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Low FODMAPs

I have been on a Low FODMAP’s diet since January 2^nd. Commencing immediately after the season of sugar, gluten, chocolate, carbs, gravy, chocolate, eggnog, and did I mention chocolate?

Forced into a Healthy Lifestyle

This diet is not by choice, although I guess no one can make me do it. My gastroenterologist prescribed it. I keep getting this frustrating gut bacteria called SIBO. You can delve deeper into that in my blog titled, “Gas or Menstrual Cramps.” It’s a tale filled with TMI and information you may never have wanted to know about my large and small intestine, or maybe you are super curious about intestines.

My doctor thought Low FODMAPS is so important that she prescribed me a dietician to explain just how I’m supposed to eat now. Going into the New Year I did not feel like I was in the right mental place to alter my food lifestyle. Like a little kid, I just didn’t wanna. I keep reminding myself this is a LOW FODMAPs diet, not a NO FODMAPS diet.

Always Experimenting

This is not the first time I’ve tried a diet experiment. Over the years, I’ve experimented with diets […]

Low FODMAPsMaggie Downie2019-01-30T10:07:26-05:00

The Diary-Free Saga

Gluten has been out of my life for nearly three and a half years, but who’s counting. So it was a sad day when I got some allergy testing back for IgG and IgA antibodies and the results suggested an allergy to dairy and mushrooms. I agreed to give up both in addition to the gluten for three months. I still have high hopes of cheese, milk and ice cream in my future.

Some days are worse than others, but really it’s not as awful as I imagined. The first two weeks were really tough, and I felt awful. So bad that I tried to convince myself that I must actually really need dairy and my body was dying without it—only slightly dramatic. But I held strong, and I do feel better this week.

It helps to have Divine Treasures in Manchester. In addition to my favorite chocolate (which is all gluten and dairy free) they also make gluten-free, dairy-free pizzas and cheese. The pizzas are good. They also have d-free, g-free ice cream! And I’ve started to notice there are places I don’t miss it. For example I often have a fried egg for breakfast. I used to always put […]

The Diary-Free SagaMaggie Downie2015-07-22T10:38:43-04:00

Going Gluten-Free Gets A Bad Rap

I’m gluten free, and I’ve had a few people mention to me that they read that eating gluten-free isn’t healthy. I found an article in Consumer Reports basically saying as much.

But there is a faulty premise in the article. It presumes that if you are gluten-free you are going to eat a lot of gluten-free products. Of course that’s not healthy. That’s like going sugar free and using fake sugar substitutes or trying a low fat diet and eating foods filled with sodium to give them some flavor. Xanthum gum? Guar Gum? I’ve basically come to the personal decision that I want to stay away from anything that sounds indigestible. Remember when your mom told you if you swallowed your gum it would stay in your stomach for twenty years or something like that? It won’t and neither will guar gum probably, but it doesn’t sound real. I’m going to try not to eat it.

I’m not an advocate for anyone else going gluten-free. If I didn’t have a reason to give it up, I’d still be scarfing down muffins, pies, cakes, bread. Oh, and sandwiches. How I long to be able to pack a sandwich for the day. One that […]

Going Gluten-Free Gets A Bad RapMaggie Downie2017-09-12T19:31:14-04:00

Gluten Free Not Getting Easier

We celebrated birthdays at my Grandma’s house the other day. Celebrations always seem to involve food. Dinner is fairly easy to make gluten free. Provide a meat, veggie, and potato and you’re all set. Dessert is a whole other story. I felt a little sad when my mom’s favorite carrot cake came out and I knew I couldn’t have any. My grandma had gone to the trouble to make me a gluten-free cherry cobbler. It was nice to have something for dessert, but I find that gluten-free desserts tend to lodge in your stomach like a lead brick where they linger for hours.

Some days it’s hard to know that there are things you just can’t eat. Occasionally I drive by Dunkin Donuts and I just want to grab something quick. It feels like the rest of the world (or at least the rest of New England) can do it. I tell myself that it’s probably better this way. There is not benefit or reason for me […]

Gluten Free Not Getting EasierMaggie Downie2014-08-04T18:02:19-04:00

Gluten Free: Hashimotos Antibodies

So I’ve been gluten free for about three months with as far as I know only one accidental gluten consumption. If you’ve read some earlier blogs you know that I went gluten-free because I was diagnosed with hashimotos and hypothyroidism. I didn’t want to have to go on medication for the rest of my life (my PCP’s suggestion) and so I thought I would try my naturopath’s suggestion (a gluten free diet). My blood work after being gluten-free for three months showed positive results. My thyroid was back in the normal range. And the antibodies for my hashitmotos (an autoimmune disease that attacks the thyroid) were down 20-percent. I can’t say for sure that this had to do with gluten. According to my PCP it’s completely random, which is typical of thyroid problems. They fluctuate. According to my naturopath it is probably a combination of being gluten-free, supplements, and the body being random. Either way I was happy with […]

Gluten Free: Hashimotos AntibodiesMaggie Downie2017-09-12T19:31:32-04:00