question on the basics of reintroduction

[silk]

I have questions about reintroduction.

First, some backstory. The last few months have seen some wild experimentation on my part. I was pretty much paleo for the last year, then my shadow yoga community embarked on an ayurvedic immersion, with a kitchari (rice with mung beans, vegetables and spices) cleansing diet. I didn't have any meat, etc. for about three weeks. I had some trepidation about eating grains, but decided to give it a go. It was great and I thought I'd keep some grains, especially kitchari, in my diet, and re-introduce meat, bone broth, etc.

Then my son got interested in the whole30 and I decided to do it in support of him. I know how hard it is to do this kind of stuff alone. Well, he's fallen off for now, but I feel committed to seeing it through regardless. Yet, I'm feeling that my body isn't crazy about me doing such wide swings of dietary restriction.

So, my question about reintroduction: It seems, in It Starts With Food, that the recommended reintroductions have the foods that could be problematic re-introduced first. Is there some reason for introducing possible problem foods first ?

I have no intention of re-introducing gluten foods, ever. Dairy is a wild card for me: it's ok sometimes, not ok others, and I'm not sure what or why, despite numerous elimination and re-introduction experiments. I'd like to wait for a while before re-introducing dairy.

But I would like to re-introduce kichari (rice and mung beans re-introduced separately, of course) and some occasional quinoa and gluten-free oatmeal because I think that could work for me. Basically, I'd like to create a paleo / ayurvedic hybrid, if such a thing is possible! I'd like to re-introduce the foods I think might be good for me, rather than the ones I think might be problematic. Any reason not to go that route?

[Susan W]

Sounds like a good plan to me. I have done 3 w30s now and have not re-introduced legumes because I don't care about them. I did re-introduce gluten once just to confirm that I don't do well with it.

[melbournegirl]

I am sure you can produce your own reintroduction plan, I certainly will in a few days and I am going to start with cocoa and dark chocolate as that's what I miss the most and want to know if I have a problem with it. I already know I can't tolerate gluten, dairy and legumes. But I think I will try brown rice next so I can have some with the family sometimes... Then probably quinoa and millet as I had just bought a new packet before whole30 and am reluctant to throw it out... But thinking I may not replace it after that....

I also want to try some fruits individually as my skin rash finally cleared last week, it was a bit up and down during the first three weeks but flared up two days ago and the only obvious triggers were a pear, and a shampoo I hadn't used for awhile. Could also be stress or hormone related I guess but not feeling any difference there....

I would guess thevreintro plan is based on what most people most want to try and those that give the biggest reactions potentially so you get good clarity on your tolerance

I also went vegan ...for a month and while I initially felt better, it wasn't sustainable for me without grains and legumes and my blood results went backwards

[silk]

juzbo -- can't you eat raw cacao on the whole30? Wouldn't it be hard to tell whether the chocolate or the sugar is the problem, even with dark chocolate?

When you write 'those that give the biggest reactions potentially so you get good clarity on your tolerance' are you saying that clarity is something that wears down as you re-introduce foods? Is that why problematic foods are recommended to try first? I figured I'll be more clear on dairy the longer I go without it, rather than jumping it back in after 30 days. Are you saying that I'd be in better shape to determine right after the whole30, rather than later?

[melbournegirl]

Hi silk, you can have cacao as a spice but in any other form it is considered swypo. This is a bit individual, what is swypo for some may not be for another it depends on whether you are having it as a cheat or treat or falling into a habit with it. for me it is a dragon so I have largely avoided.. I do have fruit with coconut milk but not on a regular basis, only when I feel I should have fruit (I don't have fruit much) and I also need a fat. I also have a pancake once or twice a week but not as a dessert, as a Pre WO snack or portable meal so for me i have decided this is not swypo.

I will try raw cocoa before I try the chocolate.... Although the chocolate I have only has a few grams of sugar in a bar I think

I can't really explain what I m trying to say re the re intro. For me, I have lots of issues with paleo foods, fruits and veges and nuts due to the fodmaps in them. I avoid the worst and live with the rest. some foods like legumes are inflammatory to all of us but only some of us get a severe right away reaction. If you are the former and want to add them into your diet then it will be harder as time goes by to see clear reactions with other foods or you might only react with some foods when you reach an overload point.

As mentioned in other posts our body changes to cope with long term inflammation which is why reactions to known problem foods are often more severe straight after the whole30 when the body has healed a lot

[EmmaSthlm]

I look forward to hear more about this Paleo/Ayurvedic hybrid. I guess I am looking for the same, but with a Scandinavian twist. Perhaps a Paleo/Ayurvedic/Scandinavian version...:-)

I have legumes (Ayurvedic) from time to time, and some whole grain bread (Scandinavian) every day. Otherwise I am all Paleo and I do not do dairy, for example.

It is interesting with these hybrids; food is of course not only a physiological issue, but also a cultural. I think we need to look at both the physiological and the cultural aspects, when we choose what to eat and not.

[silk]

I like your thinking, Emma!