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Frigging Woo
So one problem with having lots of chronic illnesses and food intolerances is constantly crossing paths with health quackery. Sometimes by sheer chance they can actually offer some helpful recipes. Paleo blogs are a good souce of recipes with meat but not dairy, for example, even if their reasons for eating that way are ridiculous. But often I just get pissed off when I think of how sick I would be if I actually listened to these charlatans, and how much harm they do to the genuinely sick people who are taken in.
A relatively minor irritation from today I just feel like ranting about:
I am looking up recipes for colonoscopy prep, right now ginger jelly/jello. I came across this recipe, which seems about what I want except with honey instead of sugar. It started out ok: like me she's following some special diet, and ginger is good for settling upset stomachs. Sure. But "breaking down toxic buildup in your organs"?
I decided to check out this GAPS diet. It claims to heal digestive and neurological issues, which is a stretch, and the side bar is full of woo about Leaky Gut and "Tumeric: better than medications?". But there's worse health food ideas than a diet that "incorporates the simplest foods for the body to digest".
Except I scrolled through and it's terrible. The faddish emphasis on red meat broth and coconut is silly, especially since a moderate amount of people have digestive issues with them. But onions and garlic?? Those are super common IBS and reflux triggers and a huge proportion of people with gut problems are going to have trouble digesting them. There's a bunch of other common IBS triggers too, like honey and cauliflower. Making the diet pretty much useless for anyone except those who are (a) basically healthy but taken in by woo or (b) happen to have a specific food intolerance not included in the starting diet.
I tried looking up proper elimination diets but got inundated with woo. Afaict they generally consist of chicken and white rice. Here's the list of low FODMAP foods suggested to people with IBS. And I mean, even though there's scince behind those diets being helpful in the right context they can still be used as part of bad medical advice. But if you want a diet for people with digestive issues they're a good place to start. Except that's too mainstream and boring for fancy quacks selling apple flavoured bone broth protein for $40 a jar.
And now I'm hungry :)
EDIT: I'm not actually in the market for an elimination diet, I was just curious.
A relatively minor irritation from today I just feel like ranting about:
I am looking up recipes for colonoscopy prep, right now ginger jelly/jello. I came across this recipe, which seems about what I want except with honey instead of sugar. It started out ok: like me she's following some special diet, and ginger is good for settling upset stomachs. Sure. But "breaking down toxic buildup in your organs"?
I decided to check out this GAPS diet. It claims to heal digestive and neurological issues, which is a stretch, and the side bar is full of woo about Leaky Gut and "Tumeric: better than medications?". But there's worse health food ideas than a diet that "incorporates the simplest foods for the body to digest".
Except I scrolled through and it's terrible. The faddish emphasis on red meat broth and coconut is silly, especially since a moderate amount of people have digestive issues with them. But onions and garlic?? Those are super common IBS and reflux triggers and a huge proportion of people with gut problems are going to have trouble digesting them. There's a bunch of other common IBS triggers too, like honey and cauliflower. Making the diet pretty much useless for anyone except those who are (a) basically healthy but taken in by woo or (b) happen to have a specific food intolerance not included in the starting diet.
I tried looking up proper elimination diets but got inundated with woo. Afaict they generally consist of chicken and white rice. Here's the list of low FODMAP foods suggested to people with IBS. And I mean, even though there's scince behind those diets being helpful in the right context they can still be used as part of bad medical advice. But if you want a diet for people with digestive issues they're a good place to start. Except that's too mainstream and boring for fancy quacks selling apple flavoured bone broth protein for $40 a jar.
And now I'm hungry :)
EDIT: I'm not actually in the market for an elimination diet, I was just curious.
no subject
I've found it kind of hilarious (in that *groan* way) how many diets that are 'wonderful for you!' usually recommend a high amount of onions, garlic, spices, cruciferous vegetables, prepared 'raw fibre' etc. which are alternatively either terrible for GERD and/or IBS and/or other issues.
For coming off my GERD medication, I've been told (by my GP) it's best to just go on the simplest 'white diet' I can - white bread (no preservatives), white rice, potatoes, white breast chicken, etc. along with broth and fruits I can tolerate (if there are any), particularly bananas (which are considered a white food), along with meat broths etc.
I haven't properly done it yet. Honestly I am terrible when it comes to my preference of dealing with illness side effects vs. changing my entire diet and buying/preparing food. Like 'oh no I'd rather deal with the pain thanks than steam some chicken and rice.' *sighs*
There is *so much woo* around this stuff. I am looking into turmeric though, scientists are doing a lot of work into curcumin at the moment since they're already aware of its anti-inflammatory effects, but ugh it being marketed as a 'wonder drug/spice' means the price goes up and people start saying it cures everything. But I can still get it cheap at Indian grocers.
no subject
Yes I find it "hilarious" too. On the whole, "health" food tends to be worse for me than regular food.
And yeah tumeric is the only woo thing my dad has pushed on me that seems like it might actually be good for me. Plus it's one of the few spices I can eat without feeling bad afterwards so I was eating a lot of it anyway :)