Friday, October 23, 2009

Tofu, Squash and the Microbial Squadron

In the quest to ween off of the short-term friendly diet base of breads and rice, I am finding two things:
1) My allergies dictate that a myriad of exceptions from the rules be formulated, and
2) These diets -- particularly the ones that are based on moving away from modern food-preservation and agricultural technology -- are far too nit-picky for my stress level.  That is fantastic for people who can and/or need to be that scrupulous with what they put into their bodies (often Coeliacs and Rheumatoid Arthritics, both malabsorption-centric), but not for me.
Current quests: 
1) to replace most rice noodles with various stringed squashes, and
2) replace most breads with tofu.
Current obstacles:
1) If my SBFT results come back rampant with strictures, I will not be able to eat stringed squash, and
2) tofu is "illegal" on the SCD diet (my guiding reference).
Current absurdities:
1)   Spaghetti squash is high in complex carbohydrates.  Why is it on the SCD diet if this is so?  Because these complex carbohydrates are not starches (2), the favorite sustenance of the microbial squadron.  Therefore, spaghetti squash is excellent for the SCD diet, but not so excellent for me... in terms of making it through my system, rice noodles are better.  Sacrifice the carbohydrate eradication or risk intestinal rupture?  This is going to involve a very slow process of replacing carbs with fiber one food at a time; elsewise, my poor brain will not be able to suppress the hormonal onslaught of PPR-bred anxiety.
2) The reason that tofu is illegal on the SCD diet is because of the ambivalence of its carbohydrate content.  Apparently, no one has bothered to figure out what carbohydrate prevalence results from the fermentation and processing of the genetically manipulated soy beans that beget tofu.  My condition at the moment is more defined by "solid substance sensitivity" than by my concern for entirely starving out the microbial forces in my gut (see above).  Therefore, the carbohydrate content of tofu being so minimal as compared to its protein and fiber content -- even as its carbohydrate chain specificities are unknown -- I will allow it.  I simply can't afford to eliminate everything by-the-molecule, only to reduce.  Baby steps.
Additionally, screw complete elimination of rice because if I cannot eat sushi once in a while life is just not worth the hassle.

2 comments:

  1. So much controversy over tofu....its a bit frustrating. It's FODMAPS legal. Asians eat it and u dont see them complain about the vast array of health issues we americans have.

    Im game

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  2. i only just recently heard about FODMAPS. i'm trying it out now. i heart a bit of tofu, especially in soondubu jjigae :)

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