Tammy Chang - The Gastroparesis Healing Diet: A Guided Program for Promoting Gastric Relief, Reducing Symptoms and Feeling Great

Text copyright 2017 Tammy Chang. Concept and design copyright 2017 Ulysses Press and its licensors. All rights reserved. Any unauthorized duplication in whole or in part or dissemination of this edition by any means (including but not limited to photocopying, electronic devices, digital versions, and the Internet) will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Published in the United States by:

Ulysses Press

P.O. Box 3440

Berkeley, CA 94703

www.ulyssespress.com

ISBN13: 978-1-61243-655-5

Acquisitions Editor: Casie Vogel

Managing Editor: Claire Chun

Editor: Renee Rutledge

Proofreader: Shayna Keyles

Index: Sayre Van Young

Front cover/interior design: what!design @ whatweb.com

Layout: Jake Flaherty

Cover artwork: Lesterman/shutterstock.com

NOTE TO READERS: This book has been written and published strictly for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to serve as medical advice or to be any form of medical treatment. You should always consult your physician before altering or changing any aspect of your medical treatment and/or undertaking a diet regimen, including the guidelines as described in this book. Do not stop or change any prescription medications without the guidance and advice of your physician. Any use of the information in this book is made on the readers good judgment after consulting with his or her physician and is the readers sole responsibility. This book is not intended to diagnose or treat any medical condition and is not a substitute for a physician.

This book is independently authored and published and no sponsorship or endorsement of this book by, and no affiliation with, any trademarked brands or other products mentioned within is claimed or suggested. All trademarks that appear in ingredient lists and elsewhere in this book belong to their respective owners and are used here for informational purposes only. The author and publisher encourage readers to patronize the quality brands mentioned in this book.

Dedicated to the gastroparesis community

Table of Contents

CONTENTS

Welcome! My name is Tammy, and I am a nutrition coach and cook based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Chances are you are here because youve been diagnosed with something called gastroparesis (GP), and you are unsure where to start. You may be feeling a bit overwhelmed at the moment. Perhaps youve done a bit of research online, and its possible you arent feeling so excited about the path that lies ahead of you.

Im glad you are here. As Ive delved into the world of gastroparesis, I have spoken with many courageous individuals, from those who have had many medical interventions to those who merely need to remove some problematic foods from their diets. There is a very large spectrum of experience with GP, and depending on where you may fall, you have a small to large job ahead of you.

One comforting aspect is that you arent alone. Since GP is just beginning to be more widely recognized as a disease, there arent many accurate statistics. At the very least, there are tens of thousands of diagnosed cases, and as it starts to become a more recognized digestive disorder, numbers will only become more accurate. At the time of this writing, one of the well-known Facebook support groups has almost 10,000 members, many of which are active, supportive members of the GP community.

I personally do not have gastroparesis, so when my publisher asked me if I was interested in creating recipes for the GP community, I was a little hesitant. At the time, I knew very little besides what I had often heard for those with slow motility: eat low-fat low-fiber foods (fat and fiber are two things that tend to take longer to digest). My publisher was convinced that my nutrition advice would be helpful, so I decided to take on the project.

As I started to research gastroparesis, I found myself feeling overwhelmed. One statistic I read said that 1 in 10 patients diagnosed have severe enough symptoms to greatly impact quality of life. This disease can be debilitating, and for some of you, it will be a reason why your life cannot be the same as it was before. However, I found that the GP community, along with its taking in peoples harder days, is also extremely loving, supportive, and strong.

As I witnessed many people reaching out for help online, I had much self-doubt. How can I offer those with gastroparesis something valuable, without myself having this condition?

Then I began interviewing and talking with those with GP (Ill refer to them as GPers from here) and was blessed to be connected with wonderful people, many of whom were dealing with their symptoms on a daily basis and still finding the energy to advocate and educate others about GP. Each person had some beautiful insight that helped shape my outlook and mold the contents of this book, which would not have been possible without their input and inspiration. Some have chosen to remain anonymous, and some are leaders in the GP community with their own blogs and advocacy work, whom I hope you will continue to learn from and support as they fight for understanding and for your rights. Their stories and words of wisdom are scattered throughout the book in the Personal Insight sections.

As I listened and learned, I realized that I have some things to share with you, and the content for this book began to take shape. When working with clients, I always look at starting from one place and reaching somewhere different. Armed with the right information about how to nourish body and soul, anyone can start with small steps and move forward to the best of their capabilities. This book will examine how you can do those things. Right now, you might not have an idea of what is possible: how active you can be, what foods you can eat, or how much you can eat at one time. Ill cover how to tackle all of that.

Ill also talk about what gastroparesis does, and look at some of the reasons why it is such a complicated matter, so that you can understand why its a completely individual experience for anyone who is diagnosed with GP.

This book is also a chance for me to share what I know about holistic nutrition and making simple food taste really darn good. There are some very simple recipes in this book that are based on nutrient-dense, whole foods. You first have to figure out what works for you, and then youll have a strong foundation from which to add.

The Gastroparesis Healing Diet is also a guide to understanding what your body needs when it comes to nutrition. Here, Ill offer some tips and ideas on how to begin to understand your reactions and create an awareness around your health that may not have been there before. A diagnosis of gastroparesis should make this goal your first priority.

Hopefully this journey will bring some new resources to you and expand your community in new and powerful ways, just as writing this book has connected me with strong and vibrant individuals who have the desire to strengthen the gastroparesis community and to thrive in the best way they can.

Much of the literature out there says there is no cure for gastroparesis, but there are ways to manage the disease. Ive heard a few success stories where people have made huge turnarounds. This may be in your future. However, all of you have a similar journey at this moment, no matter where you are, and it takes a lot of trial and error since everyones reactions to possible medications and therapies are different. This book is not going to focus on the breadth of different therapies and medications out there. Instead, I will focus on food and what you can do through your lifestyle, day to day.