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Eating disorders and selective diet

Derp

Well-Known Member
I have a really hard time achieving proper caloric intake and whenever I look into "extreme food selectivity" or GI Problems its very hard to find information on the former.
Why are most autistic people drawn only to "Teddies" and other high carb food ? I would really like to know from a scientific standpoint ? Why even if I try to eat differently dose my body give me a hard time and put me in a vicious cycle ? I would like to know specifically from a scientific stand point ?
 
I don't know that there is a correlation between ASD and eating high carb food - what is your source of information for this? Also, what are "teddies"? I do eat a lot of carbs, but so does everyone else and I don't think that it's necessarily related to ASD - carbs are an easily available/accessible energy source which is easy to digest and it seems normal to crave them. I don't particularly crave sugary foods, though.

I did come across a theory by Peter J. D'Adamo that diet and preferences for certain foods is related to blood group types, that people with A+ tend to eat a lot of plant-based foods and less meat, and this is true for me. I don't crave meat at all.
 
I had an eating disorder as a teen, which I managed to get better about. Eating low carb smoothed out my blood sugar highs and lows, which helped a lot.

I fixed my disgestive issues with a course of Betaine HCL, and now my stomach can digest meat easily.

I have gone ketogenic diet for my auto immune issues, and it seems to be working.

Stress will mess up any digestive system, and so we might need to try and do what we can for that, too.
 
I don't know that there is a correlation between ASD and eating high carb food - what is your source of information for this? Also, what are "teddies"? I do eat a lot of carbs, but so does everyone else and I don't think that it's necessarily related to ASD - carbs are an easily available/accessible energy source which is easy to digest and it seems normal to crave them. I don't particularly crave sugary foods, though.

I did come across a theory by Peter J. D'Adamo that diet and preferences for certain foods is related to blood group types, that people with A+ tend to eat a lot of plant-based foods and less meat, and this is true for me. I don't crave meat at all.
Sorry I forgot to hit reply you can look at some of those articles above.
 
Sorry I forgot to hit reply you can look at some of those articles above.
Thanks. I had indeed heard of a relationship between gastrointestinal issues (GI) and autism and I have irritible bowel syndrome (IBS), although as a child I ate a healthy diet. There were some foods that I refused to eat, but in general my diet was quite varied and I ate plenty of fruit and vegetables. You mention carbs, but what I get from the articles that the link is between specifically wheat carbs which contain gluten, rather than other sources of carbs such as potatoes or rice. Again, I have heard this, but on the other hand not all people with autism are lactose or gluten intolerant, and also lots of NTs have IBS or GI problems, so difficult to prove or disprove and pin down as a specific symptom.

Could you please explain what "teddies" are? I will understand your post better once you explain this.
 
My first thought on teddies was "Teddy Grahams".

I have had lifelong gastrointestinal issues. I eat to live. Eating is a job, I don't enjoy it. I don't get turned on by food commercials or shows. I don't enjoy cooking or going to restaurants.

Carbs tend to be quick, simple, and cheap. Easy to store and keep (maybe except bread). Better foods tend to cost more, and require more effort to store and keep from going bad (and they still go bad). Why spend the money on it if you're not going to be able to finish it before it goes bad? So you have to make more trips to the store. I also can't tell if something's bad until it's quite obvious, by then it's too late. Also it seems every time you turn around there is a new recall on some meat or vegetable, where cheap processed high carb stuff is usually pretty safe. So additional risk for the more work involved. To me it's an aspie black and white logical way of thinking.

I don't eat as much carbs as I used to, but I still primarily eat things that are canned or frozen. There are a lot of things I can't stand like condiments, salad dressings, and many things that are considered high fat, so that probably helps.

Perhaps if my system worked properly and I enjoyed food, I'd put more effort into healthy cooking and eating.
 
I have no problems achieving a sufficient caloric intake, on the contrary, it's very easy for me to gain weight. My diet is far from selective, to be honest. I love trying new things and experimenting with new ingredients and textures. I don't gravitate towards 'tendies' either, although I love a good bit of fried chicken every now and then. I have intestinal issues in the form of IBS, but stress is more of a trigger for me than food is. Mind you, food can trigger it, but I'm mostly aware of my triggers and I accept that some foods I like will give me some distress later on.
 
I meant "Tendies"
Urban Dictionary: Tendies
Also do you have an overly selective diet ?
Thanks.
I tend to eat the same thing several days in a row, but this has nothing to do with food sensitivities or picky eating. It's because I find it difficult to cook every day and to plan and organise meals. I find it hard to juggle lots of things at once, and I cook and plan meals for convenience, so I cook in batches, mainly at weekends or at times when I don't work. It's also a lot more economic this way. I actually like a wide range of foods, and to try new things, and like strong flavours. I have some things that I literally can't stomach though, like eggs and tomatoes, due to sensory sensitivity.
 

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