Special diet on pesach- how to handle

amother

Thu, Apr 10 2014, 1:17 am

For those of you who are on a strict diet for health reasons (paleo, reflux, allergies, pcos, scd, etc...) how do you handle yom tov when you're surrounded by all the foods you can't have? Just looking for some chizuk here. I am dealing with severe allergies and finding it really hard especially with Pesach coming and I'll be away among so many other people....

LisaS

Thu, Apr 10 2014, 1:36 am

Last time I was on a special diet I tried to spend less time at the table. Spend more time serving, helping the kids, even sit on the couch reading a magazine or saying tehillim while everyone else is eating dessert. Just sat at the table long enough to eat the things I was allowed to. Close relatives understand.

Mrs Bissli

Thu, Apr 10 2014, 7:51 am

A few years ago we had a vegan guest allergic to nuts and no kitniyot. I think I served jacket potato with sautéed mushrooms, he was very happy eating ratatouille and matza with nut-free haroset in the end. Though I seriously wondered how he would get enough protein for 8 days.

chani8

Thu, Apr 10 2014, 2:40 pm

It's very hard not to get depressed about it, that's for sure. Hugs to you, OP, if that's what you're going thru!

Not long ago I did the GAPs intro diet, similar but stricter than the SCD intro, for about two weeks, and shobbos was soooo hard. I just allowed myself to indulge in as much chicken and meat as I could stuff into myself. Chicken or beef soup for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and lots of it. It helped to satisfy me, and it really is yummy. In fact, I ended up having to make enough for everyone, because they all wanted some of my soup...along with all of their yummy food that I made for them of course.

By Purim, I just fell off the paleo/GAPs/SCD wagon and indulged. I survived. I've still not recovered fully, and I intend to keep torturing my tummy until after pesach. So, I have some allergies and inflammation going on. I'll get back on track after pesach. It's really ok, I'm telling myself. So maybe that's an option for you, too.

I do find that chewing my food really really well, makes a very big difference in tummy trouble. Fresh lemon juice helps with digestion/reflux. Going easy on soluble fiber is helping, too. But that's what's going on with me.

Hope you'll get the clarity and strength and healing you need, very soon!

mummiedearest

Thu, Apr 10 2014, 10:41 pm

I'm on the scd. pesach is pretty similar to what I eat year round. I change my menus so I don't bother with anything involving potato starch. I do make potato kugel, but the majority of food served is scd friendly.

that's the way to survive. host the meals yourself and design a menu around your diet. people generally don't complain if there's enough food.

amother

Thu, Apr 10 2014, 11:41 pm

Op here.
I think te reason I'm feeling really bad abouty diet now is that I'm surrounded by food all day where I work and it makes me feel really bad to need to eat my own foods Sad

I can't have dairy, eggs, potatoes, nuts or soy. So without eggs on Pesach, or potatoes, I'm kind of limited.
And hosting is not an option cuz I'm not making YT.
So being surrounded by yummy foods that I can't eat even a bite when everyone else is, is hard!
That's why I asked how others handle it! I need to learn to make peace with the situation I guess and accept it.

mummiedearest

Thu, Apr 10 2014, 11:48 pm

op, I assume this diet is fairly new to you. with time, you'll learn to appreciate how good you feel when you don't eat those foods.

if you can, make yom tov yourself next year. you'll see how much easier it is. meanwhile, eat lots of what you can eat. it may be better than you expect.

ra_mom

Thu, Apr 10 2014, 11:51 pm

amother wrote:

Op here.
I think te reason I'm feeling really bad abouty diet now is that I'm surrounded by food all day where I work and it makes me feel really bad to need to eat my own foods Sad

If you're working for a hotel pesach program then I really feel bad Hug

amother

Fri, Apr 11 2014, 12:01 am

I will share with you what I learned in my first two weeks of Cognitive Behavior classes for eating.

1. Make a list of all the reasons you want to follow your food plan. e.g. feeling energetic, not feeling sick. DH said "to be healthy" but I said I can break that down into 10 items; better blood sugar, less likely to get arthritis, cardio-vascular health etc.

2. Make a list of the thoughts that tell you "it's okay to eat that", "it's too hard to abstain" along with a helpful suggestion you'd tell yourself or your friend, such as "you'll feel so much better if you don't", " you're exercising your self-control muscle & making it stronger".

I put all these on index cards & laminated them, & put them on my key chain. I'm supposed to review them sev'l times a day. Actually, part of part 2. is not being lazy about reviewing my cards.

In the case of a hotel, I guess you'd review them before each time you go near the dining room/tea room etc.

You can google Judith Beck CBT & see a video or two.
Hatzlacha, OP. I hope we all do well!