Apparently, the only pic I took today that wasn’t food related was of my OOTD for a project I’m doing this summer. Luckily I remembered to snap a pic on the way *to* aerials class instead of my bedraggled self on the way back.
August 15, 2019
Polite babies.
August 14, 2019
This ball pit looks painful (it’s a pool full of LEGO).
August 13, 2019
The light was nice today – it’s a bit blue on camera, but it was striking enough at 9:30 am that it stopped me in my tracks.
August 12, 2019
A hug in a mug
August 11, 2019
There’s a new mascot in town
FODMAP Diet – Reintroduction Week 1
This was my first reintroduction week on the FODMAP diet. For this phase, the doctor has taken me off the odious vitamin regimen, has swapped those for a smoothie-based morning booster, and wants me to keep super-detailed records of everything from my gut to mood as I try something from the no-go list every 3 days.
I don’t think I remembered to list my supplements for Phase 1 for y’all, either. I was taking (tried to always take with lunch):
1 Digestzymes (Betaine HCI and a proprietary blend of Ox Bile extract, Peptidase, Amylases, Pepsin, Proteases, Glucoamylase, Lactase, Invertase, Lipase)
2 CoreBiotic Sensitive Probiotics (Bacillus Coagulans SNZ1969 and MTCC5856 Lactospore, Bacilius Subtiis)
3 LV-GB Complex (Vitamins A, B-6, B-12; L-Methionine, Milk Thistle, Taurine, Inositol, Ox Bile, Artichoke, Beet Powder)
4 Gastromend-HP (Vitamin C, Deglycyrrhizinated Licorice, Mastic Gum, Methylmethionine Sulfonium Chloride, Zinc Carnosine)
I didn’t feel any different with this regimen of supplements (other than hella annoyed because I am not great at swallowing pills), but I guess they may have done something, since the doctor noticed a marked difference in my skin the second I walked in the door (and tbh I haven’t felt like I look quite so crappy in the face skin lately), and my gut has been feeling a bunch better.
At the end of Phase 1, I don’t feel like my GI system is in crisis any more (I was having pain after 95% of my meals and was almost ready to give up and go on a chicken & rice diet), my dry skin is still there but isn’t as flaky, my nails aren’t peeling and chipping as much, and I only have a little stomach stabbiness for a few minutes every few days or so. I’m also a touch more regular with less need to head for the hills any time my digestive system is on the move, and I’m less bloated overall.
Whether that is a function of cutting out most of the foods causing an issue (frustratingly, the intermittent nature of my issues hasn’t stopped, a week with on-again/off-again cucumber sensitivity being the most recent) or the supplements – I don’t know. We shall see.
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
An explanation
Proposed Meal Plan
Breakfasts
- The doc’s smoothie blend
Lunches/Dinners
- I’m still not tired of canned tuna for some inexplicable reason. I think I’ll have a repeat of bowl life, just with different flavors. I’m thinking Thai and/or poke sauce.
Snacks
- I didn’t really snack last week, so I still have oat crackers leftover.
Actual Meal Plan
Breakfasts
- Hard boiled eggs
- Buckwheat pancakes
- Doctor shakes
Lunches/Dinners
- Made a batch-prepped Thai-style tuna bowl
- Bought sushi for lunch while grocery shopping, which led to my first challenge food: avocado
- Made the tuna poke bowls
- Had a soba lunch out
- Had chicken & rice lunch out
- A non-compliant meal out introducing a friend to local cuisine
- Zoodles with tuna and/or eggs
Snacks
- Blueberries
- Oat crackers
What did I learn this week?
Introducing challenge foods is hard, and the impetus to run before I can walk is strong. Avocados, mangoes, spelt, banana & almond butter all seem fine – and all are things I was pretty sure I could tolerate.
The morning shakes the doc gave me are kinda making me bloated – but I’m not sure yet if it’s bloated bloated, or if my body may get used to them. I’ll give them another few days.
August 10, 2019
The destroyer
Orange Miso Bowl
This recipe came from a craving I was having for my Miso Pepita Broiled Squash but couldn’t remember what was in it aside from miso – and then I went in a wildly different direction because of what I had on hand + FODMAP issues. Actually, that other recipe is pretty FODMAP-friendly as well, in case you want to give it a whirl.
Gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, FODMAP
Orange Miso Bowl
Medium butternut squash, peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks
Medium to large sweet potato, peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks
Large carrot, cut into bite-sized chunks
2 Tbsp. white miso
1 Tbsp. crushed or grated ginger
1 Tbsp. honey or maple syrup or date syrup
Juice + zest of 1 orange
2 Tbsp. olive oil
Salt, pepper and ground cumin
Preheat your oven to 200C/400F. Whiz all the non-veggie ingredients together (minus the spices) to form a dressing.
Chuck your veggies onto a large prepared baking sheet, and drizzle half the dressing over top. Toss to coat well. Sprinkle with the spices.
Bake for 25 – 35 minutes or until done to your liking. Pull from the oven, drizzle with the second half of the dressing, and serve.
Serves 4 – 6, depending on serving size and what you do with it. I ate mine most days with a little protein and called it a meal. I had intended on serving with wilted baby spinach and had thoughts of turning it into a hash one day – but those things never quite materialized.
August 9, 2019
Artfully arranged “Street Art”
Gastography 