What to Eat When I Don't Feel Like Eating?

Hi Valerie,

I do pet sitting for the health benefits. A dog I walk grabbed something and started eating it. It was not something he was given. So we tugged and I eventually got the unauthorized item out of his mouth. But my thumb nail was punctured by his canine, however.

It was a normal injury for about 6 weeks and then my thumb swelled up.

— Long story here —

Here’s what I had once I went from urgent care to the ER:

“Pasteurella

This is the most common source of dog bite bacteria, and more than 50% of all infected dog bite wounds contain Pasteurella.

As with all of these bacterium induced conditions, it is more likely that individuals that have compromised immune systems due to either old age, illness or both, will have this bacteria spread quickly within their system and cause serious symptoms and side effects than individuals with healthy and uncompromised immune systems.

This infection develops rapidly, with the initial signs and symptoms of the bacterial infection showing up within 12 to 24 hours after exposure, including red, swollen, and tender areas in and around the dog bite wound, and can progress to swollen lymph nodes, swollen joints, difficulty moving, fevers, pneumonia, and meningitis if left untreated.”

I have so many of those shittty symptoms that I can’t tell the cause.

It was a big deal by the time I was seen. The X-ray showed infection in the BONE. They said they never see it in X-rays and the protocol is to biopsy first.

They skipped the protocol and operated on my thumb. It’s been 12 plus weeks since the initial injury and I spent 3 nights in the hospital (my first time! I’m 59, never had kids, never stayed in the hospital for anything before)

I really waited on the thumb injury because I’m already a “frequent flyer” annoyance at the clinic where my dr works.

I just finished going to the infusion center for my antibiotics for 6 weeks after I was discharged from hospital.

Here’s the link to the various bacteria that can come from contact with dogs: https://topdogtips.com/dog-bite-bacteria/

You are welcome to ask me anything. I am attaching a couple photos for you, lol

Beans did come out ok on my allergy test, so maybe I should give those a try. Trouble is, I like most of the foods I'm eating now, but my gut doesn't. I need a substitute for my French fries; they're nice and filling, and I get most of my much-needed fat from them, but they seem to make the constipation and bloating worse. Broccoli and chicken are my safe foods; I don't feel noticeably worse after eating them. I wonder why... it seems like a hopeful sign, though! Sometimes I wonder how I'd feel if I could eat just those two foods... but that probably wouldn't fly. I've got to expand that "safe" list.

green bananas are constipating, ripe ones are not.
apples have pectin in them so should only be eaten in the morning. In your gut overnight will be constipating.
if you are frying your potatoes in regular oil they are not good for you even the sweet potato ones.
skip fried foods and have salads with good olive oil or a shot of olive oil in the morning to get your healthy fat.
beans are good, but start off slowly. they are gas producing as are the cruciferous vegetable (broccoli, cauliflower, etc. very good for you but probably not comfortable if you are backed up.
good luck. hope you feel better.

Roasting potatoes is better than frying. Use a good oil like avocado oil.
Try smoothies. Use a fruit from the berry family. Blueberries are super nutritious. Add Greek yogurt or kefir (both have good pre and probiotics ), a bd a protein powder. Sometimes I throw in almond butter or almond milk. I use a ninja blender to mix. I drink as much as I want and save the rest for the next day.
Nuts are also an alternative to a meal. A handful of almonds are nutritious and contain protein.

I like the idea of olive oil shot in the morning…
If you are really missing your French fries, cut up some type of potatoes into 3/4-1” pieces, lightly mix in a tiny bit of olive oil and kosher salt, roast until really really crispy, maybe at 400 degrees, watch the first time to see how long your oven takes. Can put on foil in a sheet pan for easy clean up! Yum! I have/had SIBO and really kinda watch diet. Can also do “microwaveable” carrots, trimmed kale, ( never ate it before sibo, ) tastes like potato chips, I don’t, but you could probably do broccoli…I had to get creative because all I was eating was squash, potatoes and chicken.
Can you do chicken BONE broth, (?) add package of plain precooked rice, kosher salt, (little at a time), small portion of chopped rinsed kale, pre-shredded carrots, chopped chicken and small potato pieces. Tastes yummy, and even looks good. Great easy soup to make and easy to digest. Good protein.
I’ve been making various versions of this soup and stocking the freezer for healthy, quick meals.
I wound up roasting the rest of the kale to make chips, (there are never any left they shrink), because bunches are big.
Good luck!!!

Roasting potatoes is better than frying. Use a good oil like avocado oil.
Try smoothies. Use a fruit from the berry family. Blueberries are super nutritious. Add Greek yogurt or kefir (both have good pre and probiotics ), a bd a protein powder. Sometimes I throw in almond butter or almond milk. I use a ninja blender to mix. I drink as much as I want and save the rest for the next day.
Nuts are also an alternative to a meal. A handful of almonds are nutritious and contain protein.

For constipation, what's working GREAT for me right now is information I learned recently via watching a video with Dr. Mark Pimental (researcher/medical doctor @ Cedars Sinai). He recommended a variety of ingredients that can be used for improving motility. He also recognized some individuals with SIBO develop Histamine Intolerance.

Since that's me and I also have some things that I can't have because of my thryoid medicine, the only supplement that I found on Amazon that seemed right for me to try was a mixture of artichoke and ginger extracts. It is working! Hopefully, by keeping things from backing up, I'll finally be free from reoccurring SIBO and then I can heal my gut forever!

Reading all the different problems that we all experience it is much easier to understand why doctors are lost with our symptoms.

That said, thank goodness for the internet and our ability to find doctors from around the world that save us! I first discovered the most info about SIBO via discovering the research that Monash University was doing. Bizarrely, my browser algorithms got better at reaching beyond the US borders while I was researching online internationally because of my interests in green roofs to handle stormwater problems. Germany was noted in one article I read as having examples of green roofs back to the 40's. That made me so interested that I kept looking for German research translated into English. Back then, it was nearly impossible to find.

Anyway, sharing all of that in the hope that I encourage people to keep looking for your answers! Don't give up. If your condition does not have a solution in the US, look further afield at other medical research centers in parts of the world. Solutions are being created everyday! And focus in one country may be completely different than focus in another country.

Above all, look for assistance from medical doctors that aren't afraid to admit they don't know everything and that do NOT blame a patient's illness on stress. Until someone has suffered extreme, chronic fatigue and a litany of other symptoms that are happening throughout their whole body (different organs/systems), they don't understand how debilitating that becomes. NOR do they understand the impact that has physically on the brain.

Wish you all the best!