Food Intolerance Mystery

hop143
hop143 Posts: 6
in Food and Nutrition
I have been trying to narrow down a slight stomach problem I've been having for about 3 years now. Every time I eat this particular food, I have terrible stomach pains. They come in waves and then subside. Sometimes the pain comes within an hour of eating or as long as 1 day later. Sometimes the waves of pain last off and on for the entire day or sometimes only a few hours. I have a hunch that it is either bananas or spinach. Anyone have any insight on this or maybe the same problem?

Replies

  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    um.
    two thoughts.
    no- three thoughts.

    Cut out spinach.- see what happens
    cut out bananas.- see what happens.

    Three- go see a doctor.
  • WickedPineapple
    WickedPineapple Posts: 698 Member
    Spinach will give me stomach pain if I eat a bunch of it at a time (like 3 oz or more, not just a bit on a sandwich), and I haven't had it in a week or more. If I eat it more consistently, like every few days, the stomach pain doesn't happen.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    I have been trying to narrow down a slight stomach problem I've been having for about 3 years now. Every time I eat this particular food, I have terrible stomach pains. They come in waves and then subside. Sometimes the pain comes within an hour of eating or as long as 1 day later. Sometimes the waves of pain last off and on for the entire day or sometimes only a few hours. I have a hunch that it is either bananas or spinach. Anyone have any insight on this or maybe the same problem?

    So why are you still eating bananas and spinach?
  • cornwall99
    cornwall99 Posts: 2
    I have just started a low FODMAP exclusion diet, and believe me, it is complex. However, two common themes are onion and garlic. Cut those out totally and see if you have an improvement. Apples are also out.

    Google FODMAP and you'll find heaps of info.
  • tennisgirl444
    tennisgirl444 Posts: 57 Member
    A "gold standard" method of figuring out food intolerance is pretty easy to do yourself- a food elimination diet. (If you went to the doctor or nutritionist with a suspected food intolerance, they would likely put you on one of these).

    There are a few different approaches, so you can look them up. The way my doctor/nutritionist had me do it, was to eat a very bare-bones, allergen-free diet for 2-4 weeks. This ranges from rice + turkey + pear (what I was told to do) to a slightly less restrictive diet of *certain* fruits/veggies/meats/turkey/rice. (You can find one online that you like, or you can see a doctor/nutritionist and they will give you a plan to follow). Then, you start adding in foods one at a time and wait 1-2 days to see the reaction. For example, on Monday you eat dairy, then go back to the diet Tues-Wed and monitor symptoms. The process takes about 5-6 weeks, but will clearly give you information about which foods bother you.


    Alternatively, keep a very detailed food diary with foods, amounts, timing, and your symptoms.

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