The Rotation Diet

[ms-sillyak-screwed]

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[Kaycee]

I am totally ignorant about a rotation diet. But I will give it serious thought. I do not have any other food issues, only coeliac, but I am forever worried my diet will get boring, and that I might just do something unforgiveable.

So far I have discovered food I would never have thought of like quinoa and cornmeal. And they are nice. I try to keep my diet varied, and not eat the same old same old. I probably ate more of the same thing before diagnosis. I am sure if I brought the same old lunch to work girls would screw their nose up at my food. I do try to show and prove to them, that my diet is not boring, and that it can be interesting. I find that my whole outlook on food has changed, and I embrace those changes, even though it takes more time to sort it out.

This diet empowers me to do what is best for me. If there is excess fat, salt, sugar or anything like that in my food, ultimately it is myt fault, as I start my meals right from scratch. So I am so aware that I have to get it right, as there might not be a second chance at doing that.

I have religiously written down every morsel of food I eat, and it is so helpful, another time consumer, but gives me a chance to look back and work out what might have upset my stomach. It is a bit like being a detective, and it is not always the first food I thought that bothered me, but something a little bit different, like processed food, even if it says gluten free, I can have issues with them. My main food is fresh fruit and veges, meat, the only processed foods would be corn crackers,rice crackers and a yoghurt I make in my yoghurt maker, cheeses, wine, chocolate and some type of breakfast cereal which would be the only processed food I eat these days.

Thanks for the food for thought.

Food is my new passion, don't tell my husband, actually he loves it too, and praised the lamb stew I concocted tonight from scratch.

Cathy

s unsweetened but it had Letichin (sp). It's made me sick for two days. Now I have to work to get better again. I also keep a food & body journal it is the most valuble tool I have. Really! Everytime I feel ques·tion·a·ble I refer back and my answers are always there in the pages. If I had to rely on memory, nope with brain-fog. It's a life saver for me.

Open Original Shared Link. Open Original Shared Link Open Original Shared Link

[gfp]

I pretty much try especially since I see falling back on safe staples an inherent problem for being gluten-free ...

Its all too easy to find a food that you buy in a given situation and end up falling back on it all the time...

I'm particualry careful with soya, I don't not eat it but I am really careful about slipping into a dependance etc. and tend to prefer sprouted beans once in a while rather than any deriviates. The same goes for corn or rice ..

I don't officially rotate but I do try and add variety and conciously try and find alternatives if that makes sense

[tarnalberry]

I know about food rotation - and did it for a month when I did my elimination diet. But I don't believe that it's necessary *for most people* in day to day life. Rather, I believe that focusing on a truely varied diet (more than 20 different foods a day, and not the same 20 foods day after day - almost entirely whole, unprocessed foods) naturally brings you close to what a rotation diet is getting at - never having very large quantities of any single chemical in your system. For people with many food intolerances, I can understand and accept the need for a more strict rotation. And if it works for you, all for the good! :-)

[lindalee]

I know about food rotation - and did it for a month when I did my elimination diet. But I don't believe that it's necessary *for most people* in day to day life. Rather, I believe that focusing on a truely varied diet (more than 20 different foods a day, and not the same 20 foods day after day - almost entirely whole, unprocessed foods) naturally brings you close to what a rotation diet is getting at - never having very large quantities of any single chemical in your system. For people with many food intolerances, I can understand and accept the need for a more strict rotation. And if it works for you, all for the good! :-)

I am going to read up on this rotation diet more. Right now I am on the healing diet. What 20 foods and what process did you take. You seem to be able to eat alot more than I can on this healing diet. I don't eat much processed foods (never have) except the chips and chocolates --my weakness. Late at night is when my downfall is-right before bed I get hungry. My weight is normal.

rinne -- Asked me to start this thread. A great idea. We can all help each other better comparing health notes.

When I began a gluten-free & DF life 5 or so years ago, I had will power. I thought it was easy. A gluten-free & DF diet a Cakewalk! Ha!

I went to an environmental allergist (because for me, many years ago, my health issues began with environmental allergies. The environmental allergist doc did the blood work, and scratch tests that gave me more seiures. Then he gave me shots to counteract the foods I couldn't eat, that made me sicker.

Anyway, when the blood work came back with pages of all the things I was allergic to but there was a page that suggested a rotation diet. It seems contradictory in their suggestions to eat things their test said I was allergic to. I read it but didn't pay it much mind, and the doctor didn't spend anytime stressing the importants so I don't develop secondary food allergies as time passes. Who Know? I didn't read anything here on this site either about the real imporatance in rotation.

My diet had become very basic and plain, but I didn't rotate things. I ate of the same things all the time cause I knew it was safe.

Open Original Shared Link

I read a wonderful book "Open Original Shared Link" a must read for everyone from the medical community, to the drug company scientists, and even the gastro doc you are seeing, to all of us here in celiac-cyberspace and our families. Ask your doctors if they have read it. Put them on the spot. Celiac is in the news. They will get curious and read it and perhaps understand and treat you better...

In the book he writes about THE ROTATION DIET.

"......Eating foods every day, even eating from the same food group day after day, is a recipe for developing food allergies. This is especially true for those who are gluten sensitive because of their propensity for a leaky guts....." ---after eating a food, avoid it and that group for two days perhaps longer. He suggests a food diary.

I started this rotation diet a short time ago. It is the ultimate challenge I believe. You have to know your food groups. Plan meal plans. And buy more then you eat. Think of it ...You ate a banana today the rest in the bunch will be overrippen when 3 days later you can eat one again. It is a challenge you'll see.

I was doing really well and then a couple set backs. But now I know soy for me is a big issue. I tried to make a blueberry candy with a new dark chocolate I found. I thought it was okay it was a bakers unsweetened but it had Letichin (sp). It's made me sick for two days. Now I have to work to get better again. I also keep a food & body journal it is the most valuble tool I have. Really! Everytime I feel ques·tion·a·ble I refer back and my answers are always there in the pages. If I had to rely on memory, nope with brain-fog. It's a life saver for me.

Open Original Shared Link. Open Original Shared Link Open Original Shared Link

I am going to read up on this rotation diet. I have the book The Paleo Diet to read. The food journal is my next project. Makes sense. Chocolate is my downfall. I love to eat late at night before bed and that is when I get in trouble.

[rinne]

Thanks for starting this thread Ms.S. I will follow up on the links.

About 25 years ago I had a boyfriend who followed this diet, his business was a blood test that showed allergies. I was 26 and thought he was extreme and he thought he could save me from myself. We didn't last.

I am learning now that when I, so to speak, hear a little mental click I should pay attention. I am hearing it now.

[tarnalberry]

I am going to read up on this rotation diet more. Right now I am on the healing diet. What 20 foods and what process did you take. You seem to be able to eat alot more than I can on this healing diet. I don't eat much processed foods (never have) except the chips and chocolates --my weakness. Late at night is when my downfall is-right before bed I get hungry. My weight is normal.

I am going to read up on this rotation diet. I have the book The Paleo Diet to read. The food journal is my next project. Makes sense. Chocolate is my downfall. I love to eat late at night before bed and that is when I get in trouble.

No, it's not 20 foods you eat on a rotation diet. What I'm saying is that, in a normal course of a day, look at all the food you eat. Did you eat (and I was just pulling a number out of the air, the point is that it's a largish number) at least that many different foods (for instance: flax seed, millet, apple, cinnamon, almonds, rice, tomatoes, onion, garlic, carrots, olive oil, zucchini, bell pepper, mushrooms, herbs, chicken, lettuce, vinegar, cherries, chocolate, and mango) or did you eat only six (for example: rice (first as cereal, then as a grain for dinner), milk (in the cereal, then as cheese in lunch), lettuce (in a salad), chicken, broccoli, olive oil)?

The former, if you don't use those same foods each day, will naturally get you a variety of foods and rotate through things. If you're eating so many different foods, you're not going to eat a lot of any one of them either.

[lindalee]

No, it's not 20 foods you eat on a rotation diet. What I'm saying is that, in a normal course of a day, look at all the food you eat. Did you eat (and I was just pulling a number out of the air, the point is that it's a largish number) at least that many different foods (for instance: flax seed, millet, apple, cinnamon, almonds, rice, tomatoes, onion, garlic, carrots, olive oil, zucchini, bell pepper, mushrooms, herbs, chicken, lettuce, vinegar, cherries, chocolate, and mango) or did you eat only six (for example: rice (first as cereal, then as a grain for dinner), milk (in the cereal, then as cheese in lunch), lettuce (in a salad), chicken, broccoli, olive oil)?

The former, if you don't use those same foods each day, will naturally get you a variety of foods and rotate through things. If you're eating so many different foods, you're not going to eat a lot of any one of them either.

Thanks, you've really got it together. LLee

[ms-sillyak-screwed]

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[shai76]

It would be near impossible for me to do. I'm allergic to so many different things it would be hard to find things that taste good to rotate. It would be expensive too. Eating leftovers and stuff saves a lot ofmoney. Maybe if I had a giant freezer to store everything in it might work.

I really don't believe it works anyway to keep away food allergies. There is no evidence to suggest it does, and a lot of people eat the same foods all the time and never develope allergies. Animals in the wild eat the same things every day and don't have a problem. I don't think it is anything someone did to make themselves get multiple allergies. It just happens and no one knows exactly why yet.

[lindalee]

I will find the paper that came in my lab work about the ratation diet plan and post it here.

rinne -- You are very welcome! Anything I can do to help...

lindalee -- Chocolate is my down fall too, only at night. I have read chocolate is good for us something about seritonin (sp). I only eat SOY FREE & DAIRY FREE CHOCOLATE. I found one brand you can buy at WALMART that is safe sor far. Open Original Shared Link is the brand. It has a grey/black label a little differenet then seen on their euro site. You will find it in the Kosher isle only.

I think what will help is to begin to write down what you eat. And think how you feel when you eat these foods. Just because you don't have steatorrhea diarrhea, loose stool, or etc., you might not be totally in touch with reading your body or perhaps some are in denial . For some of us we can develop a rash, get itchy, hairloss, sleepy, bloted, headaches or sleeplessness. Each of us are different and we can be reactive in different ways to foods we eat.

Open Original Shared Link

I will say rotation has helped me.

Thank you and I am going to get some of that Chocolate. I love dark chocolate the best. I did call target about those chips and they are sending me a coupon and wanted to know what happened to me. I told her digestive problems. I called costco about the salsa and they are getting back to me. I really messed up eating those. The chocolate will be in the drawer by my bed. For some reason eating a salad before I go to bed is just not what I crave. LindaLee

[francelajoie]

I eat a balanced diet every day. I have 4 to 6 servings of fruit and/or vegetables, 4 servings of dairy, 3 servings of protein, 3 servings of grain.

These are all 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup servings.

I can't imagine going 3 days without fruit or vegetables, or 3 days without meat. Even dairy, I NEED MY MILK!

[ms-sillyak-screwed]

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[rinne]

I am overwhelmed by the education it seems I must acquire to figure all this out. I know I don't have to do it all at once but ...

I've noticed that I go through various cravings for food and that I tend to eat seasonally. I wonder if eating more seasonally assists with not developing food allergies. I suspect I am thinking this way in hopes that there may be an easier rotation.

[ms-sillyak-screwed]

Anyone else having good luck getting better with the rotation diet?

[NicoleAJ]

I agree with tarnalberry that the rotation diet is probably most relevant for those who have several food allergies and intolerances. I only have celiac and an allergy to arrowroot (makes my throat close), and I try as much as possible to eat different foods so that I don't get bored. Each week I'll eat a serving or two of chicken, one or two varieties of seafood, one or two varieties of beef, and a serving of lamb, turkey, or pork. I mix up my green vegetables and my fruits often but I would never waste a package of blueberries by letting it spoil before I could pick them back up again. I'd imagine that you'd have to take a lot of supplements to remain on a rotation diet because if you can't drink milk (if you're not lactose intolerant) and eat cheese, yogurt, and other dairy often, then you might just not get enough calcium. The only thing that I haven't ventured into is the less common grains, such as quinoa and millet. Does anyone have any suggestions about how to integrate those into the diet?

[skbird]

I've thought about doing this, but I have a lot of intolerances already so that makes it challenging - and they are the type that don't seem to get better with avoidance/reintroduction. I do try to stop myself from eating the same thing more than 3 days in a row but have a few things that I always fall back on when I need them (like dairy - string cheese/glass of milk, etc).

I am trying to make a point of eating seasonally, meaning eating the stuff that's in season, such as fruits, veggies, etc. This is partially based on my attempt to eat only organic produce and things that originate locally, rather than being organic but shipped from Chile (apples at Trader Joes - they've come a long way, bay-bee!). While this means I eat some things more repetitively, like summer squash or green beans most of the summer, I think it allows me to get food when it's at its most nutritious.

Things I eat daily include:

organic milk (8-16 ounces)

organic string cheese (1-2 ounces)

organic jasmine green tea

organic 80% or higher chocolate

garlic

Things I eat 2-4 times a week:

organic or home grown green beans

organic or home grown summer squash

organic broccoli

organic or freerange chicken

organic or freerange ground beef

organic or freerange turkey

wild caught salmon

organic white or brown rice

Whole Foods gluten free bakehouse pizza crust (rice, etc)

onions

whole milk cheeses, yogurt

mixed nuts

quinoa or buckwheat cereal

nitrate/nitrite-free bacon and salami

mayonaise (Trader Joes house brand - cider vinegar, mmmmmm....)

organic beet/carrot juice

organic spinach

organic freerange eggs

organic butter, cream

EV olive oil

rice cakes

peanut butter

seasonal fruit (apricots, peaches, berries)

apples, pears, bananas

I'm sure there are more things I eat - I really don't feel limited by my diet anymore. The things I try to not eat too much include mixed nuts, bacon/salami, rice products, cream, mainly for the potential allergnic qualities of the nuts and pork products, the high glycemic index of the rice products, and because cream - which I love dearly and have more than my fair share of does eventually cause me weight gain. But it's one of my few sinful treats and dairy doesn't seem to have an adverse effect on me.

There are times where I feel different than others and I think it's related to food, but haven't connected with what food it is yet, so may need further investigation. For now, I seem to be for the most part pretty happy with my diet.

Stephanie

[ArtGirl]

I was on a four-day rotation diet about ten years ago. It was difficult but do-able. The only grain on my list was rice and I did without dairy altogether.

After a while I got so that I knew what was in the food groups so didn't have to think too hard about it, but I did need to keep my chart handy so I knew what I was eating on any given day. And, yes, it took advanced planning to shop efficiently.

One thing that made it easier was to begin the 24-hour-day just before supper. By doing this, one can eat leftovers for breakfast and lunch the next day. Then cook with the next day's foods for supper. This also allows for more variety in each day. It worked for me. I still eat leftovers for breakfast - got into the habit and find I like it because they require no prep time.

I don't know if the rotation diet actually helped me, since most of my problems stemmed from gluten-intolerance which I didn't stop eating until last month.

Just to give an examples of a food group, or "family" - comes from plant/animal classification ...

The gourd food group includes watermelon and other melons, cucumber, squashes and pumpkin. They all are a vine with a yellow flower - they are related botanically.

The group that contains carrots also includes parsnips and dill (again, the plants are related)

You've heard of "nightshade" plants (potatoes, tomatoes and peppers) - this is one food group because the plants are related.

Most of our cooking herbs are from the same plant family: oregano, basil, marjorum, etc.

All true grains are in the grass family: corn, rice, barley, wheat, rye, oats(I think)

Amaranth and Quinoa are not part of the grain family (I forget now what food groups they are in)

Beef, buffalo and Lamb are all in the bovine family

[evie]

[

I will say rotation has helped me.