Low carb best for fibro; plus brownie cookie dough milkshake

Nika is my loveable, happy malamute.

Happy Mother's Day from me and all my fur-kids!

Yes, fur-kids need a mom willing to get down on the floor with a flashlight to search for a crumb of food under the dishwasher.

As a fibro sufferer, I wear all kinds of hats---fur-kid mom, wife, gardener, writer and low fermentation potential (FP) chef. Low FP means I have to be my own food police because not all carbohydrates are created equal.

I stick to a diet that is lower in carbohydrates. That doesn't mean I don't eat carbohydrates. But the ones I choose have to be easily digested (low FP) so they don't stick around and encourage the growth of bad bacteria in my gut. I also must monitor the serving size of anything that contains carbohydrates.

Fibro sufferers do best on low carb, high protein diets, according to Jacob Teitelbaum of The Fatigue and Fibromyalgia Solution.

Why do fibro sufferers do best on low carb diets?

Sixty percent of fibromyalgia sufferers have Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and 70 percent have symptoms of IBS. These IBS-symptoms are usually triggered by bowel infections, such as an overgrowth of candida or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). Both of these conditons result in an overgrowth of bad bacteria in the gut.

Your health problems may seem to have started out with IBS. But how did you get IBS?  A diet high in sugar, antibiotics and acid blockers have changed the mix of bacteria in our guts. There are more bacteria in the colon than cells in the whole rest of our bodies, so overgrowth with toxic bacteria is a big problem.

Today, it's believed that carbohydrate malabsorption coupled with SIBO may be the ultimate cause of IBS.

Studies show that SIBO occurs in 90 to 100 percent of fibromyalgia patients. Researchers believe that fibromyalgia is the result of SIBO and that treating bacterial overgrowth can significantly reduce FM symptoms.

SIBO is defined as the presence of an abnormally high number of bacteria in the upper part of the small intestine. At this level, the normally harmless bacteria that live in our gut can become harmful. They begin to produce toxins, enzymes, and intestinal gases, that can disrupt digestion, cause intense physical discomfort and even damage the small intestine.

The symptoms of SIBO, like IBS, can include abdominal pain or cramps, diarrhea, constipation, gas, bloating, acid reflux, flatulence, nausea, dehydration and fatigue.  More severe symptoms can include weight loss, failure to thrive, anemia, bleeding or bruising, night blindness, bone pain and fractures, leaky gut syndrome and autoimmune reactions, among others.

How do you treat bacterial, yeast overgrowths?

From my experience, prescription drugs don't really work to control candida or SIBO. They may "help" initially but then you need to dig in and prepare for a lifetime of low FP eating. The best treatment is through modification of your diet to focus on low FP carbohydrates which means eating a lot of low-starch veggies and good quality protein.

You also will need more nutritional support than with other illnesses. Increased bowel infections (IBS, SIBO) means decreased nutrient absorption. Some of these increased nutrient needs include B12, magnesium, iron, essential fatty acids and more.

I don't want to sound like a "Debbie Downer" but once you have SIBO, the only way to control your fibro symptoms is to change the way you eat; supplement with vitamins and minerals; and take digestive enzymes and HCL-pepsin.

Brownie cookie dough milkshake

Okay, for Mother's Day, we'll let you take a "pass," sort of, with this brownie cookie dough milkshake.

I've really been going crazy for milkshakes recently. There's been my healthy milkshake http://catsinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2015/03/exercise-can-be-part-of-fibromyalgia.html , recovery milkshake http://catsinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2015/04/chocolate-recovery-milkshake-allergies.html, cookie dough milkshake http://catsinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2015/05/get-yourself-back-plus-cookie-dough.html and now brownie cookie dough milkshake.

For desserts, I really like healthy milkshakes. It's like I'm getting a treat but chocked full of healthy and low FP ingredients. I always use my homemade yogurt (lactose-free) to get a dose of good bacteria.

Here's what you need:

You need frozen milk ice cubes (about 1 cup of your favorite milk beverage), 1/2 cup or more of yogurt of your choice (lactose free or low lactose, no sugar), 1/4 tsp.powdered stevia, 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract, pinch of salt, and 1 T. cocoa powder.

Mix everything up in your blender.

Now, for the your mix-ins. Prepare one batch of brownie cookie dough.

 Mix 1 T. almond butter (or other seed or nut butter), 2 T. almond flour (or more seed or nut butter), 2 T. coconut oil, 2 T. ghee (or replace with 2 T. coconut oil), 1 T. cocoa powder, 1/4 tsp. cinnamon, dash of nutmeg, pinch of salt, 1/4 tsp. vanilla powder, stevia to taste. Tip: soften the coconut oil and ghee. Spoon the mixture into a small loaf pan and place in the fridge for firming up. Then, cut into bite-sized pieces.

Mix in 1 T. brownie cookie dough bites and optional 1 T. chopped almonds  per 1 cup of healthy milkshake mixture.

Recipe contributed to:
 http://www.tessadomesticdiva.com/2015/05/allergy-free-wednesday-166.html

 http://www.fibrobloggerdirectory.com/