@ Firefox. Firstly I should clarify that by stating I was intending to combine diets, all I meant was to take the best aspects of each. In no way am I intending to eat an imbalanced diet. Firstly, because of my gut problems, I am embarking on an elimination diet… The Low Fodmap diet, to see what is causing my issues. However, this is only a temporary phase. Secondly, because the Paleo Diet avoids foods that can cause food sensitivities, I have to take it into consideration if I find dairy or gluten to be the issue. That this diet damns all processed food is the big plus for me and if I discover sensitivities, incorporating it’s options may be the way to go.
However, the Mediterranean Diet is the ideal all-rounder for me, minus any processed food products and if I can tolerate carbs and dairy. I’m aware that red wine, fruits and vegetables can counteract the various toxins we ingest, but not if they are overwhelmed by bad eating habits. Cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil and avocadoes, for example, have a large AGEs content. All fats do, including healthy fats.
If the daily recommended intake of AGEs is around 7000 or less, adjusting our diets to this figure would obviously be the thing to do. Becoming aware of the AGEs content in foods is the place to start.
I have chronic gastritis. Apparently, I ruined my stomach lining with Ibuprofen. I had prepyloric lesions and moderate inflammation, although I feel it’s a lot better now, and I have diverticular disease with large and small mouthed diverticuli throughout my entire colon. This year, I have had problems since March. My doctor has no idea how to deal with it and tried me on pancreatic enzymes and Colofac without success. Her best advice is to let my gut heal by doing a liquids only for a few days, then introduce low fat dairy/bland foods (white bread etc), next is light protein such as eggs, fish and lean chicken. Fibre is the last thing to be re-introduced. I am having to do this sometimes several times a year. I believe there is something more to it than diverticulitis.
Trying to eat a well-balanced diet is next to impossible under these conditions. I need to be proactive and find out what’s behind it.
Carbonated drinks; artificial sweeteners; sugar (for the most part); saturated fats and fruit juice have all been eliminated from my diet.
I suspect food intolerances I don’t know about. I already know I can’t tolerate certain vegetables and fruits. For example, I can’t have chillies with skin and seeds, but I can tolerate a tiny amount of chilli powder. Capsicum has become a no-go, cranberries are a disaster. I can eat blueberries, a few grapes, one plum or fig, but dried fruits such as dates, sultanas, currants and raisins are diabolically bad.
My digestive system is slowly returning to my normal, which still isn’t good enough.
I intend to try fermented foods and probiotics. I’m already using natural yoghurt and natural apple cider, which, incidentally has help my stomach amazingly well. Heartburn and indigestion disappears minutes after taking a tbsp with 100ml water. Also, it seems to be helping my sluggish digestion. My food was tending to sit in my stomach for hours, or at least it felt that way. Having a glass of water 2 hours after eating usually causes indigestion, so I suspect part of my problem may be low stomach acid. That may be because I had my gallbladder out years ago due to severe pain and gallstones. One year later I had a large gallstone lodged in my bile duct, which has probably damaged it.
There is so much conflicting information out there regarding healthy foods. I trust Dr Michael Moseley’s take on things, but he doesn’t mention advanced glycation end products’ (AGEs) at all. Maybe he feels the research is inconclusive. Although all the scientific studies I read said otherwise.