products. I don't know if they are suitable for you. We have never bought this brand aside from a few things for my husband who doesn't care about the ingredients he eats.



Basically with gastroparesis you want a lot of liquids in your diet and easy to digest foods. Broth is good. Won't give you a lot of calories but chances are you'll keep it down. Try adding a small amount of meat, some white rice and some really well cooked veggies. I don't usually drink juice because I have diabetes and I have to watch my carbs. But you could try mild things like apple and pear juice. Maybe even white grape juice. I say white because... I once had an incident involving vomiting and purple grape juice. It wasn't pretty and you don't want to have to try to remove those stains from clothing or carpet! You might try small amounts of tomato or V8 juice or using the same to make into a hot soup.

[Juliebove]

Sorry, I had to divide my post into two. It apparently got too long and it was scrolling on me. Anyway here is the Kashi link:

http://www.kashi.com...n_Kashi Non-GMO

These are verified non-GMO:

http://www.nongmopro...ating-products/

Here is one list of GMO:

http://www.disabled-...ss/gm-foods.php

Here's another list:

http://dprogram.net/...f-gmo-products/

I think you should be okay on that front so long as you buy whole foods. Try to stay away from processed stuff. Although some say that all corn is now GMO and I think I saw on one of those links that peas are. Hard to say.

[june27]

i began my journey in february (diagnosed with celiac, and trying new diet to improve seasonal allergies), and had to give up gluten/oats, dairy, yeast (which is in more things that you might realize, including anything with vinegar), yogurt, and oranges for two months. i completely understand how overwhelming this can be. i find that going back to the basics, and eating more whole foods makes things much easier. i have not had to deal with eliminating all grains, corn, and soy, so bear with me if some of these foods don't fit your needs...

in order to maintain fullness, i find that eating protein is super important! i have also found that it is nice to cook a lot of one meal over the weekend that i can use for lunch most of the week. this makes it so you don't HAVE to cook something big every night. if i don't have leftovers, i can make a lunch out of veggies and meat (gluten-free deli meat or tuna fish) - i don't like to have this all of the time, but it is good to have a fallback so you don't have to worry about always having to cook.

the other stuggle, is making sure you plan ahead. i always bring my lunch to work now, and if we are going to a social gathering, i need to make sure i have time to make something that i can eat to bring with us.

breakfast -
1. if you can eat quinoa or buckwheat, then you can cook them advance, and then prepare like you might oatmeal (and just warm in microwave each morning). i add almond milk, fruit (berries, apples w/cinnamon, pumpkin w/spices, etc), and ground flaxseeds. i sometimes add maple syrup as well, but not sure if you can have that.
[if you have a rice cooker, you can use it to make the quinoa while you are showering in the morning, so you don't have to set aside time to cook it]
2. eggs. by themselves, or make omelet or frittata with meat/veggies
3. leftovers

lunch/dinner -
1. instead of sandwiches, replace bread with lettuce and make wraps
2. i keep the meats simple, and season with spices (cayenne pepper is my favorite) and have been mostly cooking on the grill. i pair them with some veggies, and maybe some broiled potatoes with olive oil, onions, and garlic (these potatoes makes great leftovers with eggs for breakfast). i also make quinoa or buckwheat as a side sometimes.
3. homemade soups are easy to assemble, and then you just wait for them to cook. i use whatever veggies i have in house and usually add some beef.
4. a crockpot is also great for stews and roasts. again, you get everything cut up, and then just wait.

snacks -
1. hummus and veggies
2. nuts/seeds with fruit
3. chips - ok, i know that they are bad for me, but the way i look at it, if i am giving up everything else, i get to keep one vice
4. lara bars - mostly dates, nuts, and sometimes fruit. good snack to keep in your pocketbook for emergencies...
5. banana w/ peanut or almond butter
6. the "so delicious" brand makes ice cream from soy milk, but also has varieties made with coconut milk or almond milk. i prefer the almond milk, but they are all good. they also make coconut milk kefir, which is tasty and has probiotics...

there really are plenty of good things to eat - the big thing is going to be staying away from processed foods.

[Dejibo]

Thank you for all of the great replies.

Let me try to explain a bit more.

I am doing a flour free, Dairy free, Soy free, sugar free, tropical fruit free diet because I have MS, Gastroparesis, allergies, bloating, constipation, psoriasis, survived breast cancer, and my inflammation markers are off the charts. My biopsy came back negative 3 times for celiac. I have been struggling along under the assumption that gluten wasnt hurting me, and that I didnt have much sugar in my diet, so who cared? and that since I was eating clean, healthy and what I believed to be an organic style of life, that I was good and diet wasnt my issue. WRONG! I started seeing a naturopath when my MS slid out of control and my inflammation markers went wild. She believed that I was having a reaction to at least dairy, if not gluten as well, but in order to completely bring to a halt all of the stuff that was going on, I was placed on what she called the "freedom diet" and she removed all of the above from me. I started seeing a nice chiropractor who is a macrobiotic vegan, and his wife is a macrobiotic vegan chef of some sort, so he and the naturopath got in cahoots with each other and that is where this twisted tale begins.

It was a rough go at first, and yes it was very hard to remove so many things from my diet so quickly and since I tested positive for thrush and other organisms in my gut I was/still am going thru a detox phase as the buggars die out and their toxins get removed by my immune system. any little change to an MS patient can cause big swings in our disease. I am lucky in that my adopted daughter IS a Celiac patient and she has grown quite knowledgeable thru the years about what this or that does or doesnt do.

I am under the care of several MDs, and I am under the care of a naturopath and other alternative health care providers so my care is coordinated, but it was confusing as I stepped into this world full of cognitive fog, confusion, detox, anger, depression, anxiety, and a whole host of other issues.

I will be wandering the site looking for Dairy free/flour free recipes. It was not that I woke one morning and said Hmm...let me try this. The MD handed it to me and said NO MORE! I said what about a gluten free diet, and was told NO! do not eat ANY flour. not rice, corn, tapioca, bean, or the like. To take any food and grind it into a flour causes heat to destroy the product and you are eating a dead food that is very difficult on an inflamed gut to process. Eventually I am told that I may or may not be able to add back in some gluten free products but for now, NONE. I will probably never get my dairy back, and I miss it greatly. I can use natural products to sweeten like maple syrup or honey, but no sugar. Nothing refined at all in my diet.

I have been stuck at a weight that has been higher than I would like for a long time now, and no matter what I do it wont shift. I have tried diets, exercise, restrictions and so forth with no results beyond two pounds forward and then two pounds back. I have lost 12 pounds in the last 3 weeks. so, this must be either triggering something or im starving. My adopted kid has been wonderful at helping me figure out high nutrition foods that pack a punch so I am not constantly hungry or trying to figure out what to eat after I hit the low blood sugar slide.

Thanks for the support. I will check out the links.

[kareng]

We think the flour thing is a bit confusing. Many "flours" are not made out of grains. For example, are you allowed almonds? Almond flour is just crushed almonds, so there would be no difference. Even vegans & raw diets use things like almonds.

Also, why tropical fruits but not apples? or grapes? They are full of sugar, too.

[Dejibo]

I am sorry if this seems confusing, but my MD said NO flours. not grain, not wheat, not nut, not soy, not coconut NO flour of any kind. it is very difficult for an inflamed intestine to digest, and they have removed it from my list of approved foods. its not a matter of preference, or gluten, or even vegan its just that my gut is so upset and inflamed and gastroparesis is the ruler of the day that ALL flours have been removed.

I dont know why they removed tropical fruit and not apples. They spoke of how the tropical fruit is grown in extremely hot climates and that causes a concentration of the fruit sugars which is harder to digest than a regular fruit such as apple or pear.

I dont have the full technical details that everyone seems to be clamoring for. I just know that my MD said NONE, and I pushed really hard to include something anything of flour so that I could eat baked goods, but was told no flour of any kind should be tolerated right now. Perhaps after my gut heals I can reintroduce a nut flour or a gluten free flour, but for now, none at all.

Clear as mud? to me too! All I know is what my restrictions are, and I am working ever so hard to stay afloat with them. I appreciate the inquiry, but all I know is that I have been cut off from many of my fav products and I went thru some nasty withdrawl/detox stuff. I hope to get my tummy working soon.

thanks for the help.

[Persei V.]

To be honest, I don't see why blended almonds would be hard for a gut to digest if it can digest whole almonds. Not to mention, you can have almond butter which is also blended almonds. I think you should ask your doctor for further explanation about this matter, because it just seems really off.

[Dejibo]

Ok, um..wow. I came here hoping to find support, kindness, and maybe some recipes and talk with others who have been thru similar if not the same things. I must not be expressing myself well because I feel like each of my posts have been picked apart and inspected for holes in what my MD has asked me to do.

I dont know why I can have nut butter, but not nut flour. I dont know why I can have an apple, but not a pineapple. I dont know why I can have honey, but not sugar. I dont know why I can have whole almonds but not ground almonds. I dont have those answers, and I have asked for it to be explained over and over and over again, but my little cog fogged brain doesnt see why I can have nut milk, but not soy milk. yes, I understand that GMO is something all together different, as in its what is in the seed before it sprouts and becomes a plant.

I am lost, confused, sick, and wandering. I wanted support, help, understanding and hopefully encouragement from those who walked a fair mile in my shoes before me.

Thank you so much for all of the replies. This is frustrating, and difficult to explain as well as hearing from family members, neighbors, church members, and others that "just a taste wont hurt you...will it?" and the ever popular "wow, that is too much to do all at the same time" or the "I bet you can eat this, cause my sisters, neighbor married a guy who went to church with a man who was celiac." I am not celiac. All of my biopsies have come back negative. I do have leaky gut, an inflamed intestine, MS, as well as other inflammation conditions. my doctor seems to think that their specific recommendations and dietary restrictions will greatly improve not only my gastric functions, but my other conditions as well.

I am grateful for some local friends and family that do understand that this is what I was handed, and like it or not, understand it or not, want it or not, this is what I am up to and yes, it has made me grouchy, and irritated and im lost! Day by day I am learning and balancing.

If you have some dietary suggestions on cooks books, or recipes or links or resources I would love to hear them, but going back to argue with my MD about their specific instructions isn't going to work. I have already argued till I am blue in the face. Until my gut heals, this is what I MUST do if I want to help myself without surgical or medical interventions. I appreciate this space for being here, and having so many helpful sections. I am hoping to be able to find help here. Thanks for letting me hang out.

[tarnalberry]

I think you're doctor is offering you bad advice. Not just "not mainstream", but "has no scientific support". If you don't understand the diet, how can you follow it?

[kareng]

I think what we are trying to say is you should question the wisdom of this odd diet. We are not trying to be mean to you. We really think you have gotten some questionable "medical" advice and are trying to show you the inconsistencies or problems with it.

If your "doctors" can't explain it so it makes sense, maybe it doesn't?

There are diets or dietary restrictions for gastroparesis. Perhaps you could google that and find some reliable sources?

http://www.mayoclini...ments-and-drugs


http://uvahealth.com...aresis-diet.pdf

We all understand people saying "one bite" and that sort of thing. I wonder if others in your life think you may have been given some questionable advice, too?

I guess its harmless if you want to try it for a few months.