Food ~ Balancing Act

In a Balancing Act, You Can Eat Satisfying Good Food.  

A balanced diet is still the best solution to staying healthy. As I recommended in my previous post, know what you can afford, and what your own body can manage. My bodily system for some reason is very sensitive to certain insoluble raw and cooked fruits and vegetables. Such roughage is too rough for me. How do I stay fit and healthy if I don't eat salads, green beans and apples? I eat what I can afford and what my body can manage. There was a time when I did not know just how sensitive I was to certain insoluble fruits and vegetables. Almost one year ago, I had a bout with an intestinal malfunction. For years, I ignored warning signs. For instance, whenever I ate a clean fresh crisp apple or green beans or lettuce, I would get sick immediately, my lower gut would become inflamed and I would also become constipated; which is opposite of what is supposed to happen. I also loved to eat corn on the cob, green beans, kidney beans, cabbage, celery, ice berg lettuce, kale and curly leaf spinach as well as some nuts and certain fresh berries. I cannot eat those foods anymore. Now, that I know what caused my malfunction, I stay away from many kinds of insoluble fruits/veggies. I have learned to manage what I eat and still be able to eat satisfying good food in a well balanced diet.  In fact, I find it very easy to do. Since I have no trouble with eating cooked green peppers, squash, eggplant or tomatoes (no skin on), I plant those in my garden. Perhaps because I am Italian on my dad's side, those veggies seem to agree with me. I can eat cooked wheat and thus have no problem with semolina pasta, I have no trouble with potatoes, or lean pork, chicken or fish. I love eggs and they agree with me as well. The best fruits for me are peaches (skin off) and pears in season. Actually, the best time to eat fruits and vegetables are when they are in season. When those fruits are not in season, I don't eat them. Now that its January, I am eating oranges which are in season. Oranges don't bother me. When there is a lull in seasonal fruits, I eat canned peaches and pears. Oddly, cooked apples with skins removed don't cause me any trouble, so I will eat homemade applesauce. The success in eating well (feeling satisfied) and staying healthy is a balanced diet full of what you can eat.

*If you suffer from IBS, here is some additional helpful info http://www.helpforibs.com/diet/fiber2.asp