Navigating Life with POTS and Pans

While eating in the dining hall may be good for meals it’s a lot harder to have good go to snacks while living in a dorm. However, I have done a lot of trial and error so you don’t have to, because let me tell you finding good gluten free food is not easy. It’s also super hard to get in food that will leave you feeling good as someone who struggles with POTS and digestion. Because I have POTS eating more frequent smaller meals is super helpful in avoiding digestion issues and these “snacks” are perfect since you can customize each one to be the portion that you would like. People with POTS have also been joked about as being “people of the salt” due to the high amount of salt we must intake each day (3-5g) and for that reason a lot of my favorite snacks also help me to get in my daily salt!

Okay so here’s a list of my favs:

• Yogurt parfait
• Smoothie bowl!
• Mini Charcuterie Board
• Almond Butter
• Almond butter breakfast kind bars
• Carrots and hummus
• Popcorn
• Corn Tortilla Chips and Salsa
• Pickles

Yogurt Parfait

Okay so when I make my yogurt parfait I always add a spoonful or two pb fit powder, honey, granola, and fruit and it really fills me up! I will normally have this as a snack if I know I won’t be able to eat anything for a while or if I know where I’m going there won’t be a lot of gluten-free options (so lowkey if I’m going to the dining hall for dinner) I will eat this “snack” an hour or two before so I won’t be as hungry and because eating more frequent smaller meals helps so much with all the GI complications as a result of POTS. If you are interested in learning why that is please take a look at this article.

Smoothie Bowls

One thing you will learn very fast about me is that I LOVE a good thick smoothie bowl. The dining hall had an astonishing lack of gluten free breakfast or lunch foods and I don’t know about you but I don’t feel like eating that much salad (which is pretty much the only GF option sometimes). So when I came to college I knew I would need to bring my vitamix blender (which I love). It has been a life changer and been so helpful in making delicious easy to make gluten free food. I make my smoothies with mixed berries, almond milk, collagen and chocolate protein power and I top it with granola and honey (sometimes I add a little flare and slice up bananas or whatever I have in hand). They are super easy to make and leave me feeling very full. The only annoying thing is the dishes situation but I am lucky to have a community kitchen that makes doing dishes relatively easy.

Look at my post about gluten free breakfast ideas for more info on my favorite smoothie bowl and how to make it!

Mini Charcuterie Board

This idea is so fun and really easy! My absolute favorite cheese is Boursin, it is sooo good that I make the twenty minute walk to Target weekly for it haha. I make my charcuterie board with boursin cheese, salami, and almond flour crackers (I also love nut thins). This makes a perfect snack or small meal so it is perfect for POTS! For me personally, my class schedule was so crazy that I didn’t have time to eat until the afternoon at which point the dining halls are closed so this was a perfect afternoon snack meal hybrid.

Almond Butter

Now you may be wondering why just straight up almond butter is on there. Well that would be because almond butter is amazing, filling, and full of protein and healthy fats! It has an extremely long shelf life so that’s also super helpful because every week my eating schedule looks completely different so it’s super nice to have something in the fridge at all times.

Now if you have tried almond butter before but didn’t like it maybe you were simply trying the wrong brand. My personal favorite brand of almond butter is MaraNatha No Stir Creamy Almond Butter. So give it a try before you give up on almond butter all together. I also love to pair almond butter with my yogurt or smoothie bowls, or with an apple if I have one.

Almond Butter Breakfast Bars by Kind

So many people with POTS have a lot of trouble with digestion. I am one of those people! My issues really like to step onto center stage if I eat big meals, in the morning or at night. Sooooo in the morning I eat an almond butter breakfast bar by kind which I LOVE! They have been my go to for breakfast since coming to college. They are the perfect serving size for my sensitive morning stomach and also have protein to keep me full. Sometimes I also get nauseous in the morning and these bars always make me feel better and don’t aggravate my symptoms. Even though I feel nauseous I know I have to eat because of the whole blood sugar thing, because passing out would just not be cute.

Carrots and Hummus

Contrary to popular opinion carbs are NOT inherently bad for you. Being gluten free makes it harder to eat natural sources of carbs, but carrots are one great source! Carrots aren’t just any carb, they are complex carbs which means that it takes longer for the body to break down carrots into energy, which means that carrots will provide a longer fuel source and will leave you feeling full for longer, especially when compared to simple carbs (if you are interested in learning more on simple vs. complex carbs click here). I also find carrots and hummus super delicious and something I can keep in my fridge to snack on when I’m hungry but know I’m eating dinner soon. You can also substitute carrots for any vegetable! I also love cucumbers, but let’s face it they are 96% water so they might not leave you feeling very full. (A little fun fact…women are 55% water, so we might have more in common with cucumbers than we thought ;).

Popcorn

My favorite thing about popcorn is that it’s a high volume low calorie snack. Sometimes, when you are just in a snacking mood this is super helpful. Also popcorn is nice and salty which is perfect for us salt people haha. My favorite brand of popcorn is Skinny Pop Original Popcorn.

On the salt note, can anyone relate to totally over-salting your food, including food that shouldn’t be salted, and having everyone stare at you like who is this girl with the salt addiction. Yeah well don’t worry you’re not alone, I am right there with you.

Corn Tortilla Chips and Salsa

Corn tortilla chips>>>Flour Tortilla Chips

This is an opinion I had even before I couldn’t eat gluten, which has been awesome because it means I am not jealous of everyone eating flour tortilla chips the same way I am when I watch everyone eating pizza haha (however Dominoes new cauliflower crust pizza is quite yummy!). Corn tortilla chips are also great because they are naturally super salty (and ngl I normally add even more salt because it is so hard to get in 3-5g of salt a day)! Obviously chips taste great in guacamole, but unfortunately as a college student that is not realistic because guacamole is rather expensive and goes bad really quickly, so I love to enjoy my chips with salsa (we love food that doesn’t go bad quickly)!

Pickles!

We love pickles, especially because of the high sodium levels. Sidenote: whenever I tell people that I have to have salt to stay hydrated they are always so baffled Has anyone had similar experiences? I love pickles however I’m not as committed as my one friend who also has POTS and does pickle juice shots…maybe one day.

Now… if it’s after 11pm my list of favorite snacks *completely* changes (except for the popcorn-it’s always a good time for popcorn:) so stay tuned for my favorite late night snacks!

Bye everyone! I hope you have a fabulous weekend and remember to treat yourself, your body and others with grace and compassion!

❤ Ashley

*Disclaimer: These are things that have worked for me but may not work for you. Please consult your physician if you are unsure about any recommended food or lifestyle choices.