It's been several months since I was diagnosed with dietary fructose intolerance, a.k.a. fructose malabsorption. I never knew how much something like this could affect my lifestyle because I had never thought I'd acquire a dietary restriction. Heck, I don't even have any food or drug allergies.
Dairy? Bring it on!
Nuts? Yes, please!
Wheat? You betcha.
Fish and shellfish? Hell, yeah!
But suddenly I was forced to overhaul way I had cooked and eaten for 35 years.
Looking back at the last couple months, I actually experienced the various stages of grief over my diagnosis. I recall back in May thinking, "This can't be happening to me." Why would my body suddenly decide practically overnight that it would no longer accept fructose? I've always eaten fruits and vegetables, candies and sweets my entire life. My mantra has always been everything in moderation. It's not like I've been overdoing it in any particular food group. But now my dietary freedom is gone and there are things that I can't even have in moderation. Good grief!
After that I became angry. I remembered back to the viral gastroenteritis I had contracted back in February — Norovirus — and how it had wreaked havoc on my gut. I became frustrated that, while the rest of my family got better, I was struggling to feel 100% well again. The endoscopy the gastroenterologist had performed on me in March or April revealed that the lining of my upper GI system was irritated because of being ill. But my docter never really made the connection in speaking to me that this could be related to — or even the cause of — my FM. In fact, all she really did was give me a packet of information about FM and suggested I avoid fructose. When I asked her for a referral to a nutritionist, she said there is only one in the Twin Cities metro area who specializes in FM and she works at North Memorial (not exactly convenient for me). Oh, and she's also expensive.
After some research on my own I learned that severe viral gastroenteritis can permanently damage the delicate lining of one’s stomach or intestines. Knowing that this was likely the trigger for my FM gave me some peace of mind, and allowed me to focus more clearly on my plan of attack. After all, you are more likely to win a battle if you know your enemy!
Luckily I am someone who loves a good challenge. I am compelled to do research, test out solutions and solve problems. What started out as a hopeless situation has evolved into an adventure. I began by avoiding fruits, vegetables, fructose, high fructose corn syrup, honey, artificial sweeteners, and anything with a moderate to high sugar content. This was difficult and frustrating, to say the least. Then I started to feel a little better, so I eased up on my restrictions. This turned out to be a big mistake. One evening I ate several pieces of pizza for supper and for the next 3-4 days I suffered severe symptoms. I learned how terrible the rebound effect can be when I deviate from the low-fructose diet.
It was also around this time that I discovered wheat is one of the biggest culprits for me personally — especially in combination with other sugary foods. Wheat contains fructans, which have the same effect on the body as fructose when you have a problem absorbing fructose. So when I eat something that contains both wheat and fructose (e.g. pizza crust with pizza sauce, garlic, onions, etc.) it has a compounding effect. To learn more about how to avoid fructose and fructans, refer to the low FODMAP diet.
When I look at the list of foods I am supposed to avoid it is quite daunting. But I also know what will happen to me if I deviate from the plan. So I started over and cut nearly all wheat-based foods out of my diet for about 10 days while also cutting down on other FODMAPs.
Another thing I did during the first week of my new diet was to take the maximum recommended dosage of Pepto-Bismol (2 tablets, 4 times a day) every single day. Now, my doctor hadn’t suggested this, or even mentioned it as an option, but I had a hunch it would work because of past experience. I remembered back to my days of traveling to SE Asia and how I had prepared for each trip with a visit to the International Travel Clinic at Abbott Northwestern. They always recommended taking Pepto-Bismol in this way throughout a trip to reduce the harmful bacteria in the stomach and prevent traveler's diarrhea. Well guess what? It worked. My nausea and other GI symptoms were greatly decreased and I was able to "detox" from fructose safely and comfortably. By the end of the first week I felt like I had more energy and had even lost a few pounds. Things were looking up!
Now I am in "maintenance mode." My symptoms are nearly gone and I’m working to keep it that way for the longterm. I feel better than ever and am highly motivated to continue my momentum. I want to learn how to cook to accommodate my dietary restrictions without having a negative impact on my family. My goal is to learn how to cook all my favorite foods without sacrificing flavor, texture or nutritional value. I also want to feel comfortable eating out or dining with friends, knowing which foods to avoid and which ones are OK.
As for the cooking and baking, I definitely feel up to the task; I assigned myself gluten-free banana bread as my first challenge...and it turned out great! This is very encouraging. More to come!
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