My Diet

There is one question that I get asked quite a bit, that is hard for me to answer, so I thought that I would address that in this post. Out of care and concern, people ask me what I can and cannot eat. Gastroparesis involves problems breaking down foods in the digestive track. Because of the, it is best to avoid high fiber foods that take more effort to breakdown. One website said that an ideal GP diet should be low fat and low fiber. While this works in some ways, it is not 100% true for me. Below is a list of foods that work and do not work for me.

FOODS THAT WORK

• White Breads/Rolls
• Applesauce
• Soup (Unless tomato based or full of meat)
• Juices (low acid drinks)
• Milk
• Pastas (Cooked well)
• Pudding
• Yogurt
• Jello
• Carrots (Boiled well)
• Crackers (Not whole wheat)
• Potatoes (Mashed, boiled, baked, etc.
• Tortillas (flour or white corn)
• Cheese (Sometimes yes, Sometimes no)
• Pancakes/Waffles
• Ice Cream/Frozen Yogurt/Popsicles
• Cakes/Donuts/Brownies (Any junk food really, unless it has nuts, coconut, or acid from lime, lemon, or orange type foods)
• Alfredo sauce
• Macaroni & Cheese
• Nutrition Drinks (Boost, Slim Fast, Ensure, etc.)
• Chips
• Peaches and Pears (Other fruits, if pureed or super soft and not seedy and low acid
• Fruit Snacks

FOODS THAT DON'T WORK

• Meat (Though thin turkey or moist chicken sometimes works)
• Tomatoes
• Oranges, Lemons, Limes
• Raw fruits and vegetables
• Cooked vegetables: corn, peas, celery, etc.
•  Whole-wheat and wheat breads
• Lemonade
• Granola/Granola Bars/Oats
• Dried Fruits
• Nuts
• Rice (Unless cooked super soft)
• Watermelon and bananas (This is just a me thing. They work for most people with GP)
•  Spaghetti/Marinara sauces
• Onions
• Salads
• Acidic juices (orange juice, grapefruit juice, etc.)
• Peanut Butter

Apparently I focus more on what I can eat and not what I cannot. Now, this may not be a complete guide. The diet varies daily and things change from one day to the next. Right now, I have reduce my dairy products drastically (due to my throat and vocal issues) and cut out chocolate (to reduce acid). Who knew chocolate was something that would create acid.

It does not offend me when people ask what I can and cannot eat. It actually is nice. Feel free to comment with questions or of things that may or may not work for you, with your condition. I will update this list if I think of more.