How do I prepare my stomach for coming back to the U.S.?

[jackdavinci]

Take some “beano”, eat less processed food, “ease in” to the new diet.

[ratatoskK]

This story on NPR about gut bacteria was pretty interesting. Apparently a part part of our digestive process is done by bacteria living in our guts, which is different in different parts of the world. So maybe the solution is to endure it until your body becomes recolonized.

[gitfiddle]

@Harmonious_Discord

Do you start consuming carbonated beverages in quantity?

You can have problems if you normally eat a low fat diet and eat a high fat meal.

There are some places that my whole family can’t eat at without discomfort, yet we have no trouble at most places. I’d like to know what those certain places use that other places don’t. Maybe they’re using Olestra without telling people since the requirement was quietly removed by the FDA.

Wikipedia Olestra article

I don’t drink carbonated beverages, save for the occasional beer…

[gitfiddle]

@robardin

I’m going to go with the lactose guess. For one, one of the signs of lactose intolerance (which is a spectrum thing, not a full-on or full-off thing) is gassiness and, er, a tendency to run.

That’s another thing about the U.S. that I haven’t mentioned thus far. My bowel movements are a lot less, um, comfortable here. The best way I can find to explain what it feels like in the US is that it’s like I’m passing pluff mud.

[QuercusMax]

@gitfiddle

That’s another thing about the U.S. that I haven’t mentioned thus far. My bowel movements are a lot less, um, comfortable here. The best way I can find to explain what it feels like in the US is that it’s like I’m passing pluff mud.

My guess would be not enough fiber.

[gitfiddle]

@QuercusMax

My guess would be not enough fiber.

Mine too. But when I’m in the US, I eat raisin brain or granola for breaksfast. Pretty high fiber, right?

[Seven]

My guess might be corn syrup. It is in pretty much every food in the states. A few years before I left I was feeling somewhat bad no matter what. I ate mostly healthy but did eat some processed food from time to time (next to no “fast foods”).

I cut milk products and that helped a great deal, but I still felt gross.

I stopped eating anything with corn syrup. I threw out all my contaminated-with-corn-syrup ketchup, mayo, canned goods, etc. These were replaced with products that sweetened with regular sugar or didn’t sweeten at all (Does mayo or a frozen pizza REALLY need sugar? No!).

In a week I felt much better and interestingly dropped 10 pounds.

I continue to avoid it to this day.

[gitfiddle]

@Seven

My guess might be corn syrup. It is in pretty much every food in the states. A few years before I left I was feeling somewhat bad no matter what. I ate mostly healthy but did eat some processed food from time to time (next to no “fast foods”).

I cut milk products and that helped a great deal, but I still felt gross.

I stopped eating anything with corn syrup. I threw out all my contaminated-with-corn-syrup ketchup, mayo, canned goods, etc. These were replaced with products that sweetened with regular sugar or didn’t sweeten at all (Does mayo or a frozen pizza REALLY need sugar? No!).

In a week I felt much better and interestingly dropped 10 pounds.

I continue to avoid it to this day.

All corn syrup, or just high fructose corn syrup (or is all corn syrup in food hfcs?)

[Chefguy]

Another vote for dairy. One of the things I missed when I lived overseas for many years was American milk. The UHT stuff was pretty much undrinkable, so the only dairy I got was cheese. Upon returning to the states, it became quickly apparent that a tall glass of cold milk was no longer going to be on my menu, as I had developed an intolerance for it. Even in small quantities it causes me gas problems, and I’ve been back for ten years now.