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Reintroduction - feeling sick after eating.


MissMMH

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My husband and I finished our Whole30 on 3/30 and have been reintroducing foods for just over a week. He hasn't had any problems (but also did not notice many changes being off the foods, either), but it has not been going well for me. I have been dealing with abdominal cramps, bathroom issues, and feeling slightly nauseous after most meals, even those that are Whole30 compliant. I feel like I have barely eaten some of these non-Whole30 foods over the last week. I didn't have these problems before doing the Whole30, and didn't have them during, either. Anyone else have this problem? I can't determine if I'm having trouble because all of these foods are actually ones with which I have difficulty, or if I may have created some issues for myself by going off them for 30+ days. Also thought it might be some sort of virus, but that doesn't seem to fit after a week. I was fine with leaving out certain things post-Whole30, but not all. I'm a bit disconcerted that even compliant meals aren't sitting well. Maybe just give it some time? Not what I expected at the end of this!

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What have you been reintroducing that is causing you digestive distress?

 

During a regular consumption of irritating foods, the gut builds up a protective, thick mucosal lining.  Once you eliminate those foods the lining sloughs off.  If you reintroduce an irritating food, the gut no longer has that protective lining which can cause symptoms that you might not have experienced before.  This is a sign that whatever the food is, is a bother for you.

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Hi MissMMH

 

What has your reintro schedule looked like?  Which foods have you tried to re-introduce back into your body?

 

Remember just because "you have no issues before" doesn't mean that you will have no issues after your body has healed.

 

Your body produces a mucus like membrane to protect your intestines from possible gut disruptions and irritations .  During your 30 days the mucus membrane goes down and your body heals itself.  Think of it as someone has been poking you in the arm since forever continuously for the past umpteen years.  You may have formed a callus there in order to protect your arm from the continuous and annoying poking.  All of a sudden the person stops poking you for 30 days.  The callus sloughs off.  The bruise heals and your arm becomes perfect again.  And then poof the person who was poking you starts up again.  You're going to notice it and you're going to feel it.  Am I right?  This is what has happened in your body.  

 

Abdominal cramps, bloating and general bathroom issues are kind of normal for legumes, grains, or even dairy.  Do you have any idea which one might have caused this?

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I've tried black beans, quinoa, and feta cheese... all spread out, of course, with more issues following the quinoa and cheese than the legumes (just some cramping with the latter). Having trouble with some of those things makes more sense to me than having trouble with compliant meals. For instance, I just had some compliant Whole30 soup for lunch and felt nauseous afterward; I had the same soup a dozen times during the Whole30 with no issues. Maybe it's just some weird coincidence and not related to reintroduction at all. I'd be bummed if I really have issues with all the foods I eliminated during the Whole30 (food allergies/sensitivites weren't the primary reason we did this), but I guess that's just part of the process. I had already decided to drastically reduce my dairy and sugar intake after going through this, but was hoping legumes and whole grains would be something I could responsibly reintroduce. 

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I wonder if your system is still upset from the beans, quinoa, etc. when you eat a Whole30-compliant meal. You should get back to the point where you feel fine before you reintroduce the next food. That might take a few days.

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I noticed a similar effect with dairy when I reintroduced it - even a small amount (in my coffee) could result in low grade nausea for hours and sometimes longer. If you suspect a certain food group to trigger symptoms in your system try to be mindful about isolating it in your meals and not mixing it with other re-intro ingredients. It'll take longer to complete your re-intro but you'll be a lot better informed about what your body likes and dislikes.

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The quinoa is a likely culprit.  There is an oily residue, saponin, that needs to be washed off before consuming and can cause stomach distress if not.  Do a google search for quinoa and stomach pain and you will get quite a few hits.  

 

 

 

Quinoa's survival through the millennia may be attributed to the resinous, bitter coating that protects its seeds from birds and insects--and also shields them from the intense high-altitude sunlight. This coating, called saponin, is soapy and must be removed in a strong alkaline solution to make the grain palatable. Most quinoa sold in this country has already been cleansed of its saponin. But quinoa should be rinsed thoroughly before cooking to remove any powdery residue of saponin. Place the grain in a fine strainer and hold it under cold running water until the water runs clear; drain well.

 

http://www.wholehealthmd.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?type=AWHN_Foods&id=D18F2C4462B74726B0C2D1FD8A8A65B8&tier=2

 

I have a friend who was for a time vegan and developed a serious reaction to quinoa.  Through her research the blame rested on this residue-that I'd never even heard of!  She told me that once your stomach has been exposed to the saponin you will always react with stomach pain to quinoa-even if it's been prepared correctly.  So she'd been eating it without issue, had it once not prepared correctly, and now cannot eat it again.  

 

Some other stories:

http://embracingtheabsurd.blogspot.com/2010/04/quinoa-killer.html

http://www.chimesdesign.com/blog/2012/10/05/wash-quinoa/

 

I hope you start feeling better!!

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