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Reintroduction of potatos


fayeth

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I started my re-introduction process on Friday. in which I found out that of the dairy products I tried, I was sensitive to cheese. I only kept on two paper-thin flakes the size of my pinkie nail, but my stomach started producing gas bubbles not long after which lasted the whole night. I'm not broken up about having to avoid cheese though.

So on Sunday, I had brunch out with friends and ordered poached eggs that came with avocado with feta (didn't touch it because it had feta), mushrooms (ate only those which didn't touch the avocado/feta mix) and potato rosti. I forgot about avoiding white potatos and had a corner that was only half my thumb in volume.

Within 5 minutes I could not concentrate on the conversation because of a general sense of discomfort and confusion, which was evident on my face as my companion asked me what was wrong twice. Roughly ten minutes after that nibble, I went and threw up everything I'd eaten, which made me feel marginally better.

However, for the rest of the day, I felt weak in general, and my fingers were constantly icy cold. I felt like one would after having thrown up due to food poisoning.

I've gone back and read the reason why potatos are restricted, but the guidelines for Whole30 admitted it was pretty arbitrary. So I'm wondering if potatos could have caused such a reaction in anyone else?

My appetite since then has gone down by about 70%. I've packed the same amount of food which I ate for the Whole30, but I cannot seem to muster the appetite to eat more than a quarter. Is that...normal?

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  • 1 month later...

I know this thread is from over a month ago, but as a chef who cooked brunch for years, I want to contribute some ideas about things that may have contributed to your unpleasant experience.

First: You might just have contracted a tummy bug or mild food poisoning. It happens.

Second: Gluten. There is gluten everywhere in a brunch place. Where I used to work, the toaster was placed directly above the pan of home fried potatoes. Toast crumbs and more fell into the potatoes all day. The expediter will often touch someone else's plate of toast and pancakes and waffles and then plate your food without changing gloves in between. He might cut your avocado with the same knife used to cut someone else's French toast. The cook is poaching your eggs in water, but she might get them out of the water with a spoon that has been in a pan of gluten foods. The mushrooms may be cooked with a broth containing gluten, or be stored in a place where crumbs can get in just like the potatoes where I used to work. The potatoes may even have been cooked on the same griddle surface right with the pancakes and other gluten foods.

Third: Dairy can get into anything. It is insidious. People don't understand just how sensitive you can be. There may have been dairy even in the little nibbles you took. Butter, cream, traces of cheese, there are all sorts of possibilities.

Fourth: As someone mentioned, oils. And not just the ones used for cooking your food - even the ones used on others' food. Most places use soy oil pan spray for many purposes. It gets everywhere. Like, everywhere. If that stuff is used in the establishment, it is on your food. The spray is almost certainly used on the griddle where the pancakes, French toast, and possibly some of your veggies and potatoes are cooked. Spray and/or liquid soy, corn, or canola oil is often used in roasting or sauteeing potatoes, sauteeing meats, and to keep your poaching eggs from sticking to the spoon or the bottom of the pan, or if they use them, those little poaching devices. The mushrooms were likely cooked in a mix of vegetable oil and butter, and may have contained a broth that contains soy in addition to the gluten I mentioned above. Lots of things are finished with either butter or soy-based margarine too.

Fifth: Stress. You were under a lot of stress at this meal, both from recovering from the previous day's traumatic cheese experience and from trying to enjoy yourself despite all the cheese on the food you wanted to eat here but couldn't. Don't underestimate the power of your body's stress response! You can literally worry yourself sick.

Sixth: What were you drinking? Did you have something sugary, alcoholic, or more caffeinated than usual?

Seventh: Other stuff going on in your body. Was it really hot, noisy, chaotic, or otherwise uncomfortable in the restaurant? Was it your first time eating out post-Whole30? And not to be too graphic here... (squeamish men please avert your eyes) tampons and the Diva cup can both make you feel sick and faint. I can't personally use either one because my body simply rejects them with symptoms similar to those you describe.

I hope you have sorted it all out by now, I just wanted to add some perspective for those who might find this thread later!

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CraftyMary, thank you for that! That was such a comprehensive breakdown of all the things that could've gone wrong in the experience...I haven't been back, but you're very right in pointing out that cross-contamination frequently occurs in such circumstances. To this date, I haven't had the same, immediate reaction with any other food, so there hasn't been something for me to compare against, so it could've really been circumstantial. Thank you, and I hope it helps someone else who stumbles across this thread!

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  • 2 weeks later...

A thank you from me, too. That was really enlightening.

And it explains what happened to me.

I ate at a restaurant two days ago (omelett with vegetables). And while I had no immediate, violent reaction, I did feel not quite right for two days after with the second day being worse (tired, unmotivated, bad brain fog). I still feel it a bit today but not as bad any more. Nearly back at being my usual Whole30 self again.

The thing is, even before starting the Whole30 I pretty much always had this reaction after eating at cheap restaurants.

I also regularly felt like this when I didn't eat out. However, because of the delayed and prolonged response I could never pinpoint what caused it. There were so many things I was eating that I knew I probably shouldn't. And sometimes they seemed to hurt, sometimes they didn't...

I do wonder what exactly it is that causes my reaction, and if I'll be able to figure it out eventually through reintroduction experiments...

And of course those reintroductions will have to wait, because after that experience 3 days ago I'd rather extend to at least a Whole45!

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