Very limited diet options - anything I haven't thought of?

bzign
bzign Posts: 41 Member
I have PCOS and Type 2 Diabetes coinciding with Hypothyroidism.... I am unmedicated because either I cant tolerate (allergic) or the medication has no effect whatsoever.

All that being said, I am kicking my *kitten* to get the weight down so hopefully the other stuff will sort itself out.

So for starters need a low starch / sugar diet, carbs from above ground / green veges and limited fruits. I try to eat very clean, nothing processed, organic where I can.

My issues are mainly how do I get enough protein? and well food in general so I am not starving nutritionally.

Allergic to Egg white, Fish and Nuts,
If I eat too much of any one protein I start to display accumulative intolerance/allergic reactions sneezing prickly mouth, excessive mucus production.
I don't respond well to Soy/plant proteins bloating etc also tend to stay away from anything that could affect hormones.
Chicken and dairy are the least reactive but as my only proteins overall have their own issues esp fat and sugar content in dairy.

Really just looking for some ideas as I have been going around in circles for years, even dietitians and naturopaths seem to be stumped, I don't think living on fat and greens is a sustainable option ;-) Although asparagus drenched in butter and garlic does have some attraction!

Replies

  • ncmedic201
    ncmedic201 Posts: 540 Member
    Are you not eating the starches because of the diabetes? Have you tried lentils and beans (making from dry vs canned is supposed to be better to prevent digestion of the starch or at least make it a slow digestion)
  • bzign
    bzign Posts: 41 Member
    All Diabetes diets seem to say no starch but I also gain weight even looking at bread etc, not to mention the stomach ache I get.
    Food in general doesn't like me haha

    I am looking into the pulses etc, I have not thought about them for the most part, not sure what to do with them, not that I have really tried yet, alot of hummos style concoctions I think.
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
    If you have that many allergies or intolerances and you haven't already you need to see an immunologist.. Get your doctor to reefer you to one
  • allshebe
    allshebe Posts: 423 Member
    Have you tried any poultry besides chicken? Duck, turkey, squab/pigeon. Have you tried organic/antibiotic free (sometimes it's really the low levels of antibiotics in much of the meat supply causing the allergic responses)?

    Beans and lentils can be fairly easily cooked in a slow cooker, then add sauces/flavorings of your choice to single portions (to get variety)

    Have you tried taking one of the really good probiotics (the kind you need to keep refrigerated)?
  • As a resource of food ideas for diabetics, I HIGHLY recommend this website:

    http://www.mendosa.com/
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    I have PCOS and Type 2 Diabetes coinciding with Hypothyroidism.... I am unmedicated because either I cant tolerate (allergic) or the medication has no effect whatsoever.

    All that being said, I am kicking my *kitten* to get the weight down so hopefully the other stuff will sort itself out.

    So for starters need a low starch / sugar diet, carbs from above ground / green veges and limited fruits. I try to eat very clean, nothing processed, organic where I can.

    My issues are mainly how do I get enough protein? and well food in general so I am not starving nutritionally.

    Allergic to Egg white, Fish and Nuts,
    If I eat too much of any one protein I start to display accumulative intolerance/allergic reactions sneezing prickly mouth, excessive mucus production.
    I don't respond well to Soy/plant proteins bloating etc also tend to stay away from anything that could affect hormones.
    Chicken and dairy are the least reactive but as my only proteins overall have their own issues esp fat and sugar content in dairy.

    Really just looking for some ideas as I have been going around in circles for years, even dietitians and naturopaths seem to be stumped, I don't think living on fat and greens is a sustainable option ;-) Although asparagus drenched in butter and garlic does have some attraction!

    I am confused... you're still alive right? You have been alive for years. So you must be eating something... just eat less of it...

    :laugh: Good point.

    Fibrous veggies should make up the majority it seems.
    beans and lentils as main carb source
    protein: chicken, low fat dairy, other red meats. Supplement with whey or other type of protein powder if required.
  • bearkisses
    bearkisses Posts: 1,252 Member
    some greek yogurt has up to 17 grams for just half a cup!!!
  • murdledoe
    murdledoe Posts: 98 Member
    There are so so many things that you can do with dry beans and so many different types. Hot and cold recipes and simple. Have fun with them and jazz them up to make them the way you want. Use them for dips or main course. Go on line and look up various recipes with them. I think you will be shocked.
  • Howbouto
    Howbouto Posts: 2,121 Member
    I would recommend you look into "It Starts With Food." And try the Whole 30. I agree try other poultry. My local butcher sells lamb and rabbit. Have you tried either of them?
  • javajunco
    javajunco Posts: 81
    How allergic are you to egg whites? There is a line of vegetarian 'meat' that is made out of something called mycoprotein instead of being soy based. The 'chicken' products are quite good. Some of them do have egg whites in the ingredient list as a binder though. The one I use the most is the naked cutlet:

    Typical Values 1 cutlet (69g)
    Calories 80
    Calories from fat 20
    Total fat 2.5g
    Saturated fat 0.5g
    Trans fat 0.0g
    Cholesterol 5mg
    Sodium 420mg
    Total carbohydrate 5.0g
    Dietary fiber 2.0g
    Sugar 0.5g
    Protein 11.0g
  • javajunco
    javajunco Posts: 81
    So for starters need a low starch / sugar diet, carbs from above ground / green veges and limited fruits. I try to eat very clean, nothing processed, organic where I can.

    Also, I think you are setting yourself up for failure by giving yourself way too many restrictions on top of a diet already severely restricted by allergies. Maybe it's time to make some decisions about which goal is really important.
  • JessHealthKick
    JessHealthKick Posts: 800 Member
    beans beans beans! Pretty good amount of protein and healthy carbs in there. Be sure to soak for at least 10hours, rinse thoroughly and after simmering for about 90mins (depends on beans) rinse again very thoroughly. Doing these stops the coating (which makes you gassy) from being there :) I ate close to a cup of beans today and pretty much no gas, woop!
  • bzign
    bzign Posts: 41 Member
    I have PCOS and Type 2 Diabetes coinciding with Hypothyroidism.... I am unmedicated because either I cant tolerate (allergic) or the medication has no effect whatsoever.

    All that being said, I am kicking my *kitten* to get the weight down so hopefully the other stuff will sort itself out.

    So for starters need a low starch / sugar diet, carbs from above ground / green veges and limited fruits. I try to eat very clean, nothing processed, organic where I can.

    My issues are mainly how do I get enough protein? and well food in general so I am not starving nutritionally.

    Allergic to Egg white, Fish and Nuts,
    If I eat too much of any one protein I start to display accumulative intolerance/allergic reactions sneezing prickly mouth, excessive mucus production.
    I don't respond well to Soy/plant proteins bloating etc also tend to stay away from anything that could affect hormones.
    Chicken and dairy are the least reactive but as my only proteins overall have their own issues esp fat and sugar content in dairy.

    Really just looking for some ideas as I have been going around in circles for years, even dietitians and naturopaths seem to be stumped, I don't think living on fat and greens is a sustainable option ;-) Although asparagus drenched in butter and garlic does have some attraction!

    I am confused... you're still alive right? You have been alive for years. So you must be eating something... just eat less of it...

    Alive but not solving any health issues, most of the sensitivities are caused by chronic inflammation brought on by not coping with proteins but eating them anyway if that makes sense. They aren't allergic reactions in the first instance but if I eat anything for an extended length of time ie several serves a week they become a problem, the trouble with this is that I can only eat a few proteins already or else I would just do high rotation protein sources.
  • bzign
    bzign Posts: 41 Member
    How allergic are you to egg whites? There is a line of vegetarian 'meat' that is made out of something called mycoprotein instead of being soy based. The 'chicken' products are quite good. Some of them do have egg whites in the ingredient list as a binder though. The one I use the most is the naked cutlet:

    Typical Values 1 cutlet (69g)
    Calories 80
    Calories from fat 20
    Total fat 2.5g
    Saturated fat 0.5g
    Trans fat 0.0g
    Cholesterol 5mg
    Sodium 420mg
    Total carbohydrate 5.0g
    Dietary fiber 2.0g
    Sugar 0.5g
    Protein 11.0g

    Allergic to egg white not egg yolk funnily enough I am ok when they are separated and I just eat the yolk.
  • shoneybabes
    shoneybabes Posts: 199 Member
    I just bought Brendan Brazier's book "Thrive Foods"

    He is a vegan triathlete and his recipes look amazing.
  • bzign
    bzign Posts: 41 Member
    Have you tried any poultry besides chicken? Duck, turkey, squab/pigeon. Have you tried organic/antibiotic free (sometimes it's really the low levels of antibiotics in much of the meat supply causing the allergic responses)?

    Beans and lentils can be fairly easily cooked in a slow cooker, then add sauces/flavorings of your choice to single portions (to get variety)

    Have you tried taking one of the really good probiotics (the kind you need to keep refrigerated)?

    Duck and Turkey are ok, not common to find here though and especially duck is filled with marinades, never seen squab/pigeon.
    I haven't gone into beans yet because of how I am with Soy, I will look into it!
  • Illona88
    Illona88 Posts: 903 Member
    Can you not ask your doctor to refer you to a dietician?

    I am thinking with this many allergies, intolerances and illnesses that are affected by food, you could use some help from someone with a degree in nutrition.
  • bzign
    bzign Posts: 41 Member
    I would recommend you look into "It Starts With Food." And try the Whole 30. I agree try other poultry. My local butcher sells lamb and rabbit. Have you tried either of them?

    Lamb, Beef and Pork are ok occasionally, but they react faster if I have too much, have never tried rabbit meat,
  • bzign
    bzign Posts: 41 Member
    Can you not ask your doctor to refer you to a dietician?

    I am thinking with this many allergies, intolerances and illnesses that are affected by food, you could use some help from someone with a degree in nutrition.

    I have been to a dietician and several naturopaths, they have all tried to tell me to eat things that I have told them I can't eat, egg whites and fish are the worst culprits, the threshold/overdose reaction seems to be what throws everyone and it makes it very hard to judge, sometimes I am ok eating something for weeks and then other times same food and I get a reaction within an hour . The dietician that I saw through the Dr tried to get me on Optifast and pushed drinking diet soda etc etc I don't even drink soda why would I bother with artificial sweeteners and chemical laden foods?? I can't really afford the $200 per visit for the hit and miss "specialists".
  • bzign
    bzign Posts: 41 Member
    Thank you everyone, I hope I am not coming across as difficult - I hadn't really thought of a few of your suggestions so I will experiment with beans/lentils etc and try and find some different meat options and see how I go.

    Thank you again I really appreciate everyones input :-)
  • mousepaws22
    mousepaws22 Posts: 380 Member
    There's PCOS group on here so they might have some suggestions.
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    I have PCOS and Type 2 Diabetes coinciding with Hypothyroidism.... I am unmedicated because either I cant tolerate (allergic) or the medication has no effect whatsoever.

    All that being said, I am kicking my *kitten* to get the weight down so hopefully the other stuff will sort itself out.

    So for starters need a low starch / sugar diet, carbs from above ground / green veges and limited fruits. I try to eat very clean, nothing processed, organic where I can.

    My issues are mainly how do I get enough protein? and well food in general so I am not starving nutritionally.

    Allergic to Egg white, Fish and Nuts,
    If I eat too much of any one protein I start to display accumulative intolerance/allergic reactions sneezing prickly mouth, excessive mucus production.
    I don't respond well to Soy/plant proteins bloating etc also tend to stay away from anything that could affect hormones.
    Chicken and dairy are the least reactive but as my only proteins overall have their own issues esp fat and sugar content in dairy.

    Really just looking for some ideas as I have been going around in circles for years, even dietitians and naturopaths seem to be stumped, I don't think living on fat and greens is a sustainable option ;-) Although asparagus drenched in butter and garlic does have some attraction!

    I am confused... you're still alive right? You have been alive for years. So you must be eating something... just eat less of it...

    Alive but not solving any health issues, most of the sensitivities are caused by chronic inflammation brought on by not coping with proteins but eating them anyway if that makes sense. They aren't allergic reactions in the first instance but if I eat anything for an extended length of time ie several serves a week they become a problem, the trouble with this is that I can only eat a few proteins already or else I would just do high rotation protein sources.

    Yeah, that wasn't very helpful, PU.

    For the inflammation, sensitivities and allergies i would suggest that you first get a skin prick test - in your case it probably is useful to identify which allergens set you off. In terms of egg whites - since you are allergic - I am going to assume that you MIGHT NOT getting enough biotin (it is pretty rare) - which leads to improper absorption of proteins as carboxylase deficiency occurs. THIS IS A GUESS - see a doc, get tested for specific allergies, indentify any deficiencies that lead to reaction.

    And while naturopaths might be of useful for some things - identifying specific allergens, enzymatic deficiencies and true immune system dysfunction ... well, I wouldnt put my money on them.
  • bzign
    bzign Posts: 41 Member
    I just bought Brendan Brazier's book "Thrive Foods"

    He is a vegan triathlete and his recipes look amazing.

    Interesting - I will have to start sprouting I think :-)
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
    A friend of mine pretty much dies if he eats a egg but can eat baked things with egg in it. It's weird.

    I suggest joining the pcos group here and asking them. They have probably stumbled on more things then we have, not having it.

    That being said for protein I usually stick to the following:
    pumpkin seeds and other types of seeds
    lentils and other non soy beans
    greek yogurt
    milk
    whey isolate
    lots of other meats out there.

    I'd just go for a variety and not one specific thing. I wouldn't worry about eating things with hormones. I'd worry about eating a lot of a specific thing with those hormones...like eating a lot of soy for example can be linked to many problems. I'll eat soy, but I'll limit it. I also wouldn't worry about 'processed' things if you're missing something and that specific processed thing would give you the nutrients you are missing. I suck at iron for example. But I'll eat deep fried cod. And when I don't get iron for a long time, well, I get dizzy. It's kind of a lesser of 2 evils.

    I find that many people feel bloated after having a meal of protein. If you find yourself really bad (I know people with ibs and gets this way), then try spreading out the protein if you think that's what's making you sick so you're not consuming large quantities at once.

    Make sure you're not missing something from your diet, because a lot of problems seem to be due to deficiencies in certain nutrients. Magnesium potassium iron and calcium seem to be popular things people I know are low on. Another common mistake is highly limiting fat intake, which makes many of the nutrients harder to absorb (since many are fat soluble).
  • Fab30s
    Fab30s Posts: 157 Member
    beans beans beans! Pretty good amount of protein and healthy carbs in there. Be sure to soak for at least 10hours, rinse thoroughly and after simmering for about 90mins (depends on beans) rinse again very thoroughly. Doing these stops the coating (which makes you gassy) from being there :) I ate close to a cup of beans today and pretty much no gas, woop!

    I love beans but avoid them coz of the extremely uncomfortable gas they cause me. Thanks for the tip.
  • smiley245
    smiley245 Posts: 420 Member
    Can you not ask your doctor to refer you to a dietician?

    I am thinking with this many allergies, intolerances and illnesses that are affected by food, you could use some help from someone with a degree in nutrition.

    I have been to a dietician and several naturopaths, they have all tried to tell me to eat things that I have told them I can't eat, egg whites and fish are the worst culprits, the threshold/overdose reaction seems to be what throws everyone and it makes it very hard to judge, sometimes I am ok eating something for weeks and then other times same food and I get a reaction within an hour . The dietician that I saw through the Dr tried to get me on Optifast and pushed drinking diet soda etc etc I don't even drink soda why would I bother with artificial sweeteners and chemical laden foods?? I can't really afford the $200 per visit for the hit and miss "specialists".

    Can your reactions be due to a build up of histamines in your body? Over time days/weeks it builds up in your system causing an allergic reaction. I only ask because I am hystamine sensitive and have reactions to things in a hit or miss fashion.
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    Can you not ask your doctor to refer you to a dietician?

    I am thinking with this many allergies, intolerances and illnesses that are affected by food, you could use some help from someone with a degree in nutrition.

    I have been to a dietician and several naturopaths, they have all tried to tell me to eat things that I have told them I can't eat, egg whites and fish are the worst culprits, the threshold/overdose reaction seems to be what throws everyone and it makes it very hard to judge, sometimes I am ok eating something for weeks and then other times same food and I get a reaction within an hour . The dietician that I saw through the Dr tried to get me on Optifast and pushed drinking diet soda etc etc I don't even drink soda why would I bother with artificial sweeteners and chemical laden foods?? I can't really afford the $200 per visit for the hit and miss "specialists".

    Can your reactions be due to a build up of histamines in your body? Over time days/weeks it builds up in your system causing an allergic reaction. I only ask because I am hystamine sensitive and have reactions to things in a hit or miss fashion.

    No, histamine half life in plasma is in the minute range. N-methylhistamine, a metabolite, has a half-life of about 10-15 minutes.
    The cascade reaction you have is not due to "a buildup" of histamine. Possibly the precursor antigens are more present.
  • shadus
    shadus Posts: 424 Member
    Try greek yogurt. It's fairly high in protein... if you want it more natural you can make it at home even.