...he will eat.

So, my "male friend" has terrible stomach issues. Bleeding, irritation, food "allergies". Basically, if he eats anything containing plant matter he's either in pain and/or vomiting within 30 minutes. Ditto on chicken for some odd reason. He's also lactose intolerant... *sigh* All he eats is meat (beef or pork, or cured deli meats) and...grain-based products. Bread, pasta, crackers, granola bars.

At first, I thought he had a case of over-grown child syndrome and just didn't want to eat his veggies. Then we went somewhere for dinner with the smallest amount of green stuff in the food, he ate it anyway and within 20 minutes was pale, clammy and complaining of a stomach ache. =(

I've been trying to gently persuade him to give gluten-free a shot, to see if maybe he could heal up a little and not be so deathly reactive to everything. My reasoning is, even if it does nothing for him, considering the amount of trouble he has, it's worth the 30 days just to SEE if he gets any benefit. But since gluten-containing foods are a substantial chunk of his diet, he's a little reticent to give them up.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how I could, maybe, nudge him a little harder? Maybe what worked for you or your friends/family? I don't want to be overbearing, but don't want to not try at all. I offered him my copy of The Paleo Solution, but he's still on the fence about even considering it...

What about "Wheat Belly?" Maybe that would do the trick. Or just cajole him into trying it for 2 weeks. Tell him he can do anything for 2 weeks.

Is it because he doesn't want to be hungry cutting out all the breads and crackers, or because he doesn't want to eat things that are weird or unfamiliar to him?

If he's afraid of being hungry, maybe show all the examples of non-gluten things he could eat. Anything with potatoes or root veggies like those colorful chips. Potato skins. Potato sticks made with saturated fat (the Pik Nik brand recently reintroduced palm oil! yay! sat fat is now the main fat in their product). Bowls of veggies and rice instead of sandwiches.
Sweet potato fries. Wild rice.

If it was just for a couple of weeks maybe it would be more attractive than 30 days?

Maybe just back off and don't say a word about what he eats for a week or two, but continue to express concern about his health? Some people just have to hit a bottom before considering even the smallest change.

Not sure, but here's what I think. He's afraid of changing his diet at all because he has such problems with food. He told me that yesterday, this older guy he does some work for took him out to lunch at his "stand by" Chinese restaurant. He never has any problems eating there because the usual waiter knows he doesn't do veg. Well, the usual guy wasn't there and the woman put veg in despite his reminder not to. He ate around them, but ended up vomiting the entire meal. =(


Sadly, if he tried it, it would be a basically meat-only diet (see above on veggies). I recently suggested that we just eat in before we go to a movie/out with friends because I can't stand seeing him in so much pain. I'm used to making everything, so meals in involve a large portion of dead cow/pig, some potatoes/rice and veggies (for me). If I cook potatoes in butter or olive oil, he's OK. If he eats potatoes cooked at a restaurant, (veg oil, usually) he seems not so OK.

He can eat rice, though. I'll suggest rice bread instead of wheat bread.


I haven't brought it up since I offered him that book. And, sadly, he's well-past bottom which may make it harder. We're talking about, from what he and his family have told me, a fairly extensive medical history here: surgery, medications, weeks on pain killers, scads of doctor visits. He's told me that he's been to the doctor and they never said anything about gluten, which is a common argument. All I can think of is HOW BAD my mother's Crohn's was, how the doctors said she'd need to take {long list}
medications, but cutting out gluten erased it within weeks.

Granted, I don't expect that to happen here - most of his problem, from what I'm told, stem from a birth defect in his digestive tract - but not being in so much pain would be nice.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll definitely try to not be overbearing and maybe point out what he should eat, rather than focusing on what he shouldn't...

With his symptoms he might have celiac disease. Have you thought of mentioning that? Unfortunately doctors are pretty bad about diagnosing it. It takes, on average, 11 years to get a diagnosis.

I used the term "gluten intolerance" which was met with "But I have no problem eating bread..." *facepalm*

Any links on Celiac, that maybe explain the veg connection? If I could put all 3 together, he may be a little more inclined to perk his ears.

https://sites.google.com/site/jccglutenfree/ Very comprehensive.

http://www.medicinenet.com/celiac_disease/page4.htm
A little more focused on classic symptoms:

Lactose intolerance is also a symptom.

good luck with your friend.

i've come to the conclusion that a person has to want it, to change lifestyle in a way that will improve their health

i know someone who was diagnosed with celiac who still eats wheat all. the. time. my mind boggles. she seems to think that she only has a little bit of celiac, so she can eat a little bit of gluten. she keeps having pain, and gi distress and keeps going into the doc for it. apparently they dont ask her what she's been eating bc they send her in for ct-scans and expensive tests all the time over this. she was having so many health problems that she updated her will and put her affairs in order but she wont stop eating gluten...i think that some people dont ever 'get it'.