Diet

[dmaejean]

Hi All,

I am having such a time with trying to get meds regulated and doses where I can feel halfway decent. Besides extra salt and fluids, are there any dietary changes or restrictions that have helped any of you with the potsy symptoms? I saw where several of you are taking licorace root. What is that for? Thanks for all your help, I an kind of new at this. Just dx in Dec. Thanks,

Donna

[MightyMouse]

Donna, liccorice is a naturally occuring chemical that can elevate blood pressure. -Nina

ps. it's listed under the "what helps" section of the dinet site--under non-prescription treatments

[dmaejean]

Thanks Nina, Is there anything that you stay away from or eat that helps your symptoms? Thanks, Donna

[MightyMouse]

see the section on the dinet site that says "what to avoid"

-Nina

[Lukkychrm42]

I think the most important thing a lot of us will say is that it helps to eat smaller meals often.

[Guest dionna]

actually i am currently trying a new diet. none of the medications work for me so i wanted to try something new. i am also trying to gain weight. i only weight about 92 lbs now. so my diet is atleast 2000 calories a day. because of the foods on my diet- that ends up being a lot of food. here is alist of things that i have been trying.

tuna or salmon- straight out of the can with lots of salt added.

saltine crackers- plain or with peanut butter or the tuna and salmon.

baked chicken, pork chops, fish, turkey- plus i add the salt of course (basically fish, poultry, and pork)

boiled shrimp, crabs, or lobster (depending on my budget)

eggs- boiled or scrambled using butter so it won't stick and then i add cheese. i just can't get the omlet idea to work with me. i get impatient.

salad with lettuce, baby spinach, carrots, and cheese. extra virgin olive oil for dressing and lots of salt (very few calories)

corn, squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, brocolli, okra, etc. whatever is in the family and friends gardens

all my veggies are fresh and raw or baked

corn flakes, cherrios with milk. i don't add extra sugar. or other cereals without added colors

no caffeine! so i drink one sprite a day so i can have my soda, kool aid with salt added- i know gross, juices, water, milk, and gatorade or powerade.

peanuts, cashews, and kind of nuts (lots of calories and lots of sodium)

chips- i love doritos and they have a lot of sodium- sometimes i also eat them with salsa. i love spicy! maybe not the best for my stomach but hey...

fruits: bananas, strawberries, blue berries, pears, peaches, plums, watermelon, cantalope, etc. and i add the salt to most of them. i eat the blue berries in milk- like cereal

apple sauce and such things as well.

i just try to be creative with every thing. peanut butter/ banana crackers are good and you could also sprinkle the nuts on top like you would a sundae. drink it with milk and you have a good food groups thing going on. just as an example.

with the meat: i put it in the pan and chop my veggies up and bake it right in with meat. oh yeah and brown rice. cook it all at the same time. its in the oven so just set the timer and go relax. all the food i eat is quick and easy so i don't have to stand long preparing it. and you could also use the crackers like a shake and bake thing. i also put bbq sauce on my chicken and pork chops a lot. and i eat the chicken on my salads, as well as the tuna or salmon. so it doesn't get too boring i try really hard to mix things up.

nothing fried! just baked, boiled, or raw.

i am trying to eat only the white meat and nothing processed

nothing with a lot of sugar. no ice cream, cakes, or cookies-- sweets really mess me up.

mashed potatoes can make you feel bad, so does garlic because it makes your blood pressure drop. oh and so do the nitrates. some foods make your blood pool around your stomach to help digest and those are the foods you want to stay away from.

so far the diet has helped with my stomach. i haven't been nauseated or had any bathroom issues. i still feel lightheaded and stuff like that but atleast i did get rid of one problem. i haven't fainted yet either but i have only been on the diet for a couple of weeks.

as you can see... most of the foods i eat are those that you could snack on... that's because that is what i do... i snack all day instead of eating big meals. it helps tremendously. i use to pass out a lot after eating but not anymore. oh yeah and i eat while i am in a recliner or somewhere i can have my feet propped up. that also helps a lot. i am also taking daily vitamin just in case.

i hope this helps you some. if you would like to know more of my diet or anything like that just ask and i will be glad to let you know. take care of yourself.

dionna

[futurehope]

Dionna,

Way to go!

It sounds like you are doing a good job on your new diet.

I'm sure you feel better about yourself knowing that you are getting good foods into you and eating every few hours.

I'm glad you're trying. Anything you can do to feel better - that's the idea!

[lalalisa]

I agree, eating small more frequent meals works well for me (well actually the other option - large meals - aren't even an option as they leave me feeling so poorly)

Others on the forum have found that eating lots of carbs leads to tachycardia. Just try to keep in mind what you've eaten and how your feeling and soon you'll know what works for you. (trial and error)

Obviously high salt and lots of water are the other main components...

Take care,

Lisa

[Guest dionna]

i meant to also mention that i am keeping a journal of what i eat as well and i am listing out how i feel that day. that is how i came up with my own diet. that and a lot of research and asking about it here on the forum. today i actually had more energy than i have had in months so i'm cleaning the house. it needs it bad.

dionna

[mom4cem]

I went to see a Doctor of Osteopath a short time back and started on a no/low sugar and no/low carb meal plan. It's tough but I have noticed a bit of a difference. It is just retraining your body to eat well again.

I agree you can check out and see what you begin to notice affects your body. You would be surprised!

Low glycemic foods are really what I am striving for,,things that do not impact the blood sugar to quickly. My D.O. says he feels outside of adrenal fatigue, low b/p etc., that I am hypoglycemic and especially in the a.m. that may explain the heart racing. I am too chicken to do the 5hr glucose test,,I don't think I could sit in the lab for 5 hours, and quite possibly endure these symptoms while they test for it. So we are just going on the basis that I fit the profile.

I would have to ditto most everything that Dionna has said. Food combing also. Protein with fats/vegetables, carbs alone and fruit alone. All having to do with what is necessary in the stomach acid to break the food down and mixing the wrong things can cause the digestion to be slower, gas etc.

Good luck! There are quite a few sites that talk about elimination diet and then the rotation diet to then see how you feel with certain foods.