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HELP! Quinoa + Reintro + Maybe-Bloating?


Laurab0804

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Hi! I finished my second Whole30 a couple weeks ago. Following the fast track reintroduction, I reintroduced peanuts with no real side effects. After 2 Whole30 days, I reintroduced corn. I had popcorn with breakfast, canned corn with lunch, and popcorn with dinner. Throughout the day, I didn't notice any real side effects. But by the end of the day, I noticed that, I THINK, I was bloated. Now, I don't know that I've ever really experienced bloating before. But basically, had I closed my eyes and not felt my stomach, I would not have FELT anything (tired, groggy, cranky, etc.) differently. But my stomach was just like ... sticking out. A LOT. I seriously thought I might have been pregnant. There were also two times that day where I unexpectedly felt super down/sad. Okay, so I chalked that up to corn. (@ me later if you think this is correct/incorrect)

So I went back to Whole30 for a couple days (more than 2). Then I decided to try quinoa this past Saturday. I had (rinsed) quinoa at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Felt absolutely fine the whole day. Felt absolutely fine Sunday. YESTERDAY (Monday) -- I think the "bloating" (if that's what it is) came back. AND it's still here... my stomach is sticking out SO much and has so much excess and feels so heavy that I literally took two pregnancy tests because I was freaking out that I might be pregnant. (Negative!) I searched online and found nothing super on-point with my situation. What I'm wondering is whether a reaction to quinoa can be delayed 2-3 days? And if this is what bloating is/feels like?

A few other pieces of information. I have had this bloating/stomach sticking out/feeling like I'm pregnant kind of on and off for a couple days and I never really tracked EXACTLY what I was eating before it happened because I've been eating Whole30. So I did some research and I THINK -- again, not sure--that it may have been the amount of nuts (specifically, almonds and pistachios) that I've been eating. I have pretty long days so I would eat a small package of almonds or pistachios when I got home, and maybe another one at lunch. I read this could be the source of some bloating. Also, I technically am "allergic" to almonds but I eat almonds and drink almond milk almost every day -- the allergist said I don't have to stop eating them and that the allergy may have come up because there was a bout of time where I broke out in hives, and he said if I consumed almonds while my body was having an allergic reaction, I might have triggered something from that food that I ate while I was breaking out. (This was a couple years ago, so can't remember exactly what he said.) Consuming this amount of almonds has really never been an issue for me (i.e. bloating) before these past couple weeks (and even now, I don't know that those are what's causing it). 

Also. I looked up research about FODMAPs. I have been eating raisins, apples, pistachios, broccoli, cauliflower -- all of which look like they're high FODMAP foods. 

As far as what I usually eat in a day: meal 1 is around 7am. Smoothie -- powdered egg whites, spinach, water, 1/4 or 1/2 of an avocado, couple frozen mango cubes, maybe unsweetened almond milk. Meal 2 around 11/12 -- red romaine lettuce, grilled chicken, roasted sweet potato hash browns, small closed palmful each of raisins and walnuts, homemade lemon-OO dressing. And usually a clementine or apple. Meal 3 around 4-5 -- same thing or red romaine, ground beef, homemade ranch, and sweet potato hash browns. And meal four depending on when I get home is usually the same or Whole30 chili or tenderloin (usually around 8-pm). And then with one of the meals I would usually probably have some almonds or pistachios or another fruit. 

Basically, from all this, my questions are: (1) can a reaction to quinoa be delayed 2-3 days? (2) does my description of my stomach meet what bloating feels like/usually is? (3) should I try nixing almonds altogether? (4) should I try a low FODMAP plan and if so, for how long? I'm pretty tired of this bloating stuff popping up! I did read on one thread here where someone took out FODMAPs and felt better. And I think she may have originally came to the forum because she had gained weight after her Whole30 (and same here, which is how I got started on all this research in the first place). And one more item -- I know I'm not getting nearly enough sleep during the week. However, I catch up on the weekends and followed this similar pattern last semester and the weight gain/bloating was a NON-issue. (I know sleep is so important but based on the past year, I don't think it's JUST lack of sleep on some days that is causing this maybe-bloating stuff.) Okay, I think that's it! If you read all of this...thank you and you are amazing!

 

Any and all help or advice would be appreciated! Thank you again!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi Laurab0804,

Sorry you are having a hard time figuring out what is causing your bloating. In my opinion, these things can be quite tricky to nail down but you sound like you are interested in figuring it out which is great!

(1) Yes, a reaction to any food can be longer than 2-3 days. The food can literally change the gut bacteria in your stomach in 24 hours and this can cause ripple effects. 

(2) Yes, your description of bloating is bang on. Although it sounds like you have it quite severely since you think you are preggers! I have that too so I totally get it! Scary stuff!

(3) yes it could be nuts. Try removing all nuts for a week and then testing them again.

(4) Low Fodmap is pretty hard to do and I would only recommend it for someone with severe gut issues. You want to be able to eat a board and varied diet full of lots of different things. 

Sleep and stress play a major role in everything so prioritize your sleep and make sure you add in some downtime, some meditation, yoga or stretching.

Obviously people are all different but if you find yourself gaining weight after a Whole30 then it tells you that something you are eating is contributing to this. Hormones play a huge role in our weight and that is what I would look into if I were you. Have you read "it Starts with food?" I would recommend it.

Good luck!

Hadley

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