I just reread my last post - clearly I was very tired when I wrote it!
So where is the diet now? Iām actually feeling pretty normal! Itās been 6 months and Iām finally getting to a point where my diet isnāt dictating my life anymore.
The rice, soy sauce and seaweed seemed to go down ok at the time, but I later had to retract the soy sauce as it seemed to trigger me. That is very sad because soy is in EVERYTHING! I havenāt gone crazy with the rice since either, my gut health wasnāt crystal clear at the time and I have a small suspicion that it might also be a mild trigger.
Going back on the basics diet when youāre just starting to taste freedom is ALOT harder than first starting it. It also sucks more if youāve reintroduced carbs again and have to go through that withdrawal.
I had another planned slip in control, unsurprisingly with the same friend I went to Vienna with. It was her birthday and I travelled to be there. The plan was afternoon/cream tea and then cocktails. I really didnāt want to be the stick in the mud and be awkward with the food (that had to all be prebooked etc). I decided since Iād been a little shaky, following identifying soy sauce as a trigger, Iād have a āwheat weekendā and cut back to a stricter diet when I got back. And this is how it went down...
I had a train station sausage roll (starving, in a rush) - felt fine. Had the afternoon tea (scotch eggs, pork pies, sandwiches, scones, shortbread and fudge cake) - felt fine! Had cocktails (avoiding rum) - felt fine! I was so chuffed, but didnāt want to push it, so when we went for end of the night snacks, I chose a āsafeā chicken and chips option - felt ill. GREAT! They werenāt even good chicken or chips, I felt so cheated. Thankfully I just felt ill and it didnāt trigger my ibs but it serves me right for eating anything from a scabby chicken stop in the first place.
The strange thing was, the next day I actually felt better than I had done before the trip. I wound up eating some more wheat and decided to turn it into a reintroduction the following day when I was out for another friends birthday meal.
So now I can eat wheat! (White wheat, I havenāt tried wholemeal etc) The diet is pretty against wheat since itās so processed and not that nutritious, but Iāve actually been feeling quite good with it and itās made everything SO much easier when eating away from home.
On a sad note, if it turns out I canāt have soy at all that essentially means I wonāt be able to go back to being vegetarian. I got quite upset about that at the time, it just drove home the message āthings will never be as they were beforeā, but if I can have my health back then Iām perfectly happy to make that trade.
On an exciting note, the final wheat reintroduction day I ate pasta at an Italian restaurant. Although it didnāt mention it on the menu, the first bite was far too delicious and I was certain there was garlic in it and as I kept eating there was possibly some onion in it too.
Just incase you, dear reader, are unaware, garlic and onion are terrible triggers for IBS and in the FODMAP diet they are the only things that itās recommended you cut out 100%. Which is difficult - theyāre hiding in EVERYTHING.
So I was fully anticipating an IBS flare up later that evening but.... nothing. Not a peep. WHICH IS VERY EXCITING INDEED!
Currently Iām reintroducing tomatoes on their own, following this will be garlic. Hopefully things go well as that will make my trip to America later this month much easier! Ā Ā
