Hi Everyone, I'm new to the program as well as this website, for about
10 days now. The decision to check out this book came about during my
months of severe stomach and digestive problems. I have been through
every test that you can possibly think of to find out "what is wrong"
with me. In the last 10 months I have gained 25lbs, which is completely
unheard of for me, and have been in and out of pain. The doctors were
saying at first it was IBS, so then I researched those books and made
the necessary food and lifestyle change. But no matter what I ate, I
would have a reaction to it. The burning in my upper/center abdominal
region, the gnawing pain very much like an ulcer. And I would swell,
to about 3 times the normal size. I have a smaller frame, although
tall, and it would look like I had a volleyball under my shirt after
eating a normal meal of boneless chicken and salad.
The specialist tells me that I have Non-Ulcer Dyspepsia. That means, I
react to certain foods like I have a stomach ulcer, the symptoms are
there, however, there is no physical evidence of an ulcer or any tears
in my stomach. It burns when I have acidic foods, alcohol, real
chocolate (not cocoa powder), grease, and oils. Because of the stress
that this condition caused on my body, was why I had IBS, and there is
another list of foods i cannot have because that aggravated the IBS.
(Milk and Dairy, Whey, etc)
Of course their solutions are always medications, but I believed in my
heart that regimented diet and if I got back into my exercise plan I
would start to heal and then be able to add things back into my diet,
such as milk products.

I am sorry if this is lengthly in detail, but I had been so unhappy and
frustrated with things, I didn't know what to do.
I read the Good Mood Diet book cover to cover, and started the program.
My goal is to lose at least 20lbs of that weight I had gained, tone up,
and feel good overall.
I do feel better following this plan so far, but I do swell if I have
too much of the acidic foods (oranges, balsamic, tomatoes, etc).

My question to you (yes! I am finally getting to my point), is that
what would you recommend I do in this situation to follow the good mood
diet, in order to reach my goals, while alleviating my symptoms?
I am at a loss here... Other than making sure I go with the recommended
portions (Group 1).

Thank you so much for listening, I am eager to have this work for me,
although coming from frustration I would just "eat whatever I want" and
then suffer the consequences later, therefore putting myself in this
weight predicament. In other words, I have to break some hard habits.

Please share with me how you were able to break certain habits (such as
snacking at night in front of the TV :)

Thank you for your time!