Possible "contamination" at P. F. Changs!!!

[Eye of the Tiger]

Day 20 and I think I put a mouthful of spinach and mushrooms containing soy sauce in my mouth at a work lunch today!  I really hope I didn't!  I've known about this lunch for a month.  I've planned for it.  Researched how to order.  I came to the conclusion to order the salmon (steamed) and veggies (steamed).  When it was my turn to order I told the server I couldn't have anything containing soy sauce, butter, sugar...  I asked if the salmon was prepared with soy sauce, and the same with the veggies.  She said the veggies were not and would note not to add soy sauce or oil or butter, and just to steam them.  But she said she had to check with the chef about the salmon because it might contain soy sauce.  She came back and said "We are good".  So, when I got my food the salmon was on a bed of spinach greens with mushrooms.  I began eating and the salmon was dry and obviously didn't have any contaminants on it.  Then I took a bite of the spinach and mushrooms.  Now I had added salt, so I expected it to have the salty taste.  But it was so flavorful I kinda freaked!  I think it had soy sauce!  I told the server it had soy sauce.  She whisked it away, and said she would have them remake.

 

When she brought the new salmon and veggies back the salmon was on a separate plate than the greens.  And this time there were no mushrooms.  So, it makes me wonder if either the mushrooms were bursting with flavor and didn't contain soy sauce, but they didn't want me to think that they did this time around.  Or, were the mushrooms prepackaged containing soy sauce?  So they just served without mushrooms this time?  Thoughts??

 

Anyway, when I tasted what seemed like soy sauce I spit the food into a napkin.  I know the look on my face to my coworkers and boss was horrible.  But they know I'm doing w30.  And it was gross to spit my food into the napkin, but I just couldn't swallow it!  Now I'm worried that I screwed up my w30.  But I'm not doing another w30 right now!  And I don't think soy is the cause of my heath issues.  I rarely eat anything containing soy when I'm not on w30.  And I've been gluten free for a long time, and dairy free for 9 months.  I think other grains and sugar are my health demons.

 

Anyone else work that hard to ensure that their meal was complaint at a restaurant, and then think that it was contaminated?  I feel bummed, even though I didn't swallow the bite.  If there was soy sauce I know I swallow a taste of it.

[ladyshanny]

Man, I'm impressed that you even tried at PF Changs! That place is the antithesis of Whole30! Good on ya!

Soy is extremely disruptive to the gut. It was in your mouth but you didn't swallow the bite. It's so, so hard to say, honestly. If you think of the infinitesimal amount of gluten a celiac could consume and have a violent gut reaction, it makes sense that miniscule amounts of other things disrupt our guts too. Did the taste/trickle of possible soy sauce reset your reset? It's impossible to know.

What are your plans after Whole30? You indicate that you have some health issues but no detail. Some health issues take longer than 30 days to respond to Whole30 and we encourage people to give it a go for 60 or 90 days. If that's the case for you, I would probably just keep going. If you were going to start doing reintros at Day 30, it would be up to you whether you wanted to restart or keep going. 

Have you seen the starting over article linked in my signature below (on mobile you won't see the signature so just google "Whole30 start over"

[Eye of the Tiger]

8 hours ago, ladyshanny said:

Man, I'm impressed that you even tried at PF Changs! That place is the antithesis of Whole30! Good on ya!

Soy is extremely disruptive to the gut. It was in your mouth but you didn't swallow the bite. It's so, so hard to say, honestly. If you think of the infinitesimal amount of gluten a celiac could consume and have a violent gut reaction, it makes sense that miniscule amounts of other things disrupt our guts too. Did the taste/trickle of possible soy sauce reset your reset? It's impossible to know.

What are your plans after Whole30? You indicate that you have some health issues but no detail. Some health issues take longer than 30 days to respond to Whole30 and we encourage people to give it a go for 60 or 90 days. If that's the case for you, I would probably just keep going. If you were going to start doing reintros at Day 30, it would be up to you whether you wanted to restart or keep going. 

Have you seen the starting over article linked in my signature below (on mobile you won't see the signature so just google "Whole30 start over"

Thanks! I just read it.  I don't think I messed up my reset. But I will evaluate ove the next couple of days. I've been gluten free for almost 2 years, and completely dairy free for 9 months.  If I did actually swallow soy sauce that would have been the first bit of soy in a long time.  

Some of my health issues are Hashimoto's, mitral valve prolapse, mild psoriasis, early menopause, and severe body acne. The Hashi's and the severe body acne (which I've had for 8 years) are the main reasons I started w30. The acne has been really bad, and never goes away! I've been to dermatologist, allergists, and GI's. No one could help me get rid of it! Then I started seeing a functional medical practitioner almost a year ago. She advised me to read the book, but I never did until a few weeks ago. I wouldn't have been receptive to it back then. 

I planned the w30 around a couple of trips that I know I wouldn't make it 100% compliant through.  But can I go 90 days without anything containing gluten, dairy, or soy? Yep? Probably won't have anymore ever, at least not knowingly. Those won't be entering my reintro. And I will be reintroducing other grains one at a time very slowly. Corn would the last thing I will reintroduce because I think I might have to part ways with my dear old friend (who I love so disguised in tortillas chips!).

Maybe I will change my mind several times. But what I don't want to do is do my w30 over and then when it comes time to reintro blow it by rushing back to all sugar and grains (except gluten), and then not know what the culprits are.  And maybe it will take me more than 1 whole 30, plus mini resets. Btw, I'm going to continue eating mostly compliant for the rest of my life, limiting sugar in foods it shouldn't be in and having it in my food freedom!

So next month's lunch meeting is at Longhorn's. I hope they get my meal right

[Eye of the Tiger]

@ladyshanny I forgot to mention that the severe acne that I've had for 8 years started going away within 2 days of starting w30.  They are almost completely healed except for some red mark scars. And they have never ever gone away before, not even to go away and reappear. They just never went away at all. Going gluten and dairy free helped a little, but I think the sugar demon roars on my skin.