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 :)

Treatment Plan Continues

Well, I keep promising to update this new adventure of mine in GP treatment but time keeps getting the best of me.  If you read the post that shared a video from Tess, a woman who recovered from her own battle, I am following in her footsteps, lucky enough to live within 90 miles of the clinics.

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.

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.