Saw The Nutritionist

[bartfull]

Whew! I'm a bit overwhelmed and still trying to fit it all together.

First, she said that my system is on "hyperdrive" right now and that is why I am reacting to almost everything. She said I need to eliminate all irritants. Of course gluten, soy, corn, peanuts, citrus fruits, food additives such as "flavor" "flavoring" "natural flavor", "color" "coloring", preservatives, thickening agents, plus non-organic prunes raisins and grapes, and dried fruits. Also refined sugars and artificial sweeteners.

She said nightshades usually cause joint pain rather than digestive problems, but to hold off on the nightshades for right now anyway. She also said that any joint pain or fatigue from any source comes on with a more delayed reaction. The psoriasis and digestive problems usually show up withing 8-12 hours, but joint pain and fatigue might take up to 48 hours to show up.

She said I need to quit smoking and give up coffee for a few weeks. (OH NO!!! NOT MY COFFEE!!)

And yes, she wants me to give up meat dairy and eggs for a few weeks. She said that between the inflammation in my jaw and the inflammation in my gut, these animal products will only make it worse. Also, because the animals we eat are toward the top of the food chain, they have stored all of the chemical pesticides they have been exposed to, plus all of the garbage they inject them with in their fat. She thinks I may be reacting to these chemicals too.

Now, I have to do a draconian elimination diet. The only foods I am allowed that I KNOW are safe are broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and bananas. Of course, I can't live on just those foods, so I am to start adding things like avacado (ate one for breakfast today), quinoa, beans and lentils, spinach, walnuts, sesame seeds, coconut oil, flaxseed, and a few other things. Of course this diet is supposed to last three weeks, but because I can't just dive in and eat all of the fruits and veggies I need, it's going to take a lot longer.

I WILL challenge with cheese and eggs and meat in a few weeks.

One thing she told me that our grandmothers always told us is to chew chew chew our food. It's not just to make the food smaller, but the enzymes in our saliva help make things easier to digest after we swallow them.

She gave me a four dose bag of a supplement that contains wheat grass, barley grass, and oat grass, plus a lot of other stuff. She said that SOME celiacs can tolerate it because they cut it before it seeds so there should be no gluten, but that then again, some celiacs can't tolerate it. She didn't want me to spend the money in case it didn't work so she just gave me four days worth to try. (I don't think I will though.)

There were a lot of other things we talked about, but this post is already too long. I AM going to follow her advice and do this vegan diet for three weeks. Like my Dad always said, if you pay a doctor and then DON'T take his advice, you just wasted your time and money.

Any thoughts?

[ravenwoodglass]

Please don't risk the wheat, oat and barley grass stuff. I don't understand why she would give this to someone who is so ill that she has restricted their diet to the extent that she is telling you to restrict.

How much coffee do you usually drink? If it is more than one cup in the morning you may need to taper it off a bit to avoid a caffine withdrawl headache. IMHO if you absolutely can't go without at least one cup in the morning at first don't beat yourself up over it. Just make sure that you eat something safe with it.

Hopefully you will be feeling better soon.

[bartfull]

Thanks, Raven. I think the wheatgrass supplement was something she threw out there because I've been worrying about getting enough nutrition. I'm not going to risk it though. I know that I won't die of malnutrition in three weeks, so although I'm sure I'll be really hungry during all this, I think I can do it.

I've been cutting back on coffee lately anyway. I'm down from five or six (small) cups a day to just three. That IS going to be the hardest part, even harder than the cigs, but it'll be good for me so I'll do it.

I'm going to miss my nightly ice cream. Just knowing I could have a treat when I went home each night made all the rest so much easier to bear. She said I need to replace it with a different treat. She suggested I make a smoothie with a banana and some frozen blueberries. I LOVE blueberries but have been afraid to try them. I guess now I will. Avacado for the next couple of days, quinoa after that, and the blueberries will be next. I sure hope I can tolerate them because even though I eat bananas every day for the potassium, AND because they are one of the few foods I don't react to, I really don't LIKE bananas. It would be so nice to have a different kind of fruit.

[AndrewNYC]

This sounds like really good advice. All would be better off to stick to diet like this for life. Processed foods don't do anything to improve health.

[Skylark]

She said nightshades usually cause joint pain rather than digestive problems, but to hold off on the nightshades for right now anyway. She also said that any joint pain or fatigue from any source comes on with a more delayed reaction. The psoriasis and digestive problems usually show up withing 8-12 hours, but joint pain and fatigue might take up to 48 hours to show up.

Well, that one is malarkey. I get digestive problems the day after I eat nightshades, particularly tomatoes. No joint issues at all.

Did she suggest you just buy clean meat? There is USDA organic meat, you know.

I'm not sure I think much of this nutritionist.

[Gemini]

Well, that one is malarkey. I get digestive problems the day after I eat nightshades, particularly tomatoes. No joint issues at all.

Did she suggest you just buy clean meat? There is USDA organic meat, you know.

I'm not sure I think much of this nutritionist.

Yeah, I agree with you on this. Following such a diet and giving up coffee and cigs? Your body is going to go into shock! I would concentrate on the diet first and cut down on the coffee to 1-2 cups per day.

I woudn't quit smoking just yet....between the coffee and no cigs, you may feel like you're going to die and we don't want that! When things calm down a bit, then you may find it easier, with less aggravation, to go to the next step.

I am sill wondering why anyone who calls themselves a nutrtionist would give wheat grass and barley to a Celiac. That'll do wonders for your healing! I think a clean diet with organics would get you in the right direction. Remember...you won't heal and get nutrition if you don't eat.

Hope you feel better soon!

[UKGail]

Oh gosh, the advice seems a bit of a mixed bag. I wouldn't touch the wheat grass or barley either.

The basic thrust of her advice, that your system is in hyperdrive, and temporarily needs a small number of very simple foods to help it calm down seems reasonable. This approach helped me when I first went gluten free, when I reacted to many foods (I would get hives and abdominal swelling - like an allergic reaction). It only took a few weeks for it to gradually calm down though, and I don't need to worry about things as much now.

However, and I am no scientist, doesn't the body need a fair bit of protein each day to keep going? If it was me, I would be looking for some high quality organic chicken or something to add in as quickly as possible.

On the coffee debate, I gave up caffeinated drinks years ago while I was pregant. I had a horrid withdrawal headache for a week! I now only drink rooibos tea and maybe one cup of decaffinated instant coffee a day (sorry, coffee lovers!). If I ever have proper, brewed coffee, say in a restaurant, I am wired for hours and hours....I did have to give up both these drinks, and drink just hot water for a few weeks when I first went gluten free. Now,if I have a setback I have to go back to this approach. However that is not to say that I neccessarily agree with the nutritionist's advice. If you are still a caffeine/coffee addict, then giving it up now, might be one too many insults for your body to cope with all at once. I would maybe experiment and listen to what your body tells you to do.

Best of luck. Please let us know how you get on.

The banana and blueberry smoothie sounds lovely.

[bartfull]

She said I should eat quinoa for the protein. But the thing that worries me the most is vitamin B12. I STILL can't find a sub-lingual that is totally free of corn, gluten and soy. The closest I've found was one that said "No gluten, no soy, no corn protein". That means that the flavor and color are probably "delivered" on corn and while THEY don't think it is a problem, for me it will be because I am SO darned sensitive to corn. And I need biotin too. My hair is falling out so fast I'm seriously going to need a wig in another week or two. I have BALD spots!

I kept telling her how good I felt when I was taking these two before the corn intolerance hit. I told her how my hair had gotten better and my energy level had increased by leaps and bounds. My doctor, who is affiliated with this nutritionist said he wanted to test for my B12 and D levels but I haven't been able to get there yet. And I don't really see a need for the tests - I KNOW I am low on these. I think I'm going to have to get him to write a prescription and have them made.

One bit of good news - I ate some avocado yesterday and so far so good. It's been 24 hours and no problems at all. I'm going to go eat another one in a few minutes. And I still have some eggs and swiss cheese. I am SO tired of throwing/giving away food. I have spent HUNDREDS of dollars on foods that it turns out I can't eat, and I'll be dam*ed of I'm going to throw away foods I CAN eat. So today I won't eat meat, but I'll be eating broccoli, cauliflower, carrot and swiss cheese omelets. With bananas for dessert.

And you know what else? I'm NOT giving up my coffee!! If I stop for three weeks I may not be able to handle it when I add it back, and I'm not going to take that chance. I LOVE coffee! I thank God, literally, every morning when I take that first sip. Coffee to me is one of the things that makes life worth living. Out of all the things I have ever eaten or drank, coffee is my number one favorite. So I may cut back a little, but I won't go below two cups a day.

Cigs, well that's another story. I've been threatening to quit for a long time and I really do want to. I think after I get used to all of these dietary changes I'll give it another shot. I know I don't have the willpower to do it all at once.

Buying organic is a problem because of where I live. There is very little available here. The grocery stores have nothing at all, and the healthfood store only sells produce by the box. You order in advance and they get the boxes in and call you. But you never know what will be in the box - it's whatever they have at the moment. I could wind up with a box full of leafy greens and asparagus, neither of which I can tolerate right now. Or knowing my luck it'll be full of green beans. Even the SMELL of green beans gags me.

Organic meats are hard to find here too. About the only thing I can get is bison, whew! It is EXPENSIVE, even though we grow them here. I guess the solution is to buy a freezer, then make a run to Rapid City once a month (if I have TIME). I can freeze any organic veggies I buy, and maybe I can buy half a bison from Custer State Park when they have their annual round-up and auction. Of course that doesn't take place until October, but that'll give me time to save my money. Why oh why does eating healthy have to be so expensive?!

[UKGail]

Bartfull, I am so pleased you have made a good start on your new diet. Having some vitamins made up for you seems like a good idea. Attagirl re the coffee. You need to have something you love to see you through this process! I can't imagine filling my small city freezer with half a bison (not a meat on sale in UK supermarkets). My husband grew up on a cattle farm though, and they used to slaughter a cow once a year for the family freezer.

Best wishes

[Skylark]

It is expensive. I'm lucky that I am in a big city with multiple sources for organic or at least antibiotic-free/hormone-free meat and plenty of organic produce. It still costs $16 to $20 for a single organic chicken. I'm wanting to dig a garden but I haven't quite been feeling up to it.

Going off meat is not going to help your B12 status. Red meats and especially liver are rich sources.

As for the coffee, my acupuncturist pointed out that coffee is a very heavily sprayed crop. It's often grown in third world countries too, so it may have pesticide residues that you wouldn't see in US produce. That's another food where you would be wise to seek organic, perhaps by mail order.

[health nut]

Wow. I am a dietitian and can barely understand all those restrictions. (FYI- there is a big difference between dietitians and "nutritionists"). I really question her credibility given that she recommended wheat, barley, and oat grass to a celiac??? I'm surprised she didn't find some rye grass to throw in there I sort of understand her reasoning that it is questionable if the grass portion is contaminated- but I would never take it myself or recommend it to anyone else until it's known for sure. I'm glad you are tweaking the diet into a way that is more comfortable for you. And I drink a TON of coffee myself so I would be a hypocrit if I told others to cut-back. Plus there is also quite a lot of research out there on the protective benefits of coffee- so I do not feel guilty

[plumbago]

My thought is: what is your diagnosis?

On what basis are you being put onto this diet? What did the doctor say?

Your system is in overdrive? What does that mean? Why is it in overdrive?

Plumbago

[bartfull]

I am a self-diagnosed Celiac, based on family history, my symptoms, and the fact that the gluten free diet got rid of those symptoms. And then the other intolerances hit. It's pretty hard not to get corned - it's in everything,even whole foods like potatoes, bagged salads, and a lot of other things. And because I have this jaw problem (as yet undiagnosed by any of the dozen or so doctors and dentists I have seen), I had been "corning" myself with painkillers. In the past eight months I had ONE month symptom free and feeling terrific. Since then I have been reacting to almost everything. I think the repeated cornings have sent me into hyperdrive because my immune system is so irritated. This diet is supposed to remove any irritants so my system will settle down. At this point I'm willing to try anything.

[tom]

... At this point I'm willing to try anything.

Sounds like someone who might - however reluctantly - go 2 wks w/out coffee next month if there isn't enough improvement from all the other restrictions.

Been there & I loooooooooooove coffee too.

At least my hdache was just 3 days, as opposed to an earlier poster's week.

At some point, ppl get motivated enough to check.

Most boring food in the world was 2 wks w/out salt & pepper & freshsqz lemon juice. (No other spice either, in all-out simplification mode)

[cahill]

I did an elimination diet end of 2010 into 2011. Part of the "prep " for it was eliminating coffee . It took me about a month to eliminate coffee and get ready for the elimination diet.I was desperate . I had no other choice at that point.Doing a STRICT elimination diet was the single hardest thing( dietary ) I have ever had to do. In my case it was a last resort and was extremely productive.

I since have started to heal and am slowly adding foods back into my diet. Some stay in my diet and some dont. It is what it is

** I can NOW have 1 to 2 small cups of coffee a couple times a week with no problems. I look forward to the day that I do not have to rotate coffee in and out of my diet.

Coffee is one of life's GREATEST pleasures

If you decide to quit smoking give your self at least 6 weeks before you make any other major changes. Our body's are amazing things but even the body has it limit of tolerance .

If you decide to do an elimination diet,quit coffee and or smoking and need support , someone to vent to or just need a HUG, feel free to PM me.

[Kjas]

Wow this sounds familiar. You sound like me a couple of months ago. The only difference seems to be that I react to different food than you.

I also react to things in most meat and dairy products. I had to go to pasture fed and organic meat, poultry and dairy produce and wild seafood or game. It cleared up a number of issues for me. It is very expensive, but it's worth the difference in how I feel. If you can find a good butcher who sells these, I would be ordering in advance and making that once a month trip, and getting a bigger freezer if you need to.

I'm wondering how long she asked you to cut out meat and animal products if she knows you already have nutritional deficiencies? If it's any longer than I month, I would be ignoring that part. Vegan diets have been shown to cause nutritional deficiencies that can affect brain function in the long term. When your body's already in the state it's in I wouldn't want to be adding an more stress to it like that.

I was an avid coffee lover before, I had to give that up also. God do I miss it on my bad days. I've adjusted to it quite well considering, although if a really good blend is offered to me when I'm at a decent cafe, I still can't say no although that's rare now. You will get used to it and it won't seem so bad. You will also enjoy the coffee a hell of a lot more when you do have it.

Elimination diet does sound like the way to go in your case. I can't really fault her advice so far except for the above and obviously, the wheatgrass she gave you.

p.s. Have you thought about trying coconut ice cream to make the transition easier? Or making your own if you can't find something in store that doesn't react with you? Little comforts can make all the difference on your bad days.

[ravenwoodglass]

Doing a STRICT elimination diet was the single hardest thing( dietary ) I have ever had to do. In my case it was a last resort and was extremely productive.

I do agree it is hard. Without one though I would have never been diagnosed. My allergist also said my system was in hyperdrive. I was reacting to everything, 98 out of 99 things he skin tested me for, and after I healed only 3 of the allergies and one other intolerance remains.

My doctor set up the diet a bit different though. Instead of giving me a long list of foods I couldn't eat he set up a starting point with only 5 foods that I rarely ate. (read this to mean I couldn't stand any of them ) He made sure the starting point was well balanced calorie and nutrient wise. I found it easier with someone to give me a definate starting point. Perhaps a consultation with a dietian (SP?) might be helpful or even an allergist who also deals with food intolerances? Those allergists can be hard to find so ask if they do before setting up an appointment.

[Gemini]

And you know what else? I'm NOT giving up my coffee!! If I stop for three weeks I may not be able to handle it when I add it back, and I'm not going to take that chance. I LOVE coffee! I thank God, literally, every morning when I take that first sip. Coffee to me is one of the things that makes life worth living. Out of all the things I have ever eaten or drank, coffee is my number one favorite. So I may cut back a little, but I won't go below two cups a day.

Cigs, well that's another story. I've been threatening to quit for a long time and I really do want to. I think after I get used to all of these dietary changes I'll give it another shot. I know I don't have the willpower to do it all at once.

Amen to that about the coffee! It's my reason to get up in the morning!

I think you have a handle on things now and are making wise choices. Diet first, then worry about the cigs later. You want to come out of this alive and well so baby steps, baby steps!

[Aly1]

I am a self-diagnosed Celiac, based on family history, my symptoms, and the fact that the gluten free diet got rid of those symptoms. And then the other intolerances hit. It's pretty hard not to get corned - it's in everything,even whole foods like potatoes, bagged salads, and a lot of other things. And because I have this jaw problem (as yet undiagnosed by any of the dozen or so doctors and dentists I have seen), I had been "corning" myself with painkillers.

Hi,

I've recently discovered I have a real problem with corn too, so I need to ask, how is it in potatoes? And have you found painkillers that don't have any?

Thanks!

[bartfull]

Aly, all veggies give off ethylene gas when they age. What they do is gas the potatoes with ethylene gas (that is derived from corn) to fool the potatoes into "thinking" they have already aged past the point of sprouting.

The only painkiller I ever found that didn't have corn or gluten is BC Aspirin powder. Then I found out I am allergic to aspirin. (That was one of the worst reactions I have ever had to anything!) So I had my doctor write a prescription for Tylenol made at a compounding pharmacy without gluten/corn/soy. It cost 35 dollars for 200 capsules. That's more than in the store, but not too bad. And I went to the free clinic for that prescription so I wouldn't have to pay for an office visit.

[GFinDC]

I agree with the idea of doing a simpler diet for a while. Actually for life is not a bad idea IMHO. Regarding corn and potatoes, it seems like you could just wash the potatoes and get rid of anything on the outside. It's a good idea to wash fruits and veggies from the store anyway before cooking them. It may not be corn on the potatoes you are reacting too though. Potatoes are in the nightshade family and have alkaloids in them that can cause reactions. Tomatoes and peppers are also nightshades. People used to think tomatoes were poisonous, but we are smarter than that now? Maybe not. Anyway, some people do react to nightshades so they might be part of the problem.

not eating meat seems like a bad idea to me. You can get lots of protein from meat that you might have hard time getting on a vegan diet. I am not saying it's impossible, just harder.

I had to give up all caffeine, not just coffee. But I do drink herbal teas and like them just fine.

Do you like grapefruit? The pink grapefruit are pretty good and they may help improve absorption of some vitamins. On the other hand they say to be careful of eating grapefruit if you are on some medications because they can increase absorption too much.

[bartfull]

The nutritionist wants me to stay away from citrus fruit for a few weeks. Turns out there are a lot of people who have trouble with citrus. I was talking to a lady at the grocery store last week who gets severe digestive symptoms from citrus of any kind.

I don't think you can wash off or peel away the ethylene from the potatoes. For a while I was peeling them really thickly and I still reacted. Tomatoes don't bother me at all. Of course I don't LIKE tomatoes, but I have had them without getting a reaction so I assume I can eat nightshades.

The vegan diet thing is not forever, just for three weeks. She thinks my system will settle down by then. In the meantime, if I'm not mistaken, quinoa is supposed to contain complete protein. Now that I've passed the avocado test, quinoa is next on my list to try.

[Skylark]

Corn reactions from ethylene gas? I don't think I'm ever going to complain about gluten being sneaky again. That's ridiculously difficult to deal with.

I think you'll be fine low-protein for three weeks. You're not talking about a lifelong change. Once you get lentils in you can have lentils and rice for complete protein. So you know - I find lentils and split peas much easier to digest than other beans. You might look at the SCD list and try the SCD-legal legumes first because SCD foods tend to be pretty digestible.

[bartfull]

Thanks (once again!) Skylark, for your helpful advice! I checked out the list and it makes a lot of sense to me. And from what I've heard about quinoa, I have a feeling I might not like it. I know it must be rinsed very well before cooking, but they say it has a soapy taste. If I don't like it I'll do the lentils and rice instead.

You know what really surprises me? I'm not hungry all the time like I thought I'd be. I think it's the avocados that are making this easy. Before, no matter how much of my rice/meat/veggie mixture I would eat, my body was screaming at me to eat more. I think there is something in the avocados that my body has been crying out for.

The other thing that surprises me is how easy this is. Maybe because I'm getting used to not eating anything I want to. I've been gluten/corn/soy free now for eight months and it doesn't bother me one bit when people bring cookies and pies into the shop. I guess I've been in training for giving up meat! That and knowing there might be a light at the end of the tunnel are good motivators I guess.

[Lori2]

I haven't read everything closely, so perhaps someone has already mentioned this. If you decide to continue drinking coffee, be sure to check it for flavorings. The flavoring in my coffee was a problem for me.