I graduated from Physical Therapy School and my boyfriend graduated from Dental School in May and I was able to participate in all the celebrations without my stomach being angry at me. I ate whatever I wanted and drank whatever I wanted.
To celebrate our graduations, my boyfriend and I went to Punta Cana in the Domincan Republic to an all inclusive resort. We went to Secrets; absolutely amazing! We had a great time eating, drinking and relaxing. Not once did my stomach get upset! I literally thought I was cured of all my stomach ailments.
We returned from our trip June 8th and by June 15th I started feeling the same symptoms I've felt since last May. The bloating, stomach ache, and loose stool returned. Why oh why? I was feeling so good for almost 2 months! What happened? I can only guess that SIBO came back just like the gastro said it can. I didn't have another appointment scheduled with her until late July, so I decided to do some experimenting with my diet to see if there were any trigger foods.
My boyfriend and I decided to do an elimination diet. There are many forms of the diet out there for you to try, but we tried eliminating everything. I mean EVERYTHING. We ate only chicken and rice for a week. We seasoned our meals with salt, pepper, olive oil, and various spices. No garlic or onions. By the end of the week we both felt FANTASTIC! No bloating, no stomach ache, no tummy rumbling, no gas. I decided to start putting things back into my diet using the FODMAP diet as a guide. The nutritionist at the gastroenterology practice recommended me to try it after I finished the antibiotics for SIBO.
- FODMAP basically eliminates many of the vegetable, fruits, and grains that could be upsetting your stomach
- FODMAP is a diet that is now commonly used to treat IBS.
- spinach
- egg
- tomato (in small quantities)
- colored peppers (not green)
- bread (in small quantities)
- fish
- pork
- beef
Here are a list of foods I tried that I found did upset my stomach:
- carrots (especially in large quantities)
- garlic
- onions
- large amounts of cooked tomatoes (i.e. tomato paste, pasta sauce, and ketchup)
- large amounts of wheat (i.e. full serving of pasta)
- honey (this one was REALLY, REALLY BAD!!)
- Blueberries
- Raspberries
- Strawberries
- Melons - watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew
- Avocados
I am still trying to figure out all the foods I have issues with, but here is the start of the list. Some websites, doctors, and other people say that they are able to eat some problem foods in small quantities without any issues. I have yet to try and find out if this is the case with me.
The process is really long, but so far I feel great most days... as long as I eat at home. Obviously if I go out to eat, it is really hard to stay away from some of the foods I know irritate my stomach, such as garlic. I do my best to modify the dishes to my stomach's liking.
A few things that I found work for my stomach and still allow me to enjoy what I love:
- Garlic infused oil-- AMAZING, great garlic taste without the stomach ache
- Vodka Soda with a SPLASH of juice. I usually have grapefruit juice because it cuts the taste of the vodka a lot and is usually a juice that is lower in sugar. Another good juice to use is cranberry.
- Sorbet with NO high fructose corn syrup
- You can view other things that work for me here
The adventure of determining a good diet with a happy stomach and a happy me continues...
