Scared of food!
#175663 - 05/02/05 08:23 AM
|
|
|
|
abby82
Reged: 03/08/04
Posts: 335
Loc: Nevada
|
|
|
Does anyone else feel like they are scared to death of trying new food? I think I have created a food phobia and I dont know what to do. I have eaten the exact same thing every single day for as long as I can remember so that I dont get attacks. Plus since I continue to get attacks I keep taking things out of my diet and not replacing them with something new. Recently I have taken both chicken and turkey out because they were making me sick and now Im afraid to add them back in,but I need to since Im getting no protein from what Im eating. Since Ive been eating the same things for sooo long is pretty much everything going to make me sick at first? Should I just keep eating whatever it is and see if it goes away? I feel like anything new that I eat is just gonna cause my digestive system to go into shock since its so used to the same food everyday. Has anyone had a this problem or one similar to it? If so, how did you get over it? Do I need to get professional help from a nutritionist or a therapist? Im so lost! Anyways heres what I eat everyday:
Potatoes (LOTS of them - probably 6 a day)
Bananas - (1 or 2 a day)
Cereal - cocoa pebbles or other gluten free cereals
Rice muffins - banana and plain
Gluten free donuts
gluten free blueberry waffles
rice bread
mashed potatoes and gravy
egg whites
And thats basically it. From looking at these foods can anyone suggest anything that may be easy to add in? ANY help would be GREATLY appreciated! Thanks!
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Hmmm. Have you tried playing around with the other SF foods and tiny bits of protein mixed in? Cooked and mushed carrots, squash, etc are super safe. And try egg whites, fish and soy as well for protein.
Remember that if you eat TOO limited a diet some people's bodies will rebel and become intolerant of what you ARE eating! So it could get worse if you don't expand your diet.
Also, it could well be at least partly psycosomatic...our minds can have a BIG effect with food intolerances. So can you address the stress issue with something like hypno?
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
I'm sorta the same way...to a point. I mainly eat:
Rice
Potatoes
Carrots
Plain Noodles
Shrimp
Chicken
Tons of Rice pudding the safe way!!!!
This really helps me out when I'm feeling yuck. I make it by the crock pot full. I eat it for breakfast, L, and Dinner!It's scary I know. Just hang in there!
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
I know exactly what you mean-
I also have a very limited "menu"-
I am very very afraid to try new things also. I personally went to a dietician to find out what foods were good for me to "try" to help get all the nutrients I need. It is so hard to figure out exactly what causes me to feel crappy sometimes as the food may not affect me for a day or two.
When you said turkey and chicken were making you sick- sick how? What exactly do you mean?
But again, I can relate to what you are saying. I have not seen a psychologist or psychiatrist for this yet, but I am on AD's since February as I got very very depressed that this was how it was going to be.
I still am not "over" being afraid to try different things and I don't know if I ever will be.
--------------------
Melissa
Pain predominant w/occasional C.
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
I didnt know that you could become intolerant to something if you ate it all the time! How do I know if this is NOT my problem right now - would I completely change my diet or just add something in? I am sooo sick of rice and potatoes Im going to go crazy!
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Abby:
You don't need to live this way! I, too, had a food phobia and for years I had a limited diet, but I am much better now that I fully understand what is safe and what is not safe to eat.
What is very key is understanding that even an "unsafe" food can sometimes be made safe -- provided it is prepared and eaten in a "safe way." For example, peeling and pureeing veggies can help and eating less safe foods with soluble fibre can also help.
From seeing your list, I think you need to make major changes to your diet. The bananas, cereal, muffins, donuts, waffles, bread and gravy are all potentially problematic and are possibly aggravating your condition so that you are unable to branch out to other foods.
To start with, you need to follow Heather's diet rules (not her recipes). In addition, I would recommend taking a natural approach -- by that I mean not eating any store-prepared food or anything that contains additives or chemicals.
You should be able to tolerate turkey and chicken if you stick to white meat without the skin, as Heather recommends. If it still bothers you, then you could try organic or kosher poultry. It seems to be much safer.
I will warn you, though, there is no easy way to deal with IBS. It basically boils down to strictly following the diet and employing some of Heather's lifestyle suggestions such as fitness, yoga, etc.
I will also warn you that if you cheat on just one small thing, you can potentially provoke an IBS attack (depending on your level of sensitivity). I find my IBS is so sensitive that just cheating on one tiny ingredient can put me in misery for up to two weeks so I have to be very careful. For me, those "tiny ingredients" can include the chemicals and additives used in prepared foods and the harmones and antibiotics used in rearing poultry. You also have to be wary of the source for poultry. For example, Butterball turkey may be injected with an IBS-unsafe substance to make it juicier.
Belinda
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
If I remember correctly, you have been having this problem for about a year, right? That is too long to only be eating rice potatos and bananas!
My advice would be to start over from scratch. Eat vegetables with your potato tomorrow. make a fruit smoothie. You have to start eating other foods! The breaking the cycle diet is only a short term soloution. If you are still having problems, maybe you need more tests done to rule out other problems. Steam your vegetables until you can mash them into mush if you have to, but you do need to eat them!
Good luck
--------------------
-Sheri
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Abby:
Write me offline at belinda958@yahoo.ca and I will help you get onto a better diet.
I went through exactly what you are going through and I totally understand your desperation and your fear of food.
At one point in my 30s I had elimated so many foods from my diet in a desperate attempt to prevent the attacks that all I ate for one solid year was white bread along with chicken boiled in water (chicken soup) made with a dash of fresh parsley and some carrots. I ate this for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I dropped to 74 pounds.
Thank goodness those days are long behind me and I know how to deal with IBS now. I hope no one, including yourself, will ever have to go through what I went through.
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Abbey! I feel for your heartache. It must be devestating. I know, I've been there. It is essential to your diet that you add other fruits and veggies. What's the worst thing that could happen? An attack, well you'll get through it. Are you taking a SFS? They are critical in managing symptoms. Try Acacia, benefiber, equalactin, citrucel to name a few. Work your way up SLOWLY from a VERY LOW DOSE. It can really make the difference. Second, are you drinking lots of peppermint tea? I would suggest several strong hot cups a day. It can really help.
If you are going to introduce new things, I would suggest well cooked carrots and sweet potatoes. They are still soluble fibre but are at least from the veggie section. Let us know how you're doing. I would also add back a bit of protein if you can, even in very small quantities. Try light peanut butter on your muffins.
--------------------
Formerly HanSolo. IBS, OCD, Bipolar, PTSD times 3.
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Abby...you sound just like me! Even chicken...Kosher and white meat boiled plain!...upstes my tummy. Fish as well.
I get my protein from eggs. But even that can give me probs...
I am trying soy yogurt. It seems to be upsetting me (just had some now for lunch).
I found Trader Joe's has an unsweetened soy milk that's GF. I'll let you know how it goes.
*big hugs* You're not alone! We're in a very similair place...
--------------------
Formerly known as Ruchie
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
Posts
