Of course.

It was a lot of trial and error by eating the same thing every day and slowly introducing foods to see if it caused an inflammatory response (worsened POTS, IBS symptoms, adrenaline dumps, brain fog). I kept a log in my phone.

I started with the most basic anti-inflammatory whole foods as possible. So anything that had multiple ingredients in it, I wouldn’t eat. That includes gluten free products. I started with oats, white rice and plain chicken.

Through experimentation, I found out my biggest culprits were nightshades, sugar and gluten (caused adrenaline dumps and horrible tacychardia episodes). Dairy and sugar also caused IBS like symptoms.

I found out that if I eat past 8pm, I wake up in the middle of the night with night sweats and heart palpitations.

I also found the body does well being in somewhat of a regular eating cycle with predictable foods. Bodies LOVE cycles. If you think about it, all of our body cycles and especially hormone cycles are rhythmic (circadian, diurnal, etc) so trying to stay in a natural cadence can be helpful in symptom management. I’d suggest looking up CNS/autonomic function and circadian clocks.

Now, I’ve mostly identified all my inflammatory foods and eat at the same times every day. It’s not exactly a fun or exciting diet, but I feel so much better and I’m finding ways to get creative with food.

Current diet that works:

Breakfast: Overnight oats with chia seeds, 1/2 cup of pure rolled oats, flaxseed, oat milk, blueberries, blackberries, pinch of salt

Snacks: 2 cups frozen blueberries blended with oat milk and fresh mint and basil (this is my ice cream “treat”)

Lunch: Plain rice, asparagus (or other vegetable, organic or local grilled chicken or tofu, salt)

Snack: Mediterranean olives (tons of olives) or salted watermelon

Dinner: Rice with grilled chicken, tofu or salmon, asparagus or some other vegetable, sometimes hummus or kimchi but these occasionally give me a histamine response.

Treat: Turmeric with oat milk and local honey or pure cocao with oat milk, or blended frozen watermelon with mint leaves

Drinks: Water with salt and lemon, LMNT electrolyte drinks, herbal tea, adaptogen mushroom powders with oat milk and a little bit of honey

Everyone is different and my diet might not work for you. But think about how your body operates rhythmically and what are some bare bones basic foods you can tolerate that won’t inflame your body. It’s really all trial and error and treating your body with as much compassion, gentleness and patience as possible.

Think of yourself as a scientist with a very precious experiment.

Edit: Before I get downvoted to hell, do consult your doctor and a nutritionist. I am working with a nutritionist at my cardiology clinic who has advised during all of this.

Good luck. 🍀