A few questions from a newbie
#330009 - 05/20/08 09:32 AM
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So a friend of mine recommended the IBS diet to me last week, and when I checked it out, I was like, "AHA! Now I understand what's been wrong with me for 20 years!!!" I could never understand why a food would trigger me one day and not on another day. I didn't understand why I'd cramp up when I just drank WATER, for Heaven's sake! So, first, I'd like to say a HUGE THANK YOU to Heather and all you other posters out there because you have relieved my mind as much as you have relieved my body. I have really enjoyed reading over the site and the posts here.
So, I was wondering, what are the things on a nutritional label that I absolutely need to avoid? I was at the grocery store today and got really overwhelmed looking at the labels. I also went to the health food store and found out that almost everything there is focused on high-fiber foods. I don't have much time to cook a lot of meals at the house, and so convenience foods really help. Or, at least foods that I can pop together in a hurry. I know I'm looking for things that are not whole-grain, that I should stay away from fats and dairy, but what on the label makes it a deal-breaker? High fructose corn syrup, right? What about regular corn syrup? What other things? How can I buy stuff in the store that I can eat (I was looking for chicken broth, but couldn't find any without milk solids. I did find some vegan broth starter, but not any chicken) without losing my mind first?
Otherwise, any good suggestions of things that are easily portable? Products that are individually packaged or things I can make ahead of time and wrap up/freeze?
So there you go. I'm extremely excited about this, but just need a little under-whelming. =)
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Rachel
20 years suffering from IBS-A
NOW experiencing physical and mental relief since May, 2008.
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Welcome to the Boards. I had the exact same "Aha" moment when I found this Website.
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So, I was wondering, what are the things on a nutritional label that I absolutely need to avoid?
Learning to read labels in a hurry was one of the hardest things for me. When I first started out I spent ages in the grocery store. Yup, avoid dairy, meat, high fat (I got really good at dividing calories into calories from fat to see if it was more than 25%), egg yolks.
HFCS is something I avoided like the plague when I first started out but am now more relaxed about. Some people never have any trouble with it, some people are never able to eat it. My advice would be to avoid it until you stabilize at least somewhat. Very hard to do, I know - it's everywhere. Regular corn syrup is fine.
The other thing that I cannot tolerate is MSG. It goes by a lot of different names/forms some of which bother me, some of which don't.
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What other things? How can I buy stuff in the store that I can eat (I was looking for chicken broth, but couldn't find any without milk solids. I did find some vegan broth starter, but not any chicken) without losing my mind first?
Sadly for those of us who either don't want to or can't spend lots of time cooking, unprocessed food is easiest. Most commercial white breads contain dairy or HFCS or both. Most frozen dinners contain dairy or HFCS or MSG or lots of fat or all of the above. So I buy bakery white bread - in NJ that's pretty easy, most grocery stores carry some type of Italian bakery bread. Try to find a few quick recipes for chicken breasts - Chutney Mustard Chicken with plain white rice, for example. Or Heather's Simple Herbed Chicken Breasts. Here's an old thread where people are making suggestions: web page
As for chicken broth, I usually use either Pacific Foods Chicken Broth which I buy at Whole Foods or Kitchen Basics Natural Chicken Cooking Stock which is more widely available. I think - I'm not sure about this - that Swanson may make a chicken broth in one of those waxed boxes that does not contain MSG; it might be their organic. Most mainstream chicken broths (like Campbells) have MSG.
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Otherwise, any good suggestions of things that are easily portable? Products that are individually packaged or things I can make ahead of time and wrap up/freeze?
Here are a couple of posts by someone who doesn't cook:
No cook 1
No cook 2
Those should give you some ideas for easier meals. There are also a couple of sticky posts at the top of this Board that might help: Brand Name Recommendations and Snacks, Quick Food, and Good Grub. Just remember to read the labels even on foods recommended by someone else on the Boards - manufacturers change their ingredients all the time.
Most of Heather's fruit and vegetable breads freeze and I imagine most of the fruit and vegetable breads on the Recipe Board would also. Most important, Anti-Depressant Brownies freeze. 
There are also soups and stews and spaghetti sauces and chilis that will freeze nicely - cruise through the Recipe Index or visit the Recipe Board for pointers to which ones.
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So there you go. I'm extremely excited about this, but just need a little under-whelming. =)
I felt like I was drowning for about the first 3 weeks. Then I got a few recipes under my belt and life got easier. Heather's approach has made a huge difference for me and I hope it does the same for you. If you have any other questions, please ask.
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[Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate. - Sandra Boynton]
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Hey Rachel,
I just wanted to write and tell you I'm so glad you found this website/diet. I hope it provides much relief for you. I don't have much to say to expand on Sand's reply (she always gives such thoughtful, detailed responses), but I will say that I think there's an important attitude shift that ends up happening when a person commits to this diet and lifestyle. We make a lot of meals at home to carry with us, we avoid typical grocery store foods, we get to say the word "bowel" to coworkers, new friends and new love interests within a day of meeting them, and we get used to it.  I promise it's gonna feel easier. I don't even notice anymore the changes that once felt like an overhaul of my entire existence. And I don't mind the extra care I have to take of myself and my food, because in the end, what I take away from the experience is gratitude that I can take care of myself. "Eating for IBS" and all that comes along with it has begun to feel like just another way to love myself.
I hope you have lots of success and relief with this diet.
Take care,
Jen
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Welcome to the boards! I'm glad you are so enthusiastic about starting the diet and feeling great again  ) I don't know how much advice I'll be able to offer because you just caused me to actually look at what is in my chicken broth and it has MSG...and I've been eating it in soup and mashed potatoes for a week and a half, oops! Clearly I am still learning as well. However, even though you have such a great attitude about starting the diet you will definitely encounter a few challenges. #1 there will of course be things you really miss eating. However, do not underestimate the power of the search feature on these boards. There are very few things that I love to eat that I was unable to find a safe alternative to on these boards. In the process I also found TONS of other things that I absolutely love and would never have tried if I didn't have IBS. My new dessert favorites are oatmeal apple muffins (search on the recipe board), Heather's brown sugar banana bread, and Soy Delicious raspberry creamsicles.
I also love to snack on apple cinnamon rice cakes, cheerios, sour dough bread, fat free pretzels, and cooked carrot sticks.
The other big challenge is eating out. I don't find myself making a lot of accomodations at home but eating out is such a challenge! I have found this board to be awesome for this also because you can google a restaurant you are planning to go to (if its a chain) and there are likely to be lots of posts about what people have found safe there. Japanese restaurants are definitely my new best friend. However, I have found both Olive Garden and Outback Steakhouse to be extremely accomodating! I always suggest one of those if someone wants to go to dinner and Panera for lunch. So far that's going well.
Anyways, good luck starting the diet! Obviously I am still mastering the reading labels thing haha.
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I am training for a Sprint Triathlon- Check out my Blog!
http://redsoxcap.blogspot.com/
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Welcome to the board! I just wanted to say that if you can't find a chicken broth rachael ray has out a new chicken broth thats gluten free and msg free and fat free I bought it at wal-mart for like 2.26 kinda high but well worth knowing its not going to make you sick. Check the recipe index for recipes and feel free to ask any questions good luck!
emmasmom
ibs-c
GAS
lactose interolant
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So... WOW! Thanks for the amazing help and ideas, you guys. Those were all really great ideas... and I'm glad to find I'm not the only overwhelmed newbie out there.
I guess you're all right. I'm going to have to have a mindset shift and learn to take the time to prepare ahead of time. I'll especially look at pasta sauces and breads because I've been missing a quick spaghetti sauce! On the plus side, I've never done well with bananas before, but when I saw them on the SF list, I thought I'd try them again. I've been able to eat bananas without serious consequences for the last 3 days! HA! I LOVE bananas!
Anyway, thanks enormously for all your great help.
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Rachel
20 years suffering from IBS-A
NOW experiencing physical and mental relief since May, 2008.
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