Bad Abdominal Problems

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Re: Bad Abdominal Problems

Postby WholePlantFoods » Tue Jan 12, 2021 11:24 pm

KillSwitch wrote:Wow, I am sorry you are going through this. In two of the pics you posted, your abdomen looks flat and normal. You said this happens by 1PM each day. Are you having any pain? How long does it take to go back down after it distends at 1PM? If you don't eat, does this still happen at 1PM every day? How long has this been happening and when did it start? You said>>>

My name is Cindy & I have been eating/living a whole foods/starch, low-fat, sugar/flour/oil/salt/alcohol free lifestyle for 9 years.


When you began this WOE 9 years ago and lost the weight, were things ok then?


The picture at the beach is what my abdomen normally looked like throughout the day for years eating whole starches, fruits & vegetables that are low-fat without oil and no added salt or sugar (except in condiments). The other flat/normal picture is right after I wake upon the morning

Late morning I start to get hungry so around noon I have a meal. Then, the distention starts. It's not painful, just makes it difficult to waddle around & my clothes are uncomfortable. This never happens until I start eating food. It gets worse the more I eat so by bedtime it's at it's peak. By morning it's back to normal & the cycle starts all over again. This only started happening in the last year & it's frustrating. I'm convinced that eating animals & their secretions is unhealthy for humans but it sure is hard to keep believing & staying true to this lifestyle when my meat eating friends & family are lanky as ever.
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Re: Bad Abdominal Problems

Postby Lyndzie » Wed Jan 13, 2021 1:54 pm

I’ve had a couple of passing thoughts, and please take these with a grain of salt, because I am just a random internet stranger.

Do you take a probiotic? If so, quit.

If you don’t, what about eating something fermented? Like sauerkraut? Just a little, like a tbsp or two a day. Or natto, homemade soy yogurt, etc. Pick one and try it for a bit and see if that helps.

I had a friend who did the raw food thing for quite a while and had terrible bloating issues (admittedly not as bad as yours) when she reintroduced cooked food. Maybe reducing the raw foods and eating more cooked will do the trick.

Wishing you the best!
Lindsey
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Re: Bad Abdominal Problems

Postby WholePlantFoods » Wed Jan 13, 2021 9:23 pm

Lyndzie wrote:I’ve had a couple of passing thoughts, and please take these with a grain of salt, because I am just a random internet stranger.

Do you take a probiotic? If so, quit.

If you don’t, what about eating something fermented? Like sauerkraut? Just a little, like a tbsp or two a day. Or natto, homemade soy yogurt, etc. Pick one and try it for a bit and see if that helps.

I had a friend who did the raw food thing for quite a while and had terrible bloating issues (admittedly not as bad as yours) when she reintroduced cooked food. Maybe reducing the raw foods and eating more cooked will do the trick.

Wishing you the best!


I don't take a probiotic. Just daily B12 & thyroid medication.

I make my own sauerkraut & have Mother-In-Law's Kimchi. I was wondering if I could make almond milk yogurt or something like that in the IP? I could add horseradish to it among other things & put over my potatoes. It has a "yogurt" button so I'll have to find out how to do it.

Something that can be a resolution & is definitely a worsening habit is my use of condiments like tamari, picante sauce, cinnamon, sriracha & cholula. I pour it over my food & want to stop this. I justified the last few years that since I hover around 100 pounds & eat whole plants that I can allow myself that pleasure. I won't even eat a plain potato. Everything has to be drowning. What advice would you suggest? I really want to be free of this & enjoy a JSP with a dust of cinnamon or plain like other people seem to.

I'm asking you because I think you have good things to say about being healthful. :)
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Re: Bad Abdominal Problems

Postby Lyndzie » Fri Jan 15, 2021 8:32 pm

Ok, my thought would be to quit the fermented foods for a bit. It’s something out of balance, and since you already are eating probiotics, I’d quit. Jeff has written that fermented foods are not necessary for gut health, and hopefully by simply removing them your body your biome will readjust.

I’ve made yogurt in the instant pot. Almond milk does not set, so you would need a thickener. But, I think removing fermented stuff is your best bet right now (even kombucha).

Why are you concerned about the sauce? Just salt content, or another reason? I mean, I wouldn’t eat a plain potato either. Salt is totally fine, just keep it within the recommendations of less than 1500 mg a day. Maybe I’m not the best one for advice on this, because I love cholula, too. But, if you want to quit, then like all things, you just have to quit. Your tastes will adjust.

Keep us posted on your progress!
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Re: Bad Abdominal Problems

Postby WholePlantFoods » Fri Jan 15, 2021 10:56 pm

Lyndzie wrote:Ok, my thought would be to quit the fermented foods for a bit. It’s something out of balance, and since you already are eating probiotics, I’d quit. Jeff has written that fermented foods are not necessary for gut health, and hopefully by simply removing them your body your biome will readjust.

I’ve made yogurt in the instant pot. Almond milk does not set, so you would need a thickener. But, I think removing fermented stuff is your best bet right now (even kombucha).

Why are you concerned about the sauce? Just salt content, or another reason? I mean, I wouldn’t eat a plain potato either. Salt is totally fine, just keep it within the recommendations of less than 1500 mg a day. Maybe I’m not the best one for advice on this, because I love cholula, too. But, if you want to quit, then like all things, you just have to quit. Your tastes will adjust.

Keep us posted on your progress!


I don't think continuing with my use of condiments is a problem unless the spice or sodium interferes with the elimination diet. The rules state salt is ok but nothing else. Not even cinnamon on a JSP? And, if it's ok to eat brown rice, why not oatmeal? I'm not understanding the rationale.

Common sense tells me I can have raw lettuces, but all the veggies and/or fruit should be cooked thoroughly. No balsamic, lemon?

I want to do this process completely correct because I'm giving it 100% of my effort & I don't want to inadvertently make a mistake. In order to use the biofeedback I have to have to do things right. I'm thinking it's a temporary way of eating that drastically reduces the fiber & then evaluating whether the bad distention & bloat subsides. Is that it?
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Re: Bad Abdominal Problems

Postby viv » Sat Jan 16, 2021 9:31 pm

Hi Cindy,

Stop eating those "humongous" salads and all these greens and cruciferous veggies and all those spicy condiments etc etc. It's giving me indigestion just reading about it! Dr McDougall does not recommend giant servings of greens and cruciferous veggies. McDougall diet is mostly starch with just smaller servings of veg and fruit on the side.

Suggest you give your system a break and just eat very simply for a while, e.g. mostly rice and a little fruit or similar.

Although you might want to get a diagnosis just to be on the safe side. You can go to a regular doctor for an exam and/or ultrasound just to make sure there's nothing lurking.

btw I went to U.C. Santa Cruz! (back in the day)

Good luck,
Viv
5'8", Started March 2013
Starting weight: 217
Current weight: 157
60lbs gone--for good!
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Re: Bad Abdominal Problems

Postby WholePlantFoods » Mon Jan 18, 2021 12:39 am

viv wrote:Hi Cindy,

Stop eating those "humongous" salads and all these greens and cruciferous veggies and all those spicy condiments etc etc. It's giving me indigestion just reading about it! Dr McDougall does not recommend giant servings of greens and cruciferous veggies. McDougall diet is mostly starch with just smaller servings of veg and fruit on the side.

Suggest you give your system a break and just eat very simply for a while, e.g. mostly rice and a little fruit or similar.

Although you might want to get a diagnosis just to be on the safe side. You can go to a regular doctor for an exam and/or ultrasound just to make sure there's nothing lurking.

btw I went to U.C. Santa Cruz! (back in the day)

Good luck,
Viv


Hey Viv!

Thanks for the reinforcement. I'm still bloated even with cooking everything, hopefully it will start to subside soon. I'm eating veggies, fruit & potatoes only. I got carried away last year after listening to all the GI docs encourage microbiome diversity & the other docs advocating huge salads (Fuhrman & Goldhammer), staged eating & UWL guidelines. I think I got myself so full of raw fiber, eat lbs. of veggies everyday plus starch & it caused horrible gut issues that maybe I won't be able to fix. I shouldn't have deviated from the main premise of The Starch Solution.

My PCP wouldn't order an ultrasound yet so I'm going to ask for a referral to a GI specialist.

What did you study at UCSC? My oldest son is a freshman there this year & living in the dorm. Studying Psychology at Crown/Merrill.
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Re: Bad Abdominal Problems

Postby viv » Mon Jan 18, 2021 10:54 am

Hi Cindy,

Great that you are cutting back on the pot luck size salads! Just another thought, with lots of raw foods and kimchi, you might want to be checked for parasites, which can cause bloating and pain. Also, fermented foods can cause bloating in sensitive peoples.

Also make sure your B12 levels are up, so important.

I have Hashimoto's (low thyroid) and have been taking levothyroxine for years. I don't take Armour because it's not vegan! (pigs), plus I have read the dose is not stable. The McDougall diet has been wonderful, it's stabilized the Hashimotos and I feel so much better.

Great that your son in at UCSC, it's so wonderful in a gorgeous campus. I did graphic design years ago when UC had a Palo Alto extension. We used to go up to the main campus for seminars etc. I then worked at Apple for a number of years, the best time of my life! Later I moved and got a psych degree and after working in the mental health field now work in teaching. I've done lots of stuff in my life!

Good luck Cindy, relax, meditate, go to the beach and think happy thoughts! Everything will be ok.
Viv
5'8", Started March 2013
Starting weight: 217
Current weight: 157
60lbs gone--for good!
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UPDATE Re: Bad Abdominal Problems

Postby WholePlantFoods » Sun Mar 07, 2021 5:09 pm

Hi Everyone,

I wanted to post a quick update regarding the bloating/distention issue I experienced & how things are going. There might be something in my situation that helps someone else out.

The pictures I've included are from yesterday. Upon rising in the morning, after lunch & before bed. The bloating/distention has greatly subsided to what I would call normal. I still have the issue of constipation which is odd.

Thanks Lyndzie for recommending the elimination diet, I used it as a guideline. For 1.5 months, I have excluded everything except for cooked & raw veggies along with sweet potatoes & regular potatoes. Nothing else except for light condiments (tomato paste, Kirkland no-salt, lemon, etc.) I eat twice/day, substantial meals usually around noon & again at 5:30 or so. (Don't eat breakfast because I'm not hungry for it). I also drink 3 Liters of water/day. In the morning I stretch for an hour & then go for a 3.5 mile walk.

I thought that the constipation would get better with decreased bloating, but that's not the case. I used Magnesium Citrate for a long while without any significant result. Prunes help but I can easily overeat them so I refrain. Me & moderation are not friends... Daydream suggested Magnesium Oxide so I will try that & see what happens. Things "move" every 2-3 days which can't be right. I'm obviously not a human anomaly, so that means I am still doing something that Dr. McDougall would not recommend. I just have to figure out what it is. So, I'm still working on it. Any ideas?
https://www.flickr.com/photos/191672749 ... ed-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/191672749 ... ed-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/191672749 ... ed-public/
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Re: Bad Abdominal Problems

Postby Daydream » Mon Mar 08, 2021 7:02 am

Cindy, wow, I see a SIGNIFICANT improvement in your recent pictures!! I'm really happy for you, that's wonderful. Thank you for posting your update.

If you have constipation, you could experiment drinking a glass of prune juice each day. You might not have a problem with moderation drinking prune juice vs eating prunes.
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Re: Bad Abdominal Problems

Postby debknott » Mon Mar 08, 2021 1:39 pm

Cindy,

For me eating a large bowl of oatmeal for lunch almost every day helps me avoid constipation. When I still fight with it I take Next to Nature capsules. These are a particular type of aloe vera, and are quite effective. Here's a link to them on Amazon if you want to check them out.

https://www.amazon.com/Next-Nature-Caps ... 245&sr=8-1

Deborah
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Re: Bad Abdominal Problems

Postby nutragirl » Tue May 04, 2021 4:07 pm

How Re you doing now? I could be your twin!
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Re: Bad Abdominal Problems

Postby WholePlantFoods » Tue May 04, 2021 9:06 pm

nutragirl wrote:How Re you doing now? I could be your twin!


Uh-oh, you mean be a twin as in bloat wise? I am doing well now because I went back to the simple basics & am living/eating in the way Dr. McDougall recommends. A starch based meal plan with green/yellow veggies plus fruit as tolerated. In addition, I exercise a sensible way everyday.

This picture is right after a very large meal. https://www.flickr.com/photos/191672749 ... ed-public/

It took around 4 months to work itself out but a whole, steamed/wet starch low-fat based meal is the food our bodies are meant to thrive on. Preloading with pounds & pounds of veggies before the starch isn't always ideal. If your abdomen is bloated like mine was, your body is sending a very blatant signal to you that you probably need to alter your habits.
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