Has anyone had gut type issues resolved?

[Ilmb]

There is something wrong with my digestive system but I don’t know what. My main problem is severe bloating. By the end of the day I look heavily pregnant. Im not over weight so it literally looks like a baby bump. It feels uncomfortable.

Iv tried low fodmap, had various pills for ‘ibs’ but they didn’t make a difference. I’m not convinced it is ibs. I don’t get constipated and rarely diarrhoea although maybe once or twice a week I will empty my bowels 2 or 3 times a day. I can’t eat masses in one go, although I don’t think that’s necessarily a problem. I know it will be particularly bad with pain and bloating when I eat dairy or wheat heavy meals eg lasagna or pizza. I know that for some reason potatoes really hurt my stomach aswell so try to avoid them. Iv spent time off wheat and dairy in the past but Iv never ever felt ‘good’. If you can understand what I mean? I’m also taking good bacteria tablets. I want to go back to the doctors but will take a few weeks to get one and id like to try all the things they would advise to do before I go? Can anyone help?

I realise that can after I typed it what do you use as a meat substitute? Particularly a chicken sub?

Strangely Limb that breakfast does fill me up.

I think I have learned through the course of changing my diet, how much of my hunger was driven by blood sugar peaks and troughs. After breakfast I often don't feel hunger again until 1pm ish and even that might be down to me noticing the time rather than my stomach growling.

I understand your Quorn concerns, especially if you are feeding growing children. I always assumed that there was little protien in Vegetarian meals and that I must eat a source like Quorn if not eating fish or cheese (I haven't eaten Meat for years). However, I used MFP for a few months and was stunned by how much protien there was in other food sources, including veg. I do eat quinoa and lentils several times a week but apart from that, the fish I sometimes eat and cheese, I don't deliberately eat any other protien substitutes.

As I said earlier, I think the biggest relief I gave my gut, was reducing the portion sizes at each meal and cutting out processed Sugar and Carbs.

Have you tried lentil bolognese? That is a winter favourite for me. What about toadted cashews in the Fajitas rather than Quorn?

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Crossed post, but I am interested in your question about Meat substitutes Limb

Sorting out my gut lead to many challenges for me and one of them was to sort out why I looked for Meat substitutes when I have been Pescetarian for years. Why did I believe I needed a meat substitute when I disliked meat so much (can't stand the taste or texture)

That was very liberating for me. I don't look for meat substitutes at all anymore.

Pinterest really is your friend. I have hundreds of really lovely vegetarian menus pinned to my board none of which require quorn.

Quorn!!!

I need to learn to cook. Dh is a meat eater but very into cooking and uses lentils, butter beans etc. I haven't a clue. My dc eat meat too.

bax dc hate lentil bolognase when Iv done it but I don’t mind making / seperate bolognase I just don’t want two separate meals every day? So the only things I eat mince quorn In is :
Bolognase and lasagna (disaster for my belly but oh so gooooood) and in the winter I will do probably both once a week...

I guess the chicken quorn is more my concern to what I would swap to put in but you make a good point about obsessing over substituting the meat. I could easily eat fajitas without the quorn, just put the veg in a wrap, my worry was what ‘protein’ would I be eating! Does anyone know how much protein an adul woman ‘should’ eat a day? Maybe I should look at that first.... then look at what natural sources of protein there are and that could even be ‘snacks’ ie nuts instead of it being in the actual meal?

I wouldn’t want to eat loads of nuts a day as I’m short, my tdee is only about 1200 calories! I’d ideally love to lose a stone... have had just over a week off all cakes, biscuits, chocolate and not yet noticed a difference but I guess I takes a while to change. I’m also taking pro biotics...

My early quick post was just so I could mark the thread.

Tim Spector runs a Gut Project to analyse samples – not sure of the cost but could help you.

britishgut.org

OH's been advised to go on a low residue diet – no fibre – which is against normal advice, becasue we're all different, for example, both of us have extensive diverticulitis which gives OH great problems, but not me.

However, we are fortunate, as not only are we retired, but both can cook. We avoid processed food as much as possible, make our own hummus but leave out tahini, tabasco, neither good for OH, make our own bread as modern bread appears to have increased the incidence of coeliac dramatically.

We feel for you Limb, and think you're being so sensible in trying things out to see what makes a difference. We've taken note of some of the suggestions here for ourselves.

In the AMA section is a dietician who is willing to answer anyone's questions.

A vegan friend of mine assures me his diet provides plenty of protein and other nutrients, so vegetarian diets should do as well. He doesn't search for meat substitutes either.

We wish you all the best in your search.

Limb try using My Fitness Pal for a week.

That will tell you how much protein you are eating and which foods it is in.

I quickly realised I really didn't need to worry on the protein score.

Quorn doesn’t upset me, but in the meals you mention I use lentils for bolognese and cottage pie, big mushrooms for fajitas.
You could try non-Quorn veggie meat alternatives too, like Vivera (the best mince in my opinion) Oumph, Linda McCartney or store brands.

Beans in fajitas/enchiladas are also delicious. Black beans and kidney beans.

Ah yes beans didn’t think of that thanks!

I didn’t know there were other versions of quorn? I know you can get other soya mince, but are there actually othe ‘fake chicken pieces’ then? Where sells them?

Iv just seems trsco do fake chicken, so what’s the difference between between that and quorn?

There’s loads of other versions! Most supermarkets have their own brand ones, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Farmfoods etc all have big ranges including ‘chicken’ pieces, sausages, burgers, mince etc. Vivera on Ocado are good. Oumph is sold in Tesco and possibly other places. Farmfoods do veggie chicken Kiev’s. There’s so much choice now.

Quorn is made from a cultivated fungus, sort of like a mushroom but not. The others are mostly made from soya, sometimes pea protein or other things too.

Quorn is a specific thing - mycoprotein. None of the other ones are made from that.

I thought after I typed that it must be the micro protein!!

Ok, thanks, I think I’ll be off to town tomorrow to try some! Be good to find another one as the quorn chicken pieces one of the dc don’t like so much!

Can anyone tell me which other products taste the most like quorn please? I’d rather not waste money buying loads if I can start with most similar???

They’re all reasonably similar, though Quorn is definitely the most meatlike. It’s personal preference I’m afraid, you’ll just have to try.

But in the context of gut health, you’re still much better off having plant foods and not processed meat alternatives.

It would be funny (in a sad way!) if quorn was my problem! I bet it’s not as simple as that.

IV just made bolognase with cauliflower rice with a bit of grated cheddar on top and my belly is massive despite not having loads... could be the cauliflower or the cheese also.

I think cauliflower bloats me and is a known culprit. I didn't realise garlic and onion were possible triggers too!

The likeliest culprit is the cheese but it could be anything. You should reallt try keeping a very detailed diary of what you’re eating and your symptoms

Onion and garlic are both prebiotic - ie very good for your gut microbes. But can cause problems go roeoole because of this

I have cauli rice as rice and pasta do definitely bloat me!

Thanks for this threat. I've signed up for the British Gut analysis, and am looking into those books. I've found the books of Professor John Hunter very useful too. They are on amazon.

thread I mean.

These are John Hunter's books:

Inflammatory Bowel Disease: The essential guide to controlling Crohn's Disease, Colitis and Other IBDs4 Nov 2010
by Dr John Hunter

Irritable Bowel Solutions: The essential guide to IBS, its causes and treatments1 Nov 2007
by Dr John Hunter

Solve Your Food Intolerance: A practical dietary programme to eliminate food intolerance25 Aug 2005
by Dr John Hunter and Elizabeth Workman

I would very much recommend clinical psychology for sorting out gut problems though. I've been seeing a helpful person periodically over a few years and learning such a lot about how my life was all muddled up. As I gradually reshape my life, and change my priorities, and how I handle people, I definitely find that my inards thank me for it.