in praise of fiber
#249545 - 03/01/06 02:52 PM
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jaime g
Reged: 07/27/05
Posts: 961
Loc: new york city
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(first, of course, the disclaimer that what works for one person won't work for everyone.)
i've been feeling a lot better lately, and just wanted to share.
i'm an A who started as a D, and i'd spent about a month annoyingly (but not cripplingly) C.
first of all, i upped my SFS - i take fiberchoice, and went from 8g to 12g. but, i think, what's really helped, is IF.
i started this diet last summer. within weeks my D was so much better - basically gone, and only surfacing with stress or cheating. so much better. but only recently have i realized that *i don't need to be afraid of IF*. a few months ago i was scared of almost all vegetables - carrots, zucchini, and sweet potatoes were about all i felt safe about, and any veggie product with more than 2g dietary fiber on the label scared me. in the last few months, though, i've started branching out, and i'm amazed, in two ways - in what i can eat (raw spinach, tomatoes, berries, apples, sweet potato with the peel, peppers, figs, and that's only a start), and how much better i feel. i never thought i'd be snacking on dried figs, and the other day i had a salad. *and* my C's cleared up.
i just wanted to let you all know, because i know *i* was scared of IF, and i don't think i'm the only one. trust your instincts and listen to your body, but don't be afraid.
(if anyone has a similar story about IF from grains, let me know! still figuring out ow to tackle that...)
-------------------- jaime
ibs-a (mostly d) // vegetarian
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Well, unfortunately I am one of those ppl who is afraid of IF. Like you, I started out as D, and am now more C than anything. (so I call myself A) I too am not in terrible pain from C, but it is bothersome and gassy. I'm trying to figure out how to incorporate IF since I am doing well w/ regard to SF. I am just too scared! I ate a few strawberries today after having some french bread and am fine so far...I loved reading your post because it has given me hope!
Thanks for sharing, Amber
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-------------------- [Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate. - Sandra Boynton]
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I'm always shocked at how little IF some people [particularly D people] eat... of course I totally understand the fear, because I've been there myself. But once you stabilize, you really can branch out much more. Or at least that's been my experience.
Re: grains, I'm usually ok with a bit of brown rice (usually mixed with white rice) but whole wheat still kills me. Most/all of my IF comes from fruits and veggies.
ps glad to hear you're feeling so much better!
Edited by retrograde (03/02/06 09:16 AM)
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Thanks for reminding us how important it is to include insoluble fiber in your diet!
Quote:
trust your instincts and listen to your body, but don't be afraid.
Best advice ever, Jaime!
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Just wanted to add that I do fine with brown rice now (even without any white rice mixed in). Yay! I can also have a slice or two of whole wheat bread every now and then; it's just hard to find one without HFCS or dairy.
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Re: grains
#249711 - 03/02/06 12:15 PM
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Augie
Reged: 10/27/04
Posts: 5807
Loc: Illinois
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Do you eat an SF before or with the brown rice? Or can you tolerate an IF veggie and the brown rice at the same meal?
Same with the wheat bread?
Thanks.
-------------------- ~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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Are we still getting enough IF if we peel fruits/veggies? Or if we eat SF veggies?
-------------------- ~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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If I have brown rice, it's mixed with white rice (so I'd have it at the same time), and generally I'd only have mostly-SF veggies with it, like cooked carrots, beets or maybe some zucchini (peel on).
I don't eat whole wheat bread.
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I try not to peel my fruits and veggies whenever I can handle it. But then, I puree most of my fruits and veggies (cooked, peel-on where applicable). Probably 80% of my fruits and veggies are pureed... maybe more... and the only ones I eat not pureed are SF, such as bananas, carrots (cooked), potatoes, beets, mushrooms etc., sometimes cooked zucchini (with the peel on).
I find that pureeing F&V makes them much more tolerable, and I'm still getting the IF while making it much easier to digest. Honestly, as long as I eat SF with it, I can tolerate most F&V this way, peels and all (the only exception being the cuciferous ones - broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage etc. - still can't do those).
As a vegetarian I also eat beans everyday - happily I do ok with these. I started out only having them mashed but now I find I'm ok with them whole. So I get some IF there. I also usually have a few tbsps of nuts each day too - always very finely chopped.
Beth I think I eat more IF than you do and I'm a D! Just my 2-cents
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