Diet that 100% manages my POIS! (Changed from:Diet that CURED my POIS!)

[Liyyamurr]

Thanks GoingLessCrazy 

[Liyyamurr]

How long do you intend to stay on this diet? I have read that people on AIP and Paleo diets GRADUALLY start reintroducing foods back into their system after 90 days or less. Then again, the point of AIP is to find the foods that cause irritation and eliminate them allowing your system to recover. You may have done this first step without having to go through the diet.

[Going less Crazy]

Thanks guys.

I'm not sure how long I intend to stay on it as long as I feel good.  I still mess up every once and a while and manage to feel awful... If I have wheat or something.  So that's enough evidence for me that I need to stay on this diet.  I've tried reintroducing grains like rice and corn without much success yet, but I haven't tried any alternative grains like quinoa, buckwheat, etc.  This I may do in the future.  Grains are also particularly hard on the digestive system, this may be another reason why I should avoid them for now along with all the symptoms I get when I have grains.

I've also added real bone broth and fermented probiotic vegetables like sauerkraut into my diet, literally just yesterday, and I did have a noticeable increase in well-being.  So if it is a leaky gut thing this should be good for that.

So there's still no time limit on the diet, also because I may be a special case.  I most likely have some advanced form of celiac disease where all grains affect me.  But I still am not 100% sure on anything.

Later

[Quantum]

Hi GLC,

Quinoa and buckwheat are good choices, since they are not cereals, so they do not have any gluten.  They are classified as "pseudocereals", because there seeds can be grounded and used as floor, and they are rich in complex carbohydrates.

see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudocereal

Amaranth, like quinoa and buckwheat, is also a pseudocereal. 

They may be eaten by those having celiac disease  ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buckwheat#Gluten_concerns ), because they have no gluten. 

But if you have problems with prolamins rather than gluten, quinoa contains prolamins  ( https://celiac.org/blog/2014/02/gluten-alternatives-effects-of-eating-quinoa-in-celiac-patients/ )   In this case, buckwheat is a better choice, the reference above -  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buckwheat#Gluten_concerns  - states that buckwheat contains no gliadins/prolamin like wheat.  however, some have allergic reaction to another substance in buckwheat, called fagopyrin - see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buckwheat#Negative_reactions.   Hehehe...nothing's perfect !  We have to find what works for ourself.

[demografx]

I am doing this on my own though should probably have seen somebody.  Yes I can do those peppers and I would think I can do coconut milk as well.

You have been very determined and motivated, GLC, in finding what works for you and what relieves your POIS symptoms, gratz!   And you always come back here to share your most recent results and answering questions, which is great for other POIS sufferers who want to try your diet method.

Thanks for these follow ups!

GLC was even once "Going Crazy" (as in GC) in the pre-POISCenter years @ The Naked Scientists Forum!

We should start: The Founders' Circle.

[Going less Crazy]

Hahah I don't even know why I did that name I guess it was a kind of spur of the moment type of thing but whatever.  That was back in the day when the real hardcore poisers were about.  Not a lot of today's poisers would have made it.  You have your pois center now and all that.

Kidding aside, thanks for the help.  Yes it is prolamines I am trying to avoid.  The thing is, nobody with straight celiac disease has this POIS problem, at least those online and in real life I know of.  So it would be a super strange symptom of celiac or perhaps something different entirely.

Makes me think that maybe pois is pois and maybe my diet just stops that autoimmune reaction instead of it being part of a celiac symptom... it may be a different autoimmune problem, along with celiac.

I'm not sure if I react to every prolamine but I guess I need to test more of those types of grains.  That's good info to know on buckwheat, however there are ppl with celiac that react to buckwheat so you are right, it is all what works for you, the individual.

Thanks again

[Quantum]

Makes me think that maybe pois is pois and maybe my diet just stops that autoimmune reaction instead of it being part of a celiac symptom... it may be a different autoimmune problem, along with celiac.

Hi GLC,

I agree with you that POIS is a specific auto-immune disease, and that there can be other auto-immune disorder as well present in the same individual.  There must be some specific predisposition in order to develop POIS specific symptoms, that are triggered by ejaculation.   But individuals prone to auto-immune diseases often have more than one, so it is not uncommon for an individual to have more than one specific auto-immune disease ( like in Lupus sufferers, who often have Sjogren syndrome too, and/or antiphospholipid syndrome, or others.

 I think that nost of those suffering POIS are prone to auto-immune dysfunctions.  That has been noted by Dr Waldinger, who have outlined the fact, in his 45 subject study, that more than 60% of the subjects were atopic , atopy being a predisposition toward developing certain allergic hypersensitivity reactions ( see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atopy ). 

In my youth, I had very sever hay fever and various allergies.  I was sure prone to auto-immune disorders.


About the pseudocereals information, I am glad that it may prove helpful for you.

[Going less Crazy]

So I did try buckwheat yesterday, and sadly it is a no go.  I had pain along with pois-like symptoms and definite insomnia which is most likely caused by inflammation within the body/brain.  The buckwheat was labeled gluten free as well.

Yet again maybe pois is just a symptom of my dietary problem / celiac or whatever.  I feel like I would always experience pois even if I was eating right.  It's not like my body would say "oh he's eating an aip like diet so let's not burden him with pois".  I'm almost convinced now my pois is not a separate autoimmune disease than my "celiac".  Even just the fact that if I do experience pois it always is due to the fact I ate something bad, combined with orgasm, which focuses the inflammation in my brain.  That's just my thoughts now.  Subject to change.

[caveeater]

For anyone who has tried quercetin: I found the best product to be Neuroprotek which also includes Rutin and luteon in an oil base so it is well absorbed. It's expensive, but seems better to me than all the other quercetin supplements I've tried, which made me feel worse. I definitely feel the mast cell stabilising effects. Only way I can describe it is that it gives me some sense of objectivity over my symptoms (which are also caused by food allergies).

[caveeater]

So I did try buckwheat yesterday, and sadly it is a no go.  I had pain along with pois-like symptoms and definite insomnia which is most likely caused by inflammation within the body/brain.  The buckwheat was labeled gluten free as well.

Buckwheat affects me too, I believe it may be because of it feeding certain bacteria (possibly FODMAPS). I suspect I may have SIBO although am not sure. Most fermentable fibres affect me in some way. Including apples, onions, crucifers. So my diet is very limited.

If you have SIBO then food will cause a lot more inflammation which no doubt makes POIS symptoms worse. I avoided many foods dor s long time and I believe it reduced whatever bacterial overgrowth I had.

[Going less Crazy]

Sibo is a possibility, though more likely celiac.  I also have a problem with cashews and some other nuts.  Buckwheat seemed more nut and seed like compared to a grain, but it definitely caused me a problem.  Seems like anything particularly hard to digest is not good for me.

[Neutral]

I'd like to start taking probiotics to see if it helps at all. But I'm very confused with all the different types and brands. Can anyone recommend a good brand and type? I have access to a Whole Foods near by. Or I guess I can order from Amazon.

[Quantum]

I'd like to start taking probiotics to see if it helps at all. But I'm very confused with all the different types and brands. Can anyone recommend a good brand and type? I have access to a Whole Foods near by. Or I guess I can order from Amazon.

Here are some guidelines to choose a good probiotics preparation:

-  be sure that there is both lactobacillus AND bifidus strains ( to cover both the small and large intestine)

- preferably many strains of each ( each strain present in the preparation will be listed on the label, like 'Lactobacillus acidophilus', and often a strain number at the end )

- a preparation that is lactose free

- a good concentration  ( more than 10 billions per capsule).  Taking 40 billions a day is not a problem, those bacteria won't cause infectious diseases.

- keep the open bottle in the fridge door, to preserve the strength of the preparation

- change of preparation from time to time , for one with other strains of lactobacillus and bifidus,  this will help build a more diversified gut flora,


The one I currently use is 20 B /caps and has 4 different strains of lactobacillus, and 2 of bifidus.

[Going less Crazy]

I'd like to start taking probiotics to see if it helps at all. But I'm very confused with all the different types and brands. Can anyone recommend a good brand and type? I have access to a Whole Foods near by. Or I guess I can order from Amazon.

I don't have a brand to recommend because taking probiotics pills I feel weird and wired-like.  But you may tolerate them.  I'd recommend fermented sauerkraut you can pick up probably at your local health food store.  This is mainly because I can tolerate it.  I still only take about a spoonful once a week, after all it is trillions of bacteria compared to billions in probiotic pills.  So there are way more in sauerkraut according to research.

[Neutral]

I saw a urologist this morning. He was of course unfamiliar with POIS, I tried my best to explain it to him. He was kind enough to listen and examin me. I did a urine and blood sample. Will have to wait to see if anything comes back strange. But he prescribed me antibiotics. I'm picking them up from the pharmacy right now. I'm really hesitant to start taking them while I'm trying AIP diet. Because I know that with this diet antibiotics are a big NO NO. I explained all this to the urologist. He obviously recommended the antibiotics because he says I haven't tried any meds yet.
I'm planning on seeing a naturopath that I found in a few weeks. I feel like she's most definitely going to tell me to stay away from antibiotics. So I'm torn. I have no idea what to do

[Going less Crazy]

I saw a urologist this morning. He was of course unfamiliar with POIS, I tried my best to explain it to him. He was kind enough to listen and examin me. I did a urine and blood sample. Will have to wait to see if anything comes back strange. But he prescribed me antibiotics. I'm picking them up from the pharmacy right now. I'm really hesitant to start taking them while I'm trying AIP diet. Because I know that with this diet antibiotics are a big NO NO. I explained all this to the urologist. He obviously recommended the antibiotics because he says I haven't tried any meds yet.
I'm planning on seeing a naturopath that I found in a few weeks. I feel like she's most definitely going to tell me to stay away from antibiotics. So I'm torn. I have no idea what to do

Yeah that's probably a decision you have to make on your own.  Antibiotics have not been beneficial to me.  If I can make one suggestion it would be to not take antibiotics for 3 weeks like I did, maybe a week would be "ok".  Thats my experience. But that's a decision to make yourself.

[Neutral]

Thanks. I'll try them for a week or so and see how I feel.

I went to a whole foods today and found organic sauerkrout. But not fermented sauerkrout. I don't really understand the whole fermented thing. If I buy organic is that the same or good enough? I can't seem to find anything fermented where I live.

[Going less Crazy]

They're usually in health food stores if you have any around you.  I'm not so sure... The sauerkraut I got is called bubbies or bubba's sauerkraut and it says it contains probiotics.

[notmythirdaccount]

Organic sauerkraut is better than generic grocery brands. However, it may still have preservatives or pasteurization that kills the probiotic Flora you need. Fermented sauerkraut from home is the best option for the most Flora. Next best option is to ensure the product you're using doesn't use pasteurization or any odd ingredients.

Sauerkraut is just fermented lettuce after all. You can make it yourself but you need at least 3-4 weeks before it's ready.

[Neutral]

GLC,
I'm curious about something. You first found relief or a cure with olive leaf extract. Then you discovered AIP. If OLE was working, why switch to the diet? Is it not easier taking pills than a strict diet? And you described your diet at the time as giving you constant symptoms of inflammation or something. Would OLE help with those Symptoms or it strictly only helped pois symptoms?