How oatmeal and the "glucose trick" let me down
27.6.2025
Translation: machine translated
For almost a year, I suffered from recurring stomach complaints that kept me awake at night and drove me crazy. It was only when I realised that stress was the trigger that the symptoms disappeared.
After a series of wild chocolate escapades, I made a resolution at the
start of the year to
adopt a healthier lifestyle.
year's resolution to adopt a healthier lifestyle. Less fast food and ravenous hunger attacks, and more vegetables and homemade food instead. In doing so, I realised that I'd got myself into a vicious circle of dieting and the resulting
I only realised later on
Diet #1: The glucose trick
«The glucose trick» was supposed to help me achieve my ambitious goals. My hopes were high because, according to the author Jessie Inchauspé, her specially developed diet had already helped many people with the same New Year's resolutions. And if that wasn't enough, most of them even reported losing weight. It can't hurt to try, I thought to myself, unsuspectingly.
So I more or less strictly followed the Ten Commandments that Inchauspé preaches in her book: I ate the foods on my plate in a specific order - fibre (vegetables) first, proteins and healthy fats second, and carbohydrates last - and guzzled apple cider vinegar before indulging in something sweet. However, I only managed to do the latter twice.
After three weeks, however, I had to admit to myself that neither my ravenous appetite nor my afternoon tiredness had changed. Instead, recurring stomach complaints crept into my everyday life. Always just before bedtime.
How could that be? Just when I was finally eating healthily!
Diet #2: The fibre overkill
«You want to get rid of intestinal problems? Then ban carbohydrates forever and eat fibre, fibre and more fibre.» After reading all those guides, I was sure that fibre must be the solution to world peace. Just like they are advertised everywhere. So from then on, I stuffed myself with oatmeal, lentils, salads and even more vegetables.
My stomach didn't like this at all. It rebelled on a daily basis and I had forgotten what it was like to fall asleep without a bedtime bottle. My internet research at this point revealed that I must be suffering from something serious. Although it wasn't pancreatic cancer, it was definitely small bowel overgrowth or irritable bowel syndrome. All the symptoms pointed to this.
Diet #3: FODMAP
The doctor prescribed me nutritional counselling when I told her my self-diagnosis. «If it doesn't work, we'll see.» - That's fine. So I worked out a plan with the nutritionist to prepare myself for the FODMAP diet he recommended.
From then on, my life revolved around food. I planned fixed meals, made sure that no festive meals or restaurant visits came in between and that no cravings could throw me off course.
A big change that I accepted for my health and a hoped-for improvement that didn't materialise.
Redemption: no diet is the best diet
In the first week of the low FODMAP diet, my symptoms should have improved - after all, I consistently avoided all potential food intolerance triggers. But nothing happened. On the contrary: the symptoms became worse than ever before. I was at the end of my tether.
«That doesn't mean anything bad», said the nutritionist, «with this result, we can rule out an intolerance.» Okay, this news was actually good - but the problems were still there.
«I have an idea and a possible new approach. But not all of my clients are open to trying it.» Give it to me, I thought. Anything was fine with me. His theory was that my body had been overwhelmed by the drastic glucose trick diet and had got into a kind of stress situation. From then on, my body reacted to normal digestive processes, such as mild flatulence or a feeling of fullness after eating, with excessive stress, which in turn had a negative effect on digestion. An endless vicious circle. Whether that was really the case remains to be seen, but this approach sounded pretty conclusive to me.
Healthy sleep and less stress
«This happens quickly when people suddenly change their diet. But such processes can also be reversed», he reassured me and suggested I exercise every day and improve my sleep hygiene. This included a ten-minute walk, less screen time in the evening or only going to bed when I was really tired. When it came to food, I just had to make sure I didn't eat any bloating raw food in the evening. Otherwise, I should stick to a balanced diet.
And indeed: from day to day, the symptoms disappeared as if by magic. I was finally able to sleep through the night again and soon I was able to say goodbye to my bedtime bottle and eat normally again without any symptoms.
Pychosomatic complaints: It can be worth taking a look
In the case of chronic complaints, it can also be worth considering the psychological level. These long-lasting symptoms are often very stressful for those affected - especially if medical examinations cannot find a clear cause. As in my case, the trigger does not necessarily have to be emotional; sometimes the psychological stress is caused by the symptoms themselves and leads to self-reinforcing stress. Research today assumes that physical and psychological symptoms influence each other - and that it therefore makes sense to include both levels in the treatment.
Have you ever suffered from symptoms that turned out to be psychosomatic? Has this cause been considered by your doctor? Write it in the comments.
Header image: Shutterstock
Painting the walls just before handing over the flat? Making your own kimchi? Soldering a broken raclette oven? There's nothing you can't do yourself. Well, perhaps sometimes, but I'll definitely give it a try.
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