What does it take for you to consider a food to be safe?
#60521 - 04/12/04 05:09 PM
|
|
|
|
|
|
What does it take for you to consider a food to be safe?
By way of explanation, I have three types of symptoms (please don't read on if details are too much information for you):
1. bloating
2. BMs that range from soft/loose to full blown D
3. painful cramping usually relieved only by explosive (and often uncomfortable or even painful) D (this is the 'must find bathroom NOW' symptom that I refer to as an "attack")
On the IBS diet, I have not been having any fullblown attacks, but I still have symptoms 1 & 2 (bloating every time I eat more than a nibble of ANYTHING) and some form of symptom 2 every time I have a BM (unfortunately this is not every day).
So is everything I've been eating on this diet "safe" for me because I haven't had any attacks? Or probably unsafe because of the bloating and D? (I've been operating on the assumption that I need to figure out the triggers for the D but it seems to be so arbitrary. I maintain no illusions that I will be able to determine any unique triggers for the bloating.)
What does it take for you to consider a food to be safe?
Thanks!
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Well there's a lot to consider so I'll just name a few I can think of:
Low in fat
dairy free
soluble
insoluble too but in small amounts and never on an empty stomach
Don't forget it's not always what food is "safe" - It's how you eat: try small meals throughout the day, take a fiber supplement, drink lots of water, peppermint and fennel tea is great for the stomach and never eating high fat or insoluble foods on an empty stomach.
I'm sure there's more but can't think of any right now. 
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
I'd sure like to know the answer too! I have pretty much the same symptoms as you. But I guess I consider myself in more or less good shape if I only have those symptoms. I mean if I wanted to be totally symptom free I would live on a rice only diet, with the occaisional pretzel  I drink TONS of fennel tea to try to control the bloating, with a bit of success. So for me something is safe if I don't get full blown D and I don't swing the other way to C.
--------------------
--Julie
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
A few thoughts... are you on a fiber supplement? It would really help the D settle down. Are you drinking fennel tea? Great for bloating. As for what upsets you, only time will tell. Tried, tested and true. I only know by trial and error what foods I am particularly sensitive to and which foods I have to be extremely careful with or avoid altogether.
--------------------
Formerly HanSolo. IBS, OCD, Bipolar, PTSD times 3.
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Anything other than fennel tea for the bloating? I don't like licorice flavor.
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Quote:
I'd sure like to know the answer too! I have pretty much the same symptoms as you. But I guess I consider myself in more or less good shape if I only have those symptoms. I mean if I wanted to be totally symptom free I would live on a rice only diet, with the occaisional pretzel I drink TONS of fennel tea to try to control the bloating, with a bit of success. So for me something is safe if I don't get full blown D and I don't swing the other way to C.
In other words, you've realized that you need to live with bloating and some D? (I am thinking that is probably the case for me too because an all-rice diet leaves me brain dead and unfocused.)
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
That's an interesting question, and really gave me pause. I've been thinking about it for a long time since I first saw your post.
I hate to be a downer, but if you want the truth, here it is: I personally can't eat anything that doesn't have an affect on me in one way or another. I've gotten to the point where I believe my body has difficulty digesting ANY kind of food, even "safe" food.
I have constant gas and bloating. My tummy is very sensitive and can't even tolerate the pressure of my puppy dog on my lap. He's only a little guy, weighing no more than 25 pounds, but when he presses against my tummy with his paws, I nearly jump out of the chair.
When I start my daily exercise, the compaction of my legs against my tummy is very painful; it takes a long time into the exercise before the pain subsides.
It's constant. It never goes away. I'm just grateful that the attacks are few and far between now that I've gotten as stable as I've ever been, and that I can go out places and do things that I wasn't able to do before.
I'm also a D, like you, and I have the same symptoms. I did notice, though, that my poops got less soft/loose when I got on the probiotics. Sometimes I leave the bathroom with a big smile on my face. Enough said; you get the picture.
The urgency is also less; in fact, I've been known to hold it lately -- when I could never do that before, NEVER. When I had to go, it was IMMEDIATE!
So I accept the bloat, the gas, and the tender tummy as "residuals" that will just be with me as long as I eat anything at all. I certainly follow the program to the letter, and more so since I was diagnosed with high blood pressure and high cholesterol. I'm on an almost all vegan diet now, with absolutely no fat at all, and am very strict with myself. Still, the gas and bloat continue....
Again, sorry I can't be more optomistic for you. Perhaps someone else here can.
Bev
--------------------
<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~letsrow/smily3481.gif">Bevvy
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
That's not good. Omega 3 oils like flax, fish oil, and olive oil will help your high cholesterol, and won't hurt. Make sure you're not going fat free - that will do much more harm than good.
xxoo
H
--------------------
Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
I thought with the acacia and all you actually felt good between less frequent attacks. Sorry to hear that you still have the constant gas and pressure as a reminder. 
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
Heather
#60918 - 04/13/04 09:14 PM
|
|
|
|
Bevvy
Reged: 11/04/03
Posts: 5918
Loc: Northwest Washington State
|
|
|
Heather, you are such a sweetie-pie to check on me.
Yes, I am having fat from the flax seed oil capsules (I take 6/day -- that's 6,000mg). Also, I'm eating a lot of salmon and tuna for even more omega-3 and omega-6 oils.
Thanks. You're the BEST.
Bev
--------------------
<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~letsrow/smily3481.gif">Bevvy
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
Posts
