Book Review: The Gastroparesis Healing Diet

A few months ago I was curious what else was out there on the topic of "healing gastroparesis." As some of you know, I've been writing for the Healing Gastroparesis Naturally website for some time and working on the book this past year (to be released end of May!). To my surprise, the image for The Gastroparesis Healing Diet came up with its upcoming release date in March. I could not be happier to see we were not alone when it came to using the word healing. Not to mention the cover looked so delicious and inviting! 

I contacted the author Tammy Chang, a nutrition coach and cook living in the San Francisco Bay area. While she does not have GP herself she has knowledge of how the gut functions and experience with creating nourishing meals to help heal the body, having worked one-on-one with clients and wrote her first book, The Nourished Belly Diet. She admitted this was not an easy task, finding GP to be the complicated disorder that many of us know firsthand. But she shared in her book that she "found the GP community, along with it's taking in people's harder days, is also extremely loving, supportive, and strong." Between the medical research plus interviewing and talking with those who live with GP (some of whose stories you will find in the book), she was able to get a good understanding of how to create ideas for a healing diet. 

Low-FODMAP Garden - Spring

Now that spring has arrived and summer is just around the corner, it's time to grow some of my own foods!  Keep in mind these plants may not work for everyone.  I love to experiment and try new foods in small amounts to bring some color and nutrients into a restricted diet.  When prepared right, you might be surprised what you CAN have.

Following a low-FODMAP diet has probably been the best dietary change I've made to not only help get rid of the bacteria overgrowth (SIBO) last fall, but has continued to provide relief from bloating and nausea.  If you haven't seen my GP guide to this food list you can check it out here.

Stage one of the garden includes the following so far:

Strawberries - Juiced or added to smoothies using a Vitamix/Blendtec.
Chives - Chopped finely and added to soups or really any dish.  Otherwise, can be used for flavor in soups/broth, then removed before serving.

Zucchini - Cooked and used in soups and such as Bieler Broth, or a side/sauce with zucchini ribbons.

Romaine - Juiced
Spinach - Juiced, steamed and pureed, smoothies, omelette
Bok Choy - Soups (pureed if needed), omelette

Next on the list to plant include carrots, squash, herbs, and cucumbers!  Whatever I don't or can't use will go to friends who would love fresh, homegrown produce :)

SIBO Test Results

Drumroll...

Negative!!!

I'm beyond ecstatic to know that something is going right!  Since treating the small intestinal bacterial overgrowth back in October and following a low-FODMAP diet, I was pretty sure the results would be good.  Prior to that, even a bite of potato or really any starch for that matter, caused me to bloat up like a melon.  Though the struggle with GP continues (mostly early satiety and pain, difficulty keeping on weight), it is nice to be able to be more flexible with foods and know for sure there is no more of that bacteria creeping and crawling around.  

Now it's time to focus on the new path to wellness, dive into the treatment plan ahead of me, fingers crossed and sharing my journey along the way.

Thanks to all of you out there who have encouraged and supported me along the way!

Testing Testing 1,2,3 - Take 1

 Diagnosing
Are you familiar with the ways in which gastroparesis is diagnosed?  The "gold standard" is the gastric emptying study, also known as GES.  By eating food that contains a small amount of radiation, images can be taken to trace movement and the amount of time in which food takes to travel through the stomach.  The trouble with this test is how much it varies from place to place.  Some last 2 hours and others 4.  Different foods may be served, fasting times may vary with 12 hrs being typical, some are requested to stop medications for 24-48 hrs and others not.  I was introduced to this this study in 2008,  first a 2 hr test with oatmeal and an egg, second was a 4 hr test using a whole egg with white (wheat) toast.  Both showed a majority of the food remained in my stomach.

Post Johns Hopkins: Great Visit, Test Results, and Plan of Action

It's hard to believe only one week ago we were driving to Seattle to board our midnight flight, what turned out to be a long trip to the East Coast (due to the connection flight cancelled at 4 am!).  Even harder to wrap my head around how much I learned in just one day, and yes, it was well worth the trip.

Now, where to begin on sharing about this adventure?  If you read my previous post about why I chose to make this trip, then you are well informed about my battle with what I suspected to be SIBO (small intestinal bacteria overgrowth), and determination to find an expert I could trust.  Dealing with SIBO alone is one thing, but treating it while managing gastroparesis presents a whole new set of challenges.

A Trip to the East Coast: Exploring Options for GP/SIBO

I have to admit, I've debated whether or not to share this post, afraid I would come across as weak or failing to manage my own gastroparesis.  When looking back to the beginning of this blog and the journey I have taken, I'm realizing how much I used to write about my own personal day to day life with GP and the emotions that came with it.  My recent studies and work as a health coach has ignited a passion in me to focus on helping others by providing research, ideas, recipes and a positive outlook.
I've received a number of emails from readers who share with me how much this site has helped them, and clients who are finally feeling some relief and eating more nourishing foods for the first time.  The last thing I want to do is write about my own struggles.  However, I'm here not only as a coach but as a patient as well.  Now I want to give you a little update about my recent setbacks and future plans.

FODMAPs Part II, with Handout!

If you have been following this blog or my Facebook page you are probably somewhat aware that I do my best to follow a low FODMAP diet.  To this day, the post Could FODMAPs be Related to GP? written back in November, 2011 is the most viewed on this website.  Since then, I have become much more familiar with this strange acronym by reading articles, books, and posts from other bloggers, listening to podcasts from healthcare practitioners and talks through medical universities. In addition, I've learned from personally working with registered dietitians as well as my own clients who seem to feel better when limiting these dietary carbohydrates.

Cardamom Infused Cantaloupe Sorbet

Cantaloupe is not only GP and FODMAP friendly, but also packed with vitamins A and C, providing antioxidants as well as a good source of potassium.  This melons mellow sweetness pairs well with the earthy, sweet flavor of cardamom, a spice that has many digestive benefits.  And finally, if you are not familiar with Sucanat, it is a wonderful substitute for refined sugar, which unlike the white stuff, maintains its vitamin and mineral content.  Just a scoop of this simple, sweet sorbet is a perfect non-fat, refreshing treat on a warm sunny day.

Could FODMAPs be related to GP?

A few months ago this strange acronym meant nothing to me and could have referred to some foreign language for all I knew.  My first introduction was when a doctor in Seattle mentioned the possibility of fructose intolerance after discussing the symptoms of gastroparesis.  I did a bit of research but was going downhill fast with my weight and forgot about it after being distracted with the placement of the feeding tube.  During this time, my good friend studying nutrition insisted I try it out but I felt too overwhelmed to even think about it.
Recently, however, it seems to be popping up everywhere and I'm getting more and more information that justifies a significant link to IBS (which many doctors are now considering), that are also similar to the main symptoms of GP.