Category Archives: FODMAP

Low FODMAP Part 2

Posted on March 26, 2019 | 2 comments

A couple of years ago I embarked on a Low FODMAP diet to deal with some stomach issues. In this process, I discovered I can’t tolerate peanuts, cashews, apples (like EVER), and ice cream. It has helped. But I have gotten lazy and I think it is time to be kind to my digestive system again.

The FODMAP theory holds that consuming foods high in “FODMAPs”—short for fermentable oligo-, di-, monosaccharides, and polyols, a collection of short-chain carbohydrates found in many common foods—results in increased volume of liquid and gas in the small and large intestine, contributing to symptoms such as abdominal pain, gas, and bloating, and the motility problems of diarrhea and constipation. The theory proposes that following a low-FODMAP diet should result in a decrease in these symptoms.

(https://www.verywellhealth.com/foods-on-the-low-fodmap-diet-1944679)

It is a daunting process. The first 2 weeks are very strict. But at least this time I will only be two weeks at that level. Back when I originally did it, I spent months and months at the strictest level to get my stomach healed. But I am pretty confident this time two weeks will be enough.

The following foods have been identified as being high in FODMAPs:

Fruits

Apples
Apricots
Blackberries
Cherries
Grapefruit
Mango
Nectarines
Peaches
Pears
Plums and prunes
Pomegranates
Watermelon
High concentration of fructose from canned fruit, dried fruit or fruit juice

Grains

Barley
Couscous
Farro
Rye
Semolina
Wheat

Lactose-Containing Foods

Buttermilk
Cream
Custard
Ice cream
Margarine
Milk (cow, goat, sheep)
Soft cheese, including cottage cheese and ricotta
Yogurt (regular and Greek)

Dairy Substitutes

Oat milk (although a 1/8 serving is considered low-FODMAP)
Soy milk (U.S.)

Legumes

Baked beans
Black-eyed peas
Butter beans
Chickpeas
Lentils
Kidney beans
Lima beans
Soybeans
Split peas

Sweeteners

Agave
Fructose
High fructose corn syrup
Honey
Isomalt
Maltitol
Mannitol
Molasses
Sorbitol
Xylitol

Vegetables

Artichokes
Asparagus
Beets
Brussels sprouts
Cauliflower
Celery
Garlic
Leeks
Mushrooms
Okra
Onions
Peas
Scallions (white parts)
Shallots
Snow peas
Sugar snap peas

Low-FODMAP Food List

grilled chicken over vegetables — Cristina Cassinelli/Photolibrary/Getty Images

The following foods have been identified as being low in FODMAPs:

Fruits

Avocado (limit 1/8 of whole)
Banana
Blueberry
Cantaloupe
Grapes
Honeydew melon
Kiwi
Lemon
Lime
Mandarin oranges
Olives
Orange
Papaya
Plantain
Pineapple
Raspberry
Rhubarb
Strawberry
Tangelo

Sweeteners

Artificial sweeteners that do not end in -ol
Brown sugar
Glucose
Maple syrup
Powdered sugar
Sugar (sucrose)

Dairy and Alternatives

Almond milk
Coconut milk (limit 1/2 cup)
Hemp milk
Rice milk
Butter
Certain cheeses, such as brie, camembert, mozzarella, Parmesan
Lactose-free products, such as lactose-free milk, ice cream, and yogurt

Vegetables

Arugula (rocket lettuce)
Bamboo shoots
Bell peppers
Broccoli
Bok choy
Carrots
Celeriac
Collard greens
Common Cabbage
Corn (half a cob)
Eggplant
Endive
Fennel
Green beans
Kale
Lettuce
Parsley
Parsnip
Potato
Radicchio
Scallions (green parts only)
Spinach, baby
Squash
Sweet potato
Swiss chard
Tomato
Turnip
Water chestnut
Zucchini

Grains

Amaranth
Brown rice
Bulgur wheat (limit to 1/4 cup cooked)
Oats
Gluten-free products
Quinoa
Spelt products

Nuts

Almonds (limit 10)
Brazil nuts
Hazelnuts (limit 10)
Macadamia nuts
Peanuts
Pecan
Pine nuts
Walnuts

Seeds

Caraway
Chia
Pumpkin
Sesame
Sunflower

Protein Sources

Beef
Chicken
Eggs
Fish
Lamb
Pork
Shellfish
Tofu and tempeh
Turkey

(https://www.verywellhealth.com/foods-on-the-low-fodmap-diet-1944679)

For in depth, I mean in depth, information about FODMAP eating, check out The Gut Balance Revolution by Gerard E Mullin, MD. I am not going to lie, it took me about 2 years to trudge through it, but it is incredibly well researched, so there’s that.

The upside to this is phase two can be done long term and is safe for weight loss as well as being nice to my body overall. I am pretty excited. Or terrified. Or consternated. Or something. I guess the word would be conflicted.

But, I desperately need to take care of myself and get to a better size. For me. Mostly for me. And for my girls. Our eating as a family is a disaster. Way too many carbs and way too much processed food. Now is the time to clean it up. Now.

First, to shop and stock this house for wellness.

Wish me luck!

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Posted in FODMAP, weight loss

I Feel Like Crap

Posted on December 8, 2017 | Leave a comment

I feel like crap…and that’s pretty much a good thing.

You see, when I am in the depths of depression or heights of mania, I don’t really notice the side effects from my meds and am resigned to whatever health issues I have; I just don’t have the energy to care about them. But right now, things have been stable for a while (hallelujah) and those side effects and health things are making me crazy. I want answers or I want them to go away.

My stomach issues feel like they are out of control. Eating low FODMAP helps some, but is not sustainable. It is too restrictive and not intended for for long-term nutrition. And yet, here I am, unable to comfortably add foods back in for more than a handful of days. And now, the issues seem to be spreading–sweets are a no-no, eating a normal size meal is a no-no, fats in the food seem to be a no-no. I swear, instead of getting better, things are getting worse.

In spite of all this, and exercising, I am gaining weight. Big fat boo. And way dizzier than I should be.

Sigh.

I never used to understand why people would go off their meds. Honestly, I was so happy with the relief from the depression and mania, I was willing to suffer anything. Now that I have that relief, I get it. I really get it.

I want both. To feel good mentally and physically.

Toward this end, I am keeping a food journal to take to my family doctor to see where we head next and I am going to talk to my psych in a couple weeks.

I am going to fight for both.

In the meantime, I am very, very thankful the Bipolar is stable right not. Very thankful. It is such a gift after years and years of not being stable. I couldn’t be happier about that. It is just now time to work on the physical and see how great things can really be!!

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Posted in Bipolar Disorder, FODMAP

Sugar Butts

Posted on May 2, 2017 | 1 comment

I am the potty mouth in this house. My hubby never, ever swears…well, okay, he did when the camper flipped over and he was trying to control the car…but that doesn’t count, does it?

So, when someone gets in trouble for saying a “bad” word in this house, mommy is to blame. Sigh.

Today, Caitlyn and Sue were working on putting together some projects they received for Christmas. Caitlyn started her catapult yesterday and teased Frazier today by launching pieces of burnt bacon.

Sue started her robot today and was having a hard time finding one of the pieces–“damn!”

“Mommy, Sue said damn.”

Sigh…time to head to their room for a chat.

“Sue, you can’t say damn.” “But I can’t find the piece I need.” ”

“But I can’t find the piece I need.” ”

“I know, but you can’t say that word even though mommy does. Say, um, ‘sugar butts’ like daddy does. Or dude. That’s the one I like. You can say it with emphasis. DUDE!!!”

Insert eye roll and a big, heavy sigh.

A few minutes later she is still searching for the piece, looks over at Caitlyn and mutters, “sugar butts!!”

My work here is done.

I’ve had a couple “sugar butts” kind of days lately. It has been raining. I have not been running. I am coming off two medications due to side effects. I am recommitting myself to eat low FODMAP to control some health issues that are obnoxious and kind of hard to control. And there is still homeschooling and its duties, May has a couple super social days in it, and another birthday for me.

Sigh and a big helping of “sugar butts.”

What is your safe word to say around kids or that your kids are allowed to say? If you don’t have one, go ahead and have ours. We’ll share!

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Posted in Bipolar Disorder, Caitlyn, FODMAP, Homeschool, Sue

Pi and Pie

Posted on March 15, 2017 | Leave a comment

Yesterday, 3/14, was Pi, 3.14, day. Most years I remember too late that it WAS Pie/Pi day.

Not this year.

A wonderful friend put together a Pi day curriculum for me. We practiced finding the circumference of circles using pieces of yarn and Pi. We watched a couple YouTube videos, made Pi cootie catchers, and a paper chain showing how there is not a number pattern in Pi.

To round out the day, the girls made an apple pie from scratch.

I did not have any of the finished product as it was full of gluten and apples, both a no-no when it comes to eating low FODMAP. So, I didn’t have any of the finished product. Problem is, I had little nibbles of crust and apples as I helped the girls make the pie. It’s not because I don’t know gluten and apples are a no-no according to low FODMAP eating. I know they are, but sometimes, okay, often, I think, “all of this special eating is silly. I don’t have food allergies so I am probably making a big deal out of nothing.” I begin to feel ridiculous for the demands I make when it comes to food. I tell myself I am just doing it to be a pain in the butt or feel “special,” so I stop. I eat pie crust. I eat sliced apples.

And then, within an hour or so, I find out eating low FODMAP is important, it does improve my life, it is worth the extra effort. I was so sick last night I could hardly sit up during dinner. My stomach hurt, my body was overcome with weakness. I even had hubby take Sue to her play practice and I sat down on the couch and watched an entire movie…I have no idea when the last time was I watched a whole tv program at home, let alone a movie. I just don’t sit that long.

Ignoring the rules of eating low FODMAP literally knocked me on my butt. Lesson learned, for a while…

That was our day. The Pie and the Pi of it.

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Posted in FODMAP, Homeschool

Potato Salad and Memories

Posted on January 9, 2017 | Leave a comment

Caitlyn finished reading her book this morning. With a lot of prodding. It was due to the library today. Our library allows two renewals and that’s it. Times up. Hubby says, “just remember where you left off and then check it back out in a week or so.” That just doesn’t fly with me…read the book…you’ve had 6 weeks. Get it done!!! Caitlyn is a very capable reader, but it is not one of her true passions. She has so many other things vying for her attention. She has her arts and crafts, iPad games, and way more television options than I had growing up, even with us getting rid of cable.

Caitlyn is a very capable reader, but it is not one of her true passions. She has so many other things vying for her attention. She has her arts and crafts, iPad games, and way more television options than I had growing up, even with us getting rid of cable. Reading just doesn’t always rank for her like it did for me growing up.

I am coming to grips with this reality.

In the meantime, a library trip was on the schedule today so we could return the book. We got some schoolwork done and then headed to the library. As I was parking the car, I said, “did we remember the library book bag??”

Um, no. So back home we went–to get the books. On the plus side, I hadn’t put money in the meter yet and we don’t live 45 minutes from the nearest library like I did growing up.

Growing up. I lived “out in the country” where it is still actually “out in the country.” We had a big garden. We had farm animals. We grew our own food. The local butcher lived down the road from us. Meal planning wasn’t trendy, it was necessary because grocery shopping happened once a week, if that. My mom did a great job of canning produce so we had a lot of staples throughout the year and she kept the pantry well stocked.

One food I don’t remember us ever growing, though I think my aunt does now, was potatoes. Those got bought from the store. And somehow, making potato salad for my dad became my job. It was always a big job. Remember the extra humungous Tupperware bowl and lid set? We had a yellow one and a batch of potato salad filled it.

I was super proud of making my dad his potato salad. He liked it pretty bland by most standards. A massive amount of potatoes boiled, peeled, and cut up, another massive amount of eggs boiled, peeled, and cut up, a little bit of onion cut up and added, and just a smidge of mustard to give it extra color. That must have been its purpose because it sure wasn’t enough for flavor.

I made that potato salad over and over during the summer. I loved making it. I was so proud that my dad wanted me to make him his potato salad. So proud, but I hated eating it. It was just yuck to me. And it stayed that way until I was in my 30s. I just hated the stuff.

Until I was pregnant with Caitlyn.

Then, I loved it so much. I literally dreamt of potato salad. Any version, any brand. Just hand over the potato salad and nobody would get hurt.

And I still love it!!! It is even one food I can have on the low FODMAP diet.

So don’t mind me, I’ll just be over here wolfing down potato salad while the family has ice cream.

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Posted in daddy, FODMAP, memories

Sometimes it is Worth it.

Posted on November 13, 2016 | 1 comment

A few weeks ago we were out with my mother-in-law and passed a restaurant that I like, but is a bit heavy on the budget. I jokingly told my hubby he could take me there for our upcoming anniversary. We all chuckled and went on with what we were doing.

Then, a week or so later, my hubby stopped by his moms’ for something, and she handed him a gift card for that place I mentioned hubby could take me for our anniversary!

What a sweet surprise.

Well, our anniversary came and went. We ended up somewhere else as we were celebrating with our girls in tow.

But today, my brother-in-law and his wife took our girls to the circus (my in-laws are pretty great!) and hubby and I had time just the two of us. And we weren’t too far from the restraunt…we grabbed our chance. It was an Italian place, so I had been careful with my diet in case there was no way to avoid some of my food issues. I told hubby I had done that. He said, “I don’t think that’s how that works.” And he was right, it’s not and I wasn’t able to avoid all of the food irritants, so I am paying for it a bit tonight, but I have to tell you it was ALLLLLL worth it!

I had tilapia, hubby shared his steak, we even had dessert. I had a safer-ish dessert of cheesecake. We talked about the book I just finished reading, we talked about politics (of course), and (again, of course, talked about the girls. It was fantastic. And then, because of the adventurous couple we are, we hit the grocery store. Yup, living it up.

We laughed, we joked, we ate. Several hours later I stand here at the computer with my stomach getting more and more upset…and it was still worth every bite, every moment.

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Posted in #nablopomo, FODMAP

Sometimes It Is About Control

Posted on June 18, 2016 | Leave a comment

I wrote this post in my head while taking a walk. It was awesome…then. We’ll see how it goes now.

I, like many teens/young people, danced with anorexia in my teens and then again in my 20s. I was chunky from fourth grade on. My cousin was slim, all the popular girls were slim, and then there was me.

High school sucked. Most of the people around me were mean or indifferent (NOT the aforementioned cousin–she was and is one of the best people in my life). I didn’t know how to fit in at either of the schools I attended during Junior High and High School. Nothing I did helped. I felt like I didn’t have any control.

And then I learned to control my food. I could skip as many meals as I wanted. That, I could control. So, I ate less and less. And I lost weight.

Bonus.

I got down to 84 pounds.

But hunger came back and so did the pounds.

Right after high school I discovered exercise and a healthy diet. I took the weight off right this time.

And it stayed off.

Then I got involved in a relationship. A really unhealthy relationship. Let’s call it for what it was…an abusive relationship. And they only thing I ever did that made him happy was losing more weight. He loved to show people how much he could overlap his fingers when he put his hands around my waist. So, I kept losing weight.

Praise the Lord, he and I split up, but again life was spiraling for a while there and food was one thing I could control.

Until I met my now husband. I was happy with him. I had someone to eat with again. I gained weight. Then I lost weight…in time to get pregnant with our third baby…and then I lost all control of my weight with the various psych meds I was on and the depression I was in.

Control was again missing from my life.

I have slowly regained control my mind. I am slowly regaining control of my weight.

I have lost 17 pounds since January.

2016-06-09 19.28.26

As I have written about before, I have had to radically change my diet. I have had to eliminate or severely limit many foods. It is not always fun, but it is worth it. The FODMAP diet has eliminated much of my stomach pain. It has made losing weight much easier, and, an added benefit, it has given me control–healthy control–over my eating again. I know what I can and cannot eat. I know how much I can eat. There is no guesswork in my food.

It is good. Very good.

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Posted in Bipolar Disorder, depression, digestive system, FODMAP, weight loss

A Nibble Here A Nibble There

Posted on May 28, 2016 | Leave a comment

A nibble here, a bite there can’t hurt, can it? Why yes, yes it can. As you may know from the world of dieting, it is important to keep track of everything that passes our lips. I have always struggled to count those, but lately those bits here and there have gotten me in trouble. Not on the scale, that is finally headed in the right direction (down 15 lbs), but in some health issues.

I know I have mentioned the low FODMAP diet before, but here it is again. I have had stomach issues for the last 15 years. I’ve tried medication. I’ve tried surgery. Nothing helped. And my small attempts at figuring it out via diet modification were unsuccessful. Well recently I figured out that sugar was a big issue, but I didn’t know which sugars it was exactly or how to figure out how to figure it out.

One day I was whining in my Facebook fitness group and a wonderful lady mentioned the low FODMAP diet. I tried really hard to brush it off. I didn’t want it to be an issue with my nutrition, but the next day was so bad pain and nausea wise, I knew I had to give this diet a chance. So, the next day, I did. And by that evening I felt quite a bit better…and each day that week was an improvement…I couldn’t argue with the evidence, it was apparent this was the answer to my 15 year journey.

And the beginning of the rest of my foreseeable future.

Foods are broken into low FODMAP (good) and high FODMAP (bad) groups. I depend on this list to guide me on this new road. FODMAP stands for fermentable oligo-, di-, and monosaccharides and polyols, meaning short chain carbohydrates and sugar alcohols. That part doesn’t mean much to me, what does are my food lists. I have certain fruits I can have (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries) and others I can not (apricots–still mourning that loss) among others. It is the same for veggies (green beans/carrots). Some cheeses are good, others are a total no. Wheat flour is not allowed, so add gluten as another consideration. Sugar is definitely the issue I thought it was. Garlic and onions are two others that are high on the list of no-nos.

All of it is a big adjustment. And honestly, I think I am doing okay with the adaptation. I have given up a lot of foods (don’t even talk to me about the pizza the rest of the family is having tonight) and started eating a lot more of others. I even had my doctor look over it to make sure it was not eliminating necessities. She was fine with the diet, just sad for me that avocado, mangoes, and garlic are on the don’t touch list. It is not sitting down and eating the wrong foods that get me in trouble, it’s the crumb here and the crumb there. I really am trying not to upend my entire family’s eating, so the forbidden foods are still around…and the Costco muffin crumbs are undoing me today. I don’t even like the muffins that much, but the kids keep leaving uneaten portions behind and it is so hard to outright throw the food away, but I am getting better at it.

I am thrilled with how much better I feel overall, but I am a slow learner. I have a couple good days and I think…eating this can’t make my stomach hurt that badly…and I am proven wrong again. Over and over. I feel bad for those friends and family members who keep listening to me say how I messed up again. But I keep trying and at least now there is less time whining about the pain and not knowing what is causing it.

There is also always the weight loss to make me smile. My wedding ring is now loose on my finger, my jeans are no longer tight, and I have lost an inch in my waist in just the last two weeks!

2016-05-26 19.32.18