I've noticed that I love kosher dill pickles and they don't seem to affect me. Does anyone know if they are good for digestion? Or at least not bad for lc. Also, I've read that Saurkrout is good. Any advice on that? My diet is getting so limited, anything that tastes good (pickles) is a super treat :) I've also noticed that whey protein supplements don't bother me and are packed with protein.
Oh, and is popcorn as bad as corn. I don't eat popped pop corn, but I've seen popcorn chips at wal-mart. Just curious. Again, I want to thank everyone for all of the advice I'm getting from you.
pickles?
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Sauerkraut is usually a safe choice for most of us (though it may cause some gas), and I see no reason why pickles would be harmful, as long as you do not seem to react adversely to them. On the other hand, most of us react to whey protein, just as we would to casein, but there is a small percentage of members here who are not casein-sensitive.
I'm not sure I understand what you mean by "as bad as corn". While whole corn goes through everyone undigested, that's simply because the pericarp (the shell) on corn is indigestible by the human digestive system, so we get no benefit from it unless we chew through the shell when we are eating it, in order to expose the starch inside to digestive enzymes. And even then, the shell will be undigested, and can usually be seen in the toilet the next day (even for people who have normal digestive systems).
If you are referring to the fiber content of popcorn, then yes, it is as bad as corn (the fiber content is basically identical). That said, you may be able to tolerate some of it, as long as you don't overdo it. Fiber tolerance is a cumulative event. IOW we do OK until we get too much of it, and then we are in trouble.
Several members have posted about popcorn chip-type products, and so far, the reviews have all been good. Just don't overdo it — everything in moderation is a good way to go for many foods, especially those that have a relatively high fiber content.
Tex
I'm not sure I understand what you mean by "as bad as corn". While whole corn goes through everyone undigested, that's simply because the pericarp (the shell) on corn is indigestible by the human digestive system, so we get no benefit from it unless we chew through the shell when we are eating it, in order to expose the starch inside to digestive enzymes. And even then, the shell will be undigested, and can usually be seen in the toilet the next day (even for people who have normal digestive systems).
If you are referring to the fiber content of popcorn, then yes, it is as bad as corn (the fiber content is basically identical). That said, you may be able to tolerate some of it, as long as you don't overdo it. Fiber tolerance is a cumulative event. IOW we do OK until we get too much of it, and then we are in trouble.
Several members have posted about popcorn chip-type products, and so far, the reviews have all been good. Just don't overdo it — everything in moderation is a good way to go for many foods, especially those that have a relatively high fiber content.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Thanks Tex. I'm finding out what seems not to bother me. For breakfast I've been having a rice cake with peanut butter (all natural) and a banana. For lunch I've been having yogurt and canned peaches and pears, although I may stop eating yogurt. Sometimes it seems to bother me, other times not. For dinner I've been having chicken and rice with boiled frozen veggies or instant mashed potatoes and fish or other meat (alternating). I eat almond milk with chex gluten free cereal.
I've read that lactose intolerant people can sometimes eat cottage cheese. Any advice on that? I love my canned or frozen fruit, but want to put it on something (like yogurt). I used to eat them with cottage cheese years ago and loved it. How about sherbert? I will probably have a lot of food questions, I hope nobody minds.
I've also been drinking frozen concentrate 100% pure grape and fruit juices, watered down a bit. That doesn't seem to bother me. And diet soda, not a lot. Is carbonation bad?
I've read that lactose intolerant people can sometimes eat cottage cheese. Any advice on that? I love my canned or frozen fruit, but want to put it on something (like yogurt). I used to eat them with cottage cheese years ago and loved it. How about sherbert? I will probably have a lot of food questions, I hope nobody minds.
I've also been drinking frozen concentrate 100% pure grape and fruit juices, watered down a bit. That doesn't seem to bother me. And diet soda, not a lot. Is carbonation bad?
In general, soft cheeses contain reduced (but still significant) amounts of lactose, whereas aged cheeses contain much lower levels of lactose. Both types are loaded with casein, and so is yogurt.
Sherbert is safe for most of us, depending on ingredients. Carbonation is rarely a problem, except for when we are are bloated because we are unable to get rid of excess gas. Artificial sweeteners, especially aspertame, cause many/most of us to have D.
Remember that while eating processed foods is convenient, cross-contamination is a major problem with them, and many/most of us find that if we eat very many processed foods while we are trying to recover, attaining remission becomes much less likely. Those who recover sooner, on the average, eat simple whole foods, cooked from scratch. I had to eliminate virtually all processed foods when I was healing, because I couldn't find any that didn't cause me to react, either regularly or occasionally. On the average, the longer the ingredient list, the less likely that a processed food will be safe.
Most instant potatoes, for example, contain a lot of ingredients, including preservatives and various chemicals that many of us cannot tolerate during recovery. I can't speak for everyone, but I would venture a guess that somewhere near 99 % of us here who are controlling our symptoms by diet alone, would be afraid to tempt fate by eating instant potatoes. Some of us might be able to tolerate them just fine when we are in remission, but they may prevent us from reaching remission if we eat them while our MC is actively reacting. I'm pretty sure that I would never have been able to achieve remission if I hadn't cut my diet down to simple, basic foods.
I cut gluten out of my diet, and then I tried for 18 months to figure out whatever else was causing me to react. I experimented with cutting out this food, and cutting out that food, but no matter what I did, it simply wouldn't work. One day I decided to stop eating everything (and I mean everything) that seemed even slightly suspicious, and I instead eat only a few simple, basic foods, and within a week or two, I was in remission. I didn't starve myself — I ate plenty of healthy food, (meat, potatoes, eggs, rice, and a few overcooked vegetables) — but no processed foods (except for bacon). Everything was always cooked from scratch, with a little salt or garlic salt as the only seasoning. I followed that strict, limited diet for a little over a year and a half, to give my gut time to heal, and then I was able to begin adding a few foods back into my diet. All that took place roughly a decade ago.
Tex
Sherbert is safe for most of us, depending on ingredients. Carbonation is rarely a problem, except for when we are are bloated because we are unable to get rid of excess gas. Artificial sweeteners, especially aspertame, cause many/most of us to have D.
Remember that while eating processed foods is convenient, cross-contamination is a major problem with them, and many/most of us find that if we eat very many processed foods while we are trying to recover, attaining remission becomes much less likely. Those who recover sooner, on the average, eat simple whole foods, cooked from scratch. I had to eliminate virtually all processed foods when I was healing, because I couldn't find any that didn't cause me to react, either regularly or occasionally. On the average, the longer the ingredient list, the less likely that a processed food will be safe.
Most instant potatoes, for example, contain a lot of ingredients, including preservatives and various chemicals that many of us cannot tolerate during recovery. I can't speak for everyone, but I would venture a guess that somewhere near 99 % of us here who are controlling our symptoms by diet alone, would be afraid to tempt fate by eating instant potatoes. Some of us might be able to tolerate them just fine when we are in remission, but they may prevent us from reaching remission if we eat them while our MC is actively reacting. I'm pretty sure that I would never have been able to achieve remission if I hadn't cut my diet down to simple, basic foods.
I cut gluten out of my diet, and then I tried for 18 months to figure out whatever else was causing me to react. I experimented with cutting out this food, and cutting out that food, but no matter what I did, it simply wouldn't work. One day I decided to stop eating everything (and I mean everything) that seemed even slightly suspicious, and I instead eat only a few simple, basic foods, and within a week or two, I was in remission. I didn't starve myself — I ate plenty of healthy food, (meat, potatoes, eggs, rice, and a few overcooked vegetables) — but no processed foods (except for bacon). Everything was always cooked from scratch, with a little salt or garlic salt as the only seasoning. I followed that strict, limited diet for a little over a year and a half, to give my gut time to heal, and then I was able to begin adding a few foods back into my diet. All that took place roughly a decade ago.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
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That's been my approach too. Different foods (I can't eat eggs rice or potatoes) but I do eat a few meats, a few well cooked veggies and some nut butter. I cook everything from scratch but use really simple cooking techniques so it doesn't take much time. The only thing I buy with an ingredients list is some pork sausage and that list only includes pork and a few spices, no fillers and no preservatives. Sometimes I just make my own sausage. Once you get used to it its not a bad way to eat and it sure beats spending one's life in the bathroom.tex wrote:One day I decided to stop eating everything (and I mean everything) that seemed even slightly suspicious, and I instead eat only a few simple, basic foods, and within a week or two, I was in remission. I didn't starve myself — I ate plenty of healthy food, (meat, potatoes, eggs, rice, and a few overcooked vegetables) — but no processed foods (except for bacon). Everything was always cooked from scratch, with a little salt or garlic salt as the only seasoning. I followed that strict, limited diet for a little over a year and a half, to give my gut time to heal, and then I was able to begin adding a few foods back into my diet. All that took place roughly a decade ago.
Tex
Jean
Thank you so much Tex and Jean. I will follow your advice. I can't tell you how much this info is appreciated. This past week has been especially bad. I've cut my calories down to about 800 per day (not purposely, just scared to eat) and believe me, I'm feeling it. I'm so weak I can barely function. I'm also starting to get very depressed which I'm hoping is just a symptom of not eating enough. My problem is that I'm 40 years old and having a hard time accepting that I will have to deal with this FOREVER! A bit overwhelming and scary. All I can do, though, is accept it! Thank you again :) You are life savers!
That was my exact same thought after my GI doc (who failed to take biopsies during the colonoscopy) told me that there was nothing wrong with me, and there was nothing he could do to help me. (This was back in June of 2000).Rhyes wrote:My problem is that I'm 40 years old and having a hard time accepting that I will have to deal with this FOREVER!
I was so sick that I honestly didn't believe that I would be able to survive for very many more years before I would be so malnourished that I would have a heart attack or stroke that would end it all. After the full implications of that reality finally soaked into my foggy brain, it eventually dawned on me that if an answer existed anywhere in the world, I was going to have to find it myself, because the medical profession had clearly struck out.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
