Posted by King Vultan on July 8, 2004, at 9:39:47
In reply to King Vultan-MAOI Diet?, posted by bluebird on July 7, 2004, at 21:55:15
> Hello, just curious how difficult the MAOI diet is. I mean how can you be sure of the freshness of veggies, meats, and so forth. Have you had a difficult time on this diet. I have been reading a lot about it and the opinions vary. Your input would be appreciated. Thanks, bluebird
The dietary restrictions are what scare many people off, but in practice, I have not found them to be much of a hardship. If you've looked at Perry and Lund's paper Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors: Adverse Effects, there really are not a huge number of items that are absolutely restricted. For me, the key ones are the aged cheeses and the aged and cured meats. I've been avoiding anything with cheddar cheese, which is the only "aged" cheese I consume, and I've had to modify my lunch sandwiches and pizza selections to abide with the restrictions. I used to get summer sausage, salami, etc. for sandwiches but have been pretty much sticking with peanut butter since going on Nardil (ordinary bologna would also be okay. Likewise, ordinary hot dogs--nonsmoked, non-esoteric--are also okay).Pizza can be a problem, especially pepperoni, and especially on Parnate because that is the more dangerous of the two MAOIs as far as generating hypertensive crises. I've read at least two anecdotes by different people on Parnate who suffered hypertensive crises after eating pepperoni pizza. However, studies done up at Sunnybrook, Toronto by Dr. Shulman, et al, showed nearly zero tyramine in Pizza Hut and Domino's double cheese double pepperoni pizzas. I do believe the two people who suffered hypertensive crises on Parnate did eat at smaller, unaffiliated local pizza places, with perhaps more aged/authentic pepperoni. I get pizzas myself from the Papa Murphy's take them home and cook them chain, and I do not select their pepperoni, because my impression is that it is higher quality and possibly more aged than what you might find on a Domino's pizza. I also specify mozzarella only, as Papa Murphy's normally use a three cheese blend.
From the standpoint of freshness, I would try to avoid foods like liver, which can become very problematic for MAOI users because it's been shown that it generates very high tyramine levels in a fairly short time as it ages. The concern with freshness is aged and spoiled protein, so vegetables would not be expected to be much of a problem (other than something like sauerkraut, which is absolutely forbidden, anyway). I carry two 10 mg nifedipine pills with me, more as a psychological security blanket than anything else because I really do not expect to use them, as I am relatively careful and cautious and am on Nardil, anyway. However, there is always the chance I could eat some truly rotten meat or something that had some soy sauce in it unbeknownst to me and so develop a reaction. Now that I've been on Nardil for a few months, the dietary restrictions really don't seem like a big deal anymore. They are certainly way less restrictive than an Atkins diet.
Todd
poster:King Vultan
thread:363868
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040704/msgs/363992.html