Previously, I wrote an article called “FODMAPS: Could Common Foods Be Harming Your Digestive Health?” I described how certain classes of foods, known as FODMAPs, are poorly digested in certain people and can lead to gas, bloating, pain and changes in stool frequency and consistency. Studies have shown that conditions like Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) are associated with FODMAP intolerance, and that a low-FODMAP diet offers relief in a substantial percentage of people with IBS. (1) I also have information on what would make up a diverticulitis diet menu if you’ve suffered from an attack.
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Today I’ve got another tip for those of you with digestive issues, including IBS, constipation, diarrhea and acid reflux: eat fewer vegetables.
Yep, that’s right. Fewer vegetables.
Find out how following mainstream advice to eat six to eight servings of vegetables a day could hurt your gut.
Vegetables, Insoluble Fiber, and Soluble Fiber
Vegetables (as well as some fruits) are often high in insoluble fiber. While soluble fiber can be soothing for the gut, consuming large amounts of insoluble fiber when your gut is inflamed is a little bit like rubbing a wire brush against an open wound. (2, 3, 4) Ouch.
Vegetables that are high in insoluble fiber include:
- Greens (spinach, lettuce, kale, mesclun, collards, arugula, watercress, etc.)
- Whole peas, snow peas, snap peas, pea pods
- Green beans
- Kernel corn
- Bell peppers
- Eggplant
- Celery
- Onions, shallots, leeks, scallions, garlic
- Cabbage, bok choy, Brussels sprouts
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
The vegetables that are high in soluble fiber, but lower in insoluble fiber (and thus tend to be safer for those with gut issues) include:
- Carrots
- Winter squash
- Summer squash (especially peeled)
- Starchy tubers (yams, sweet potatoes, potatoes)
- Turnips
- Rutabagas
- Parsnips
- Beets
- Plantains
- Taro
- Yuca
Another helpful tip is to reduce the variety of vegetables you eat at any given meal. Instead of stir-fries with six different veggies, have a single steamed or roasted vegetable as a side dish. This works better for most people with gut issues.
But Won’t I Become Deficient in Nutrients If I Don’t Eat Tons of Veggies?
First of all, I’m not suggesting that you don’t eat these foods at all if you have digestive problems. I’m simply suggesting that you limit them. There are also steps you can take to make these foods more digestible and less likely to cause problems. They include:
- Never eat insoluble fiber foods on an empty stomach. Always eat them with other foods that contain soluble fiber.
- Remove the stems and peels (i.e. from broccoli, cauliflower, and winter greens) from veggies (and fruits) high in insoluble fiber.
- Dice, mash, chop, grate or blend high-insoluble fiber foods to make them easier to break down.
- Insoluble fiber foods are best eaten well-cooked: (5) Steamed thoroughly, boiled in soup, braised, etc; avoid consuming them in stir-fries and if you do eat them raw, prepare them as described in #3 above.
Second, although fruits and veggies are high in certain nutrients, animal products like meat, organ meat, fish, eggs, and dairy are as high and sometimes higher in those nutrients. For example, the chart below compares the micronutrient profile of beef liver and beef with blueberries and kale, two plant foods often referred to as being particularly nutrient-dense:
It’s also worth pointing out that most traditional cultures only ate a few vegetables and fruits that were available seasonally. They couldn’t walk into Whole Foods and buy every vegetable on the planet at every time of year.
I have nothing against vegetables. In fact, I like them quite a bit and I do think they’re beneficial.
But the advice to eat six to eight servings a day is not based on solid scientific evidence and may cause unnecessary distress in people with gut problems.
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Fermented Vegetables: A Better Alternative?
Fermented vegetables like sauerkraut, kim chi, sauerruben, and cortido are excellent alternatives for people with gut issues. First, the fermentation process “pre-digests” the vegetables and makes them easier to absorb. Second, fermented veggies contain probiotic microorganisms that help heal the gut.
Although sauerkraut and kim chi contain cabbage, which is high in insoluble fiber (and a FODMAP to boot), I’ve found that many patients with gut problems can tolerate it quite well. FODMAPs are sugars and sugar alcohols, and fermentation breaks down sugars. This is probably why fermented FODMAPs are better tolerated than non-fermented FODMAPs.
If you’re new to fermented vegetables, you have two options:
- Make them yourself. Check out this page for a great primer. It’s really quite easy, and cheap.
- You can buy them at a health food store. Make sure that it says “raw” on the jar, and they’re in the refrigerated section. The sauerkraut you can buy in the condiments section has been pasteurized and won’t have the same beneficial effect.
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I eat plenty of vegetables every day, especially bell papers, maybe not exactly 6-8 servings a day, but enough. I didn’t imagine these are responsible for some of the issues i have
thank you for this post
Nightshades are tricky…if you eat a LOT of bell peppers it’s going to affect your digestion, especially if you combine with heavier foods that makes them stick around in your stomach for a while.
I have Ulcerative Colitis. Oddly, I can eat anything if I’m not flaring unless it’s green. Even nuts and corn and onions which have high insoluble fiber go down fine. But all green vegetables and most green fruits put me in excruciating pain – whether I’m flaring or not. Everyone thinks I’m picky or crazy, but I truly believe I have some sort of intolerance to greens…I’ve read other accounts online from individuals who believe maybe they have some sort of intolerance to chlorophyll or something and they’re just completely disregarded.
Digestive issues are very closely related to stress. I’m asking this with all due respect but maybe you had a caregiver that went overboard with ‘eating your greens’ while you were very young?
I wish all the doctors that have told me to increase the amount of fiber in my diet to heal constipation would read this. Over the years, I have stopped doing what they say and listened to my feeling. I’ve intuitively been avoiding or eating low amounts of insoluble fiber and the list of soluble fiber veggies contains my favorites! It’s fun to now rationally understand my inclination. Thanks!
u r right there are genetic conditions that might prohibit the breakdown of certain foods
I observe whenever I took vegetables, the next day I will see what I eat came out floating the next day when I poo.
This morning was worst, I found 2 tablets of telfast flu medicine that I took last night floating!
Should I see a doc?
I also this problem any solution?
genetics counselor
Look up Gastroparesis and Slow Bowel Transit, when you eat high fiber veggies, fruit with hulls, and dense meats, they don’t digest well and will ferment in your intestines and cause pain. GP is often mistaken for Idiopathic Colitis or IBS. Stay off the REGLAN and don’t let a Gastro con you into Domperidone, which is not available in the US. Both are Black Boxed short term drugs. Try Ginger Root for Nausea. There are natural Digestive Enzymes provided by vitamin/mineral producers that help a little along with large doses of Probiotics like 40 Billion per day divided in 2 doses. IF you must take an antibiotic, take the Probiotic 2 hrs later. Antibiotics don’t know good from bad bacteria. Colon Cleanse if you get to constipated. Good Luck if it is diarrhea I’ve not found any thing that works on that.
I get constipated if I get boiled carrots, potatoes, and turnips.
I also made butternut squash soup with carrots, potatoes, celery. onions once and it constipated me. I found that weird because it is a soup and has lots of liquid already.
make sure you eat some whole wheat bread along with these veggies … I have had surgery on both large and small bowel and also have constipation issues when eating these … I like Arnold’s 100% Whole Wheat bread … it has 3 grams of fiber in each slice … eat 2 slices with your meal … total of 6 grams and then eat 1/2 cup of apple sauce … another 2 grams of fiber … drink plenty of water with your meal and it should all move thru …
I stumbled on this page because I started realizing the healthy foods I am eating COULD be OR are making me sick!!! The problem is I LIKE to eat healthy and all I eat is lots of fruits, veggies, nuts, chicken, shrimp and beef on occasion. I don’t eat bread or wheat or anything processed (boxed or processed meat) or junk food or candy or anything high in sodium or sugars. I had been diagnosed with diverticulosis 3 years ago when I had my first diverticulitis attack. After antibiotics and not understanding what was causing all this, I continued to eat my healthy diet which was made up of a high fiber diet. Fruits and nuts for breakfast and I was obsessed with eating a large salad EVERY day for lunch except weekends, loaded with baby romaine, or mixed greens, spinach, celery, walnuts, craisins, feta cheese, avocado, chicken, grape tomatoes and balsamic and olive oil for dressing. I was obsessed with them (still am). What I didn’t know was that my attack was actually a ruptured polyp that attached itself to my bladder and over almost a year’s time, unbeknownst to me and my doctors, caused a fistula, which is an abnormal connection between two organs caused by the rupture of the colon lining against the bladder (aka an abscess or infection between my colon and bladder). Once the doctors realized that bacterial toxins were leaking from my colon into my bladder, (a bladder in a healthy person is 100% sterile) they immediately scheduled emergency surgery. While I didn’t feel well, it was shocking to hear that had I not had the surgery right away, I might not be here to tell this story. I was only 49 years old. I am very grateful to be able to share this story with whoever is interested in reading it. It’s my true story. Anyway, the surgery consisted of cutting the connection from the bladder to the colon, and they took 6 inches of the colon that had the diverticulosis and performed a resection of the colon. I’m thankful I only had to have a colostomy bag for my bladder for 1 week so my bladder could heal completely. I have now completely healed from the surgery and continue to eat healthy (avoiding peanuts according to my doctor), but now recently have been experiencing extreme diarrhea at times from my increased high fiber diet that I love, I’ve been eating more spinach, onions, garlic and peppers recently in some of my meals. I have had NO cramping, but diarrhea (regular at 3 times a day (more in the morning), and excessive bloating. I’m also a beer drinker and enjoy a few every night. I am over 50 and take vitamins and supplements and work out and I am realizing that some of the excessive amounts of fruits and vegetables I am consuming could be actually poisoning me and causing me distress. I certainly do not want another surgery and I am tired of the fatigue and headaches along with the D (more than 3 times a day)!!! Eating good, plenty of rest and exercise should not make me feel like CRAP!!! Sooooo, I’m going to try eliminating some of these trouble “healthy” veggies from my diet and and see how I feel! Glad I came across this article and I am willing to try anything to feel good while still eating and staying healthy and thin!!!!
You might want to cut back on the carbs to reduce bloating. I read microbes feed off the carbs and create gas. Chris Kresser also mentioned a problem with your stomach not having enough acid (this is reverse the logic of doctors trying to cut back the amount of acid in your stomach). He mentioned as you age, you do not produce as much acid in your stomach.
Sally, I went through this exact same thing in 2007. (diverticulitis, fistula) I had been having diverticulitis flare ups constantly for 2 or 3 years before I developed the fistula. I was told by a British dr that I should try a low fibre diet, mostly soluble fiber, and not eat raw vegies at all, particularly lettuce which he said is extremely difficult to digest. So I still eat vegies, but cooked, I have a lot of nut butters but I can eat some nuts if I chew them to a paste. I peel apples for example as skin is too fibrous, I stew up some things like blueberries and that seems okay, don’t eat red meat as again, too hard to digest, chicken and fish okay. I had to learn about soluble and non-soluble fibre. Some beans are too fibrous, but I seem okay with refried beans, some other tinned beans. I have not had any problems since I started eating like this. (Also don’t eat gluten) I am constantly told by doctors to make sure I am eating a high fibre diet, it’s not worth arguing with them, I just ignore them! I have another friend with diverticulosis who had endless problems and she is also fine now, eating like this. Good luck, Lee
Bingo, Sally! To each his or her own.
Has this helped you?
Try to restore your gut flora, especially if you took antibiotics. Find good quality probiotics, or from food sources, i.e. fermented veggies. Yoghurt is NOT a good source, for most part, contrary to all the false advertizing. I make my own kefir, but for that you need kefir “grains”. They are not grains as in wheat or so, they resemble large fish eggs. Kefir culture is very strong, and more forgiving than yoghurt. You can also try starter culture for start (pardon my pun), But you have to replace it after reusing 4x or so. Grains can be found for sale, they grow (they are alive) as you use them. So people who make lots of kefir are discarding them or selling them. Kefir resembles a drinking yoghurt (thick but liquid), but it is fizzy, it has gas in it. It’s more tart than yoghurt, and doesn’t need all the fuss when making it. I take the grains out of the fridge, and put them in milk, and leave on the table. It will ferment.
If you want a probiotic supplement, try to find high quality brand – hard thing to do, everyone claims their “is the best”. Dr Mercola sells his own brand on-line, arguably the best on the market, it has 90 billion count and very good mix of different bacteria.
It’s @ mercola.com.
Any brand should have at least 5 different cultures in it and at least 5 or 10 billion count – there is no such thing as “too much” or “too many”. In fact it’s difficult to pack enough into a capsule.
BTW – anyone interested in kefir, go on Dom’s Kefir website – just google it. He is the top expert, and real crazy, as in funny.
He has many recipes too – what to make from kefir, using it as sour dough. Like bakery – bread, pizza etc.
I make cheese from it, not pressed cheese (takes too long and needs controlled storage environment), more like cream cheese. I bought my kefir “grains” on KiJiJi for 5 bucks.
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE look into the FODMAPS and GAPS diet!!! I am a 22 year old girl dealing with all kinds of digestive issues myself! I started getting into health and nutrition about 4 years ago and though, like you, that i was the healthiest i could be cutting out anything processed, cutting out sugar was the big one! and wheat that i started to see effect cystic acne breakouts. I first started by seeing all kinds of standard medical doctors which prescribed me with rounds of antibiotics and over the counter medications for digestive issues which just made it worse. I then started seeing an acupuncturist (for the digestive issues and multiple chronic sinus infections—>which according to gaps are significantly relateddd!!) Anywho im all over the place here with my story but want to share my recent success with cutting out these vegetables with insoluble fiber along with foods on the FODMAP’s list to give my gut lining a chance to rebuild without because constantly stripped, and while also rebuilding and strengthening the gut lining with the gaps diet starting off with plenty of home made bone broths from grass fed meats. I can’t write everything here but if all you get from this is just to go out and research FODMAP and GAPS i know you will find tons of other people with the same problem looking for relief for years of digestive issues -> that unfortunately lead to almost all other health issues that can arise. Food really is our source for life.
http://www.westonaprice.org/childrens-health/gut-and-psychology-syndrome-gaps/
This is a wonder site that brings lots of health issues to the service and which pulls from multiple sources for a very wholesome and collective mindset on health. Please feel free to contact me at all if you want to talk more.
I guess maybe ur gut might have inflammation which is made to feel worse when u eat high fiber food (Like rubbing wire gauze on an open wound… Ouch !) I recently discovered the same about myself. I get at least 7 to 8 cups of mostly greens into my diet, and I always have a little bit of loose stool.
You are eating cruciferous vegetables that are killing you more than likely. I did that, too, and discovered that a poorly methylating body could not process those foods. Instead, they attacked the adrenal system and made me feel like crap, even crash all night/day. Spinach was my biggest killer – raw! I stopped all that and read up on herbs for healing and within days i was feeling better than ever. You have hidden underlying causes like genetics causing problems. Some people have genetics that don’t let them process sugars, carbs, fats etc.
Sally if you see this please tell me how the doctors discovered the fistula.
I have had diverticulosis for years and was always told by doctors to eat a high fibre diet. I was constantly flaring up with diverticulitis and had to go on drugs. About four years ago, in Emergency, I was told by a doctor from Britain that I should eat a low fibre diet, no raw vegies, no red meat, avoid non-soluble fibre, just as suggested on this site! When he suggested that those things were just too hard to digest, especially raw greens, it made sense. He also told me to avoid gluten. I have not had diverticulitis since changing my diet. I have some spinach, kale, but only in smoothies. I can eat cauliflower and broccoli, but they have to be well cooked.
I have learned a lot about soluble fibre, can eat oatmeal for example, and I can tolerate refried beans and hummus, but all other beans are a problem. I can’t tolerate dairy either, so it’s a somewhat limiting diet, but so worth it!
I would suggest to anyone with digestive issues to try it, and keep track of what upsets you. If you have diverticulosis, don’t listen to doctors who tell you to eat a high fibre diet! Good luck!
You DO need high fiber with diverticulOSIS … pockets in the colon … that’s what it is called when you are NOT having a flare up …
but when you are in a flare … it is called DiverticuLITIS … definitely avoid the fiber for at least a month or so … eat low residue until the crisis has passed.
Yup! The logic behind the absolute necessity of consuming replete amounts of fiber, notwithstanding each person’s individual needs AND the science behind likening too much fiber to actually clogging up the pipes, not to mention other innate qualities of fiber that can have deleterious effects on the whole process, really angers me. It’s like this bland (no pun intended) advice is rendered with very little thought, neglecting all other germane (no pun intended again) factors at play.
I am in the same boat as you, and am perfunctory with my diet routine, just like you are. Guess what: trial and error, IMO the most effective method while managing this crap (those silly puns), is what’s guiding me. I wish to avoid surgery, and have faith that I sincerely am the steward of my meal plan. I suppose you could say that I more or less ‘flush most of that high fiber nonsense down the toilet’
An article telling me to eat less veggies is actually pretty amusing, I never did like them or eat them as a kid.
I have Crohn’s disease and there are certain things I can’t eat, a blood test from 2 years ago revealed I have moderate intolerance to dairy and gluten which is already 75% of things in the world. I did not handle it well because the news really upset me a lot.
They say your first love hurts the most, it’s true because I fell in love with chocolate and ice cream since I was a kid. I felt that not being able to have dairy was the equivalent of a missing body part or limb…
I tried to take the results seriously and avoided the trigger foods for as long as I could, but the cravings took over and I gave in.
But half a year later and now I have a completely different feeling and outlook on food, I decided I don’t like starchy stuff or carbs. I hate pizza. I hate pasta. I hate rice. I hate cookies. I hate cake and now I even hate chocolate cause of the stickiness, I don’t eat it anymore. I also had an unpleasant experience with some eggnog ice cream I got recently, frozen it was bland and boring. But when I melted it down to a liquid texture to drink, it was sooooo sweet it was practically inedible. That was a pretty traumatizing experience in regards to ice cream, I don’t know if I’ll ever eat it again…
My diet usually consists of: fish, chicken wings, bacon, soy milk, smoothies, puffy cheese/corn snacks, Skittles and jello.
I am pretty pissed off right now because I feel like I am running out of things to eat! I don’t know what I’m gonna do…
Life is gonna be hard if I can’t go to malls or stores or restaurants!
But then again… reading some of these comments made me sad, realizing there are people out there that have even less to choose from than I do.
I guess the harsh reality is that we probably all need to start living in a bubble and drinking distilled water…
Hi Mel, this might be helpful, I remember reading this article in my local paper about 5-6 years ago. The gentleman said how he would eat a small handful of coconut each day and then he rarely had an issue with his Crohn’s disease.
http://www.crohnsforum.com/showthread.php?t=4234
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2012/01/23/coconut-cookies-eased-crohns-symptoms/
Thank you! I was eating about 6-10 servings of vegetables each day, 3 of which were raw. After about a year and a half I developed pains in my upper abdomen. The doctor thought it was my gallbladder, but my GI didn’t think so. I read this article and it turns out the vegetables were likely causing it. I cut way back and am slowly adding a small amount back daily. The pain left almost immediately. It was almost like a constant gas pain that got better or worse sporadically, but was always there. Thank you so much for this article! It helped me so much.
can I ask which veggies you eating ?
I was eating raw kale, raw broccoli, and spinach.
I was doing the exact same thing. Having way too many vegetables and a raw salad everyday. It’s now made me unable to digest things like peas and brussel sprouts without having issues! I went way overboard and the fact that you’ve said the same thing has made me realise this is likely my issue and not a sever case of IBS.
I am having problem in digesting food from 7 days whatever i eat its vomit
I can’t eat insluble fiber at all, it causes a reaction so bad that I cannot sleep at all (high cortisol?). I juice my vegetables, and after I make sauerkraut, put it in a french press and just drink the brine. I cant take probiotic pills because of the resitstant starch.. this is such a huge problem, will it ever go away? I mess up once and its back to square one…I only eat grass fed beef, juiced vegetables with nutritional yeast and himalayn salt and turmeric, and like 5 avocados a day. I do drink coffee, but not so much. I am really sick of living in food prison/ sleep deprivation hell…
Kim, I of course have stomach issues too but I can eat small romaine salads and small potions or cooked veg. I cannot EVER eat sauerkraut OR nutritional yeast. Bloat bloat bloat. I eat fish very often , tuna, salmon, shrimp, cod etc. I eat EVOO and avocados and small portions of nuts. NO carbs other than green veggies. My diet is 80% fat, 15 protein and 5 carbs/veggies. Do you eat fish? Red meat can be hard to digest. Grains and starch will mess me up faster than anything. Dairy too.
I am reading everything everyone is eating…brines, veggy presses, seafood, bits of salad and nuts…no carbs or dairy.
All I can eat and be able to leave the house to work all day nornally, is rice krispies, rice chex, rice crackers, rice cakes…and dairy to go with the cereal, and cottage cheese or thin cheese slices to go with the crackers cakes. I could have beef or chicken if I could afford it, but I am unemployed. When I did work, I subbed by day, taught night school, and worked at a greenhouse seasonally. School is closed, I do sub, but it is hit or miss, so it’s not a real job and gets subtracted to what is left of my unemployment and that will be done in a few weeks. The greenhouse is closed for the season is very part-time when it’s open. What kept me alive was night school and now that it is gone…no money for anything. Today I have had one mug of mint tea and it’s going on 5PM.
I can’t have caffeine, food preservatives, any fruit/veg/fiber, no soy, and no seafood.
Thus, if it’s true that carbs and dairy are bad…and I never feel good, so they might be bad for me…I can have air, and water…joy!
I wish there was a doctor that cared to find out, but I have never found one. It would be nice to know why I can’t eat anything and if there is anything that can be done about it as I constantly worry that my hair will fall out or I will get osteoporosis as I am not even eating the things I can do due to my money situation.
Cheese and dairy are expensive. Buy chicken or ground turkey instead. I could never eat rice and dairy or I would be in pain all day. They are the worst. Find some undairy, ungrains you can have. Most of us have very restrictive diets. You are not alone.
I am not trying to be dense here, but I really have no idea. If I can’t have any fruit/veg/type of fiber/no soy…what non grain is there to have? Rice is the only thing my body likes.
As for non-dairy. I don’t notice any problems when I have dairy, and if I can’t have soy or nuts…what else is there. As there are soy milks and almond milks.
i am truly stuck. I know what to stay away from so that I am not in serious agony, but I still have trouble making it from 9-5, as an example, without having to be in the bathroom a lot, daily. So, I was assuming I was “doing something wrong”. As my body doesn’t like anything.
So, I have no idea what non-grain, non-dairy thing, except plain meat, there is out there. I assume I would still get sick if all I ate was meat. I can’t see affording it, as I can’t really afford the cottage cheese I am eating either.
I was just wondering if anybody knew something that would fit this bill?
Take a look at this blog. You may benefit from a low FODMAP diet, which means you just have to avoid certain foods. The foods don’t necessarily seem like they have anything to do with one another, so it’s really non-intuitive unless you follow a guide. http://www.katescarlata.com/
Here’s a list of “eats” and “don’t eats”.
http://www.katescarlata.com/lowfodmapdietchecklists/
I should have said NO grains or dairy. I would go for almond milk before any other kind including soy. If your body liked rice and dairy you would not be in the bathroom all the time. That is a ‘sign’ your body doesn’t like nor digests it. I eat meals of proteins (about 3 oz) on a small salad with olive oil and a few shredded veggies. I eat small amounts of nuts and other veggies. Simple, nutritious and keeps the stomach happy. I also eat 1/2 an avocado for breakfast and split the rest over lunch and dinner. I also keep meal sizes small. As for what you can afford I have no advice. I eat extremely healthy quality foods and they don’t cost me a fortune by any means. Have you ever tried fasting to give your system a cleanse? Occasionally I eat BF and nothing until dinner. If I don’t eat it at can’t hurt me. Hope this helps.
I can’t eat anything you have mentioned…except meat. There is not one single veggy or fruit I can have in any quantity if I want to leave the house.
I can’t have nuts or almond milk, nor soy.
if I eat any of these things I can’t sleep or do anything except live in the bathroom.
If I eat rice (nothing prepackaged due to other ingredients) and dairy, I don’t feel as bad, but I still have to go to the bathroom three or more times a day. And that is a problem with jobs that don’t allow you to go to the bathroom when you want, as some days I might need to go five time a day.
Thus, I feel that I just need to stop eating…I can’t afford it anyway. I don’t drink alcohol or smoke, or have coffee, and I can go forever without those. But never eating again, will be hard. If for no other reason then I won’t be able to work once I am too weak.
So, I won’t post anymore as all people tell me is to eat different fruit or veg or fiber…and I can’t even have jam on toast without having thick and sticky (so 20+ minutes each time I go), repeated trips to the bathroom the next day. Fine if I am staying home, really bad if I am working 16 hours a day, which I used to do when doing day and night school.
Get checked out for Crohn’s disease.
I can get a free colonoscopy, but I would have to pay out of pocket for the biopsy, even on Obummercare. I am currently unemployed with three worthless college degrees (they used to be worth something, but not anymore), and paying the premium is more than I can afford…but I do it anyway, and then never see a doctor ever…no matter what.
SO, yeah, it would be a good idea…someday.
I read your posts. Sounds a lot like what my son goes through. He was diagnosed with Chrons. He was uninsured and seriously half dead when I took him to the local University Medical Center ER. They just wanted to send him home to followup with his doctors (which I knew he wouldn’t do) so I just insisted they admit him. Finally after 10 hours in the ER they did admit him, once admitted the doctor saw him he ordered a colonoscopy. They biopsied and diagnosed Chrons. We didn’t have to pay anything for his stay of the tests as University Medical Centers have grants. My son filled out the paperwork and that was the end of it. Please check into this route. If you are eating at less as you are and having as many stools as you are having you are probably becoming very malnourished.
I was born at 24 weeks, and I have never been able to eat things easily, but as I get older I lose more and more items.
I recently lost my job and I will have to get two or three part-time jobs, if I can find them with my college degrees, as I have not been able to get back into my field.
My problem is that no matter how careful I am, there are days where I have to live in the bathroom, and how am I going to do that if I am working all these jobs…new bosses are not going to understand,as old bosses really didn’t understand…and I probably won’t have days off.
I am living on Rice Krispies, Rice Chex, rice crackers, plain cooked rice, old-fashioned cooked oatmeal. I do not have trouble with white gluten and have never tested positive for a gluten problem, and I can have dairy…so other than rice things and oatmeal, I have Italian bread and cheese.
I can still have days where I am totally unable to go to work. Thus, if I have a day off, I have to take laxatives and caffeine (as it makes me go), so I can go and go and go, so I don’t have to do it again for several days.
I also don’t have money for food, so I am trying very hard to eat less and less, in the hopes that I can go less and less.
I also have steroid shots, when I can afford them for my skin…and my behind can become very raw after a day of wiping.
I had a barium enema in 2011 and I was told I was fine. My “not insurance” insurance wouldn’t cover a colonoscopy…and after the horrors of the barium thing…no way, not ever again. I pooed from Sunday to Saturday with cleaning out and then trying to get the barium out and it took weeks of only having liquids to get my butt skin to heal…I never wanted to poo again.
I am single and on unemployment insurance (for a few more weeks and then nothing, I assume), and I got $11/mo in food assistance…so I am on the edge of extinction and I can’t afford a doctor if I need one.
So, other than giving up food for the duration, I don’t know how to make heads or tails out of anything…nothing works, helps.
If I get a job, I will then lose it due to my bathroom issues.
I was a high school math teacher (and it was hard to stay in my room from 7:40AM to 12:15PM often. I had to learn to hold myself and pray I didn’t go in my pants. They closed my school during the first week of school without warning…and there are no teaching jobs in September and I am overqualified for everything with three college degrees…so there is little hope at finding a job that will allow me to go to the bathroom when I need to do.
This is a long post, sorry. But I am seriously stuck here.
Any ideas, other than “go to a doctor” would be helpful. My former foray into doctors offered no help, they told me to not eat things that bother me…but that’s a huge chunk of most things…and sometimes EVERYTHING.
The market place told me that I could go on Medicaid as soon as I was able to prove I wouldn’t make more than $15,000 for all of 2016…so that means surviving the year…paying Obummercare…until I can figure out what job(s) I will have. A far cry from the idea that if one wasn’t working one didn’t have to pay. I just called them and that is what they said. So, if I can keep my insurance…I certainly won’t be able to use it…ever.
Thus, trying to get further medical help is all but futile at this point. As I said earlier, saving money by ceasing to eat looks like my best option, but we all know it’s not possible completely.
I have been where you are as far as the insurance thing goes and not having much money for food…. I would highly recommend you go check out the website healthygutgirl.com. I have come a long way with healing muself with everything I have learned from healthy gut girl. Make bone broth (super cheap) and sip all day, fermented veggies and coconut water kefir. Take HCL and digestive enzymes. Stay away from dairy. Wish you well.
YES! This follows the GAPS diet look into it everyone!
Jennifer you seem to be going through a lot. I don’t think food is the only issue and trigger here. It’s anxiety and fear that’s giving you a tough time. It’s a ruthless cycle. I struggle with the same. You sound like you’re on the verge of losing hope and that will mess your stomach even more. No matter what you eat you will be in agony. Do you have close friends? Or a support system? You need to start talking to people and getting things off your chest more often. You probably can’t afford counselling right now so I won’t mention it but I hope in the future it’s something you can do. There’s a group on facebook called life revived and another one called health anxiety where you could possibly go and vent and have people listen to you. Or call befrienders or samaritans. They’re free and offer an email option if calling isn’t possible. I believe that if you start to resolve the emotional issues it will help a lot and then you can truly focus on the diet and what to eat. I’ll be thinking of you. Take care.
Hello Jennifer, I was born premature and I experienced a
realization that I have probably suffered from hyper-sensitivity
issues all my life. I think it may have been overlooked for many
individuals, but especially those of us who were “preemies”.
Thank you for understanding, not many people do. It wouldn’t be so bad if I could work one job, so I knew when I would have time off and could then “live dangerously” by eating things I would ordinarily not eat, say a baked potato…I am not talking seriously dangerous such as salsa…no.
However, I am looking at needing to find two or three parttime jobs where I won’t have time to sleep, let alone do chores or anything else required in life. Thus, I have to eat very, very little. Say one bowl of old-fashioned cooked oatmeal each evening. Then pray my innards don’t kick in when I am not allowed to use the bathroom.
That means having no life…just existing to pay bills. Lots of people do it, but not forever. I have spent the last eight years working three jobs, that just happened to work around each other. Now that the good job is gone, the other hit or miss/seasonal jobs are not enough and I can’t find anything to work around them that will allow me to live reasonably.
It’s 4:16PM and I have had one mug of herbal tea today. It’s also my birthday. But there is nothing interesting to eat or fun to do. I just spent several hours applying for a job and now I will do laundry.
The point is that I should have been given a disclaimer from the doctors that saved me. Something along the lines that I would never be normal and I should at the very least be allowed to use the bathroom whenever I need to do and not jeopardize my job. As a math teacher, that is not possible. One can’t just leave the classroom, and there is nobody to sit-in for you.
I subbed by day, taught night school (so 16 hour days), and worked at a greenhouse seasonally (often alone). However, I knew the days off, had a few understanding teachers that would watch both rooms…hard to do, but we did it…when I had an extreme emergency. Otherwise I would simply hold it and hit the bathroom before school, during planning, lunch, after school, during evening dinner break, and be very sore by the end of the day. I also usually used laxatives to clean myself out on Sunday, so that I wouldn’t have a problem for at least Mon or Tue. The greenhouse was just difficult as working alone for nine hours means you just can’t go. But that is only seasonal. This time of year I always had weekends off.
Now I am looking at subbing by day, and working evenings and weekends at a grocery store…if they hire me. That is seven days a week, and barely able to net $1,000/mo. I have no money for food, so it should be less of a problem. However, since I can’t stop eating, it’s still a huge problem.
So, it would have been nice if the doctors that made sure I lived, also cared about the quality of life. Or that my current doctor could write the same thing. All anyone does is tell me to not eat things that bother me…but that’s just about everything.
Thus I suffer and it’s hard to get a job, as I have to try to find something that allows people to move around and use bathrooms when necessary. A cashier would be bad as you have to stay at your register, as an example.
Anyway, whatever. I am just babbling, so I will go.
I found your post by accident. The most obvious thing here to me is the dairy. If you do nothing else, get rid of dairy and see if that takes care of the issue. Live on brown rice if you have to for awhile. It is the only thing that 100% causes me zero issues whatsoever.
Jennifer, I have a lot of trouble with my body, with the digestion, absorption (probably malabsorption, leaky gut, Candida fermented foods! are you kidding?), parasites etc, etc.etc. My diet consists mostly of unstarchy veggies (because of very low income (trying to live on $910 a month, (disability and social security) and some range free chicken. I am going to be revising that to cut out all the apples(cooked iinto sort of a cooked apples and the xyla I’ve been using fwor my coffee and considerably down on the carrots to include things like daikon, burdock, parsnip, artichoke hearts, turnip, maybe green beans occasionally. When you can eat no grains or dairy, nuts or seeds and don’t have the money for fresh fish but I will try getting canned salmon and maybe some cod. The bottom line is learning to trust my body and my inner guidance and that means Divine, too, for instance, dialoguing question and answer guidance.
Part of my healing from extreme, complex abuse from birth until 28 years of age is writing out stream of consciousness from my inner world and drawing the pictures from different parts of my broken self. Doing that has lessened over the years but want to pay attention to that more as it helps me see more clearly what is going on in the un-subconscious which is even more important to me than the other, what is called the conscious part of the self.
anyway my gut, digestive, alimentary canal, bladder, esophagus, internal organs underwent lots of trauma growing up, being force fed, starved, etc etc etc. All that I went through, which was tons of stuff, all held within the cells of my membranes and organs….anybody with any sort of abuse, childhood or otherwise, most likely will have physical maladaption in some way or another–mine has been with an eating disorder, compulsive overeating is what it’s been called but I have never had fat as an issue for myself, just all these food sensitivities, digestive issue, sugar addiction and craving, chemical sensitivities, Complex Ptsd, DID, depression, isolation, hopelessness, anxiety, fear of people etc etc etc…..Talk on just the physical level does not do it for me. The emotional and feelings seem to be walked around, never mentioned or shunned. Everything is linked for me, physical, emotional, spiritual. That’s why I have such a hard time with allopathic medicine, dealing with just symptoms in the body. Anyway, I’ve gone on and on. I wonder if you’ve ever thought of attempting to apply for disability? It would mean finding the right people to give you supportive commentary and letters, etc. as part of application process…..Having all those jobs in your condition seems like too much to expect for you(and impossible?) right now. Or is there another way to take this burden off your shoulders while you find out how to heal. very good luck to you, sienna
Thank you Sienna for your reply.
I no longer sub by day and teach at night, with the greenhouse seasonally. I had 15 months without anything but subbing and the greenhouse, and I was living on savings. I ate mostly Cream of Rice hot cereal…it was tolerated well, but sooooo boring. I now work fulltime as a math teacher, and work the greenhouse seasonally. So, I leave the house at 6A and get back at 6P Mon-Fri. Then I am planning all weekend. I have to be careful what I eat, so I am not living in the bathroom during the week…I could get fired, and I need this job.
So, there are no fruits or veggies AT ALL, as they are unpredictable. I can’t have any soy or caffeine either, so I am severely limited due to money, what else is there to eat…dairy and carbs. I am so far behind on my bills, and I don’t get paid very much and there are no raises at this job, apparently. Thus I may never be able to afford meat.
Life is stressful (which makes bowel problems worse) and food-wise very boring. I will live dangerously and make a pot of soup over Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks…cheap, easy, and yummy, even if there is no meat…it will still taste incredible.
I would love to find a nutritionist or doctor that would work with me on what I can eat, but so far I haven’t found one.
Jennifer
Hi, I was just reading this because I have digestive issues and thought that maybe I could give you something to help. I realize the post is old and I hope that you were able to find some help and I’m not sure if you want to hear from me but I recently read about cabbage juice and how it heals the gut and lots of digestive problems. You can juice one cabbage and drink it 4 times a day and then you eat whatever diet you can at the time and after a few weeks or months (however soon you want to try) start adding in more foods and seeing if your body can handle them again. If you look up cabbage juice healing the gut or I searched “cabbage juice heals ulcer,colitis” etc or something along those lines it will come up.
I haven’t personally tried it yet and we don’t have the same problems but it’s supposed to help a lot of problems and I’m a firm believer that the body can heal itself if given the right things. Best of luck to you!
I have never had good results with cabbage. I found a really nice soy free stock, so I could try to make my own soup, as all canned varieties contain soy. Usually, fruit/veg/any fiber at all/soy kill me in any form. However, it was spring break and I was not working, so I thought I would brave trying it to see if it was better than canned soup. It was horrible and I was unhappy when I noticed there was cabbage in the stock, as that could very well be it…not that all the veggies didn’t play a part, but I was a lot worse off than I thought I would be.
I have lost my classroom due to closing a building and I am currently, working seven days a week subbing and at a greenhouse, and not making $1,000 and I am single…so I am seriously looking at eating Cream of Rice hot cereal as the ONLY thing I eat…as that seems to be the only thing on the planet I can have that doesn’t cause problems…and it’s cheap and filling. I haven’t found any help at all…and I don’t have a steady health care provider. I have been to my new Obummercare doctor office three times in three years for the free yearly checkup, and saw three different people…and all they do is look at me like I am from outer space when I tell them my digestive issues. Then they tell me to only eat things that don’t bother me…but each year I lose more and more foods…and now that I have to work every single day…I can’t live in the bathroom, and I have done a lot of holding it for hours…as I can’t leave the classroom, and I am often working at the greenhouse alone. There is no such thing as a quick #2…so I just have to wait until I go home, or there is a break at school, and here is only one…25 minutes at lunch…so if it’s 7AM…happy holding. Or it’s noon and the greenhouse closes at 6PM. Thus, I have to make my innards as happy as possible…and that means Cream of Rice hot cereal…horribly boring meal after meal, day after day. So, if I ever have both time and money at the same time, I might look into it…but it will have to wait until I am 85 or 90, as I don’t see having a regular schedule anytime in the near future…sigh.
As we get older and still want to eat a lot of greens, raw cabbage, lettuce, etc, we also have to still exercise, walk, rebound, stay active, because when you don’t these foods we are discussing will get your gut. I was trying to eat like I did decades ago. WRONG. Gas, seizing, cramping, pain, bathroom problems, and I could not figure it out. Maybe a smaller salad would do, maybe something with it could help, like it says here on this site, what a thought! But I like health, keep a good weight, eat right, but now, things have changed. I am not thirty or forty now, or fifty. So I find less is more now. I have fixed the problem, and then I went on this site, and found yes, less of certain vegetables, and some of another kind are good, and do not cause me the problems.. I take a probiotic after meals, that helps. Fermented food does not agree with my gut except Keefer so far. Like this site. Will read more now.
Judith Thanks!@
I have SIBO and have been following Dr Siebecker’s SIBO specific diet. Over the months, and while also taking Xifaxan, Motil Pro, and enzymes, I have seen gradual improvement, but still suffer debilitating symptoms. Sent by one GI MD to another more prominent GI MD, I asked for complete testing of stomach acid/pancreatic enzymes, etc., as has been suggested to find the root cause(s) of SIBO which I cannot seem to eradicate. The prominent GI MD’s answer was: “Eat 1/4 box of Fiber One every single day for one month, even if you feel you are going to burst.” Another ignorant arrogant medical deity who would consign me to the mass of suffering humanity going from one MD to another because they are so very lacking in knowledge and so very sure they know it all.
I find this very interesting as I have been a vegetarian for several years.. With that has come some problems.. Bloating, chronic constipation and Ill health.. Having stumbled on a book called Fibre Menace and reading your article I have been enlightened.
Could you perhaps give me some suggestions on your daily diet .. I a a little confused with regards to soluble and insoluble fibers… A new door has been opened to me and I am determined to get well
Many thanks Nicky
I’m of Slavic descent (mostly Russian)…I’ve had problems digesting vegetables and some fruits since my early teen years, and I find it interesting that the root vegetables I grew up on are easier on my stomach…maybe I should start eating more Russian food…lots of roots and fish and fermented foods.
Good comment, Meg! Good comment, Meg. I am also of Slavic origins (Ukraine) on my mother’s side, and my father was birn and my father was born to a German family living in Russia (so, not sure what that would make that side of the family… LOL!)
I seem to have a great deal of trouble with the insoluble veggies. I think I am going to return to the potatoes and sauerkraut that I was raised with.
I’m mainly of Northern European Descent (Norwegian), living in America. I’ve read that we have the worst cases of celiac disease, thus I think I may have Celiac Disease and Dairy Sensitivities. I can understand the getting away from corn as well, which is virtually GMO across the board anymore. Grains are a no-go and same with oats. What about rice and beans? I have no clue what the hell to eat anymore. My mom tested positive for Celiac Disease, I most likely have it too. And whenever I drink straight cow’s milk (even RAW cow’s milk) I end up with sulfur burps (which taste and smell like rotten eggs). It never fails. If I drink even a little bit of cow’s milk, I have these horrid rotten egg tasting and smelling burps and sometimes diarrhea too. As a kid I had eczema and would also spit up the baby formula a lot.
Lately, I’ve been having asthmatic symptoms where I can barely catch my breath walking up some stairs (mind you, I’m in very good shape, lift weights, try to eat right, etc..). It’s October 2016 right now, but up to July 2016, I was lifting weights 2 times a week and doing intense cardio 2 to 3 days a week. That all came to a screeching halt in August when I couldn’t catch my breath in between sets. I also have acid reflux and I get canker sores on the inside of my mouth at times too. I was also waking up with hypnopompic and hypnagogic hallucinations when acid reflux and anxiety were high (accompanied by chills). Insomnia was another one. I am getting jittery and feeling like I’m about to die at times. I also had flaky dry skin especially some redness and flaky skin (seborrheic dermatitis) where my mustache comes in. I’m trying to figure out what to eat to stop all this madness! Any tips would be greatly appreciated!
I have IBS. I also recently had a colonoscopy. Since this scope and latest iBS attack, I cannot eat ANY green veggies. It’s been 2 months since the attack and a month since the procedure. I can eat starchy veggies, and cooked veggies, but even if I boil and puree one zucchini or some bok choy, I get instant cramps. I am way skinny, so cannot afford diarrhea. It seems that my probiotic, Culturelle, is also giving me diarrhea, so had to stop it. Suggestions?
I have IBS and Gerd I have been drinking smoothies for some time now because I can not eat most fruit and vegetables. Recently I added Butterhead lettuce to my smoothie and it constipated me then I could not stop going to the bathroom.
Can lettuce bother you like that even though it is in a smoothie?
A really useful article! I’m from China and I was taught to eat as much as vegetables every meal. However, the indigestion problem got worse. And now I see your post, I think I should try to eat less, quantity and kind, vegetable and more meat. Thanks for sharing!
Can you take presript assist probiotics if you have SIBO??? I have SIBO and have been on fodmap elimination diet and now I am on the challenge part of it….thanks, marie
Fantastic write up and couldn’t be more on point. I learned this lesson the hard way…I used to consume huge servings of high fiber vegetables and man did they do a job on my gut. Now, I limit the variety (low fodmap) and the serving size and life is much better. Love your article Chris!