up and down

ldubois7 · Post by **ldubois7** » Sat Jun 01, 2013 5:32 am

Hello all!

I need advise again....

Here is my typical day:

breakfast: corn based cereal (no sugar) with pumpkin seeds & coconut milk

lunch: protein drink with cooked spinach, 1/5 frozen banana, 5 blueberries 10 gr. hemp protein powder, 1/4 avocado, coconut milk, nuts & cooked veggies on the side

dinner: I rotate lamb, turkey, venison, bison & cod with a cooked veggie

sometimes a snack of corn tortilla chips or a small square of flat bread made with sorghum & millet flour.

This routine worked beautifully for about 2 weeks, then I stared getting bloated, crampy, & gassy again, and went the bathroom 6 times yesterday. I wonder if it was the haddock I ate a few night ago which didn't smell fresh.....or something else???

What's going on?

Does healing mean backslides sometimes due to the inflammation when I haven't done anything differently?

Any suggestions?

JFR · Post by **JFR** » Sat Jun 01, 2013 6:02 am

Linda,

A lot of what you eat would do me in. My first suggestion would be to simplify. Maybe stick with 6 single ingredient foods that you know are safe (or at least think are safe). My safe diet is ground lamb, ground pork and turkey. Bone broths made from one of the same three meats and a small amount of a well cooked vegetable (kale, chard, bok choy, collards, only once a day). I can also eat almond butter and macadamia nut butter without problems but this is not true for everyone. I once tried hemp powder, many years ago before things had gotten really bad, and it caused problems. I also have trouble with any seeds. I can't eat corn but that is not true for everyone. The path to healing is not straightforward but these steps backwards give you the opportunity to continue to tweak your diet and figure out what works best for you. It is disappointing to seem to go backwards but this does not have to be permanent.

Jean

ldubois7 · Post by **ldubois7** » Sat Jun 01, 2013 6:26 am

Thanks for the kind words, Jean.

I have reacted to so many meats, I went to seeds & hemp powder for protein, and it seemed to work for a while. I make my own nut butters from my soaked seeds.

I'm thinking it's time to be more specific with my diet and to try the MRT testing, because I'm not doing a very good job identifying the foods I react to! You're right there are too many variables in my diet.

I just get discouraged with the ups and downs of this disease.

JFR · Post by **JFR** » Sat Jun 01, 2013 6:42 am

Linda,
Discouraged is understandable and ok as long as it doesn't lead to "the hell with it". I don't get the sense that you are likely to go that route. I know a lot of people have found MRT helpful. I looked at the list of foods they test for and I don't eat many of them and some foods I eat a lot are not on their list so I decided not to do it, but that's just me. There have been times that I have eaten just 2 or 3 foods for a few weeks, just to get things to settle down. It's always a work in progress. I seem to get into trouble every time I decide I can add things to my diet, so I stick with a basic few foods and am satisfied if it means I can leave the house without anxiety. I am sure that you will figure this out and figure it out and figure it out again.

Jean

ldubois7 · Post by **ldubois7** » Sat Jun 01, 2013 7:30 am

Jean, so it doesn't work for you to rotate your diet? Because I reacted to all 11 foods from the Enterolab test, it was suggested that I rotate foods so I don't build up sensitivities to all my foods. That's what I've done with my meats. I need to start from scratch and/or try the MRT testing.

I will simplify my diet as much as possible for now, and try to relax.

You're right, it is better to be able to leave the house without anxiety, so I need to work this out again.

Thanks and have a great weekend!

JFR · Post by **JFR** » Sat Jun 01, 2013 7:37 am

Linda,

I also reacted to all 11 foods (plus the big 4). I did try rotating for a while, 3 meats, 3 veggies, 3 nut butters in rotation. I didn't find that it made a difference, which is not to say that it isn't helpful for some people. I seem to be ok sticking with a few safe foods and not bothering with rotation. Relaxing as much as possible is a good idea. A set back does not mean that you won't figure it out. Just gotta keep on truckin'.

Jean

ldubois7 · Post by **ldubois7** » Sat Jun 01, 2013 8:35 am

My husband says the same thing...relax, it's just a little set back. But, I can't help but think back to what the last 10 months have been like! I'm going to a graduation party today, and feeling a bit sorry for myself...I'll eat before I go, and drink water while I am there. And no one there truly understands what our world is like.

But, you're right...at least I won't have the added worry of the bathroom running....

It's people like you that enable me to calm down, and not get so wrapped up in this disease that it takes over my life.

Thank you!

Post by **tex** » Sat Jun 01, 2013 9:01 am

If we are sensitive to a food, rotation only postpones the inevitable, IMO. But remember that when we are still recovering, we tend to react adversely to many foods that will probably be safe after our intestines have done sufficient healing. I still eat very few foods, but I eat enough of them to meet my needs.

Remember that it takes a lot of protein to heal intestinal damage. And until we have sufficient healing, just as you mentioned, we sometimes react to the slightest upsets, and sometimes we even react for no apparent reason.

I wish that you could find a way to incorporate more protein into your breakfast, but I understand that you have to work within your dietary limitations and your lifestyle. I don't see eggs on the food intolerances list under your avatar, but I assume that you're not eating them because of a test result.

As we're all well aware, this is a tough journey back to health, and sometimes recovery sort of resembles a roller coaster ride, but those who persistently seek solutions (as you are doing) virtually always get their life back. Tenacity and attention to detail definitely pays off when dealing with this disease.

Tex

ldubois7 · Post by **ldubois7** » Sat Jun 01, 2013 9:44 am

Thanks for the uplifting words and hugs!

I guess I forgot to add eggs to my list. I gather my chicken eggs daily, and drool!! I love them, but they don't love me back according to the lab testing.

I can't eat pork, because I reacted to it several times after having pork chops and baked, although I didn't think I had problems with it for breakfast????? I was eating Canadian bacon with breakfast. I put in pumpkin seeds because they have 9 protein in 1/4 cup.

Well, today I'm putting some meat back in my lunch and scraping the protein drink....we'll see....

Have a fantastic weekend and thanks for the support!

Gloria · Post by **Gloria** » Mon Jun 03, 2013 9:16 pm

Hi Linda,

I never ate pumpkin seeds (and still don't) because they are so fibrous. I think it's best to avoid all whole nuts and seeds until you are healed. You might be able to tolerate nut butters, however. I can't, but some people can.

It may be that you reacted to the Haddock if it wasn't fresh. Fish that isn't fresh is very high in histamines, and could cause a histamine reaction. You might try taking an antihistamine to see if it helps. Claritin Reditabs are lactose-free. If you're a member of Sam's Club, a pack of 50 is $22.71 less $5.50 until June 9.

If this diet worked for two weeks, you could be reacting to a new food intolerance. Our immune system takes a bit to react to a newly-noticed intolerance once a previous intolerance has been eliminated.

You will get better; you've tasted some success and that means you can experience it again. You just need a little more tweaking.

Gloria

ldubois7 · Post by **ldubois7** » Tue Jun 04, 2013 5:41 am

Gloria,

I was following the Enterolab recommendations as far as nuts and seeds. I soak them and dehydrate them to make them more digestible. Since I reacted to all 11 foods on the Enterolab test, I thought that was a good suggestion. Maybe I should just grind them into nut butter and see if that helps.

My fear is that I'm developing new intolerances, and I'm running out of foods to stay healthy and heal.

I'm taking a Allegra, for the queasiness I have in the mornings.

I just want someone to tell me what my body will tolerate. I'm tired of all the guess work, only to fail. I know I sound like I'm whining, but I want to enjoy life and not be constantly thinking about what foods to make! Ahhhhh

Post by **tex** » Tue Jun 04, 2013 8:06 am

Linda,

You might want to consider mediator release testing (MRT - NOWLEAP). The test results for safe foods are not as reliable as the EnteroLab results, but the results for the most reactive foods can be very helpful in some cases, for tracking down problem foods that remain in the diet.

Tex

ldubois7 · Post by **ldubois7** » Tue Jun 04, 2013 1:10 pm

gluten · Post by **gluten** » Tue Jun 04, 2013 2:03 pm

Hi, When, I buy hadock and cod at the supermaket I always ask when the fish was delievered. At the supermarket I shop at they always get their fish delieveries on Tuesday and Friday. I always ask for for the fresh fish from the box because you do not know how many days the fish has sat in the display case. Will not cook fish if it is slimy. Only buy cod fish caught on the east coast between Nov and June because as the waters warm the cod fish gets a parasite. I have found them in fish when deep sea fishing and after buying cod fish at the supermarket. Maybe the parasite will be destroyed by the cooking but I still will not eat it. I do not know if cod has the same problem that is caught near Alaska or the Baltic region. Jon

ldubois7 · Post by **ldubois7** » Tue Jun 04, 2013 2:41 pm

Thanks, Jon. I never had a problem with my cod or haddock until this time, from my supermarket. I always smell it before I buy it. I will be sure to ask when it is delivered to the store.