GI Problems

After enjoying several months of eating on a daily basis with no real restrictions, I started having problems about a month ago with frequent diarrhea and vomiting. I can only guess that after indulging in a wide variety of foods my gut has a build up of undesirable flora causing my problems.  Last week I researched foods that are good to eat when diarrhea is a problem and consequently went out and bought some chicken broth, rice noodles, chicken breasts, bananas and applesauce. (BRAT diet- bananas, rice, applesauce & toast).  I was okay for a few days but then the problems returned.  I haven't eaten in a couple of days now, just a cup of tea each day, but will make another trip later today to replenish my supplies.  My shopping list contains the following:

applesauce
peppermint tea
dried blueberries
carrots
white rice
bananas
yogurt
potatoes
pasta (made w white flour)
rice noodles
white bread (for toast)
chicken breast for steaming/poaching
chicken broth
fish. also to steam/poach
white rice
rice milk
Bambu - a coffee substitute

All of the items on this list except the last one are purported to be helpful in easing or eliminating diarrhea.  The last one is just something I remembered from a few years back which I thought I would try as a drink I could enjoy since I miss my daily cup of coffee which I avoid due to its obvious negative effects on my bowels.

Won't be buying all of these today but will see what I can find.

Update: It's November 24 and I am pleased to report that my gut is doing much better. No diarrhea or vomiting at all this week and I am generally feeling much better. In fact, if anything, I may have been too successful as I am leaning towards constipation.  Guess I'll have to find a happy medium.
My diet this week has included the following foods:
bananas, yogurt, dried blueberries, mashed potatoes, rice milk, steamed fish, soy sauce, peppermint tea and Bambu made with rice milk, peppermint tea
I had some fish left from the other day so plan on reheating that along with some rice.
-put blueberries in yogurt
-mashed potatoes made with yogurt, no butter/margarine
-soy sauce to spice up the fish and rice a bit

Admittedly, it's a pretty bland diet but it's worth it and once I've been on it for a while, perhaps I can add in a few items not on the list above just to spice things up a bit.

Update #2: Another week has passed and all's well.  This week's diet included chicken breast poached in broth and then adding some rice to make a soup, applesauce, yogurt w blueberries and plain, lots of peppermint tea- very soothing, mashed potatoes, again with yogurt,, some gluten free crackers, and today *fish but baked with herbal olive oil and salt and pepper - a bit of a risk I know because of the olive oil but I think I'm going to get away with it.  So much tastier than poached or steamed.
*See following entry.