Isn’t it ironic that just a couple of weeks after writing a blog professing my love of potatoes (Potato Love, 2/11/14), I figure out that I’m intolerant of potatoes? Either ironic, or actually, understandable. You see, I’ve been reading this book called Food Allergies and Food Intolerance and I’ve learned that many times a craving for a particular food indicates an intolerance. After eating the intolerant food, one might even have a sense of well-being. That’s me with potatoes! It’s like an addiction. Immediately after eating potatoes I feel wonderful, like my tummy is thanking me for giving it wonderful potatoes. But then the next day or so, they start to turn on me. Not so wonderful after all.
A few months ago I stopped eating eggs and felt great. Recently, I stopped eating dairy and my pain went away. I really was feeling good, but there was still something I was eating that was not doing my body good. I finally pinpointed it to potatoes. (I’ve been keeping a food and symptom log – very helpful!) At first I didn’t think it was possible to have an intolerance or sensitivity to potatoes, but after doing some research, I found out that it is. Food Allergies and Food Intolerance highlights how foods that are eaten often, like every day, can become problematic. I was eating potatoes every day. Many a night I would have potatoes as a side dish. Potato starch is in my flour blends and favorite crackers. Potato starch is in everything!
So far what I’ve gotten out of this book is how important it is to eat a varied diet. Don’t eat the same thing every day. I’m a creature of habit and this has been difficult. But I’m also a great planner and organizer, so I’m in the process of designing a varied diet for myself. I have an appointment with a GI specialist next month and I’m excited about discussing the book and the elimination diet with her. I haven’t done a complete elimination diet, like the book recommends, but I’m am interested in finding out if I haven any other food sensitivities. While I have done the low-FODMAP elimination diet, it wasn’t enough for me. I think the FODMAP foods were making my symptoms worse, so it definitely helped to eliminate those foods, but it didn’t really get to the core of what was wrong. In fact, according to the book mentioned above, studies have shown that up to 70% of people that suffer from IBS, may actually have food intolerance! For me, it is an intolerance to wheat, eggs, dairy and potatoes. Possibly more? I guess we’ll find out. In the mean time, I’ll keep sharing recipes, so stay tuned!
Update 05/26/14: It turns out I can eat potatoes! Read the rest of the story here:
Belly Update: Yes to Potatoes
