Trouble Adding New Foods? It Might Not Be What You Think...
Yoga teaches me a lot about things other than stretching and bending. Sometimes it gives me insight into other areas of my life... like gastroparesis. Tonight, was one of those times. I went to my first evening hot yoga class. I've been avoiding the nighttime classes, figuring I'd be too tired or too full and wind up feeling like I wanted to throw up or pass out. Turns out, I didn't feel either of those things and I actually had a really great practice.
It occurred to me as I was in final resting pose (savasana) that I was glad I'd kept everything else the same tonight. Same spot in the room, same general level of intensity, same old yoga clothes. If I'd changed any of these things and then I'd struggled through the class, I probably would have blamed the time of day since that was the biggest change, the one I'd been apprehensive about. But I know from experience that setting up under a heating vent or having an itchy tag in my tank top or pushing myself to keep up with the person next to me can all compromise a practice. So, I might have incorrectly affirmed that evening classes are not for me and unnecessarily restricted the classes I take in the future.
This is a lot like introducing new foods into a gastroparesis-friendly diet. If we feel unusually symptomatic afterward, we're likely to blame to the food. After all, that's the most obvious change. One we may have been apprehensive about. But how often do we think about the other things that may have contributed to an increase in symptoms? Even seemingly minor or unrelated things: less sleep than normal last night, more stress at work today, a larger breakfast than usual this morning, an extra serving of dairy during the day, less physical activity than normal, or even the apprehension we felt while eating the food in question. All of those things can have an impact on how you experience any particular food.
That's why I recommend the "3 Strikes Rule" to my coaching clients and program participants. If you try something once and it doesn't work for you, try it again -- at least once, but preferably twice -- before you eliminate it from your diet. Many times, it's not the particular food that exacerbates the symptoms. It's what else we've eaten throughout the day, how we eat, and even how we feel while eating.
It's important to remember that fat, fiber, and FODMAPs all add up throughout the course of the day. The food that appears to have exacerbated symptoms may have simply put you over the tipping point of your tolerance in any of these areas. Any other food may have done the same thing. This is why it often seems that the same food will exacerbate symptoms on some days and not on others. It may not be that specific food at all... it's the sum of all of the food from that day
(If you're not sure how much fat or fiber is considered GP-friendly, check out this video.)
How we eat is important, too. Chewing is a really important step in the digestive process. Chewing signals the stomach to start releasing digestive enzymes and acid. It also allows the enzymes in our saliva to start breaking down the fats and carbohydrates in our food. Aside from ensuring that we don't choke, grinding food up with our teeth makes the stomach's job easier. If we don't take the time to chew thoroughly, we start the digestive process at a disadvantage before the food even enters the stomach.
Now if you're eating while you're stressed out, nervous, or upset, it's an even bigger digestive disadvantage. When you're stressed or anxious, your body goes into Flight or Flight mode (also known as the Stress Response). When this happens, the body shuts down all processes that are unnecessary for survival... this includes digestion.
“Stress can cause your esophagus to go into spasms. It can increase the acid in your stomach causing indigestion. Under stress, the mill in your stomach can shut down and make you feel nauseous. Stress can cause your colon to react in a way that gives you diarrhea or constipation.”
If you're struggling with food-related anxiety, please consider checking out the The Little School of Big Change. This self-guided program is designed to help you overcome anxiety of all kinds. For me, it not only gave me a lot more freedom around food, it changed my entire experience of gastroparesis. I consider it the most impactful thing I ever did when it comes to living WELL with gastroparesis and highly recommend it if this is something you struggle with.
The takeaway? When trying new foods, focus on eating mindfully, chewing thoroughly and keeping the remainder of your management plan (not just your diet) as consistent as possible. Try new foods at least twice, preferably three times, before you eliminate it from your diet and consider other factors that may be exacerbating your symptoms. And definitely address food-related anxiety that might be present. This will likely improve your overall symptom management and help you to avoid restricting your diet unnecessarily and thereby compromising your nutrition, satisfaction, and sanity.