Anorexia/Eating Disorders/Eating Disorder Recovery

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Expert: Jeanne Rust, PhD - 3/18/2011


Question
I am recovering from an eating disorder.  I just finished 106 days in patient treatment and am home and doing pretty good.  My problem is that during treatment I started getting terrible gas after every meal.  This has now developed to where I am bringing up quite a bit of food with the gas which is very triggering and bothersome.  Other than taking antacids is there anything else I can do and are there long term effects from this I should be concerned about?  Thank you.

Answer

Jeanne Rust, PhD
Dear Carol,

Congratulations on your treatment!  That's quite an accomplishment.

Having a lot of gas can be quite common when you're in the early days of recovery.  Your digestive enzymes might be not be doing their job as they will a little later.  The real danger to your recovery is bringing up food!  You also might be lactose intolerant.

I have a list of foods here that can cause a person to have gas.  You can avoid those foods and stop letting food come up.  Notice I didn't say try -- I said stop -- you've spent too much time and $$ to take a chance.

Here's the list -- it's huge!  But it will be pretty easy for you to avoid the foods listed below.

Please keep in touch and let me know how you make out with this.  Antacids are also very benign --

Warmly,
Jeanne Rust, PhD
CEO/Founder
www.mirasol.net
www.edrecovery.com
888-520-1700


Carbohydrates:

Carbohydrates are the biggest culprits when it comes to gas producers because they’re made up of polysaccharides, which have long chains of difficult-to-digest sugars.

The carbohydrates found in some vegetables can produce gas, bloating and flatulence:

Artichokes
Asparagus
Beets
Broccoli
Brussel sprouts
Cabbage and sauerkraut
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Corn
Green peppers
Leeks
Legumes (i.e. black-eyed peas, bog beans, broad beans, field beans, lima beans, mung beans, pinto beans, red kidney beans, baked beans, bean salads, chickpeas, chili, lentils, lentil soup, peanuts, peanut butter, peas, dried peas, split-pea soup, soybeans, soy milk, tofu, and other soy products)
Onions
Parsley
Potatoes
Radishes
Sweet peppers
Other gas/flatulence producing vegetables include,

Cucumbers
Kohlrabi
Lettuce
Rutabaga
Turnips
Zucchini
Breads, grains, cereals, and nuts:

Some people can’t digest wheat properly which can lead to fermentation and gas build-up when eating wheat and wheat products such as,

Bagels
Breakfast cereals
Whole grain breads
Whole wheat flour
Pastries
Other difficult to digest grains and nuts include,
Barley
Granola
Oat bran
Oat flour
Pistachios
Rice bran
Rye
Sesame flour
Sorghum
Sunflower flour
Wheat bran
See The Anti-Flatulence Diet for suggestions on alternatives and substitutes.

Dairy products:

The sugar lactose in dairy foods is a common cause of gas, which can sometimes be an indication of lactose intolerance. This is a condition in which the lactose in milk and other dairy products can’t be properly digested. People with lactose intolerance have difficulty digesting dairy products such as,

Cheese
Chip dip
Ice cream
Milk
Salad dressings
Often, though, they can eat aged cheeses and/or yogurt without experiencing any digestive upset.
Eggs, while not technically a dairy product, cause gassiness for some people.

If you think you may be lactose intolerant, eliminate all dairy products from your diet for a ten- to fourteen-day period. Monitor your body’s response to see whether or not there is a reduction of flatulence. If there is, decrease or eliminate your dairy intake of dairy, or use lactase supplements prior to eating to help with digestion of dairy.

See The Anti-Flatulence Diet for dairy alternatives. It includes suggestions for people who love traditional comfort food such as baked goods and cereal with milk.

Fatty foods:

Fried food – such as anything pan- or deep-fried – along with fatty meats, gravies, pastries, rich creams, and some sauces are foods that can cause gas.

Fruit/fruit sugar:

Apples, apricots, bananas, melons, peaches, pears, prunes, and raisins, as well as juices made from apples, grapes, and prunes can trigger gas and bloating.

See The Anti-Flatulence Diet for suggestions on fruit that tends to be “less gassy.”

Soluble fiber:

Found in most fruits – as well as in beans, oat bran, and peas – soluble fiber doesn’t get broken down until it reaches the large intestine, which can result in gassiness. Insoluble fiber produces very little gas.

Other Food Products That Cause Gas

The sweeteners used in sugar-free candies and chocolate can cause digestive problems. Known as sugar alcohols, they’re found in an assortment of food products and beverages ranging from sugarless chewing gum and hardy candy, to sports, carbonated, and sparkling beverages.

Beware of labels that say “sugar-free” as there’s a high likelihood that sugar alcohols have been used to replace the sugar. Manufactured from cornstarch, erythritol, maltitol, mannitol, sorbitol, and xylitol are examples of common sugar alcohols.

Additionally, carbonated drinks can cause bloating because the carbon dioxide bubbles they contain foster the formation of gas.

Dark beer and red wine also contribute to excess gas production.

Jeanne Rust, PhD

Expertise

I have been treating eating disorders for over 25 years and I have a doctorate in clinical psychology. I am an expert in anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorders and in co-occurring disorders as well -- depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, etc. I was the official eating disorder therapist for the University of Arizona athletic department and love working with girls and women of all ages! 12 years ago I started my own treatment centers in Arizona where we treat adolescents and adults. I love working with people and have been helping people online since 1994. My hearts go out to the people out there who are unable to find help, who aren't sure whether they need help, and who don't have much of an understanding of the terrible consequences, emotionally and physically, that go hand in hand with the eating disorder. I view eating disorders as coping mechanisms that people use when they are under stress. I believe that eating disorders most times have many similarities whether it is anorexia, bulimia, or binge eating. The good news is that people can heal from an eating disorder and learn to create the lives they would like to live.

Experience

I have 25 years of experience in treating eating disorders of all kinds. I also do consultations for people who are starting treatment centers.

Education/Credentials
Northwestern University -- BA Masters in Counseling Doctorate in Clinical Psychology -- Saybrook institute

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