To go on a fruit and vegetable-only diet?

[HelloKlitty]

Because according to DH I am "being ridiculous"

I have very senstive skin (and I'm a bit overweight) nd last year I got this weird rash on my face which the dermotologist thought was all kinds....anyway...he has now said its a rare thing which is hard to treat but could improve with topical steroids or laser....I have an appointment with him on Monday next week to get some sort of treatment. The rash is only small but as I am so pale it really stands out and I hate it...its hard to cover even with scar cover makeup.

Last night I read on a forum about a woman with a related condition (but less rare) who after thirty years, went on an elimination diet and found massive improvemnet....she was basically allergic to three foods.

I suspect I'm allergic to dairy....maybe other things...the only way to check atm is to eliminate all possibilities for a week....and see what happens...I could wait and ask the doc to refer me for testing but I bet he wont...he's old school...he'll want to zap me with chemicals and light.

DH thinks I am being irresponisble as I will be a nightmare with no coffee or proper food...I plan to eat only raw fruit and veg for three days and then introduce rice....and carry on like that if the rice has no affect...today I have begun the day with coffee with a splash of milk...as a gently way of getting into it....tomorrow I will have no caffeine or milk at all....and continue on.

He thinks this is a recurrence of my anorexia (it's not) I just want clear skin.

[HelloKlitty]

Should add...it's been 1o years since I recovered from Anorexia.

[itisnearlysummer]

YABU. If you really think it is food related then see a different doctor.

Cutting out major food groups seems a pretty extreme response to a small rash.

Besides, your dr has already suggested a treatment.

It does sound like you are hoping to use this to justify losing weight. I'd be very careful if you have previously suffered from anorexia in case this could trigger a relapse.

I'd be wary about doing anything without the support of your dr.

[HellonHeels]

Given your history of anorexia wouldn't this type of rigid diet, even if it's for medical purposes, have the potential to trigger an eating disorder? If it truly is simply to have clear skin, why do you also mention "(and I'm a bit overweight)"?

I can understand why your DH is worried. I'm no medical expert but I would have thought that such an extreme elimination diet should have medical supervision or approval? I'd suggest speaking to your doctor or the dermatologist and discussing the proposed diet and your thoughts about food intolerance/allergy.

I really hope you find a solution to your skin condition - good luck

[HelloKlitty]

Well....it is a small rash but it's always THERE....and I hate it! I think that I canafford to lose about 2 stones so 10 days of fruit and veg won't kill me...I'll lose some and maybe pu it back on....but i'ts not about that...I dont care so much about my chunky hips as I do about my skin.

And the doc is old and I have no faith....I mean what if it really improves? then I may be able to get the doc to have me tested.

[HelloKlitty]

Hell I mentioned my weight because it is an issue...I may lose some weight and that would be good...I think DH has more food issues than I do to be honet.

Whenever I say I will diet, he then goes out and buys takeaways which he pushes on me....the other night I said I didn't want one and he really pushed me...wed had dinner early but I wasn't gong to eat Indian and 10.00pm!

I wondered why he did this? Tried to disrupt my efforts.

[cjbartlett]

Yabu

You need more than fruit and veg

Will you eat potatoes?

Feel sorry for your dh, he's worried about you, maybe you should listen to him?

[worraliberty]

Just change your Doctor if you're not happy with him

[cjbartlett]

Ah crossed posts
Sounds a bit of an issue between you two

[Poweredbypepsi]

I don't think it's a good idea. Sorry if I have missed it I know you say you could do with losing weight. Have you checked you weight etc are you really overweight because perhaps your dh thinks you DONT need to lose weight.

I think a diet of just fruit and veg is very limited, and it will take a while to reintroduce foods that's slowly. I would see your doctor if you think the issues are related to food.

[HelloKlitty]

No Powered I really am overweight by about 15 pounds....so I'm not a deluded skinny-minny....I want to see what the doc suggests before I swap....and I just thought that a least I would be taking some power by making changes.

[BecauseImWorthIt]

Your GP is definitely not old school! Topical steroids and laser treatment are contemporary ways to deal with this.

What is this 'rare' condition that you are suffering from? And why would you think it's caused by food?

You are, I think, using this to cover up a need to put yourself on to a very restrictive, and potentially dangerous, diet. I'm not surprised your DH is worried.

It sounds like you're not being honest with him or, more importantly, yourself.

[bebemoo]

I think such a restrictive diet should be talked about with your medical professional- a different one if need be. It takes a lot of careful preparation to eliminate dairy and meat and grains from a diet and still get all the nutrients you need for a healthy lifestyle. Also it's a matter of knowledge about how long it takes for certain things to leave your body... is 3 days enough? or do you need longer?

Cutting out one thing at a time like say dairy and then reintroducing it is a fairly straightforward. Also cutting out simple carbs/ gluten/ wheat is fairly straight forward on their own because you can, with a little creativity, find replacement nutrients. BUT to do it all at once sounds like a sure fire way to make oneself sick unless you have guidance and /or have done A LOT of reading and researching of your own, even then I'd say you need to talk to someone.

--My husband started a restrictive diet a couple of months back after doing a lot of research for himself, and talking with a special trainer/dietician, even though he did so and was very knowledgeable and certain he found that suddenly he was feeling quite ill and low on energy. He went back to the dietician and after more discussion they realised he was not eating enough carbs (and had actually put his body in 'starvation mode' and his body was eating up muscle and creating toxins which were making him feel ill) and they carefully changed the diet and talked about ways of getting more healthy carbs into his diet without ruining 'the diet' this worked for a while and then it happened again.... so they changed the diet yet again
Basically what I'm saying is unless you've got someone you knows what might happen to your body (and everyone's body is different so they need to have a bit of experience with such things) and how to counteract the effects while still helping you accomplish your goals you could do yourself a great deal of harm.

[Birdsgottafly]

You seem to have the need to exert extreme control over your diet.

I am vegan at home but vegetarian (for ease) when out.

Why only uncooked veg? and you can be switching over to non diary milk, 'cheese' etc.

I would proceed with caution given the fact that you have had anorexia.

If you want to go ahead, I would suggest that you plan out your daily meals and check that you are eating enough and have a good combination of food groups, including carbs.

Because you are going 'cold turkey' you won't work out what foods you may be sensitive to, you should be cutting out and down gradually. I think that you wanting to be radical with your diet shows that you may still have issues around food. Go to a different doctor but listen to and take on board outside opinion on your plans.

[Meglet]

yabu. You will be on the loo all the time and possibly trigger your anorexia.

You need some fat if you want good skin.

Go and pester your GP again and figure out a sensible way of doing it.

[bebemoo]

I wholly agree (I forgot to add) that I too would prefer to have a holistic approach to the skin condition first before I went for steroids or laser! So I'm really with you there...if your doctor doesn't support this I would suggest getting a 'second opinion.'

[Birdsgottafly]

Op does your present GP know that you have been anorexic and have you explained that you want to lose weight?

He may refer you to a dietician/nutritionalist, i was lucky enough to be refered after illness and she turned out to be Hindu and from a fully vegan background (i was already vegan, she didn't try to influence me), she gave me really good advice, as i am sure that she would have done, if i had been non-vegan.

[HelloKlitty]

I read that cutting out things straight away would show results within three days Birds It makes sense...I think you're right though....I ould cook the veg and add non dairy milk....I will get out today and buy some....I probably do have some issues...but I;m not gong to fall into the old ways again...I know I'm not

BIWI I am wary of topial steroids as they will thin my already damaged skin

[AMumInScotland]

I think you need to be very cautious - "taking some power" by restricting your diet sounds very much like a direction which could push you towards eating problems again. Are you still in touch with support people re the anorexia? If not, are there specialists in food and nutrition who you could talk to about the possibility of an allergy, but who also would have an understanding of eating disorders, who can make sure you are doing things in a way which can help you to identify the allergy, and perhaps lose some weight (if they agree that would be a good move) without risking a relapse? My (limited) understanding of anorexia etc is that it's more about being a "recovering anorexic" rather than ever being able to say you are really cured of it.

Youd husband sounds like he's a bit overprotective of you when it comes to food issues, without really knowing how to help. Maybe if he could come along to see the experts he'd know whats godd and bad about helping you?

[CogitoErgoSometimes]

YABU to do this without some kind of medical supervision. Having experience of people with eating disorders, whilst you may not mean to
trigger a relapse, any serious restriction of either quantity or variety of food can indavertently mean that is the outcome. And I'm sure that same fear is behind your husband pressing takeaways on you or whatever. You can ask to be referred to a dietician or, failing that, you could see one privately.

Having said that, there would be no harm in switching to a more natural diet. Eliminating coffee, alcohol, processed foods and so forth in favour of more wholegrains, lean meat/fish and similar is unlikely to lead to problems. In that context, if you think you have an allergy to dairy, you could legitimately leave it out of the mix, providing you compensate with adequate calories and nutrition (especially calcium) from other foods.

In the meantime, don't dismiss the clinical routes for dealing with the skin problem.

[HelloKlitty]

Thaks bebemoo I do believe these things begin "inside" and that's the way to look at them.

Birds No he doesn't. I had treatment in a private clinic which was attched to the drama school I attended...I got a bit effed up by it all really.

I ccould ask to see a GP at the parctice rther than the dermo...he realy is old school...sort of dismisive of me.

[BecauseImWorthIt]

Topical steroids will be a short term thing though, and will deal with the rash.

What is the condition that you're suffering from? You still haven't told us.

[HelloKlitty]

AMum For some reason your post just reducedme to tears. I feel such a mess.

[HelloKlitty]

BIWI It's called Granuloma Faciale...sorry.

[NerfHerder]

Thing is... rashes can be caused by lots of things- many people have intolerances to fruits and vegetables too (strawberries, bell peppers, tomatoes being the main ones)... where will this end?

[BecauseImWorthIt]

A quick google suggests that GF is actually a pretty serious condition - it's not just a bit of a rash - I think, to be honest, that you are being a bit hasty to ignore your GP's recommendation re treatment.

Have you had confirmation of his diagnosis? Did they do a biopsy to confirm it?