Billy Bob Thornton says he spent much of his life thinking it was normal to feel miserable after eating.
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The actor, who portrayed high school football coach Gary Gaines in Friday Night Lights, recently opened up about his longtime digestive issues during an appearance on Howie Mandel Does Stuff, revealing that a restrictive diet has dramatically improved the way he feels.
"I just assumed everybody felt like s—- after they ate," Thornton said. "I didn't know."
Thornton explained that he's allergic to wheat and dairy and has dealt with food sensitivities since childhood.
"I grew up with a lot of allergies," he said. "But I ate everything."
Photo by M. Caulfield/WireImage
The Oscar-winning actor also noted that he has AB-negative blood, one of the rarest blood types. Thornton believes that contributes to his digestive problems, saying he's been told people with the blood type have fewer digestive enzymes.
While AB-negative blood is rare, medical experts have not established that blood type alone determines which foods someone should eat. Some diet theories have suggested a connection, but the idea remains controversial.
Whatever the cause, Thornton said changing the way he eats has made a major difference.
These days, his menu looks much different than it once did. He said he avoids dairy, wheat, pork and beef, among other foods.
When Mandel joked that Thornton had eliminated just about everything from the food pyramid, the actor laughed and revealed what he was looking forward to after the interview.
"I'm going to have some gluten-free chips with some dairy-free cream cheese," Thornton said.
The conversation also included a funny family story about Thornton's son introducing Mandel's son to an unusual snack: bagels with cream cheese and ketchup.
"That's a hillbilly bagel," Thornton joked.
