Better food quality abroad vs here in the US?

[ChaosUnlimited 559]

I just spent about 2 weeks in Scotland and I'm happy to report I didn't gain even a pound while on vacation, I actually lost one or two!

When I first got there I tried to be very cautious about what I ate because I was traveling with a group and typically if I eat the "wrong" things here in the US I get horrible, embarrassing gas. By "wrong" foods I mean mostly carbs like bread, rice, anything made with wheat, chips or pretzels, Desserts, and even some Protein Snacks get my stomach riled up. I very rarely partake in the "forbidden" foods because I can't be around people if I do, lol.

I started to notice that I didn't have nearly as much gastric upset even when I tasted the things I was being cautious about while in the UK. I wanted to at least try the things that were unique to that area of the county, and by the end of my two weeks I was eating just about anything in moderation without any stomach problems. The last couple nights I even ate a small piece of bread while waiting for dinner - no gas, no bloating, no stomach pain. I was amazed because I can't do that here in the US without terrible consequences.

We came home Saturday night, and within 24 hrs of being back home I had horrible gas and stomach pain again. I actually have a CT scheduled this week after discussing my stomach pain with my doc at my last follow up because although I felt it was related to having gas, he wants to be sure it's nothing else. What I'm wondering is what does that say about our food here in the US? I suppose it could be coincidence that I just didn't have any issues while traveling, but I feel that my system was able to better process the food I ate in the UK but has a hard time with whatever we use in our food here in the US.

Has anyone else experienced this while traveling?

[RickM 1,753]

While there will always be variations and exceptions, it is not unreasonable that much of the "outside" world has better food, at least from the perspective of being less processed and closer to the ground (as one of the docs on our network puts it, "eat dirt - that which grows in the dirt, or which eats what grows in the dirt, with as little Detour through a factory as possible..." Certainly the reduction in white processed/refined flours will be much more agreeable to your DS.

OTH, there are places like much of China where KFC and McD's are considered health food, as their supply chains are more reliable than most of the locally based stores where you really don't know what you may be eating.

In the states, it is better than it used to be in that with the big natural/organic/local movement, a lot more better foods are available, and becoming more mainstream, but one does need to be choosy and know what you need to look for. Eating out is still a crap shoot, particularly with major chain restaurants which depend on a lot of processed and packaged goods. Our neighborhood Italian place is quite good in that respect, as we often see Vito down at opening of the local farmer's markets and he is out meeting the boats at the wharf for his fish; not everything will be fresh (those &^%&* seasonal foods!) but he tells you what's what - something you don't get at Olive Garden!

[ChaosUnlimited 559]

I agree that it is getting better in the US, but it is so pricey to buy the organic things, and even our local farmers market is pretty pricey as well. Luckily since I don't eat as much it balances out!

One of the things I miss most about vacation - the food and someone else that cooks it!

[RickM 1,753]

2 hours ago, ChaosUnlimited said:

I agree that it is getting better in the US, but it is so pricey to buy the organic things, and even our local farmers market is pretty pricey as well. Luckily since I don't eat as much it balances out!

One of the things I miss most about vacation - the food and someone else that cooks it!

That is something that they liked to emphasize in our program, that it often works best to offset the lower quantity that we consume with better quality. My wife's doc even gave her a "prescription" for filet when she complained to him that ground beef wasn't settling too well. We still fill that Rx often, even after 13 years, And, it's almost a wash between a half pound of decent ground beef and a quarter pound of filet (almost).

[MargoCL 677]

On 7/23/2018 at 7:47 AM, ChaosUnlimited said:

I just spent about 2 weeks in Scotland and I'm happy to report I didn't gain even a pound while on vacation, I actually lost one or two!

When I first got there I tried to be very cautious about what I ate because I was traveling with a group and typically if I eat the "wrong" things here in the US I get horrible, embarrassing gas. By "wrong" foods I mean mostly carbs like bread, rice, anything made with wheat, chips or pretzels, Desserts, and even some Protein Snacks get my stomach riled up. I very rarely partake in the "forbidden" foods because I can't be around people if I do, lol.

I started to notice that I didn't have nearly as much gastric upset even when I tasted the things I was being cautious about while in the UK. I wanted to at least try the things that were unique to that area of the county, and by the end of my two weeks I was eating just about anything in moderation without any stomach problems. The last couple nights I even ate a small piece of bread while waiting for dinner - no gas, no bloating, no stomach pain. I was amazed because I can't do that here in the US without terrible consequences.

We came home Saturday night, and within 24 hrs of being back home I had horrible gas and stomach pain again. I actually have a CT scheduled this week after discussing my stomach pain with my doc at my last follow up because although I felt it was related to having gas, he wants to be sure it's nothing else. What I'm wondering is what does that say about our food here in the US? I suppose it could be coincidence that I just didn't have any issues while traveling, but I feel that my system was able to better process the food I ate in the UK but has a hard time with whatever we use in our food here in the US.

Has anyone else experienced this while traveling?

I've noticed this several times over the years of traveling. I somehow manage to lose weight much easier when I'm overseas. Over the last few years, I've visited Eastern Europe and Greece several times and on each trip I lose anywhere from 5 - 10lbs. I'm not doing anything I wouldn't be doing in the US, but I am eating more forbidden foods on my travels and still manage to lose weight. There is definitely something to be said about the processed foods that are found in the US.

While in Hungary on two separate occasions this past summer I lost 5lbs each visit and ate bread with nearly every meal, had dessert of ice cream or another sweet and ate the things I would avoid at home. Even when we ate out, I didn't walk away with that bloated feeling as I do here.

As soon as I got on the plane and headed back to the US, the bloats came back and I was in misery all over again.

Unless you are able to eat "clean" in the US, I really feel like it's much harder to remain healthy here. And for many people, they can't afford to eat clean.