I just got my EnteroLab results and I'll admit I'm a bit confused/overwhelmed. Can someone help me understand what I'm looking at? I was on a very restrictive diet when I sent in my sample, could that have effected the outcome? I was mainly eating hard boiled eggs, applesauce and gluten free Schar crackers due to a flare. (I've been gluten free for 7 years). For the first portion of the results am I understanding correctly that I cannot have gluten, dairy, chicken eggs, soy? Can I still have peanuts, pecans or other seafood such as salmon flounder cod shrimp etc? The meat portion is also confusing. Any insight would be much appreciated:
Quantitative Microscopic Fecal Fat Score Less than 300 Units (Normal Range is less than 300 Units)
Fecal Anti-gliadin IgA 112 Units (Normal Range is less than 10 Units)
Fecal Anti-casein (cow’s milk) IgA 51 Units (Normal Range is less than 10 Units)
Fecal Anti-ovalbumin (chicken egg) IgA 42 Units (Normal Range is less than 10 Units)
Fecal Anti-soy IgA 78 Units (Normal Range is less than 10 Units)
Mean Value 11 Antigenic Foods 41 Units (Normal Range is less than 10 Units)
While all of the foods tested can be immune-stimulating, the hierarchy of reactions detected were as follows:
Food to which there was no significant immunological reactivity:
White potato
Food to which there was some immunological reactivity (1+):
Tuna, Pork, Chicken and Beef
Food to which there was moderate immunological reactivity (2+):
Rice, Corn, Cashew and Walnut
Food to which there was significant and/or the most immunological reactivity (3+):
Oat and Almond
Within each class of foods to which you displayed multiple reactions, the hierarchy of those reactions detected were as follows:
Grains:
Grain toward which you displayed the most immunologic reactivity: Oat
Grain toward which you displayed intermediate immunologic reactivity: Rice
Grain toward which you displayed the least immunologic reactivity: Corn
Meats:
Meat toward which you displayed the most immunologic reactivity: Tuna
Meat toward which you were next most immunologically reactive: Pork
Meat toward which you displayed intermediate immunologic reactivity: Chicken
Meat toward which you displayed the least immunologic reactivity: Beef
Nuts:
Nut toward which you displayed the most immunologic reactivity: Almond
Nut toward which you displayed intermediate immunologic reactivity: Cashew
Nut toward which you displayed the least immunologic reactivity: Walnut
Help with EnteroLab results
Moderators: Rosie, Stanz, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
All your scores are relatively high (suggesting years of reacting against those foods). If you've been GF for 7 years, your diet must be cross-contaminated with gluten. Yes, you need to avoid all dairy, chicken eggs, and soy. Definitely avoid peanuts, and all other legumes. With a soy score that high, you will almost certainly be sensitive to all legumes. I believe that most people who are sensitive to tuna are also sensitive to salmon, and many other saltwater fish. You might be able to eat certain freshwater fish, such as catfish. You would just have to experiment. Shrimp, prawns, clams, oysters, and most other shellfish should be safe, unless you were allergic to any of them before you developed MC.Tiffany wrote:(I've been gluten free for 7 years). For the first portion of the results am I understanding correctly that I cannot have gluten, dairy, chicken eggs, soy? Can I still have peanuts, pecans or other seafood such as salmon flounder cod shrimp etc? The meat portion is also confusing. Any insight would be much appreciated:
Regarding tuna, pork, chicken, and beef, usually a 1+ rated food might or might not be a problem. But an overall score of 41 on that series of tests is quite high, so I wouldn't even try them before I was in remission for a while. Those of us who test sensitive to those foods can almost always safely eat lamb, turkey, venison, rabbit, and other wild or wild-type (farm-raised rabbits, deer, or elk) meat. Except for bison — all bison contain domestic cattle DNA these days, so they're not a safe food for those of us who are sensitive to beef.
I hope this helps.
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 for the reply Tex. I admit I am a bit overwhelmed with how to eat going forward. Sounds like I'll be eating a lot of turkey, maybe turkey bacon will be good. And it's a good thing that my husband likes to go catfishing here in Kansas 
What about corn and rice, I see that I am more reactivate to rice than corn. Will corn possibly be ok once I'm in remission? Also, would coconut milk or hemp milk be ok to drink or cook with?
What about corn and rice, I see that I am more reactivate to rice than corn. Will corn possibly be ok once I'm in remission? Also, would coconut milk or hemp milk be ok to drink or cook with?Corn will probably be OK after you have been in remission for a while. Try it slowly at first, to check it out. I had to avoid corn when I as recovering, but after I had healed for a year or so, I was able to add it back into my diet.
Yes, coconut milk or hemp milk should be OK. I found that I could tolerate hemp milk, but it caused slight bloating. Watch the other ingredients in those milk substitutes. Many of us can't tolerate the gums used in most of those products. If you buy pure, undiluted, coconut milk (in the can), it has the advantage of adding extra calories to your diet (if you need to stop weight loss, or gain weight). Many of us used it in smoothies.
Coconut oil is great for frying. Here's a link to an old thread where I posted about frying fish (or anything else) in coconut oil. But obviously you can't use the corn flour breading that I used. You may have to get creative and use potato flour or something else.
https://perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=19350
Tex
Yes, coconut milk or hemp milk should be OK. I found that I could tolerate hemp milk, but it caused slight bloating. Watch the other ingredients in those milk substitutes. Many of us can't tolerate the gums used in most of those products. If you buy pure, undiluted, coconut milk (in the can), it has the advantage of adding extra calories to your diet (if you need to stop weight loss, or gain weight). Many of us used it in smoothies.
Coconut oil is great for frying. Here's a link to an old thread where I posted about frying fish (or anything else) in coconut oil. But obviously you can't use the corn flour breading that I used. You may have to get creative and use potato flour or something else.
https://perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=19350
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.
Hi Tiffany- I am also intolerant of soy and have gotten tripped up before by eating foods with alpha-tocopherols which are soy. Also, I don’t know about Schars crackers but when I’ve looked at their bread products they all contained soy. I know we have lists here on the forum that lists out other names for soy. It’s a challenge but not impossible to sort out.
You got a lot of very helpful information from your test results. I think you might like a turkey sausage and gravy recipe I posted in our recipe section that I found in a cookbook called ‘Paleo Comfort Foods”. The gravy is made with coconut milk. The seasoning are thyme, sage and coriander— good comfort food combination.
BTW- I am also in Kansas. I grew up in southeast Kansas, went to Pittsburg State (Go Gorillas!), then moved and lived in Hays for 20 years. Now I’m in the Kansas City area. You may be the only other Kansan I’ve met here.
. Welcome!
Carol M
You got a lot of very helpful information from your test results. I think you might like a turkey sausage and gravy recipe I posted in our recipe section that I found in a cookbook called ‘Paleo Comfort Foods”. The gravy is made with coconut milk. The seasoning are thyme, sage and coriander— good comfort food combination.
BTW- I am also in Kansas. I grew up in southeast Kansas, went to Pittsburg State (Go Gorillas!), then moved and lived in Hays for 20 years. Now I’m in the Kansas City area. You may be the only other Kansan I’ve met here.
. Welcome! Carol M
“.... people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Maya Angelou
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Dhmoore99@att.net
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Mon Oct 21, 2019 9:16 am
Thank you Tex and Carol. All the information you're willing to share, I am more than willing to learn. I may wait to add the coconut milk and hemp milk in until I have healed for a little while longer. I dislike that almost all milk alternatives have so many "extra" ingredients. I was a big almond milk user/drinker so its going to be a huge adjustment as almonds were one of the biggest offenders on the EnteroLab results. I do really enjoy Chex cereal for breakfast so I hope to add the corn Chex back into my diet in the future. I've always heard that pure coconut milk causes loose stools. Is that accurate? I could definitely use the extra calories. I've lost 13lbs in these three weeks of flare. I'm 5'7 and was 142lbs and now down to 129lbs and can't seem to eat enough calories in a day. My ribs and hip bones are protruding. I would be open to using coconut milk but don't want to risk D if at all possible.
I am currently on Budesonide, 9mg each morning. My doctor only prescribed one month of this med which I know from my research on here, is not enough. I've been taking this since 10/10/19. Am I correct in that I need to be on 9mg for a minimum of two months before tapering down to 6mg for two months and then down to 3mg for two months? And then a pill every other day. Or is there a better regime I should be aware of? My GI is useless so I worry that I am going to have to argue with him on continuing the meds past this first thirty days and that is giving me anxiety.
Carol that is so cool that you're from Kansas too. We are in the Johnson County area. My husband and I both grew up in De Soto. Its nice to meet someone else from our great state! Two of my brothers in-law and one sister in-law went to Pitt State. I'll look up that turkey sausage and gravy receipt. I LOVE comfort foods. You are correct that Schar crackers contain soy :( Which really sucks because they were one of the few bland things that I was eating that, to my knowledge, didn't effect me badly. For example, when I was eating only those crackers and applesauce; I had days where I had no bad side effects; ie loose stools or stomach pain. I don't even know if I can find a cracker or bread that I can have with all these limitations. If I find one that is gluten, soy and egg free; it has rice or corn as a main ingredient. Meh. I do eat mostly "natural" such as meats/veggies/fruits but I do like to occasionally have a sandwich or crackers with my soup.
I do have a few more questions. Is Sun-Butter (sunflower seed based) also out for me as I think it falls into the nut/seed/legume family? Peanut butter was a big source of food for me, and allowed me to get my protein a bit easier.
Can I use any of the following flours? Cassava, Sorghum, Arrowroot, Coconut, Tapioca, Tigernut or Buckwheat.
Can I have turkey products that have rosemary extract? I've found a few different brands of turkey sausage, turkey burgers, turkey bacon that have very limited ingredients (allergy friendly) but have rosemary extract listed. Also, some of the turkey sausage products have spices like salt, black pepper, ginger, cayenne, red pepper etc. I'm assuming this is ok? I've never noticed an issue with spices in particular, but I do only use mild seasonings, I've never been able to handle spicy foods. I do plan to buy just plain ground turkey but would like some variety if possible with the turkey sausages, bacon and burger patties too.
Can I have lunch meat? Like turkey deli meat? I realize that lunch meats aren't the best choice as they have high sodium content but I am struggling to find things that I can easily pack into my lunch bag for work days Monday through Friday. If I could toss some plain turkey deli meat in a baggie with a mild fruit (banana, applesauce) or a veggie (well cooked sweet potato or carrots) that would make my life a lot easier.
I am currently on Budesonide, 9mg each morning. My doctor only prescribed one month of this med which I know from my research on here, is not enough. I've been taking this since 10/10/19. Am I correct in that I need to be on 9mg for a minimum of two months before tapering down to 6mg for two months and then down to 3mg for two months? And then a pill every other day. Or is there a better regime I should be aware of? My GI is useless so I worry that I am going to have to argue with him on continuing the meds past this first thirty days and that is giving me anxiety.
Carol that is so cool that you're from Kansas too. We are in the Johnson County area. My husband and I both grew up in De Soto. Its nice to meet someone else from our great state! Two of my brothers in-law and one sister in-law went to Pitt State. I'll look up that turkey sausage and gravy receipt. I LOVE comfort foods. You are correct that Schar crackers contain soy :( Which really sucks because they were one of the few bland things that I was eating that, to my knowledge, didn't effect me badly. For example, when I was eating only those crackers and applesauce; I had days where I had no bad side effects; ie loose stools or stomach pain. I don't even know if I can find a cracker or bread that I can have with all these limitations. If I find one that is gluten, soy and egg free; it has rice or corn as a main ingredient. Meh. I do eat mostly "natural" such as meats/veggies/fruits but I do like to occasionally have a sandwich or crackers with my soup.
I do have a few more questions. Is Sun-Butter (sunflower seed based) also out for me as I think it falls into the nut/seed/legume family? Peanut butter was a big source of food for me, and allowed me to get my protein a bit easier.
Can I use any of the following flours? Cassava, Sorghum, Arrowroot, Coconut, Tapioca, Tigernut or Buckwheat.
Can I have turkey products that have rosemary extract? I've found a few different brands of turkey sausage, turkey burgers, turkey bacon that have very limited ingredients (allergy friendly) but have rosemary extract listed. Also, some of the turkey sausage products have spices like salt, black pepper, ginger, cayenne, red pepper etc. I'm assuming this is ok? I've never noticed an issue with spices in particular, but I do only use mild seasonings, I've never been able to handle spicy foods. I do plan to buy just plain ground turkey but would like some variety if possible with the turkey sausages, bacon and burger patties too.
Can I have lunch meat? Like turkey deli meat? I realize that lunch meats aren't the best choice as they have high sodium content but I am struggling to find things that I can easily pack into my lunch bag for work days Monday through Friday. If I could toss some plain turkey deli meat in a baggie with a mild fruit (banana, applesauce) or a veggie (well cooked sweet potato or carrots) that would make my life a lot easier.
Tiffany,
First of all welcome to our "internet family" (sorry you had to find us). You have a tall order with your diet, but you will get lots of help here and with your positive attitude, you will do great.
I see you can have white potatoes - that should help with calories and filling in your diet. Lots of people here eat pure potato chips as snacks. Don't know if you like it, but one of my easy sources of fat and protein from the deli counter is Boars Head liverwurst. I eat it plain or with soy free vegenaise (mayo substitute).
Wishing you all the best on your healing journey!!!
Love,
Kari
First of all welcome to our "internet family" (sorry you had to find us). You have a tall order with your diet, but you will get lots of help here and with your positive attitude, you will do great.
I see you can have white potatoes - that should help with calories and filling in your diet. Lots of people here eat pure potato chips as snacks. Don't know if you like it, but one of my easy sources of fat and protein from the deli counter is Boars Head liverwurst. I eat it plain or with soy free vegenaise (mayo substitute).
Wishing you all the best on your healing journey!!!
Love,
Kari
"My mouth waters whenever I pass a bakery shop and sniff the aroma of fresh bread, but I am also grateful simply to be alive and sniffing." Dr. Bernstein
Hi Dhmoore- as far as what to take for MC constipation, I wouldn’t recommend a stimulant, but maybe a stool softener instead. Also, there were times where I’d just take my magnesium supplements all at once rather than spread them out during the day.
My acupuncturist recommends a tea called Smooth Move. It contains senna and is certainly gentle. I’ve tried peppermint and it’s tastes good.
Hope this helps.
My acupuncturist recommends a tea called Smooth Move. It contains senna and is certainly gentle. I’ve tried peppermint and it’s tastes good.
Hope this helps.
“.... people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Maya Angelou
Tiffany,
The simpler your diet, the faster you will recover. All those flours you named are possibilities, but baked goods in general contain enough ingredients that many of us react to most of them if we eat more than insignificant amounts simply because not all of the ingredients are pure. Most brands of so-called GF bread don't work for some of us, especially while we're tying to recover. Homemade is usually safer (but not necessarily safe). Corn tortillas would probably be safer, in your situation. Any commercial product with more than 5 ingredients is usually risky.
We can usually tolerate salt and maybe small amounts of pepper, but using most other spices (while recovering) is asking for trouble. Rosemary is usually OK. Rosemary extract is not (because soy is used in the extraction process).
As Kari mentioned, Boars Head deli meats (sold as GF) are OK, because those people savy gluten free and they clean their slicers before filling a GF order. I wouldn't trust an other brand unless I knew the ingredients and watched them clean their equipment before handling anything I ordered.
Keep it simple. In the early days of this forum, we had a member whose motto was, "Always carry a porkchop in your handbag." In your case, that could be a lambchop. IOW, simple, whole foods are safer. You can always get fancy after you're in remission. But if you never reach remission, you won't have that opportunity.
Tex
The simpler your diet, the faster you will recover. All those flours you named are possibilities, but baked goods in general contain enough ingredients that many of us react to most of them if we eat more than insignificant amounts simply because not all of the ingredients are pure. Most brands of so-called GF bread don't work for some of us, especially while we're tying to recover. Homemade is usually safer (but not necessarily safe). Corn tortillas would probably be safer, in your situation. Any commercial product with more than 5 ingredients is usually risky.
We can usually tolerate salt and maybe small amounts of pepper, but using most other spices (while recovering) is asking for trouble. Rosemary is usually OK. Rosemary extract is not (because soy is used in the extraction process).
As Kari mentioned, Boars Head deli meats (sold as GF) are OK, because those people savy gluten free and they clean their slicers before filling a GF order. I wouldn't trust an other brand unless I knew the ingredients and watched them clean their equipment before handling anything I ordered.
Keep it simple. In the early days of this forum, we had a member whose motto was, "Always carry a porkchop in your handbag." In your case, that could be a lambchop. IOW, simple, whole foods are safer. You can always get fancy after you're in remission. But if you never reach remission, you won't have that opportunity.
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.
Hi again Tiffany,
I am also in Johnson County. I’ll Private Message you sometime and we can chat. It would be nice to have someone local to share shopping tips with... like where to find the best selection of Boars Head meats or a local source of vitamin supplements, etc.
Re:turkey. The turkey sausage I mentioned (made from scratch) is very portable. I would make it into patties and that became my go to food to grab and go. Sunflower seeds are not a legume so you may be okay with sunbutter but check the label to make sure there are no additives, and go slow when trying it. I had not heard that coconut milk will cause D. It might be that ‘light’ coconut milk would be easier to tolerate right now. It’s hard to know and you may just have to try it to see.
When testing a food to see if you can tolerate it:
Don’t try two new foods on the same day because if you react you won’t know for sure which one caused the issue. Always stick to the same safe foods then try one serving of the new food for 3 consecutive days. If you have no issues then yay! And it can go on your list of safe foods. If you don’t tolerate it, you’ll know fairly quickly, like after the first day. For example I had decided to try spinach and there was no doubt the next morning that spinach was not my friend. Eventually you’ll start building up your list of reliable, safe foods. Planning can feel complicated in the beginning but soon you’ll have new routines established to help you.
I hope we are getting your questions answered. Take care and hang in there.
Carol
I am also in Johnson County
. I’ll Private Message you sometime and we can chat. It would be nice to have someone local to share shopping tips with... like where to find the best selection of Boars Head meats or a local source of vitamin supplements, etc.Re:turkey. The turkey sausage I mentioned (made from scratch) is very portable. I would make it into patties and that became my go to food to grab and go. Sunflower seeds are not a legume so you may be okay with sunbutter but check the label to make sure there are no additives, and go slow when trying it. I had not heard that coconut milk will cause D. It might be that ‘light’ coconut milk would be easier to tolerate right now. It’s hard to know and you may just have to try it to see.
When testing a food to see if you can tolerate it:
Don’t try two new foods on the same day because if you react you won’t know for sure which one caused the issue. Always stick to the same safe foods then try one serving of the new food for 3 consecutive days. If you have no issues then yay! And it can go on your list of safe foods. If you don’t tolerate it, you’ll know fairly quickly, like after the first day. For example I had decided to try spinach and there was no doubt the next morning that spinach was not my friend. Eventually you’ll start building up your list of reliable, safe foods. Planning can feel complicated in the beginning but soon you’ll have new routines established to help you.
I hope we are getting your questions answered. Take care and hang in there.
Carol
“.... people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Maya Angelou
I am still fairly new at this disease. I lost a lot of weight in my flare. I am the same height as you and lost a lot of weight. I was down to 114 the Doctors were getting upset. But I kept my diet basic for the flare and still eat pretty basic. I put weight back on once out of the flare. I now weigh 128. Don't let the weight issue give you more anxiety. You will gain weight once you get the flare under control. My Lab scores were worse than yours. I eat turkey, venison, and lamb for most of my meat meals even breakfast. I can eat some fish and cooked veggies. Boring as "hell" but take that over diarrhea any day. Keep your chin up, Tiffany. 
Janie
Janie,
Don't sell yourself short. At over 3 years of experience living with and successfully treating this disease, you probably know more about treating MC (successfully) than 99 % of the GI docs in this country. It's good to see that you're still doing well.
Your insight about weight loss with MC in that post was worth it's weight in gold, since it's based on your actual real-world experience.
Thanks,
Tex
Don't sell yourself short. At over 3 years of experience living with and successfully treating this disease, you probably know more about treating MC (successfully) than 99 % of the GI docs in this country. It's good to see that you're still doing well.
Your insight about weight loss with MC in that post was worth it's weight in gold, since it's based on your actual real-world experience.
Thanks,
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 still struggle with this disease but overall I do well. my GI Doctor is one of the good ones. He doesn't poo-poo anything I tell him. He is available by email and always answers back. Don't need to see him unless I ask for an appointment.
Now figuring out how to travel with this. It takes alot of preparation.
Thanks for the kind words
Now figuring out how to travel with this. It takes alot of preparation.
Thanks for the kind words
Janie
Carol, that is awesome that you are in the Johnson County area as well! Yes, I would love to chat over message sometime. MC can make me feel quite isolated and I do not know anyone else that has colitis issues like I do so I often feel alone in this fight. This support group is a god send, that is for sure. I would love to know where I could buy Boars Head products. That would make my lunch prep a lot easier if I could find a turkey product of theirs that is safe (no soy or other allergen risks). I may try Sun Butter down the line, once I am doing better. The ingredients on their "No Sugar Added SunButter" is sunflower seeds & salt. Seems simple enough. Its also produced in a facility that is free of the top 8 allergens. It would be nice to have that as an additional protein source. If I am ever able to find a turkey product that doesn't have rosemary extract / soy in it; I would love to try your turkey sausage recipe. That would make a great breakfast item.
Tex, thank you for the additional information. I will wait to try any flours until further down the recovery road. As you said, I don't want to complicate anything right now and add in too much at once. I really hope to be able to add corn back into my diet in the future as well. That would give me a few more options, like you mentioned, corn tortillas. I hope to find Boars Head products in my area as well. It seems turkey may not be an option for me, unless I happen upon a brand that doesn't have the rosemary extract / soy additive. All brands I looked at in my local Walmart last night, had rosemary extract listed in the ingredients or they had a multiple spices listed in the turkey sausage. Quite disappointing. There is a local butcher a town over from me that sells turkey, I plan to call them and see if that is possibly a safe option. In the meantime, I found ground lamb at my local Target. The only ingredient listed is "lamb", so I bought a package and plan to make that for dinner tonight. I'll brown it up and have it plain with a sweet potato for dinner tonight and lunch tomorrow. I hope that I tolerate it well because if so, that option is easily accessible. If I tolerate it ok, I may go back and buy the lamb shoulder cuts to change it up a little. So far I've tested sweet potatoes and plain potatoes and both seem be a safe option for me. I'd like to try well cooked carrots too but I will wait and see how the lamb goes first. I will eat (or not eat) whatever it takes to improve my health. If that means eating the same few things each day, then so be it.
Janie, thank you for the encouragement! I am glad to hear that you were able to recover from your flare and gain the weight back. I have just been so worried about being malnourished in the meantime. I don't want to cause my body anymore issues while trying to heal from this flare. Its hard to keep my energy levels up when I am eating so little. It makes full time work and being a mom pretty hard. I am hoping, like you said, to find a few safe foods and stick with it to heal and nourish my body. But you are so right, I'll take boring over frequent bathroom trips all day long!
Does anyone have any ideas for breakfast? I was a big egg and gluten free cereal eater before all this so I am a bit stumped as to what to make for breakfast. Unfortunately I need something that I can prep the night before and re-heat at work in the morning as I don't have time to cook the AM. I get up at 5am Monday through Friday to get myself ready, my son ready for school, let my dogs go potty and eat their breakfast and then I leave the house at 6:30am to make it to work by 7. My husband works nights so the mornings are right in the middle of his sleep cycle so all morning routine things are on me. I was thinking a sweet potato and protein hash (hopefully lamb) but I don't want to get sick of sweet potatoes since I eat them for lunch and dinner too. Are avocados usually tolerated in phase 1 of recovery ? I know they are high in calories and nutrients which would be helpful but I have a feeling they might not be phase 1 approved. What about canned, cut green beans? I love green beans but wasn't sure how they were tolerated during a flare for most people.
Tex, thank you for the additional information. I will wait to try any flours until further down the recovery road. As you said, I don't want to complicate anything right now and add in too much at once. I really hope to be able to add corn back into my diet in the future as well. That would give me a few more options, like you mentioned, corn tortillas. I hope to find Boars Head products in my area as well. It seems turkey may not be an option for me, unless I happen upon a brand that doesn't have the rosemary extract / soy additive. All brands I looked at in my local Walmart last night, had rosemary extract listed in the ingredients or they had a multiple spices listed in the turkey sausage. Quite disappointing. There is a local butcher a town over from me that sells turkey, I plan to call them and see if that is possibly a safe option. In the meantime, I found ground lamb at my local Target. The only ingredient listed is "lamb", so I bought a package and plan to make that for dinner tonight. I'll brown it up and have it plain with a sweet potato for dinner tonight and lunch tomorrow. I hope that I tolerate it well because if so, that option is easily accessible. If I tolerate it ok, I may go back and buy the lamb shoulder cuts to change it up a little. So far I've tested sweet potatoes and plain potatoes and both seem be a safe option for me. I'd like to try well cooked carrots too but I will wait and see how the lamb goes first. I will eat (or not eat) whatever it takes to improve my health. If that means eating the same few things each day, then so be it.
Janie, thank you for the encouragement! I am glad to hear that you were able to recover from your flare and gain the weight back. I have just been so worried about being malnourished in the meantime. I don't want to cause my body anymore issues while trying to heal from this flare. Its hard to keep my energy levels up when I am eating so little. It makes full time work and being a mom pretty hard. I am hoping, like you said, to find a few safe foods and stick with it to heal and nourish my body. But you are so right, I'll take boring over frequent bathroom trips all day long!
Does anyone have any ideas for breakfast? I was a big egg and gluten free cereal eater before all this so I am a bit stumped as to what to make for breakfast. Unfortunately I need something that I can prep the night before and re-heat at work in the morning as I don't have time to cook the AM. I get up at 5am Monday through Friday to get myself ready, my son ready for school, let my dogs go potty and eat their breakfast and then I leave the house at 6:30am to make it to work by 7. My husband works nights so the mornings are right in the middle of his sleep cycle so all morning routine things are on me. I was thinking a sweet potato and protein hash (hopefully lamb) but I don't want to get sick of sweet potatoes since I eat them for lunch and dinner too. Are avocados usually tolerated in phase 1 of recovery ? I know they are high in calories and nutrients which would be helpful but I have a feeling they might not be phase 1 approved. What about canned, cut green beans? I love green beans but wasn't sure how they were tolerated during a flare for most people.