My current diet is a work in progress. I don’t think I have it all figured out yet, but I am getting there. I don’t think eating well will cure me. However, I feel like logically if I want to feel well, I must eat well. Therefore, a healthy diet is a worthwhile pursuit.
Gut microbiome
My nutritionist taught me the role that the gut microbiome plays in the immune system. To keep it simple, if the bad gut bacteria outnumber the good gut bacteria, imbalances are created in the immune system as well. She explained to me that now that researchers are discovering the evidence for an autoimmune basis to POTS, the gut microbiome is even more relevant to POTS.
The nutritionist said that the best way to promote the growth of good gut bacteria is to eat a variety of fruit and vegetable fiber. She also explained that sugar and artificial sweeteners are the worst offenders of promoting bad gut bacteria.
Cravings
The nutritionist also taught me about cravings. She said one of the hardest things in making dietary changes is overcoming a preference towards sugary and artificially flavored foods. Each taste bud cell lives for roughly three weeks. The new taste bud cells that replace them are fresh and untainted. They register that even a carrot is sweet. If you can hang in there and eat right for about three weeks, most of your taste buds will be accustomed to natural flavors and low sugar so you will not crave poor food choices as often. The difficulty is that once you eat a sugary food or unnaturally flavored food it “blitzes” out your taste buds and you start back at square one. I have gone through this process many times in the last few months.
It is easier to “blitz” the taste buds than I originally thought. Just this last week I realized that a dark chocolate bar I was eating was setting me back in craving sugar. It is 88% cacao and has only 3 or 4g of sugar, but it was still enough. An interesting culprit that “blitzes” your taste buds is the toothpaste or mouthwash that you use. Traditional toothpastes and mouthwashes have potent flavors. My nutritionist recommends a brand like Tom’s of Maine. Right now I am using Tom’s of Maine Luminous White toothpaste.
Overview of what I eat
What I focus on eating more of:
- Plenty of “real” food
- Fruit- organic if available
- Vegetables- organic if available
- High quality, organic meat- I buy this from Wallace Farms
What I avoid :
- Grains (All, including wheat, rice, corn, etc.)
- Dairy
- Artificial sweeteners
What I eat in moderation:
- Soy
- Beans/legumes/lentils
- Sugar
Update: I don’t follow a paleo/modified paleo diet like this anymore. I eat closer to a whole food plant-based diet now (not super strict). You can check out the post where I talk about that here.
Why I eliminate or restrict certain foods
I eliminate or restrict certain foods because they cause me to bloat or I have seen sufficient evidence that their risk is greater than their benefit. For example, I am fairly convinced that gluten is commonly problematic and a no brainer for me to eliminate. However, just because I eliminate a certain food doesn’t mean you should. I think everyone’s bodies are different and we all respond to certain foods in different ways.
If you have chronic illness it may be worth seeing a nutritionist and/or an allergist and finding out what foods are problematic for you. Logic tells me that if we are constantly feeding ourselves with things that our bodies are oppositional to, our bodies are not going to be functioning at their optimal levels. And with chronic illness, it’s all about optimization.
Challenges
The hardest part about eating a nutrient dense, restricted diet is finding the energy to prepare whole food. In the future I will share my favorite solutions for this, but to sum it all up: I pay for convenience. I buy pre-cut, frozen, and pre-made things very often. I also eat fairly simply.
It is also hard to eat a restricted and nutrient dense diet when you are the only person in your household who does. I have: my “extra” diet, a son with a severe peanut and tree nut allergy, a son who is the pickiest kid I know, and a husband who is the pickiest grown up I know. Yikes, right? I have about 10 dinner meals in rotation that I can tweak to accommodate everyone without wanting to give up and live in a van down by the river.
Update: I got to the “living in a van down by the river” breaking point. I gave up and now I eat completely separate meals from the rest of my family. Honestly, it has been nice. I don’t have to eat simply anymore and make all kinds of delicious dishes. As my energy has improved, I do more of the chopping and prepping myself.
My dietary goals
I would like to continue towards an even more nutrient-dense diet. I have yet to try a full-out Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) diet or Wahl Protocol diet. These are on my checklist of things to try in the future. However, I have to move towards them slowly so my body doesn’t freak out. Also, it is important for me to enjoy what I eat so for every food I discontinue, I find an alternative that I enjoy. Progressing slowly allows me to continue to enjoy food.
Update: As I moved closer to AIP, I was sicker than ever, hated all food, and threw in the towel. Now, I have no desire to eat that type of diet. My current goal is simple: eat real (whole) food.
What is your diet like and how has it impacted your health? Has anyone tried an AIP diet or a Wahl’s Protocol diet?
Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. Statements on this site are not meant to be taken as medical advice. These statements reflect my personal experiences having mild-ish post-viral POTS and ME. Due to the wide spectrum of these diseases, comorbidities, and everyone being different, your experiences may be very different than mine.
Note: If you post a comment, this site does NOT have a feature to notify you of responses to your comment. I have not found a good solution for that yet. However, I usually respond to every comment in a timely manner, so be sure to check back.
