What Do You Eat When

[super-sally888]

Hi,

Am having major D for the past week. Maybe was triggered by gluten... then something else didn't agree with me... today have stomach cramps, sweating, and nauseous, in addition to the D... (worst day yet in the past week).. Hoping this will pass soon.

I don't know what to eat!

My main diet for now is usually fruits and veges, eggs, nuts, chocolate, limited dairy ... but with D fruits and dairy will make it worse, and can't eat rich stuff at the moment....

In addition to gluten, am also avoiding rice and chicken (which was tested as allergic for). Maybe cornflour mixed with water? Ugh! Sipping diluted fruit juice now to get some sugar.... Maybe better not to eat until this all settles down... but have to work and need energy for that....

Any suggestions... What do you do?

[RiceGuy]

I'm wondering if there might be hidden gluten in something you're coming in contact with or ingesting. I'd suggest avoiding all dairy, nuts, and chocolate. If you cannot eat rice, perhaps millet, buckwheat, quinoa, teff, etc. will work for you. Besides making meals out of these, the flours can be used to make various breads and such. If corn isn't a problem, popcorn is a good source of fiber, which can help such digestive issue as what you describe. Slightly green bananas are supposedly good for the small intestine. Celery seed has been used for centuries to treat D, but I'd hesitate to suggest that since the logical thing to do is address the cause, not the symptom.

Eggs are another common allergen, so even if you're not apparently allergic to them, it might be a good idea to avoid eggs until you get the D resolved. Then add back the foods you avoided one at a time, giving a week or more between each. That way if one of them causes you trouble, you'll have a better chance at finding out.

If you drink coffee, better put that aside for now too. It acts as a diuretic, which isn't good anyway.

[super-sally888]

Thanks rice guy! Thanks for your food suggestions! I will have to see if any of the alternative grains are available here - not all are as am in Philippines. I just discovered Teff at the health food store. Expensive, but not bad, though hard to cook.... every time I try it boils over all over the place (even on the lowest flame on my stove)... I need to persevere..

Yeah, I need to get even more strict because I haven't yet worked out what else is going on food wise - this is so hard.

Ended up having a couple of potatoes microwaved served with a touch of butter and apricot jam to add flavor (can you tell I miss my toast )... I think hypoglycaemia also was contributing to feeling so bad... am feeling a little better now.

Am also starting an intense training program this week that goes for 20 weeks (already paid my cash performance bond to the coach) - so eating is going to be critical - with culminate in 1/2 IM race in Sept, and is in preparation for doing IM again next year. How to eliminate all these foods and still get enough energy, without eating 30 bananas a day (bananas are currently my main source of starchy carbs)..

But NO COFFEE! That is one thing I am going to stay with for now. I love my coffee!

I'm wondering if there might be hidden gluten in something you're coming in contact with or ingesting. I'd suggest avoiding all dairy, nuts, and chocolate. If you cannot eat rice, perhaps millet, buckwheat, quinoa, teff, etc. will work for you. Besides making meals out of these, the flours can be used to make various breads and such. If corn isn't a problem, popcorn is a good source of fiber, which can help such digestive issue as what you describe. Slightly green bananas are supposedly good for the small intestine. Celery seed has been used for centuries to treat D, but I'd hesitate to suggest that since the logical thing to do is address the cause, not the symptom.

Eggs are another common allergen, so even if you're not apparently allergic to them, it might be a good idea to avoid eggs until you get the D resolved. Then add back the foods you avoided one at a time, giving a week or more between each. That way if one of them causes you trouble, you'll have a better chance at finding out.

If you drink coffee, better put that aside for now too. It acts as a diuretic, which isn't good anyway.

[RiceGuy]

For energy, besides grains there are also beans, which are a great source of proteins and many other nutrients. Lentils cook fast, and can work for a lot of different tasty dishes. Sweet potatoes are a good carb source. Tapioca pudding is practically all carbohydrate unless you add other stuff to it. Sweetened with fruit, it can be really delicious (at least it is to me).

If you miss the breads, you might try baking some if you can get the flours. I've only just started gluten-free baking, and while I've found it a bit tricky to get decent results, it has been very rewarding. I suppose it would be easier to make stuff like pancakes, waffles, cookies, etc, than sandwich type breads. Stuff that doesn't need much leavening, and isn't expected to hold together so much as a bread should be easier to obtain.

If you don't find the flours locally, there's always the internet. If you don't know of reputable places, you can order direct from Bob's Red Mill. Some flours I've found to work well (keeping in mind I've only just begun gluten-free baking) are sorghum, millet, tapioca, and soy. Rice flours work well too, but I know you've stated an allergy to rice. Some other flours I'm aware of but haven't yet tried are buckwheat, amaranth, teff, coconut, quinoa, and green pea flour. Of course there's corn flour and potato flour too. It might be easier to start off with a baking mix instead, but I haven't tried those so I can't suggest any. Many on this board have suggested Pamela's, and I know Bob's has some too. The thing with the mixes is that rice flour is a very common ingredient.

Now the coffee, suppose that turns out to be the culprit? I don't drink any beverages, so I don't have a lot of suggestions on replacements, but what about carob? Banana shakes, and various fruit smoothies are really tasty IMHO.

I don't know how you'll manage the training and race with what your body is obviously going through. Really, that coffee...do try to put that aside at least temporarily. Here's a gluten-free, caffeine free alternative made from soy: Open Original Shared Link

[Lisa]

I do the BRAT diet. Banana, rice, apple sauce and tea. It help settle your stomach.

[UNCHeel]

RiceGuy

Do you mind sharing what brand of lentils you buy and any suggestions on a brand of corn tortillas?

[RiceGuy]

RiceGuy

Do you mind sharing what brand of lentils you buy and any suggestions on a brand of corn tortillas?

I'm not too particular about the brand of lentils, but up to now I've only seen one. They are Arrowhead Mills. For corn anything, I look for organic, as corn seems to give me a bit of an allergic reaction if it's not organic. I've concluded it might be a GMO issue, but so far popping corn doesn't bother me.

[UNCHeel]

Thank you!

[babygirl1234]

apple sauce settes your stomach down? i never knew that

[corinne]

The sugars in beans and lentils can be hard to digest when you have D (and cause D for some) even if the beans are washed well and cooked properly. I stick to bananas and applesauce. I can eat chicken so I then cautiously add boiled chicken and boiled carrots.

[super-sally888]

Thank goodness feeling a bit better today! Touch wood!

Does anyone do ok with cocoa as an alternative for coffee?

I can get pure dutch processed cocoa tablets here. They are really delicious with a bit of sugar added (even without milk).

Thanks for all your input. lentils! That would work ok! And easy to precook and bring to the office... or for after training snack. Will try them. Bananas do help. They are my staple food these days.

Sally