Safe Foods: Not always chicken and rice

JFR · Post by **JFR** » Thu Jul 19, 2012 4:53 am

I know that for many people here chicken and rice constitute safe go to foods and that when new members join these 2 foods are generally recommended to help get things under control. I just want to add that although these 2 foods may work for most people here they do not work for everyone. I am one of those people. I cannot eat eat either chicken or rice. Whenever I see this recommendation given I feel like adding a caveat, that these 2 foods may not be safe and each individual has to find what works for them. That's why I found Enterolab so helpful. It helped me narrow down the playing field so that I could eliminate more foods that were problematic and then choose what seemed the most likely options from what was left. For me my go to diet is ground lamb patties and homemade kale chips plus bone broth made from a 'safe" meat so for me not chicken soup, although I used to make that all the time. Right now I am having a cup of pork broth every day, not exactly the Jewish penicillin of my upbringing, but it works for me. I guess the point of this post is to say that the general principle of eating foods that do not cause inflammation holds for all of us and that although some foods are likely culprits for all of us (the big 4 gluten, casein, soy and eggs) it still remains an individual matter when determining what to eat and what not to eat.

Jean

Post by **tex** » Thu Jul 19, 2012 8:39 am

Tex

coryhub · Post by **coryhub** » Thu Jul 19, 2012 9:41 am

I guess one could say that our food lists are merely suggestions and that we are like snowflakes ......each of us a different individual. Myself, I love reading the "safe" food lists of others because I often see something new to try to add. Thanks to each and everyone of you for your ideas and tips!

Leah · Post by **Leah** » Thu Jul 19, 2012 10:26 am

You're right Jean, they are all suggestions only. I just know that when I was new, I was desperate for some hard guidelines... and since I can't do the Enterolab tests, it's all trial and error.

Leah

JFR · Post by **JFR** » Thu Jul 19, 2012 2:56 pm

Leah wrote:You're right Jean, they are all suggestions only. I just know that when I was new, I was desperate for some hard guidelines... and since I can't do the Enterolab tests, it's all trial and error.

Leah

Leah,

Eventually its trial and error for all of us but the Enterolab did help me narrow things down, but since it doesn't test everything there is still guesswork involved. I know I would have been frustrated if Enterolab hadn't been an option for me. I guess I posted this because I think people should know that chicken and rice just might not work and they might have to try some other foods. It's just so easy to become discouraged and think that nothing is going to work so knowing that chicken and rice is a good place to start but if it isn't working you can move on from there is better than thinking there's no hope.

Jean

Lesley · Post by **Lesley** » Thu Jul 19, 2012 4:38 pm

Jean,
As one of the people for whom chicken and rice are a BIG no-no, I totally agree with you. I was eating exclusively chicken and rice and not getting any better until I got my enterolab results, and discovered that both are top of the hit list.
I think it is important to tell people that if they try those 2 foods as their basics and they DON'T improve, to move on to other meats.
I can't eat turkey, or duck. Poultry was my favorite all of my life. Now they are banned.
This last passover was the first of my life when I couldn't have chicken soup and matzah balls.

Some of us can't eat nightshades, so avoid potatoes. However, many of us have no reaction to them.
I can eat WHITE potatoes safely. I cannot eat red, purple or sweet potatoes ( I know the latter is a different food altogether, and that red and purple ones have way more fiber.). When I am in a flare (like now) I go to lamb, white fish and potatoes. When it's really bad I have potatoes mashed with bone stock. Then I add foods that have been deemed safe before the flare one by one.

Gloria · Post by **Gloria** » Thu Jul 19, 2012 7:01 pm

Count me as another member who doesn't tolerate chicken and rice. I tried the elimination diet, eating those two foods as my main foods, and progressively got worse. MRT testing showed me that chicken was reactive and rice was borderline.

Gloria

C.U.B. girl · Post by **C.U.B. girl** » Fri Jul 20, 2012 7:08 am

Yep, another "no chicken and rice" victim here. And pork is an even bigger trigger for me. Beef and duck are OK though; turkey is fine on occasion. And most seafood is OK too -- unfortunately I pretty much detest seafood of all varieties!

As for grains, corn is a mild intolerance; that leaves quinoa and amaranth. A little hard to find bread made from that at the grocery store....

Cindy