I am a worrying kind of person. One would be led to believe that my anxiety is the root of my IBS problems. That makes sense. I do get the nervous shits. Albeit, in the same breath, I cannot blame all the shits on my nervousness. There are food triggers, combo food triggers, and solo food triggers. There is just a long list of triggers. Does the IBS life ever get any easier?
Always Food Triggers
There are days, and weeks even when I can eat something and have no adverse gut reactions. Then consume the item and BAM! It hits just like that. I am doubled over, cramping, bloated belly making bubbles, and not the fun kind of soapy bubbles your kids blow at a party.
Olives are my thing. I love olives. The green olives, black olives, Kalamata olives, stuffed olives, all olives have a place in my heart. You know those olive bars? I believe Whole Foods the grocery store has/had one. While, I haven’t been to a Whole Foods in a good bit, so I am not sure if that olive bar beauty is still sitting there in the middle of the store. I could do some damage to that olive bar. They would have to ask me to leave.
Olive Spread = True Love = Food Triggers
Muffuletta is an Italian sandwich invented in New Orleans with cured meats, provolone cheese, and an olive spread. That olive spread gets me. I thought the olive spread was called muffuletta, but no it is the sandwich.
I had a makeshift muffuletta sandwich this weekend. It was on Italian bread but it was just ham and American cheese topped with my olive spread. The olive spread takes everything up a notch. For those unfamiliar with the olive spread, it is chopped olives, chopped pickled celery, cauliflower, carrots, and garlic, all soaking in olive oil. Quite possibly that is the trigger. The olive oil. Maybe the amount of olive oil?
As with most of the things I consume I can say, I have had that many times and it didn’t cause any problems until it did. My beloved olive spread caused wicked cramps followed by belly bubbles which are just gas, but belly bubbles sound more fun than gas. Man was it uncomfortable. And perplexing.
Why am I Always Asking Why?
Why did the olive spread make a problem this time and the numerous times I’ve eaten it I’ve not had any aversions? This is a part of IBS that I can’t wrap my head around. Fine one minute not the next. I had the typical morning diarrhea after that olive spread crampy bout. Was the cause the olive spread or possibly just my morning routine?
I will go back to the olive spread. Maybe in pasta salad or mixed with cream cheese spread on a cracker. Or just go the same route and put it on a ham sandwich. I will risk the pain to go back to my olive spread. Maybe it won’t do me wrong on the next try.
While looking up olive spread and all its wonders I came across this recipe for Muffaletta olive salad. Music to my ears, love at first sight. Maybe you all can understand, these are some of my downfalls. I enjoy eating good things but good things don’t always enjoy me.
Do you all have IBS problems similar to me, fine minute, but not so much the next?
Should you steer away from a certain food, but keep going back?
