PUZZLED ABOUT ADDING FOODS BACK - ADVICE PLEASE

[TREESE]

Hello, Forum Friends -

May I ask please about the Details of the Adding Foods Back Process?

Example: Adding FAGE Yogurt 2%. Let's say I Add 1 Tablespoon to my diet every other day for 1 Week, and it seems ok.

What happens the 2nd Week? Do I then Add 2 tablespoons of Yogurt to see if that is ok, too, or do I begin to Add back a different food, like a vegetable, in a small amount?

My CC is stable for over a year and I NEED to gain some weight back Now!! Can't get beyond 100lbs at 5' 6". I figure maybe with Yogurt I can make some Yogurt, Almond Milk, Banana Shakes or something similar for in between meals. I eat 5 small meals a day.

(I Can eat GF Almond Butter, GF Peanut Butter, Safflower Butter, Almond Milk, and Banana. Good Calories but I need more. Yes, I also eat chicken, turkey, fish, even cheese thinly sliced, eggs, turkey bacon and ground turkey, turkey hot dogs, GF Bread, GF Bread Crumbs, GF Cold Cereals, thin slices of tomato, small amounts of cooked carrots, smaller amounts of cooked corn, green beans and peas... you get the picture)

I Invite Anyone with Experience to Reply!

Thank You and may you have a healthy, happy day!
TREESE

[tex]

Are you casein-sensitive, like most of us? If so, yogurt will never be a safe food. If you are not casein-sensitve, then trying increasing doses for three days (with no reaction) should be sufficient to prove that it is OK for you. However, the absence of clinical symptoms does not guarantee immune system safety. Many of us produce antibodies to casein without displaying any digestive symptoms. Instead of digestive symptoms, we have skin issues or osteoporosis, or neurological issues, but those symptoms often take a long time to show up, consequently many people overlook the connection with casein.

To gain weight, you simply need to take in more calories than you burn each day. You do that by eating until you are satisfied, and then eat some more. Eat the grains if you want to gain fat, and eat protein if you want to gain muscle. Hopefully someone else will provide the specifics of the meals.

Tex

[TREESE]

Hi, TEX - How would I know if I was Casein sensitive? Is Casein what messes up the stomach in Coffee Creamers?

How can I find out?

Thanks,
TREESE

[tex]

Yes, even though many coffee creamers are advertised as non-dairy, they contain a derivative of casein. They are only non-lactose. The only way to get a positive verification that your immune system produces antibodies to casein is to order an EnteroLab test for casein. But if coffee creamers mess with your stomach, then you can be pretty sure that you're sensitive to (and producing antibodies to) casein.

I don't get digestive symptoms from casein, but I produce antibodies to it and so I slowly develop osteoporosis symptoms if I ingest it.

Tex

[Erica P-G]

Hi Treese,

I have gained a little weight by shifting to more healthy fats along with all my protein (coconut oil in my coffee, cooking with it exclusively, etc) if you can't do coconut, try a different nut oil...I know protein and healthy doses of fat oils have kept my weight on and stable.

Hugs
E

[Rosie]

I started finally putting on a bit of weight after adding a calorie-rich smoothie to my daily diet. Before that, even though I had figured out my intolerances and was doing fine, I couldn't seem to get above 118 lbs, at 5' 5". This was up from my lowest, at 112 lbs. I wanted to gain a bit more so I would have some "reserve" and not look too gaunt. I found that eating a lot of protein and fat filled me up fast and I had a hard time pushing myself to eat more of my regular food items. The key was finding something calorie dense that also tasted good! And as an added attraction, they are quick and easy to throw together. I love my smoothies, and am always sorry when I have finished it, wishing there were more.

The following recipe is what I have every day. My husband loves them too, and makes one for himself each day as a mid-afternoon treat. It can be modified to suit particular restrictions or taste preferences. I finally started adding some pounds and am now up to 124 lbs after about 7 months, which was my goal. Now I have to be a bit careful not to keep packing on the weight, a new experience for me, who used to have to push myself to eat. I noticed from your post that you can tolerate bananas, and I cut up bananas into chunks, and freeze them, so that I have them on hand. I don't know what fruits you can tolerate, but adding just a tiny amount of other fruits can add a nice flavor. Also, as often has been said on the forum, start out with just a small amount of smoothie, maybe 1/2 cup, and work up if it settles OK.

1 cup rice milk (can substitute almond milk, chocolate-flavored milk, etc) 120 cal
1/4 coconut milk (I use Native Forest Free, which has no additives) 105 cal
2 tablespoons rice protein powder 120 cal
1 1/2 cup frozen fruit (banana slices, strawberries, mango chunks, etc) 100 cal
Total 445 cal

It makes about a 12 oz glass of smoothie.

I hope this helps.

Rosie

[TREESE]

ROSIE, I copied down your Smoothie Idea and began trying my own version of it already! Half a Cup of Almond Milk, about 1 inch of cut banana, some Honey and a sprinkle of Cinammon into the blender...YUM!! So far, so good!

Will keep at it and gradually increase... maybe small increases week by week, if it settles right. Wish me luck!!

ERICA, Thanks for the tips and the HUGS!! Need those, too! :)

TEX - As always, your guidance and knowledge is an invaluable aid to my health and well-being. My Entero Labs Tests did not show any Milk sensitivities, but I do remember that Coffee French Vanilla Creamer (which was my Favorite) did bother me. So, I stopped all Coffee Creamers over a year ago. Maybe I'll hold off on the Yogurt experiment and go with the Smoothies for now. AND - A small increase with the meals daily. Small is key with my stomach, so small will be where I begin from.

You guys are all life-savers!! Physically and Spiritually! Nothing like Community to help bare the burdens! Thanks!!

TREESE

[Gabes-Apg]

Treese
in the healing journey, anything dairy related would be the last things to add to the eating plan.

here in Australia there are lots of coconut based yoghurt products (dairy free, soy free, low sugar etc)

in regards to the creamers, it may not have been just the dairy component that was an issue, the other flavourings etc are also high risk for inflammation triggers for MC'ers

Rosie and Erica have given you fantastic suggestions.

in line with the discussion about dairy, check out the article in this recent discussion with Sue,
http://perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=23472

and over in page 2 of the thread where it is confirmed that dairy is 'addictive'

[TREESE]

Hi, GABES - Guess I have another problem now. I eat cheese twice a day every day. I buy the block cheeses sold in Supermarkets. Swiss and Mild Cheddar. I slice it very thin and put it in with my chicken, fish or Applegate Farm Ham sandwiches (My Bread is Gluten Free).

I haven't had diarreah in over a year, but certain foods do give me warnings. Cheese so far has not.

Are there cheeses in America that ARE safer than what I am buying for a healthier gut? I am already way too skinny to just cut out the calories cheese provides. Give me Brands if you can. I can drink Almond Milk and use it in my GF cereals and I use some regular Milk in my Coffee and Tea. No more than that.

Please Help....I can feel my anxieties mounting!!

TREESE

[TREESE]

PS GABES - Just tried to research Non-Dairy Cheese on-line. Found this Article: http://freefromharm.org/food-products/y ... airy-free/

It doesn't mention CC or MC but it claims the Cheese Brands listed in the Article are Non-Dairy. CHAO Brand or FOLLOW YOUR HEART Brands.

Has it been yours or anyone's experience to use these successfully?

TREESE

[May2yuk!]

Hello Treese,

I am a newbie and I am from Long Island. Last year I started Weight Watcher and lost 117 lbs. When I all of a sudden started D on May 2nd of this year and it continued for a month I was shocked to learn I had C C. Since the diagnosis I have been losing weight even though I was not eating for either my WW diet or for colitis. Now I am on day 5 of the Elimination Diet. Hoping that I will find what is making me sick.

I know all this is not helpful for your problem but since you are in my area I thought I might say hello.

Take care and good luck. It sounds like you got a lot of good advise.

[TREESE]

Hi, RETTA - Thanks for Writing! I really feel for you right now, my friend. It must all seem so absolutely insane to you, being thrust so abruptly into this whole CC situation as you have. MAY is like only a few months ago. I know my head spun for quite a while when I was first diagnosed. But this Forum saved me from the unnecessary mistakes I probably would have made by helping me navigate my course. And it also spared me from the emotional trauma of feeling all alone with this "horrible new condition", which is how I viewed it at the time.

Thanks for taking time to write and say hello! I really hope your elimination diet helps you find your particular offenders.

PS Have you had much contact with the people on this Forum since you started? They have really great advice and they willingly share it. Some of their best for me was to get the Entero Lab Testing to see what I was sensitive to. Which food groups, and was I gluten sensitive or not; stuff like that. Wow, did that help!! Until I got those results back, I kept my Diet very basic. Rice, small amounts of boiled chicken preferably antibiotic free, black tea, always water. I stopped raw vegies and raw fruits then, too. If you haven't done so already, buy TEX's Book: Microscopic Colitis by Wayne Persky.
It's the Best Book on CC there is!

Anyway - Keep Focused, my new friend! You will find your way through and be able to get back to your life! :)

Peace and Good Health,
TREESE

[May2yuk!]

Treese Thank you for that wonderful response.

Yes it was a shock and I am still waiting for my symptoms to just disappear as fast as they came. I found this site because I was looking for books about colitis on Amazon, bought Tex's book and found this forum. It has been very enlightening. Any questions I have had someone provided an answer. How wonderful it is to find people who are sharing their knowledge and experiences.

Today is day 6 of E diet and I think there is an improvement. I'm looking forward to normalizing and slowly trying to add back foods. Got to start with milk so I can have my coffee again.

I noticed we have something else in common. Back problems! I have had sciatica for years and was diagnosed last year with spinal stenosis and a disc off line. Losing weight helped a lot but after the colonoscopy on May 31st the pain got 10 times worse. Surgery was being recommended but I did not want to do it. After a few weeks the pain is almost gone. I really think the colonoscopy aggravated my nerves causing the bad pain.

Any way thanks for your response. The Lab tests sound interesting but expensive. I'll wait and see.

Take care,

[lando]

Hi, TEX - How would I know if I was Casein sensitive? Is Casein what messes up the stomach in Coffee Creamers?

How can I find out?

Thanks,
TREESE

Depends on the Coffee creamers. If you are using powdered coffee creamer, then it isn't casein, it is Gluten in it.

I use Coffee mate Gluten free coconut milk sweet cream creamer(liquid). I flared up because the powder one I used to use had gluten hidden in it.

[Pam V]

Trees, I've done pretty well with an almond creamer by Califia. There is also one by Silk. The vanilla is delicious but has more sugar so I try to find unsweetened. I never had issues with dairy (or any foods) prior to my diagnosis last May. Last week I took a sip of my husband's coffee (with milk) by mistake and within 15 minutes, my belly cramped and I had issues. Interestingly, it didn't even taste good ~ I like the almond taste better!

Good luck!
Pam