Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

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Frequently when eating, I notice a discomfort high in my stomach, just below the center of the rib cage. Sometimes it's a full cramping or throbbing sensation in the same area. The only trigger food I'm fairly certain that causes this is a raw veggie salad, but many other foods seem to cause the same result, so I'm not sure it's related to what I'm eating at the moment.

I'm not referring to being overly full. This sensation usually occurs within several bites.

I've been diagnosed as having IBS with no further explanation, and I find eating a paleo diet generally helps with many of the symptoms. This discomfort seems to persist, so I'm wondering if it's normal and I'm just a bit neurotic about it, or if it is a sign of something else going on. I don't expect the cramping to be normal, but what about the milder discomfort?

As a disclaimer, I will not interpret any advice as a substitute for proper attention from a medical professional.

(For what it's worth, I've gotten nowhere with traditional medical attention for my stomach troubles.)

My diet generally includes eggs, some cheese and butter, beef, pork, chicken, shrimp, salmon, sardines, coffee, some nuts, coconut products, and too many veggies and fruits to list. The ratio of macronutrients changes all the time.

Any insight is appreciated.

flag	asked Jun 18 at 3:59 April 1,287●2●8

	interesting. haven't heard of this before. have you tried following remedies for acid heartburn/reflux? It does sound like the pain is happening in the area above the lower esophageal sphincter, which is typical with heartburn. But, it's usually doesn't happen after a couple bites. Raw vegetables give me problems as well but the pain usually doesn't occur until 30 minutes after eating. Cooking vegetables seems to have helped many here on paleohacks. gl! – hhsuey Jun 18 at 5:33
	also, what's in this salad? could it be certain vegetables, such as nightshades, that you can isolate? If what you're describing is heartburn, I would be suspicious of tomatoes bc of their acidity. – hhsuey Jun 18 at 5:36
	Yes, what is in your salad? I get stomach pain when eating raw onions and garlic and raw broccoli, cauliflower, and kale. Cooked is okay though. – Lindsay Jun 18 at 13:50
	My salads usually consist of lettuce, cucumbers, bell peppers, sometimes mushrooms, carrots, snow peas, grated raw beets, and sometimes green onions or knob onions. I haven't been putting tomatoes on the salads yet because they're not in season or tasty here yet. – April Jun 18 at 17:54
	I also suffer from acid reflux, and that's a very different feeling. – April Jun 18 at 17:55

Marie · Answer 1 · 2012-06-18 04:59:17Z UTC

I have found pre-made salads cause a similar discomfort so I don't eat at salad bars or pre-made salads at delis or restaurants. I suspect something with gluten residue is sprayed on cut lettuce to stop it from wilting.

I feel any discomfort is a message to reconsider what you've eaten in the previous 8 hours. The unfortunate thing about food allergies is they are so hard to track and identifying the source can take patience and a lot of thought. My body reacts to the smallest soy contamination with bloating immediately, but I can eat an entire loaf of bread and not have any reaction for a day or two.

It just takes time to trust that your body knows best. Food should never cause pain.

stomach pain after eating · Answer 2 · 2012-12-06 06:45:01Z UTC

Hey there, I think your husband is right. Abdominal pain while eating is a symptom for gallbladder problems. I am a nurse and sometimes patients complain having pain behind shoulder blade, which is caused by gallbladder. I must also tell you, you are in greatest risk group for gallbladder attack. Women are more likely to get gallbladder attack, stones than men (with ratio 2: 1) and biggest risk group are women in their 40 ties. So, if I were you, I wouldn’t wait for a gallbladder attack (it can be awful!), but would as soon as possible visit a doctor.

Happy Now · Answer 3 · 2012-06-18 07:21:28Z UTC

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If the pain is on your right side, just under your ribs that could be your gal bladder trying get bile out. Have you talked to your doctor about checking your gal bladder to make sure you don't have any gal stones?

answered Jun 18 at 7:21

Happy Now
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The GI doc did some blood work investigating a possible gallbladder problem about a year and a half ago but didn't make any conclusions. – April Jun 18 at 18:02

Is stomach discomfort of any kind normal while eating?

3 Answers