New with questions

[Katastrophe]

I intend to start Whole 30 on March 18 or April 8, and I have a few questions to prep.

 

I have an AI condition and IBS, AI being my main concern.  I printed both the Low FODMAP and AIP, then crossed the things from Low FODMAP off my AIP list and ummm...the list is kinda bare, eeek!  I may have to start with AIP and hope for the best with the IBS.

 

My questions:

 

1.  The Low FODMAP shopping list does not seem to agree with the book (ISWF 2012) in regards to IBS.  According to the book, I should avoid "fruits that have seeds and a rough exterior (like berries)," but the shopping list allows blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries.  Also, the book recommends avoiding citrus and grapes, but the shopping list has them as OK.  Thoughts?  Avoiding everything by the shopping lists and books for Low FODMAP and AIP, I'm down to bananas, pineapples, and pomegranates.

 

2.  Eggs.  Eggs could very well be a SWYPO for me, and the thought of giving them up is tough.  I did a search for no-egg breakfasts, and well, most are either recipes with eggs in them (a pumpkin thing in the crockpot) or they have nuts, which are definitely a no-go for AIP.  I did find a website that suggested the use of Great Lakes Gelatin instead of eggs, so I'll try that...are there any other Whole 30 substitutes for the myriad of recipes that call for eggs?  (I'm not referring to baked goods recipes, just general Whole 30 compliant recipes)

 

3.  Chia seeds...not addressed on the AIP shopping list.  I assume I treat them as seeds and avoid?  (Sorry relatively new to chia and really not sure if they ARE seeds)

 

4.  Coconut milk yogurt, I found many threads about this, and it seems most consider it SWYPO.  I'm not really a sweet eater, so giving up sugar/sweets for Whole 30 doesn't seem all that daunting, but finding breakfast recipes that fit (AIP in particular) is rough.  Eating breakfast is a huge (HUGE) thing for me....I don't do it, it is literally the hardest part of dieting for me.  I realize Whole 30/9 isn't exactly a diet, and I want to change for the better, but I seriously need breakfast ideas.  When I've dieted in the past, my go-to breakfasts were steel-cut oats or blueberries in Greek yogurt.  In my mind, yogurt, particularly Greek, is a health food, not a yummy treat.  So...should I consider coconut milk yogurt SWYPO or could I possibly include it with my breakfast recipes?  (As a side note, I need breakfast-y foods for breakfast, maybe that is something I can overcome with Whole 30, but the thought of waking up and making a salad with dinner leftovers isn't appealing at all right now.)

 

5.  (I assume this is a no, but I want to check.)  I think I could convince my husband to do Whole 30 with me except for one thing.  I just made him a large batch of green onion kimchi (NOTE:  Recipes may not be Whole 30 friendly on the link!) that will be ready in two weeks.  He's been asking me to make it for a while, and there's no way he's not going to eat it when it's ready.  The two ingredients I am concerned about:  fish sauce (anchovies, water, sugar) and sweet rice flour.  I believe the sugar from the fish sauce will ferment out (I think I read that on the site somewhere) but what about the sweet rice flour?  I have no idea if that ferments or what.  If it's not ok, would anyone have a link to a kimchi recipe that is Whole 30 safe?

 

6.  Tuna...confused by the label.  I do not eat any other fish/seafood, and cannot have shellfish in my home due to a child with anaphalaxis.  On the Chunk Light Tuna the ingredients are light tuna, water, vegetable broth, and salt.  Then it says Contains Fish, Soy.  I assume the soy is in the veggie broth?  I also assume this is probably something I shouldn't eat on Whole 30 and probably never with AI.  Can someone recommend a specific brand of tuna that is safe?  (Light please, I don't care for albacore)  I do have a Whole Foods, but it's quite a drive and I do not have time to linger in the store reading labels when I go, due to kiddo only being in pre-k for 3 hours, I have to rush there, grab my list quickly, and rush back to pick him up.

 

7.  I need a flour substitute that is suitable for savory dishes (such as dredging chicken, possibly thickening sauces).  I just bought almond flour for "The Plan" and managed to (thankfully!!!!) discover Whole 30/9 while researching Plan stuff and I'm hooked!  But, nuts are off-limits....any Whole 30 and AIP-safe flours I can use?

 

Sorry for all of the questions, I am going to plan my entire Whole 30 menu out this weekend, so I can make a Whole Foods run before the 18th.  (St. Patrick's Day, I'm pretty sure my corned beef won't be AIP compliant and I want a last hurrah with white potatoes before I tell them farewell.  If I don't get it done before the 18th, I won't start until the 8th due to a party...I'd like to be past the first 2 weeks by then so hopefully I won't be tempted by Bad Foods!  And, I am ready to get going, my AI is literally ruining my life)

[LucieB]

I will answer mostly to the FODMAP question, that's where my experience is. What triggers your IBS symptoms will dictate what you should or shouldn't eat. Some people benefit from not eating fiberous foods, others benefit from avoiding FODMAPS, we're all different. Note I'm not saying "can't" eat! I recommend approaching this as positive as possible

 

From my experience, the Whole30 FODMAP list is not the best. The most helpful lists break the foods down into what type of FODMAP it contains, as you might not be sensitive to all types of FODMAPs (fructose, fructans, polyols, galactans, lactose). These lists can help you determine what triggers your symptoms. I like the Paleo FODMAP List (google to find it, has green, yellow, and red bars in the background.)

 

You don't need to avoid FODMAP foods as much as you need to limit and learn about them. You might be able to eat grapes, but only no more than 10, for example. But first things first...

 

You'll need to experiment to learn what to limit. For this do the 4-6 week elimination of eating as low FODMAP as possible. This lets your gut "reset" to normal, my understanding is that it clears the gut of the offending materials and lets the more favorable gut bacteria grow. Then you reintroduce the FODMAP foods you want to eat again, one by one, keeping track of the type. Overtime you'll notice that certain foods are good or bad for you, and you'll learn how much of each you can eat. 

 

Based in part by your remaining questions, I also strongly recommend doing more research into this and picking the later start date. The planning and strategy will help you through the first weeks when the Whole30 changes are the hardest. Have a battle plan to keep you on track!

 

Your other questions can be answer by others, but I have a few suggestions:

 

3. Chia seeds are to be limited on FODMAP. Doesn't mean you "can't" eat, it means you need to experiment to see if you should eat. 

 

4a. Coconut milk yogurt, skip it. Or tell my why it might be a healthy option. It's a fat, I'll grant that. But a quick Google search of many coconut milk yogurts show ingredients like guar gum, carageenan, and other thickeners. Many of those cause FODMAP problems if too much is consumed. Also it's a processed food, a frankenfood IMO, a SWYPO food, and ugh don't get me started on the "coconut health halo". 

 

4b. You don't need to "wake up and make a salad with dinner leftovers". You can make breakfast the night before as you wrap up dinner, you can make it the weekend before as a casserole. You just need to plan and prepare. That answer sounds harsh, I don't mean it to be. 

 

5. Please don't "convince" people to do the Whole30. Let them do it if they want to do it. There are many many recipes out there that you can both eat, and many more that with a simple addition after preparation can work for him. 

 

Keep reading, learning, planning, and asking questions! It might be hard, but you can make positive and helpful changes!

lucie

[GFChris]

Unless you already know you have sensitivities to the foods eliminated on the FODMAP and AIP approaches, we recommend doing a complete standard Whole30 first.

On the tuna, we are hesitant to recommend specific products, as ingredients can change and vary by region. You are correct in that anything that says 'contains soy' is off-limits for a Whole30.

[LadyM]

I just want to underscore what Chris has said and urge you to simply do a straightforward Whole 30 to start. It's wonderful that you've armed yourself with so much information; and, let me say from experience, it very likely could be overload and you could end up driving yourself crazy then shooting yourself in the foot with your overzealousness. 

 

My best advice is to study It Starts With Food and let the elegant simplicity of the template be your guide for 30 days. It alone will be revolutionary and challenging. At the end of 30 careful days in which you logged your food, moods, physical and emotional reactions and behaviors, reassess. Do you at that point think you want to try AIP? Then try AIP for 30 days, log, reassess at the end. At that point do you want to try low FODMAPS or low histamine? Then try it on for 30 days.

 

For those of us who are serious about our health and have serious long-standing issues to address, we're in it for the long haul, and it's a journey with many many steps. You cannot go from being a couch potato to running a marathon the next day. Same deal here. Work your way through, be kind to yourself, be patient with your body, do everything you can to relax and reassure your Type A mentality, which, no doubt has served you and others well, that you can do this, and that one step at a time is the way to go.

 

Oh, and keep coming back to the forum. We'll help you however we can, and you'll find that many others like you have gone through these various processes of elimination and what they've written may very well help you tremendously.

[kirkor]

6. Can someone recommend a specific brand of tuna that is safe?

On the tuna, we are hesitant to recommend specific products, as ingredients can change and vary by region. You are correct in that anything that says 'contains soy' is off-limits for a Whole30.

Some potential options here: http://forum.whole9life.com/topic/22387-canned-tuna/

But my current go-to is the Kirkland brand at Costco, "Chunk Light, Skipjack Tuna in Water" -- picture

[Katastrophe]

Thank you all for the thoughts and advice.  I should probably do this in an intro post elsewhere, but since my questions revolve more around "Can I have" I'll do it here.

 

I'm 42 years old, and I have an almost 5 yr old that I want to be able to do more with.  (I also have 4 more kiddos, 16-23, but they don't need mommy like my little guy does.)

 

My AI started 21 years ago, I finally found out what it was about 16 years ago, and in the doc's exact words "It's because you're fat."  Except....I was NOT fat when it first reared its head.  There is no cure, the main treatment is to be on antibiotics for years (not happening), and most people don't have good results even with the antibiotic approach.  It has gotten to the point that moving at all feels like I'm being stabbed with knives....so I am as inactive as possible.  It sucks.

 

My "IBS" started sometime in the last 15 years, I know I've had it for the last 8 years for sure.  It may *not* be IBS, but my docs have ruled out anything else at this point (Celiac was one thing they've checked for, I can't remember what else), so that's what they're calling it.  It's the biggest inconvenience when I wake up (for 2-3 hours after), and it means lots of potty trips throughout the day, but it's not completely debilitating like the AI is.  My current doc (we're military, doc changes are very frequent) brought up that my iced tea habit could be a major factor.

 

More than a food problem, I have a drinking problem.  I don't eat all that much, but I drink a LOT.  To put down a gallon of sweet iced tea in a day is nothing.  (2/3rd cup sugar)  Or Coke.  I (prior to the last month or so) got most of my  calories from liquids.  My usual day was to wake up around 10am, and I wouldn't eat until around 630pm, and then I would eat whatever was for dinner, and maybe have a snack of pretzels around 11pm.  But a glass of tea (or a Coke) was my constant companion.  I switched to Diet Coke and artificially sweetened tea about 2 months ago, and I switched to about 85% water about a month ago.  In the past two weeks, I've had 16 ounces of Coke, about 20 ounces of sweet tea, roughly 64 ounces of diet soda, and the rest water.  (I very rarely drink alcohol, I did try red wine for "The Plan" last week, I managed 2 ounces before I dumped the rest down the drain.)  I have noticed *less* IBS issues in the past month, which leads me to believe my doc is on to something about the tea.  I did a Google search after it started to occur to me about the tea, and that lead me to this article.  Perhaps I don't really have IBS, perhaps it's a tea problem!

 

Every 6 months or so, I search for the latest news about my AI, to see if some miracle cure has popped up.  People were reporting success with avoiding nightshades, or tomatoes, so about 6 weeks ago, I eliminated tomato from my diet.  (I have goofed a couple of times, about a tablespoon of ketchup altogether and 1.5 teaspoons roughly of A1 sauce.)  I haven't noticed much, if any, difference in the AI.  More reading and potatoes came up (I didn't realize they were a nightshade at the time), and then eventually using an elimination diet popped up.  Eureka!  My light bulb finally came on, I believe THAT is a good plan to try to see if I can find my AI triggers.  Researching elimination diets led me to "The Plan."  I researched, bought the book and workbook, made a Whole Foods trip, and got started.  On Day 8, I stumbled across a NomNomPaleo recipe and at the bottom, it mentioned Whole 9 or Whole 30.  (For the 8 days I was on The Plan, I did pretty good...I did not eat or drink anything that was NOT on Plan, but I did not eat everything that WAS on Plan.  Quite frankly, I cannot stand a lot of the stuff.  There are other reasons I was not happy with it, but I do not want to bash it, and I do believe it's a good "diet," but what I was reading about Whole30/9 just made sooooo much more sense and seemed much more in line with ME.  I ordered ISWF on Wednesday and paid to have it overnight delivered.)

 

 

Someone mentioned me being Type A....I am actually the polar opposite.  (My husband is extreme Type A, however!)  I do not want to wait to get started, if I wait til I understand everything, a year from now, I'll still be researching Whole 30 and making plans.....

 

BUT, knowing myself, and knowing that if I am not well prepared, I will screw it up, I AM trying to plan this.  I intend to completely plan the 30 day menu.  For me, that will be easier.  I'll pull up my spreadsheet and know, ok, today I am going to eat this, this, and this.  It will give me an opportunity to precook (I would love to be a once a month cook, honestly, but my family won't eat a lot of good OAMC meals, sadly.) and on days I might be struggling, it will help keep me on track.  For ME, I know that is my best shot.  I know that if I need something for a recipe that I don't have, I'll just sautee a chicken breast and that will be my meal, which I also know is not good.  Pre-planning will eliminate that.  Also, having it all spelled out means if I am struggling, my husband can help me.  I am blessed with him, and if I can say ok, here's the recipes, he will make whatever it is.  (Hope that makes sense)

 

About doing normal Whole 30 first....I am doing this for 3 reasons, 1) the AI 2) IBS 3) Weight.  Now, I mentioned believing tea may be my "IBS"....in the past when I dieted, I can lose weight.  But, I just switched to tea with Splenda or Stevia or Sweet N Low and diet soda, so that could explain why dieting never helped my IBS, if indeed tea is the problem.  I'm perfectly content dieting by having Slimfast shakes for breakfast and lunch, and having a chicken breast with broccoli for dinner....  My most successful diet,, I actually wasn't trying to diet, I was working 2 waitress jobs and all I ate that YEAR was a bread bowl chicken salad with cheese, lettuce, sauteed chicken and ranch dressing, drank tea or regular soda, (usually didn't eat the bread bowl) and also grilled salmon (one job had the bread bowl salad, the other had the grilled salmon, so whichever job I was at, that's what I ate).  I lost about 100 pounds, and in addition to the exercise I got waitressing, I did a lot of roller blading when I was off work.  It was about a year after I lost all the weight, when I was 120lbs, that my AI started.  As it progressed, I had to give up working, and roller blading :-(

 

So, I know I can meet my losing weight goal in other ways, perhaps not the healthiest, but they work for me.  Now that I've discovered tea/IBS, I may be able to beat the IBS with my usual dieting method by just giving up my tea.  Which leaves the AI.  I'm doing this for the AI.  If I do the normal Whole 30, but am still eating trigger foods (I AM assuming my AI is related to food/inflammation, because the most positive results people report for this AI is by eliminating triggers)....if my AI doesn't improve in 30-90 days, I am not sure I will want to bother with then trying Whole 30 AIP.  I truly believe I should definitely start with AIP.  (I'm sure someone has the question, well, if my previous weight loss plans work fine, then why do I now need to lose weight?  It's simple, I CAN get thin, and I could sustain that for the rest of my life living on Slimfast, chicken and broccoli, but if I still can't MOVE, if I'm still in utter agony with every tiny movement, quite frankly, what is the point?  Why give up foods I like just so I *look* good....I still feel like crap.  Why put artificial sweeteners in my body (which I wholeheartedly agree are horrible for anyone) just to maintain that figure?  My husband loves all 268lbs of me, he doesn't love that a day at the zoo has me in tears from the pain, even if I'm a size 6.  He doesn't love that knowing just picking up my 4 yr old is excruciating,, or that him giving me a hug when he gets home at the end of the day frequently results in me jerking away in pain.)

 

I hope that all makes sense, I apologize for the length, I have issues with brevity.  (And I should quit saying Whole 30 AIP, it's really Whole 90 AIP before reintroducing things if I'm reading correctly.)

 

To answer other things that came up:

 

Coconut milk yogurt, I meant this recipe, NOT premade stuff, BUT...I couldn't get a can of coconut milk last night to read the label, so I assumed it had a decent amount of protein like Greek yogurt.  I've now read the can (Whole Foods organic house brand) and the protein is nil, so no point.  (My little one sleeps where a lot of food is stored, so I couldn't go in to get a can last night while he was in bed.)

 

Convincing my husband...he's in great shape physically, but he has the 10lb yo-yo.  He also has headaches almost daily, and I suspect food could be related (in addition to his extreme Type A  )  He believes in conventional dieting and what is advertised as healthy, and that's how he diets.  He also doesn't do breakfast, skips lunch about half the time.  He WOULD require convincing to do Whole 30 with me, BUT....he would do it to support me, except he *knows* what is healthy food and what isn't, and there's no reason kimchi isn't healthy. (ie, he knows, because that's what his doc says, that's what his nutritionist says, etc)  If I got him to do it with me (but he could have the kimchi I made), and his headaches were gone in 30 days....he'd be a believer.  Does that make sense?

 

LucieB, thank you for the low FODMAP info!  It's very helpful, I actually originally heard of Low FODMAP in relation to my AI not IBS, but then came across it in regards to IBS as well, go figure.

 

Breakfast foods:  I'm looking for breakfast-type foods for my breakfast menus.  I love salad, but a salad for breakfast doesn't sound appealing.  (On the Whole30 FB, salad or dinner leftovers seem to be often suggested to people looking for something that isn't eggs and meat.  But, most of the suggestions HAVE eggs in them if they aren't salads or dinner leftovers)  It isn't so much an issue of preparing breakfast, it's just that eggs seem to be in everything.  Just wondered if anyone had any suggestions on egg subs, to make things that call for eggs.

 

Kirkor, ty for the tuna suggestion, I do have a Costco membership, so I will check it out!  (They are even further than Whole Foods, and I tend to forget they are the healthy version of Sam's lol.  We're due a Sam's trip in the next week or so, we'll just hit Costco instead)

 

Any suggestions about flour?

 

(Again, sorry this is so long!)

[GFChris]

Google Whole30 non egg breakfast to find other ideas, as this topic has been discussed extensively in the past (easiest way to search the forum is via Google). Note that it may help to start thinking about breakfast as Meal 1: opens up all kinds of possibilities for what to have for your first meal. Around here, we're big proponents of thinking beyond standard breakfast foods at meal 1.

Arrowroot, coconut or tapioca flours may be options for you. Their uses are only permitted as thickeners/dredging and not for any type of Paleo baking or treats on a Whole30.

Coconut milk yogurt would only be ok for creating a sauce for a savory dish. To have it for your meal or snack would not be ok.

[Katastrophe]

Thanks Chris!  (I'm not into baked goods much, so no worries about that with the flours!)

 

I was rereading the coconut milk yogurt recipe, and it even comments at the top about the lack of protein, oops!

 

I will get past my breakfast-y foods for breakfast quickly, I hope.

 

On the AIP Whole30, as compared to the normal Whole30, the only things I need to "give up" that I will miss is the eggs, and I have a thing for Frank's RedHot hot sauce with chicken (doesn't even need to be fried, I like it on naked strips, too).  I think the Low FODMAP scared me more, because most of the veggies I prefer are cruciferous.

[Physibeth]

Honestly from reading your background I think that you will probably find much relief with just the standard Whole30. Eating whole nutrient dense food 3 times a day staring an hour after you wake up and removing sugar from your diet may be all you need really. If cutting out all the AIP foods except eggs seems highly acceptable to you then maybe do AIP + eggs for 30 days and see how you feel. If you don't see any change you can then continue on with eggs removed and be in a better place to do it because you will have learned all the other stuff. Note that, from what I've read, most people need about 90 days on AIP to really experience the healing of the protocol. 

[missmary]

I know you want to make all the changes right now, and to have all the results right now, but reading your posts I am reading a whole lot of stress and anxiety that goes along with all of those big changes. The other mods suggested a "regular" whole30 first because they know that these big changes are best served in slightly smaller packages. To be successful, this 30 day period has to be the first of many many 30 day periods where you are honoring your body with good food choices. The stress of making too many changes too soon will undermine your progress. Try to relax into it with calm intention. you will get there.

[evaq]

I know you want to make all the changes right now, and to have all the results right now, but reading your posts I am reading a whole lot of stress and anxiety that goes along with all of those big changes. The other mods suggested a "regular" whole30 first because they know that these big changes are best served in slightly smaller packages. To be successful, this 30 day period has to be the first of many many 30 day periods where you are honoring your body with good food choices. The stress of making too many changes too soon will undermine your progress. Try to relax into it with calm intention. you will get there.

 

This. ^

 

It's wonderful that you're armed and so well prepared for your whole 30. But partly due to your extenuating health circumstances and partly due to your lifestyle habits (most of your calories through drinks, only eating in the PM etc), you've tried to map out every possible answer/scenario for a whole 30 you have yet to start. The flip side or difficulty which will inevitably arise is that you can't know *every* unique physical/emotional/psychological hurdle you're going to face ahead of time. And when something unexpected rears and messes you up (or your whole 30), you may feel totally unprepared and betrayed by it. Ultimately giving up. It's like trying to plan every moment and activity for your 4-year-old. You can't plan for every detail but you can remember your motivations, keep a consistent philosophy/practice, and open mind towards whole 30. Some of the things you have planned are going to work great. Others not. THIS is going to happen.

 

What I read from below (I cut and pasted part of your post) is someone who is conflicted about undertaking whole30 but feels desperate for change. I totally feel for you, but I have to be honest, if you're doing whole 30 with a reluctant and sort-of-complying but not genuinely embracing the ideals or principles attitude, you're likely to have mixed or temporary results. Missmary was bang on, try to be solid in your resolve and obviously food prepared but relax into things with a calm intention. You *will* get there.

 

Best of luck on your whole 30. I hope you keep posting about your experiences and reaching out to the forum. I found it invaluable during my whole 30.

 

I researched, bought the book and workbook, made a Whole Foods trip, and got started.  On Day 8, I stumbled across a NomNomPaleo recipe and at the bottom, it mentioned Whole 9 or Whole 30.  (For the 8 days I was on The Plan, I did pretty good...I did not eat or drink anything that was NOT on Plan, but I did not eat everything that WAS on Plan.  Quite frankly, I cannot stand a lot of the stuff.  There are other reasons I was not happy with it, but I do not want to bash it, and I do believe it's a good "diet," but what I was reading about Whole30/9 just made sooooo much more sense and seemed much more in line with ME.  I ordered ISWF on Wednesday and paid to have it overnight delivered.)

 

 

Someone mentioned me being Type A....I am actually the polar opposite.  (My husband is extreme Type A, however!)  I do not want to wait to get started, if I wait til I understand everything, a year from now, I'll still be researching Whole 30 and making plans.....

 

BUT, knowing myself, and knowing that if I am not well prepared, I will screw it up, I AM trying to plan this.  I intend to completely plan the 30 day menu.  For me, that will be easier.  I'll pull up my spreadsheet and know, ok, today I am going to eat this, this, and this.  It will give me an opportunity to precook (I would love to be a once a month cook, honestly, but my family won't eat a lot of good OAMC meals, sadly.) and on days I might be struggling, it will help keep me on track.  For ME, I know that is my best shot.  I know that if I need something for a recipe that I don't have, I'll just sautee a chicken breast and that will be my meal, which I also know is not good.  Pre-planning will eliminate that.  Also, having it all spelled out means if I am struggling, my husband can help me.

[Munkers]

As someone who has done more than one Whole 30 AND a 6 week stent on AIP, please, please, PLEASE start with a standard Whole30. I recommend this for two reasons: 1) Whole30 is hard and AIP is even harder. I considered myself to be pretty seasoned at reading labels and cooking for alternative diets prior to AIP and it was still something that took a lot of time and effort for me. 2) AIP excludes some foods that are highly-nutritious and shouldn't be eliminated unless you absolutely have to. (I'm looking at you, eggs.)

 

IBS can and does improve on just the standard Whole30. Dairy is a known trigger for IBS symptoms and that will be completely eliminated on the Whole30 (unless you incorporate ghee). You'll also be eliminating a lot of food additives which are also triggers. Give it 30 days and then see where you are. If you feel like you need to go farther THEN transition to AIP.

 

As for egg-free breakfasts, try an egg-free breakfast hash. Last week I pulled the meat off a roasted chicken and kept it stored in the fridge. Each morning I would toss coconut oil into the skillet, add a handful of shredded sweet potato, a handful of the shredded chicken, and then a handful of any leftover green veggie that I had in the fridge. (This last week it was mostly green beans, but some mornings I had broccoli, and Friday and Saturday I wilted in fresh baby spinach instead.) Move it around in the skillet until the sweet potatoes are cooked and everything is warm. Season in whatever way your heart desires. You can top this with avocado for extra fat, but it's not needed--the chicken and sweet potato will absorb the coconut oil so it goes in your belly instead of staying in the pan. I also like a small handful of berries on the side which makes it seem more like breakfast food instead of lunch/dinner food. (Not that this is something I care about, but I know that "breakfast food" at breakfast is important to some folk.)

[ladyshanny]

It's possible that you don't have IBS at all but that your body is crashing from years of feeding it nothing but sweet tea and one dinner + pretzels.  A body cannot function on that and the digestive process will not work with that either.  Things go sideways.

 

At the risk of "piling on", I am also going to suggest you get onto a standard Whole30 first.  Get your body used to eating 3 meals a day in proper volume and start getting all your body processes back in balance (hormones, blood sugar, digestion).  I have a feeling that you are going to find that the mental and physical change that comes with doing "just" 3 template meals/day is going to be larger than you think and to throw the uber-restrictions of AIP at yourself at the same time is going to be more than you bank on.

 

It's really hard to know (even for you who is living in your own body) if you really need the extra restrictions of AIP because you don't have a baseline to work from.  

 

I know you say you wouldn't want to try AIP after Whole30 if everything wasn't resolved in the first 30-90 days.  You haven't said specifically what your condition is but I would venture a guess that regardless of AIP or standard Whole30, that isn't going to happen.  Realistically you have 21 years of a condition to heal from. Declaring full recovery or failure is short sighted and setting you up for disappointment. Progress is not linear and even if the standard Whole30 did not make the enormous difference you are hoping for, chances are by eating nourishing food in quantities appropriate for your healing context, you are going to see improvements.  Again, without a clean baseline to work from, it's impossible to tell what items may or may not bother you.

 

You're going to do what you want to do because you're an adult......but notice that you are getting the same general advice from all the seasoned veterans and mods on this forum.  We're removed from the emotion and anxiety of your situation and can perhaps see a little more clearly than you might be seeing right now.  Consider using all of the history and experience of those you came to seeking assistance.  

[MeadowLily]

I'm an  'interior decorator' but how about a name tweak to match your great potential and success.  Eucatastrophy means epic and happy resolution.  That's going to be YOU.

[rachel2writer]

Kat,

 

I can totally relate to your story - I also have an AI condition as well as IBS. I've tried different sorts of elimination diets to try to figure this out:  low FODMAP, specific carbohydrate diet, AI protocol, unprocessed foods only, etc. It's so frustrating and rough to try all of this and still find something you can eat and drink! 

 

I did my first Whole 30 about a year ago and did very well on it. Since then, I let junk back into my eating plan and went right back to standard American diet. In January, I refocused on more Atkins-style low carb. All of my IBS symptoms came back, although the AI flareups decreased when I stopped grains and sugar. So now I'm starting another Whole 30 on March 30 because I suspect the dairy or artificial sweeteners I'm consuming on Atkins might be causing the IBS issues. 

 

My advice is patience - research and plan and stick to just ONE thing for a good amount of time. Whole 30 is a great plan to start with. Then reevaluate. If you still have IBS problems and/or AI flares, you might indeed need to try the AI protocol or low FODMAP or something else more strict. 

 

Good luck!