My journal to beat heartburn

Share your daily McDougall menus and/or keep a journal describing your personal progress.

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Re: My journal to beat heartburn

Postby astirle » Tue Apr 18, 2017 3:27 am

Well not too much to report but still going well.
14 weeks on starch solution, no more weight loss probably because I discovered frozen banana 'ice cream' with peanut butter!! :)
2 large bananas frozen in pieces, 1 tbsp PB, whipped to divine-ness in the food processor.
This makes 4 servings for me but I should probably not eat it very often.

If I think about it, I now no longer have ANY
- swallowing problems (feeling like there was a lump in my throat)
- cough caused by heartburn
- croaky voice ditto

I still get the odd HB twinge, but instead of lasting for 30 mins it turns up as a reminder and then...gone.
It is so minimal now that I kind of take no notice, whereas before it dominated my life!!

I drink home made rejuvelac but now don't take any other supplement etc.
I drink a tsp of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water in the day but no longer use it as a remedy - no need.
I think the most helpful things I have done in my road to recovery are:
- the starch solution way of eating!!!!
- apple cider vinegar as mentioned when HB strikes
- raising the bed head 4 inches
- walking around a lot, when i fee any symptoms at all I try to move about. Sitting is bad for it.

I am loving the food and grateful every day for feeling well.
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Re: My journal to beat heartburn

Postby Riva » Tue Apr 18, 2017 8:59 am

I am so happy for your good progress. As Jeff Novick says....time and adherence make the difference.
I have struggled with this and I have had ups and downs so I am not a model for you. But during my ups the way I am pain free is:

McDougall ++ I call it. In other words the McDougall plan but I also eliminate:
raw foods
juice
mustard
Cinnamon
any tomato products
vinegars
soy sauce
any processed foods
Peppers
flour products

What do I eat?
Cooked grains
Legumes
Cooked vegetables (except peppers and tomatoes) including lots of potatoes and sweet potatoes
Whole fruits even citrus
Salt, sugar, nutritional yeast and leaf herbs

If it's not on the above list I don't eat it. And when I do this I am fine....usually in 3 days. It's kind of like how Chef AJ eats now except I do eat salt and sugar.

Riva

So...if it is not on the above list....I don't eat it.
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Re: My journal to beat heartburn

Postby astirle » Wed Apr 19, 2017 4:45 am

How interesting thank you Riva!

I had also got rid of cinnamon, juice and raw foods other than fruit. Rice crackers (just puffed rice) are terrible.

I also found raw nuts on their own are definitely triggers heartburn, but a little IN something does not bother me. But I really restrict nuts otherwise.

Tomatoes would be a real challenge..maybe I should test it out though.

I am pretty sure I can't ever drink wine or have chocolate/cocoa again, I did a few tiny attempts over last weeks and regretted it!!

I will think about your list :)
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Re: My journal to beat heartburn

Postby Riva » Wed Apr 19, 2017 10:19 am

Hmm. I thought a posted another reply but I don't see it. Here it is...or an expanded version:

Tomatoes are a major offender for me and indeed, it is sad to have to eliminate them. Such a wonderful flavor enhancer.
I wonder if I was able to be off Prilosec and eat the way my list said.....if after awhile of good health...I could add tomatoes back in a bit? It's a thought. I know that when I was eating purely after a few months I was able to add back in salad (raw vegetables) so maybe enough healing would take place to add back some of those foods that are healthy in general but seem to wreak havoc with my esophagus now!

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Re: My journal to beat heartburn

Postby Timaca » Wed Apr 19, 2017 9:13 pm

astirle~ Glad to hear you are seeing improvements!!! :)

I can't say I've made any great strides.....I did notice that a 1/2 grapefruit seemed to aggravate the heartburn.... :cry:

Wishing everyone no heartburn!! :)
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Re: My journal to beat heartburn

Postby astirle » Thu May 11, 2017 5:55 am

18 weeks on starch solution .. how time flies!

Well maybe should be 17 weeks ..because I was travelling last week and got trapped food wise a few times.
Had to eat food which for sure had oil, tried to eat vegan but was really difficult.
I just hate making a fuss about food when out.
Also had a couple of glasses of wine which although it did not bother me at the time, must have had a cumulative effect.
Only took a few days of a few 'cheats' for my swallowing symptoms and heartburn to start to come back - what a wakeup call!
Sitting for 7 hours a day in the passenger seat was also deadly for heartburn, I need to move around.

Back home to my beloved beans veg and potatoes. After only 2 days I feel great again and my digestion and elimination are almost perfect again. Any twinge and a tsp of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water does the trick.

Meanwhile have lost another kilo without trying.
I can't believe this diet sometimes, I eat as much as I like, and never think about the calories.
I remember for years when I was dieting I didn't eat fruit or potatoes because of the calories - now I don't think twice about eating 2 bananas a day.
I must definitely avoid nuts on their own as a snack though, note to self: do not do this!!

18 weeks on starch solution BMI 22.5
I can't remember when I was last this weight, which means I must have been a teenager.
Amazing.
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Re: My journal to beat heartburn

Postby Timaca » Thu May 11, 2017 5:05 pm

Yay! Good for you! :D Congratulations!
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Re: My journal to beat heartburn

Postby astirle » Sat May 13, 2017 3:12 am

Thanks Timaca I am very pleased :) greetings to you.

In fact I wonder why eating potatoes makes me happy!! It used to be chocolate, ice cream etc.
Now the highlight of deliciousness for me is banana nicecream (frozen banana, soy milk whipped up in the food processor with a few roasted peanuts on top..heaven). Something happened to my tastebuds along the way, which I NEVER would have believed if someone told me prior to me embarking on this way of eating.

Also as of today I have no rosacea (the little bumps). My face is smooth..
Of course i still have the red patches of little veins so I look permanently sunburned, but I believe there is a common laser treatment to reduce these (yet to enquire).
I still don't know what causes the flareups. It's not hormonal and I can't link it with any particular foods.
I'd like to think it was cured by the SS diet but I doubt it, I expect to see it flare up again sometime.
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Re: My journal to beat heartburn

Postby Riva » Thu Jun 01, 2017 7:23 pm

Hi Astirle - following your lead and Karen's I cold turkeyed off Prilosec and started a journal called It's an Experiment! Riva's New Journal.

Thanks for sharing.

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Re: My journal to beat heartburn

Postby Riva » Tue Jun 06, 2017 4:15 pm

Hi Asterli - Could you tell us what you eat now on a typical day. You are 4 months into this and wondering if you have evolved over what you can safely eat. Are you taking any tums or H2 Blocker? YAY for getting off Prilosec.

I am on day 7 and struggling. But I started Zantac for awhile. Trying not to consider that a failure.

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Re: My journal to beat heartburn

Postby astirle » Wed Jun 14, 2017 6:31 pm

Hello world

So sorry Riva that you thought I was around..this forum is pretty quiet and I didn't actually think anyone would read my ramblings!
Yes coming up to 6 months on starch solution now.
It has been great for my heartburn but took a long time, several months to really feel the result.
I have to say I really don't cheat, probably only 5 glasses of wine over 5 months.
I have not eaten ANY dairy or animal products and not added any oil to food in that time.
Other than chocolate, cocoa, raw nuts, puffed rice and other dry crackers, and wine, I can't really be sure that any one food aggravates the HB.
Because sometimes I *think* one food has caused it but then I eat it again with no effects. I don't eat citrus because I don't like it.

I continued on anyway although I was discouraged at first not to see rapid relief, because of the wonderful 'side effects':
- loads of energy and some days an inexplicable feeling of great happiness and gratitude
- weight loss 15 pounds which stopped around a month ago, I'm happy at BMI 22.5
- being able to eat and be satisfied without thinking about counting calories, ever!
- end of constipation (never knew dairy products could be behind that, because I always ate loads of veg)
- big reduction in rosacea which is an 'acne-like' redness with little bumps that I have in patches on my cheeks

I take NO medications at all now and have not since the hell I went through when I went off the ppi 5 months or so ago.
Even though I only took them for a short time. So if you've been on them for an extended time I imagine it might be worse.
I read about people on the 10 day program who stopped ppis and heartburn was gone in days..hard to believe but anyhow was not the case for me. I have salt in veg stock, and sugar *only occasionally* if I make muffins or cake but I prefer dates to sugar mostly.
I am lucky that I can have a lifestyle where I pretty much never eat out.
That would be difficult and up eating non compliant food if I was trapped in a family food occasion as I don't like making a fuss about food with other people.

Typical day

breakfast
- HUGE bowl of pressure cooked whole oat groats with a handful of raisins added after cooking (they expand in the heat). I cook 1.5 cups in 8 cups water and it produces a giant pot which I refrigerate and eat over about 5 days. I eat this every single day with half cup frozen blueberries on top and a tablespoon of flax seeds (soaked in a little hot water first to expand).
It's my favourite meal of the day!
I really look forward to it, funny as it sounds :)
lunch
- vegetable soup of all sorts ( any and all combinations of green veg, lentils, potato, sweet potato, leek, potato, onion, veg stock) sometimes with home made bread but I am starting to suspect gluten so I don't eat much of that, nice as it is..I also make wraps with spread of hummus always a grated carrot and loads of other veg or salad in the fridge, and Jeff Novick's bean burgers. Some avocado also maybe 2 x per month. If I had to eat out I'd choose veg sushi.
I can eat raw things now.
dinner
Could be veg lasagna with cashew sauce if a special occasion. Pasta with beans, pasta with other veg sauces.
Brown rice with lentils, chickpeas or other legumes with Indian style seasoning eg chana masala.
Rice, mexican bean chili with corn, oil free oven fries and greens is my favourite of all dinners. I could eat this every day but restrict to 2x week for husband's sake.
We always have a big serve of green veg.
If I have dessert it's generally frozen banana whipped in the food processor with vanilla and a little soy to get it going.
Sometimes with a tiny sprinkle of peanuts (like, 1 teaspoon) as I am a bit wary of nuts. Also sometimes one of Mary McDougall's desserts or something from the low fat vegan bloggers like http://www.feastingonfruit.com as long as not chocolate.

I do eat tomato in food and even sriracha on beans sometimes. Chili used to be the worst thing for me but now it seems to be OK.
Maybe I should try a strict no tomato period to see if it really is a problem.. but so far I think I'd miss it too much.
I also have a picky husband to consider, who likes food tasty and varied although I am so lucky that he is happy to eat vegan (if I cook that is!)

Regarding the heartburn now, I do still get it but it's generally like a little 'reminder' and then is gone in a minute or two.
If it lasts any longer I have a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water and it helps immediately, better than any med.
Lately I have been having 2-3 days straight with no symptoms at all which is heaven, it's only when I feel it again that I realise that it was gone for so long!

That's enough long ramble for now, hope it answers some questions Riva and that you are doing good!!
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Re: My journal to beat heartburn

Postby Riva » Wed Jun 14, 2017 9:00 pm

Asterli---Thank you so much for the effort you put into answering my questions. It will help me in the weeks to come.
The most important thing that you said is that it took months (as opposed to days that one hears about). I am going to stay compliant and have patience. It inspires me that you can eat tomatoes and raisins and blueberries! I want that too.

Again, thanks and I will probably read your letter everyday for support.

Riva
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Re: My journal to beat heartburn

Postby astirle » Wed Jun 14, 2017 9:07 pm

My pleasure Riva - it's from the heart, from me to you.

I've also been enjoying Nick Wo's youtube videos - Wo & Behold - lovely amusing guys.
Maybe have some time out to enjoy those?

All the best!!
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Re: My journal to beat heartburn

Postby Riva » Wed Jun 14, 2017 9:57 pm

Astirle - I was rereading your letter and there was a short innocent little sentence in there that most people wouldn't be excited about but I was: "I can eat raw foods now."

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Re: My journal to beat heartburn

Postby KareninTN » Thu Jun 15, 2017 7:00 am

Hi astirle, Thank you for responding to Riva. I have been following along too. If I had not had your example, I don't think I would have had the courage to persevere as long as it took to get off the ppis. I am now in my 8th week post-pills. In my 7th week, symptoms of rebound hyperacidity finally went away, yay! I am feeling much more human and hopeful now. :-D I hope I can eat frozen blueberries eventually, too. It was hard to get any accurate testing done until the rebound effects settled down, but now I will slowly determine what traffic will bear. Please know your process/progress is very important to me, as well as Riva.

Karen
McDougalling since summer, 2005. Maintaining my 100 pound weight loss since summer, 2007. My Star McDougaller stories: video written
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