Craving Pickles for Gut Health - Anyone Else?

Hi there fellow ostomates,
Just curious ???

I have noticed that from time to time I get totally obsessed with the taste of sour pickles. I won't have the slightest desire to eat pickles for ages and then suddenly I will devour a whole jar in one evening. The combination is cherry tomatoes cut in half so that the liquid mixed with the sour pickle juice, a good helping of dark soy sauce, and several large spoonfuls of the pickle brine from the jar. I mix all this together and cut pickles into chunks and let them sit in my concoction for a few minutes to absorb the soy. I will devour the whole jar and lots of small sweet tomatoes like this and then I won't even think about pickles again for weeks.

I wondered about my craving until I saw a documentary about pickling and the whole process. They said that the cured/brined pickles are full of the good bacteria that the gut needs to be healthy. I figure that my body and my unconscious mind knows what it needs better than my conscious mind does and when I've consumed enough of the good stuff it tells me to stop.

A nephew had IBD and as a 4-year-old he would eat hardly anything. When dinner came around he would stand in front of the open fridge and just look at the contents for many minutes. Then he would choose the strangest combination of things to have for dinner. He always seemed to feel better when he did this. I figure that he knew instinctively what he needed to eat.

My belly always seems to feel better after my pickle and tomato craving has been satisfied.

I would love to hear from anyone who has felt this type of need for particular foods. I'm not married so I haven't seen a pregnant woman go through the strange cravings (Myth or Reality?)

Let me know what cravings you get which seem to settle your cramping or, as in my case, pouchitis issues. My pouch is de-functioned and I have an ileostomy but still have the pouch in place, so I get pouchitis and it travels to my anus area which has not been closed up like some. The pouchitis often causes much irritation and some swelling inside the anal area for which I use COLIFOAM Steroid foam with a syringe-like injector. This works well.

Thank you if you got this far, I hope I get some comments on my pickle theory.

Magoo XX

Hello Magoo xx. I've never heard of your diet, but if you like it, good. I know when I was pregnant, I did crave pickles, but not tomatoes. My grandson, who is 3, loves pickles and, like you, he likes to put different things in the jar and then drink the juice. Have a good one, Sherrybear.

Interesting, I googled your idea and this is an article that I think supports your cravings! http://www.akealife.com/blueprint-for-life/nutrition/fermented-foods/

Thanks for posting that interesting link, Mrs. A. It seems like Mayoman may be onto something there with fermented foods being good for the gut. The only things I crave at times are oranges and grapes, and I figure that's just a need for vitamin C. Also, salty food, but I think most ileos have that craving. I definitely believe the body lets you know what it needs to survive. Thanks, guys, all food for thought!

Thank you ladies for your great comments. I think my suspicions regarding my cravings are grounded in reality, since I'm pretty sure I'm not pregnant lol. My craving for giant Alaskan King Crab Legs is a totally different thing......part of my quest for pure ecstasy, they are almost (emphasis on almost) as good as sex!!! I have some in the fridge right now and I'm salivating just thinking about them. Mmmmmmm Crabs!!!! Mayoman AKA Magoo, thanks again, the link is very interesting and informative Mrs. A. Thanks to Sherrybear and to Jo for your comments. Magoo XX

Mayoman, the pickle craving is quite interesting. Going to the complete opposite of cravings, do you find yourself turned off by food? Many times I can't stand the smell of food and many times after I eat it seems to hurt as it's digested. Is it just me or do you or any other ostomates experience the same??