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Confessions, Where to go from here, feeling terrible...


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Well, I've avoided the boards for the most part this week. This is going to be a major brain dump, confession, mess of a post. If you are up to sticking through it, bless you! Maybe just putting this in writing even if no one reads it will help.

 

I started what was supposed to be a Whole30 on April 1st. I had been slowly moving to healthier eating, and the movement to Whole30 was awesome. I felt great. I had more energy. I didn't go through carb flu. A week or so into the Whole30, I found out that my girlfriends were planning a baby shower/girls' night for me. This was to celebrate our 6th baby, and also to give me time with my friends before we leave our ex-pat community for 3 months. I decided then that I would complete a Whole21, and just enjoy the girls night, planning to go right back into Whole30 eating after that. We leave PNG to go to Australia for the birth of our baby only 21 days after the girls night, so I knew I wouldn't have time for a full Whole30 before we got to the first world, abnd the opportunity to eat out and enjoy foods I haven't seen in almost 2 years. But I decided I would just do my best every day, and not worry about getting perfect reintroductions.

 

My girls night was a ton of fun. I was able to say "no" to things that weren't worth it, but did enjoy sugar, dairy, peanut butter, and some gluten. I felt SO SICK by the about 4am.

 

I had no desire to go off thr rails more, I just wanted to stay curled up and wait for the stomach pain to pass. But Mon and Tuesday passed, and I still felt awful. In addition, I found myself more discouraged and isolated than I expected by losing my Whole30 "group" on the boards, along with that sense of accomplishment that I was really "doing" Whole30.

 

Wednesday we had to leave unexpectedly to go to a town about 2 hours away. We had limited shopping options beforehand. I brought meat and eggs, but wasn't able to bring enough veggies to make template meals. I continued to feel awful. Wednesday night I caved and had a candy bar, because why not?! I already felt awful. (Not that this is good logic). Thursday we ate out. I had a steak and veggies, but eating out in this country is already enough of an adventure, trying to explain that you want them to avoid seasonings, oils, or butter on your food is not going to happen. Friday we also ended up needing to eat out on our way home. I continued to feel terrible, with major stomach issues. Last night, I caved again and had some non-ice cream "ice cream" that we get in country here with the kids, which has absolutely nothing resembling dairy or real cream... Basically just a chemical mess that loosely resembles ice cream. By the middle of the night, my stomach issues were out of control.

 

I am feeling discouraged and so sick it's hard to want to eat anything, and particularly hard to imagine cooking. Compared to how I was eating before my Whole21, this week has been a great victory. I ate one candy bar. I ate steak and veggies. I didn't cave into soda, despite the huge emotional and psychological connection I have to it.... If I feel neauseated, my body thinks soda will help. If I have a headache, my body thinks soda will help. If I am sad, my body thinks soda will help. But I know that I know that I know that this is a lie, and so far I've been able to stay strong.

 

But apparently my Whole21 was enough time for my body to recognize that it is sensitive to something i ate previously, which has triggered this week of awfulness. I did a full Whole30 a few years ago, with no proper reintro (although I was not as good about eating to template), and this didn't happen.

 

Right now I am plannning to go back to strict Whole30 eating tomorrow (I can't get any more veggies until then). But we also only have 2 weeks until we leave the country, and I know they are going to be a whirlwind, and that we will be eating at others homes on several occasions.

 

I have no idea how long it will take to feel like myself again with how much of a mess I've made of my body this week.

 

I'm also concerned about how to stomach and cook compliant food over the next few days. If anyone has suggestions for easy to prep, extremely kind to your tummy foods, I am all ears. No tomatoes, as I did discover during my Whole21 that I am sensitive to those - the only time my stomach bothered me during my Whole21 was after high-tomato meals, like chili or "spaghetti".

I know everyone is different, but if you could only choose a few things to religiously avoid, even at others homes, what would they be, in light of stomach issues? Gluten? Dairy? Sugar?

I want to kindly accept my friend's hospitality. But I also don't want to keep feeling like this, and would like to also enjoy my friend's company, not want to spend my last 2 weeks curled up on the couch, near a bathroom.

 

I'd also love to hear from those who do best with the black and white of Whole30, but struggle in this grey "off road" area, like me. I do great with rules, and also with causes... So knowing I am doing "Whole30" gives me a sense of accomplishment that makes it easy to say no to banned foods. But I'm not doing a Whole30, so what am I doing???

This is some of what I'm wrestling through right now.

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Well, after a horrible weekend spent between the couch and the toilet, with severe stomach cramps and bowel issues that had me on the verge of calling my doctor (since I'm 33 weeks pregnant). I ate what I could stomach that was compliant, which honestly meant not much of anything. By Monday morning things had settled back down, and while I don't feel like myself yet, I am able to function. I'm still not eating up to template, because I just can't. I got down two eggs this morning and a small sweet potato, and that has to be enough for now.

 

I'm happy to go back to eating Whole30 full time, I'm just scared of the repurcussions when food will be out of my control. A good friend asked me if I regret doing the Whole30, in light of the aftermath. I don't, I'm still thankful, but I am honestly shocked by how severe my reactions were.After a lifetime of eating junk, I wouldn't think 3 weeks would be enough for my body to decide to kill me if I eat something I'm intolerant of.

I've also been thinking through what are the most likely culprits. At the moment, my money is on sugar or gluten. I know the ice cream I ate the Friday before I got so sick didn't have dairy, but had loads of sugar.

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Tell you friends that you are eating a healthy diet for you and the baby. Therefore, you can't have x, y and z. I would AT LEAST say gluten and dairy, but depending on your friends, maybe you can tell them all the rules and explain that you've had terrible reactions to eating at least one of those but don't know what it is so you are not going to eat any of them. In other words, tell them the truth!

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Well, I knew I had been sick, but today I had an OB appointment. In two weeks, I lost almost 8 pounds. That's generally discouraged in your third trimester! Baby is still doing great.

 

Thankfully, I've not had tummy issues since Sunday night. This just affirms to me the importance of eating on plan and being careful, at least for right now.

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Just do your best to stay on plan, tell your friends the truth and I'd really try to stay away from at least gluten, and added sugars. Keep logging your food and maybe even your symptoms (I use SymptomTracker app) to help decipher the culprit in your tummy troubles. Also, know that pregnancy can change your body's reactions to things so do your best for now and when you return home start another Whole30 with a good reintroduction so you can know what you can/not tolerate. Good luck and congratulations!

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I would say that you need to consider that the 'upset tummy' could either be a bug you've caught, or could be your body changing because of the fact that you're pregnant, and not necessarily linked to eating Whole30.

 

people go abroad, and eat local food, and get Dehli Belly all the time, it could just be that.

 

I'm amazed you were that bad and didn't go see a doctor, or at least pharmacist, I would have anyway, even without being pregnant (but I'm a wuss, and a man, so being pregnant unlikely)

 

Hope you get better soon, and enjoy the new one, and the Oz cuisine - put some shrimps on a barby!

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I would say that you need to consider that the 'upset tummy' could either be a bug you've caught, or could be your body changing because of the fact that you're pregnant, and not necessarily linked to eating Whole30.

 

people go abroad, and eat local food, and get Dehli Belly all the time, it could just be that.

 

I'm amazed you were that bad and didn't go see a doctor, or at least pharmacist, I would have anyway, even without being pregnant (but I'm a wuss, and a man, so being pregnant unlikely)

 

Hope you get better soon, and enjoy the new one, and the Oz cuisine - put some shrimps on a barby!

 

The reason I think it was food intolerance related is because it started within a few hours of eating some sweets prepared by friends of mine. Nothing exotic. We're talking cookies, homemade tortilla chips and guac, that sort of thing. Most of the times my symptoms worsened, it was after something simple and pre-packaged, like a Snickers bar or ice cream. The only exception to that would be the 2 steaks I had, but I was sick for several days before the steaks, and starting to improve after the steaks until I had the ice cream.

 

In hindsight, I definitely should have contacted my doctor, especially last weekend when I was the worst. But I'm not one to run to the doctor quickly. And I really didn't see any signs that I was losing weight, but being pregnant it's hard to tell that sort of thing.

All that said, I'm certainly hoping there will be opportunities for good food in Australia that is compliant, or at the very least gluten free :)

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Well, I've avoided the boards for the most part this week. This is going to be a major brain dump, confession, mess of a post. If you are up to sticking through it, bless you! Maybe just putting this in writing even if no one reads it will help.

 

I started what was supposed to be a Whole30 on April 1st. I had been slowly moving to healthier eating, and the movement to Whole30 was awesome. I felt great. I had more energy. I didn't go through carb flu. A week or so into the Whole30, I found out that my girlfriends were planning a baby shower/girls' night for me. This was to celebrate our 6th baby, and also to give me time with my friends before we leave our ex-pat community for 3 months. I decided then that I would complete a Whole21, and just enjoy the girls night, planning to go right back into Whole30 eating after that. We leave PNG to go to Australia for the birth of our baby only 21 days after the girls night, so I knew I wouldn't have time for a full Whole30 before we got to the first world, abnd the opportunity to eat out and enjoy foods I haven't seen in almost 2 years. But I decided I would just do my best every day, and not worry about getting perfect reintroductions.

 

My girls night was a ton of fun. I was able to say "no" to things that weren't worth it, but did enjoy sugar, dairy, peanut butter, and some gluten. I felt SO SICK by the about 4am.

 

I had no desire to go off thr rails more, I just wanted to stay curled up and wait for the stomach pain to pass. But Mon and Tuesday passed, and I still felt awful. In addition, I found myself more discouraged and isolated than I expected by losing my Whole30 "group" on the boards, along with that sense of accomplishment that I was really "doing" Whole30.

 

Wednesday we had to leave unexpectedly to go to a town about 2 hours away. We had limited shopping options beforehand. I brought meat and eggs, but wasn't able to bring enough veggies to make template meals. I continued to feel awful. Wednesday night I caved and had a candy bar, because why not?! I already felt awful. (Not that this is good logic). Thursday we ate out. I had a steak and veggies, but eating out in this country is already enough of an adventure, trying to explain that you want them to avoid seasonings, oils, or butter on your food is not going to happen. Friday we also ended up needing to eat out on our way home. I continued to feel terrible, with major stomach issues. Last night, I caved again and had some non-ice cream "ice cream" that we get in country here with the kids, which has absolutely nothing resembling dairy or real cream... Basically just a chemical mess that loosely resembles ice cream. By the middle of the night, my stomach issues were out of control.

 

I am feeling discouraged and so sick it's hard to want to eat anything, and particularly hard to imagine cooking. Compared to how I was eating before my Whole21, this week has been a great victory. I ate one candy bar. I ate steak and veggies. I didn't cave into soda, despite the huge emotional and psychological connection I have to it.... If I feel neauseated, my body thinks soda will help. If I have a headache, my body thinks soda will help. If I am sad, my body thinks soda will help. But I know that I know that I know that this is a lie, and so far I've been able to stay strong.

 

But apparently my Whole21 was enough time for my body to recognize that it is sensitive to something i ate previously, which has triggered this week of awfulness. I did a full Whole30 a few years ago, with no proper reintro (although I was not as good about eating to template), and this didn't happen.

 

Right now I am plannning to go back to strict Whole30 eating tomorrow (I can't get any more veggies until then). But we also only have 2 weeks until we leave the country, and I know they are going to be a whirlwind, and that we will be eating at others homes on several occasions.

 

I have no idea how long it will take to feel like myself again with how much of a mess I've made of my body this week.

 

I'm also concerned about how to stomach and cook compliant food over the next few days. If anyone has suggestions for easy to prep, extremely kind to your tummy foods, I am all ears. No tomatoes, as I did discover during my Whole21 that I am sensitive to those - the only time my stomach bothered me during my Whole21 was after high-tomato meals, like chili or "spaghetti".

I know everyone is different, but if you could only choose a few things to religiously avoid, even at others homes, what would they be, in light of stomach issues? Gluten? Dairy? Sugar?

I want to kindly accept my friend's hospitality. But I also don't want to keep feeling like this, and would like to also enjoy my friend's company, not want to spend my last 2 weeks curled up on the couch, near a bathroom.

 

I'd also love to hear from those who do best with the black and white of Whole30, but struggle in this grey "off road" area, like me. I do great with rules, and also with causes... So knowing I am doing "Whole30" gives me a sense of accomplishment that makes it easy to say no to banned foods. But I'm not doing a Whole30, so what am I doing???

This is some of what I'm wrestling through right now.

So sorry you tipped the wagon and paid dreadfully for it.  Interesting you are in Papua New Guinea.  My daughter and SIL will be going to live there next year as Wycliffe missionaries.  I'm curious if she will be able to eat whole30 while there.  I wasn't sure what was available in the markets.

 

I would say, boil some eggs and keep them around,  cut up some carrots and celery too.  You could cook some bacon and save it also.  When I get hungry I eat a boiled egg on top of something green with berries (in my case blueberries and chopped nuts like walnuts, with olive oil).  If you can get canned tuna or salmon, they would do in a pinch.  Olives also.

 

Best of luck.  Shirley

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So sorry you tipped the wagon and paid dreadfully for it.  Interesting you are in Papua New Guinea.  My daughter and SIL will be going to live there next year as Wycliffe missionaries.  I'm curious if she will be able to eat whole30 while there.  I wasn't sure what was available in the markets.

 

I would say, boil some eggs and keep them around,  cut up some carrots and celery too.  You could cook some bacon and save it also.  When I get hungry I eat a boiled egg on top of something green with berries (in my case blueberries and chopped nuts like walnuts, with olive oil).  If you can get canned tuna or salmon, they would do in a pinch.  Olives also.

 

Best of luck.  Shirley

That is exciting! Will they be in Ukarumpa? That's where we are based. Meat is expensive, but available, and we have a wide variety of veggies and a lot of fruits at our market. Compliant tuna is available. But you get tricky on things like compliant coconut milk, canned tomatoes, bacon, that sort of thing. Specialty items like coconut aminos are pretty much impossible to find. So if you are willing to keep it simple it works :)

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Well, another reason to keep on course, and one that will hopefully make it easier for others to understand... I just found out that according to updated Australian guidelines, I have gestational diabetes. I had my testing done here, but all our doctors are American, and apparently they use different standards. I can't imagine that there will be much different about how my doctor will want me to be eating than how I already am, with the possible modification of smaller, more frequent meals. I'll find out when we arrive next week.

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Well, another reason to keep on course, and one that will hopefully make it easier for others to understand... I just found out that according to updated Australian guidelines, I have gestational diabetes.

This helps explain your violent reaction to overdoing sugar, no?

 

Take good care!

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This helps explain your violent reaction to overdoing sugar, no?

 

Take good care!

 

It certainly could!

I hope they are open to Whole30 style eating when I meet with them in person. The information they sent me via e-mail recommends eating from "all 5 food groups", and most of the example meals and snacks are things like, "two pieces of whole wheat toast and a cup of low-fat yogurt"

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It certainly could!

I hope they are open to Whole30 style eating when I meet with them in person. The information they sent me via e-mail recommends eating from "all 5 food groups", and most of the example meals and snacks are things like, "two pieces of whole wheat toast and a cup of low-fat yogurt"

Are you going to do this?  Is it possible to talk to them about your eating principles?

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Are you going to do this?  Is it possible to talk to them about your eating principles?

 

No, and I'm going to tell them how sick I got the last few times I tried to eat anything close to what they are suggesting. The biggest area I see them strongly pushing back on might be fats. I'm not a diabetes expert, but everything "official" I've read via google recommends a low fat diet for diabetics. But it's also mostly in the context of choosing low-fat versions of ice cream, yogurt, and other foods I don't plan to eat. I'm not really sure where to start on translating their recommendations into the context of how I am currently eating.

I don't plan to eat things that have recently made me so ill. I just hope that it won't be a source of conflict with a brand new doctor.

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You might want to do some research on paleo eating and gestational diabetes. There's some interesting information out there. The glucose test given to pregnant women is really a weird test and there are other ways you can tell better what is going on. Go to your appt armed with info and questions. Hopefully your doc will be willing to listen and help!

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That is exciting! Will they be in Ukarumpa? That's where we are based. Meat is expensive, but available, and we have a wide variety of veggies and a lot of fruits at our market. Compliant tuna is available. But you get tricky on things like compliant coconut milk, canned tomatoes, bacon, that sort of thing. Specialty items like coconut aminos are pretty much impossible to find. So if you are willing to keep it simple it works :)

They are considering a placement in the western province which would be pretty far from Ukarumpa unfortunately.  But Jennifer, my daughter, is interested in learning to eat the whole food way since I've been doing the whole30.  I'm diabetic and my blood glucose levels have been amazing since I've been eating whole30.  I was taking 5 insulin injections a day and I've been able to reduce those drastically.  The no sugar, no wheat has been great for my diabetes.  I also have lots more energy and my fibromyalgia pain has been greatly reduced too.

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I have to say, the Aussie diabetic info tends to be pretty crappy, it's far behind the American recommendations, same with our Heart Foundation.

 

The glucose blood metres here though are very cheap, if you want to stock up on a meter and strips before you head back (and coconut aminos, Coconut Secret is available in most of our health food shops now, avoid the Nuilife, loaded with sugar).

 

I've found many doctors say they're anti-paleo or whatever, but they're pro wholefoods, more plants and not eating processed food ;)

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  • 3 weeks later...

I thought I would post an update :) We made it to Australia, and have settled in well. My OB didn't really talk about diet with me much at all, but did give me a blood sugar monitor, and referred me to an endocronologist. The endocronologist did talk to me for awhile about diet, but his recommendations were fine. Avoid sugar, eat as much meat and good fat as you want, any fruit but mango (he said it is really high glycemic index), whole grains instead of refined, etc. The only recommenation of his that has been hard is no potatoes of any kind, and I really miss sweet potatoes. But considering that we had no other battles, I think I can go without them for a few weeks.

 

As far as how I am doing overall, I am eating mostly paleo at home (not going to call it Whole30, since that implies no cheating and eating to template, which I'm not always doing), but not stressing if we go out to eat and I want something "off." My stomach seems to have settled down, as long as I don't have multiple off plan things in a row. My plan right now is to do another Whole30 once we can get resettled back home, and then do a proper reintro so I can figure out what things are triggers.

 

All of my blood sugar readings have been perfect, which I attribute to the way I am eating. My weight gain has also been a great victory of eating this way. At each appointment I've fluctuated between gaining minimally or losing a little bit, something that's pretty much unheard of for me.

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