Kickas.org Forums Treatments, Drugs and Alternatives NSD and diet-related; Beyond Starch...

Hi everyone, the NSD has been working pretty well, but I still notice some days are worse then others. Fasting is not an option at this time (I will in the near future). However, I would like to really clean up my diet for awhile, until I'm in a better place pain wise and then begin to "test" any questionable foods. So, the question is what to avoid. I understand all dairy and dairy products are out. Does that include yogurt for any of you? I see that some nuts are questionable. What about any veggies other then roots? Are the rest safe? And fruit, I know bananas are out and some unripe fruits are the rest safe? How about melons, cantaloupe, blueberries, grapefruit and strawberries? I will also avoid onions and garlic and asparagus because of the inulin (thanks zark, saw it on your homepage). Anyone else have any suggestions on what else to avoid "beyond" starchy foods? Shellfish and shrimp? Coffee and/or black tea? Wine? If anyone's ever had a reaction to ANYTHING, please let me know so I can avoid it and then do a self-test. Thank you all in advance!

Hi, Elizabeth:

Most of us do not react to onions unless they are strongly caramelized and caramel is technically not a starch, but we do react to it. Garlic has too many benefits and even Carol Sinclair does not react to fresh or even garlic powder.

Eggplant is too starchy and to be totally strict, bananas are also too starchy, but mangoes, Apples, pears, and all fruit in the apricot-stone family should be tested (if harvested too green they are starchy--with a very nasty form of starch). jackfruit, citrus pulp, Most dried fruit is safe and all melons, plums, grapes, berries, cherries, lychee fruit, mangosteen, and kiwi are safe for AS. If you react to the sugars, there could be complications from candidiasis.

Apparently shellfish can cause intestinal damage, but it is a secondary and perhaps minor reaction; I don't think most people with AS 'react' to shellfish.

Alcohol can damage the tract, but moderate amounts in wine might not be so bad to 'experiment' with, after healing has been achieved.

Good luck,
John

OK Elizabeth, Here are the typical things in Jon's diet. He is very strict as he is very sensitive to the tiniest bit of starch and dairy.

all the meats: chicken, fish, lamb, beef, pork

raw salad stuff: capsicum, celery, cucumber, all the different lettuces, spring onions, spinach, red and white cabbage, raw carrots (small amounts as they can be starchy), tomatoes (with caution as they are sometimes starchy too)

(avoid: avocadoes)

cooked veges: broccoli, capsicum, red and white cabbage, spinach, silverbeet, onion (not caramelised though), asparagus, leeks, mushrooms (small amounts)

The above veges are all safe when cooked. Many other veges are starchy when cooked as this is when the starch is released. Best way to confirm this is to cook up a particular vegetable and then test it for starch with a few drops of iodine. Some other people here can tolerate more veges like zucchini/courgette, squash, brussel sprouts, eggplant/aubergine, cauliflower and even pumpkin but you will have to find out for yourself if these are OK for you.

Nuts: almonds, macadamias

dried fruit: raisins, dates, sultanas, prunes, apricots, pineapple, apple etc.

fresh fruit (provided they test OK with the iodine): apples, pears, peaches, nectarines, feijoas, mandarins, oranges, green grapes, pineapple, honeydew melon, rockmelon, lemons, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, kiwifruit, plums

(avoid: bananas, mangoes, passionfruit)

all the green herbs but no spices (spices are starchy and that includes pepper although some people here are less sensitive and tolerate spices fine)

Eggs

Starch-free Mayonaise, Starch-free Aioli, honey,

Tea, filter coffee (instant can be starchy), pretty much all the fruit juices except the pulpy ones.

Bacon, Smoked chicken, ham (just check no maltodextrin etc).

Also, be careful of starchy additives in things like sauces or other processed foods eg. thickeners, emulsifiers, vegetable gums (Guar Gum and Xanthan Gum). Don’t eat anything with these things in it.

Here is a link to a list of starchy additives:
http://www.starch.dk/isi/applic/E-numbers.htm

I also make Jon muffins using almond flour and fruit and/or dairy free chocolate chips which he really loves. If you want to try them I can give you the recipe. Some people have problems with almonds/almond flour though. Jon does too if he has too much.

If you buy the book by Carol Sinclair "The IBS Low Starch Diet" this is very helpful in spelling out what's OK and what's not.

Good Luck
Chelsea

ALL dairy is out if you want to be strict.. that includes yogurt.

Veggies to avoid... legumes, corn

Fruits - bananas

That is my general list, but everyone is different and I do not eat anything to fancy.

When I started out I kept it simple... chicken, turkey, beef, eggs.... blueberries, pineapple, apples (never had issue with them), pears, brocolli, carrots, celery...

Was not very interesting diet.. but in a week I had my answer.

Tim

Some preservatives (eg: preservative 220), alcohol and vinegar have a very toxic effect on my body (my liver is not 100%), and I have found that this toxicity is why I can not tolerate them. When I eat these things my muscles start to ache and my teeth and finger nails feel odd.. later on it has a knock on effect on my immune system.

What food is toxic to an individual can depend a fair bit on your genetics, and of course some here will have happy healthy livers and hence I figure they have no problem with wine, vinegar,etc.

I can eat MSG to my hearts content.. whilst others apparently find MSG to be quite toxic.. and I think perhaps that is why one or two have reported that it worsens their AS.

That's interesting Zark

I was about to post a question about vinegar today here at kickas. I have noticed recently that vinegar is a Big nono for me. Whenever I use vinegar or kombucha (fermented tea which contains acetic acid as well) my AS shows its ugly face. Does this mean that I have a problem with my liver would you say Zark? I wonder what in the vinegar is the problem here...

/Andreas

>> Does this mean that I have a problem with my liver would you say Zark?
>> I wonder what in the vinegar is the problem here...

regarding liver involvement: I would say it is a 'working hypothesis" :-). I don't know, I don't have proof... it just fits the evidence available to me. Vinegar is moderately toxic to the liver in a similar sense to alcohol being toxic.. small amounts usually do no harm, especially when consumed with a big meal.