Discussion Board

I am very scared right now. These days I am shaky, especially after exercise. Must bo some electrolyte imbalance. I drink too much water, but I am thirsty after eating calorie dense food such as rice cakes and puffed millet. I am in a bad mood because I really don't know what to eat anymore. I drink a lot of water and I don't pee a lot, my belly is swollen almost all the time. I salt my food to feel better, but then it is too much salt... I really don't know what to do anymore and what to eat and how much to eat and how much water to drink.

I would go to the doctor if I were you.

I feel better now, after banana, one packet of rice cakes and lemon juice. When I eat vegetables I also feel better. It really must be too much water and low electrolytes. This is all just because I don't want to lose weight and I eat dry calorie dense foods to eat a lot of calories. I usually eat 2000 calories and I am just 110lbs. I think I drink 3 litres of tea before noon and I also went for a long walk and sweated a lot.
I really should stop caring about my weight and stop counting calories. I also eat a lot of corn flakes which don't have a lot of potassium magnesium and other electrolytes... Maybe I should start eating more whole rice, oats and millet again, but then I can't reach 2000 calories. I really don't know why I think I should eat so much.

If you truly need to gain weight, eat some nuts and avocado--instead of processed foods.

Sounds like your diet is a bit off there.

Make sure you are eating a nice balance of veggies and starches. If u want to keep weight up, then up the healthy starches like: potatoes, yams, rice and quinoa. Also add some calorie dense fruits like bananas, apples and even some dates here and there. Also, get in things like avocados and almonds, walnuts. Lastly, add some fruit juice. If you can't do some fresh homemade juice then get a decent market juice and allow yourself a glass a day. After you feel better you can consider reducing the juice to half a glass a day or even less.

If you have all those components, you should be ok.

Here is the homemade solution that someone sent me a year or so ago and it doesn't use any commercial products:

A Salty Drink That Saves Lives!
Important! You must use exact measurements.

Table salt: One level teaspoonful
Sugar: Eight level teaspoonfuls
Water: One liter (5 cupfuls at 200 ml each)

here is another one I found on-line:
1 quart water
3 Tbsp. orange juice
1 tsp. salt
1 - 2 Tbsp. agave nectar

Um, THIS alone could be the reason you feel shaky and sweaty, even without a long, sweaty walk.

As for "what to eat", why not go take a look at the "free" plan
http://drmcdougall.com/free.html
or look at the menus in any of the McDougall books you may own.

This is not a starvation food plan and believe it or not, people *have* been known to gain weight eating the McDougall way, even on the MWLP plan, just by eating too many starches, even while avoiding all fats and higher fat foods like avocados and nuts.

If you drink less fluids you may have more room for food. 3 liters of tea plus lots of water is too much.

I also second ET's advice, go see a doctor. If you're drinking that much fluid and NOT peeing, that's not good.

I will go to the doctor, yes.

The problem is I can't eat everything. Sometimes it seems I can't eat anything at all.
I tried elimination diet, but it seems really I can't eat anything without problems. Bananas and apples are not OK. Spinach and swiss chard seems to be allergens... I don't know why they are on elimination diet.

Have anyone have problems with swiss chard and spinach? Maybe the broccoli is the only thing I can eat.

And I also have problems with getting enough calcium. We don't have pak choy, collards and this stuff here. This is why I was already asking if I can supplement calcium.

And even if I go to the doctor, then what? I have digestion problems for 10 years and they never found anything and things are getting worse.

I was at the doctor. He send me to do blood and urine test.
Until then I don't know what to eat.
I know it's all stress related. I was talking to my mom about my problems and now my digestion is better.

And thank you for all the responses.

I will start eating much more veggies, really and whole starch for satiation and I will stop looking myself in the mirror for some time. If I lose weight, OK. I just don't want this bloated stomach anymore.

Try eating some real food.

swiss chard and spinach seem to be an unusual allergen. Although I did find one report that suggested it may be related to a grass allergy.

I would go for less tea, maybe just go on water for the time being.

Too much vegetables gives me gas. What vegetables are not gassy at all?
And brown rice is also gassy?

I got my period today, so this also cause me so much problems, because I needed more nutrients. And I know I am not getting enough with all this processed food. I also have problems with digestion of raw fruit, but sometimes I just binge on it and then I have more problems. I really hope I am not gluten intolerant, because I like oats and they are nutritious.
Two days ago my head started to hurt, but when I ate some brown rice and swiss chard it disapeared.
I still don't know what to eat really.