Hi Bren,

I'm no expert, but can offer you some thoughts based on my time with the diet (started in April/May this year).

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Im terribly confused by the food lists being so contradictive.


As others have commented before, throw out the food lists and focus on the iodine. I used the food list initially because I was too lazy to go out and buy iodine, but once I got the iodine list, I realized how conflicting the lists and iodine test results were. Part of that difference can be attributed to when the fruit/vegetable was picked.

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pineapple (cut one up, very ripe, tested it, it is yummy but could it cause a flare??)



I have the unenviable misfortune of being on a candida diet (essentially the same as the NSD but no sugar, including fruits). However, in two-week moment of weakness, I kicked the fruit embargo and tried eating various fruits. The pineapple I tried didn't turn color instantly, so I scarfed it down (yummmm). Later when I was cleaning up the plates, I noticed that there was a slight blueish tint to the iodine tested pieces - that indicated to me that there was still some trace starches in it. Sure enough, I felt some mild back stiffness and SI discomfort later in the day - it wasn't bad, but it was clear that the pineapple led to that. It sounds like yours was super ripe, if that's the case, you might be safe. One moral of the story is that sometimes, it takes a while for the iodine to show it's true colors (especially true for cucumber centers, see below).

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I need a plan. What would you suggest???


Hidden starches are sneaky. First thing I would do is test all of your supplements and meds to make sure you're not taking in any unecessary starches.

Most of the foods on your list look safe. As I mentioned earlier, the fruits can or cannot be starchy depending on the season and when they are picked. You may want to see how you feel if you ditch the fruits for a week. For what I've read from earlier posts, grapes are probably the safest fruits on your list. Double check to make sure the tin tuna and bottled peaches don't contain any hidden starches - use the iodine to re-evaluate these products. Maybe there's some preservative used that they snuck in there.

From my experience, I've occasionally noted that sometimes the centers of cucumbers are starchy (not often, but enough times where I go through the hassle of cutting the centers out). Cabbage is typically safe too, but there are times where I noticed it to be starchy. I tend to cut out the core or thick pieces as I suspect those are more likely to be starchy (not 100% sure on that...). Lastly, many people feel that cooking the vegetables releases the starches - so make sure you test it after you cook and consider not cooking the vegetables too long initially.

The next approach may be a little draconian in nature, but it may shed some light on some of your reactions. Some people in using diet to manage their arthritis go through an elimination diet. This is where they start with a blank slate, and every day or two, they rotate in one food. This way it becomes easier to determine what they don't react to. You may not want to start from square 0, and just assume that red meat, fish, eggs, are OK.

I'm a big proponent of a food/pain diary - it's helpful to determine if any patterns emerge that are food related. I no longer keep one, but when I started the diet, it was an invaluable tool for me.

Best of luck!

Freddie

PS. The SE Asian in me throws a shout out for the fish sauce/lime pairing! Yum!!!!

"But I also have to say, for the umpty-umpth time, that life isn't fair. It's just fairer than death, that's all." -- from William Goldman's _Princess Bride_