Need Suport and recipes for the holidays!!!

tcorbett · Post by **tcorbett** » Mon Dec 13, 2010 2:47 pm

Hi All,

Just got back from my DO visit today. I am not surprised, but his suggestion with all that we've learned thus far, to do the SCD diet for 3 months! I know it's what I need to do, I know it will help my body to heal faster, thus allowing me to possibly re-introduce some of the "forbidden foods" - that is his hope to - I still cried when I got to the car! I don't tolerate eggs or dairy right now - this makes for some challenges with the SCD diet. I know it will help, I've been pretty much doing grain-free for a few weeks, just added rice in the past 3 days, felt groggy, puffy, gurgly - I knew it was the rice, that was going to be my question to him - but, he got to the diet right off! I'm not crying anymore - it's been an hour since I was told this - so I'm improving, but I had plans to make some yummy GF, EF, DF desserts like my mom made (she died last thanksgiving) - but... they will have to wait until next year. What was nice was that my DO sympathized so much with me, even when my dh would pipe in something of how I should be eating this way etc, my DO would say, "In her defense...this is really hard with all her "food allergies", this is really hard, and the holidays..." - He's awesome. He told me I could wait until after the holidays, but I don't want to be sick over the holidays, I don't want to risk that feeling! I need recipes or cookbook suggestions - the are SCD friendly and Egg free and dairy free. I can do this, I know with this group here, this is the only way I could survive this. As my DO left it, "you have bad news - you need to eat the SCD diet for 3 months, but, you have good news, eating the SCD diet for 3 months, you will see positive changes, you will be able to re-introduce new foods - this is your hope - it will happen!".

Any suggestions for meals and all would be much appreciated!!! My major "food allergies" are onions, garlic, green peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, beans, pineapple - there are 25 but I can't remember them right now - oh, eggs... My DO did say I could use seasoning sparingly - scd friendly of course, but that really helped too.

I am feeling better already - tonight I will finish up my coconut ice cream and craisins, then tomorrow is the new start of a new day and NEW HOPE!

Theresa in rainy, rainy Maine

Linda in BC · Post by **Linda in BC** » Mon Dec 13, 2010 3:22 pm

Teresa, I 'm sorry I know virtually nothing about the SC diet so can't make any recipe suggestions. I just wanted to say :goodonya:

for taking the bull by the horns and maintaining an "I can do this" attitude.

Wishing you all the best in your journey to recovery.
Linda

Martha · Post by **Martha** » Mon Dec 13, 2010 3:34 pm

Theresa, like Linda, I can't give you any recipe ideas, but I can give you support.

Hurray for you for deciding that you're just going to get in there with the diet and get healed as quickly as possible. You do NOT want to be sick over the holidays!

mbeezie · Post by **mbeezie** » Mon Dec 13, 2010 3:54 pm

Therese,

Sorry you are having a tough time with the diet. Since you can't tolerate dairy and are grain free, this is more paleo. You might look at some of Loren Cordain's paleo books. Also, there are many paleo diet blogs on the internet. Dee's Kitchen on this site has many recipes to choose from, some that will meet your needs I'm sure.

In time you will figure the diet out and you may even gain toelrance back to some foods. hang in there.

Mary Beth

Gabes-Apg · Post by **Gabes-Apg** » Mon Dec 13, 2010 4:20 pm

Theresa,

It was 12 months today that i had my colonscopy that diagnosed my MC. I had been feeling poorly for many months and on the 22nd december when i got the diganosis, found this site and started reading about the wonders of MC.
as it was summer here in Oz, the thought of not being able to eat salads and fruit again was distressing. As time went on and i have retrained my brain (and tastebuds) and as i valued the gift of feeling better, and getting closer to wellness the things i dont get to eat dont matter that much.

it is a shock at first and a bit scary as you think 'what i am going to eat?' you will find what works for you that suits your digestion, your lifestyle and budget.

There are loads of recipes, hints and ideas in the Dee's kitchen area of this site. Things will taste different, have a different texture over time this wont matter.
there are also recipes on the net, with the basics in dee's kitchen (egg replacer / butter replacer / etc) you can adapt various things.

tcorbett · Post by **tcorbett** » Mon Dec 13, 2010 4:38 pm

Thank-you all for your support - I knew this was the place to be! I do have a question - if I'm dairy free, just mostly because my inflammed gut can't digest it - is butter okay? It always seemed to be one of those grey areas for me!

THanks again!!! I'm feeling better already!

T

mbeezie · Post by **mbeezie** » Mon Dec 13, 2010 4:59 pm

Ghee may be a better choice to try than butter, as much of the protein will be removed. You can buy it commericially or make your own.

Mary Beth

Bifcus16 · Post by **Bifcus16** » Mon Dec 13, 2010 5:12 pm

Wow Therese,

What a great approach to dealing with this. A 3 month eating adventure. It is a real conflict as to whether you eat what you want and feel sick, or eat what is good for you and feel better gradually. Starting now means you have two weeks before christmas day and that is time to start feeling a tad better and to try a few recipe ideas.

You said you have a list of 25 foods you can't eat. How about creating a list of all the foods you can eat. I am betting it will be bigger than 25 items. Then you can approach it as chef would - what can you make with these foods? You will probably end up eating more gourmet foods than before! A chef will generally create a main meal by starting with some sort of protein (meat) this can simply grilled (broiled?) and served with some well presented vegies. A chef will always add some herbs or spices where they are most noticeable - so a little freshly chopped herb with some oil added at the last minute to vegies or meat to give them zing.

There is no rule that says you need to eat cereal or eggs for breakfast. A small steak makes a great breakfast and once you are over the psychological impact of it not being what you are used to you will find it fills you up and makes you clear headed.

Likewise snacks do not have to be conventional. if you can eat fruit, then that is great - a peeled apple can be easily cooked in the microwave if you want to save time. Otherwise a savoury mini meal can fend of hunger and look after your blood sugar nicely.

Feeling good makes it all worthwhile.

Lyn

Linda in BC · Post by **Linda in BC** » Mon Dec 13, 2010 7:36 pm

Earth balance makes a dairy free , and soy/dairy free butter-like spread. I buy it at Walmart. Ghee, or clarified butter (butter melted and with all the milk solids removed leaving only (theoretically) butterfat) is also an alternative, as Mary Beth mentioned. But you might even be able to eat regular butter. You'll have to try it and see. I have a very strong casein (milk protein) intolerance (worse than my gluten one) and yet I can tolerate butter, for some reason. Always have been able to. Actually, the fact that I could tolerate butter is what made me suspect my problem was casein, not lactose, because regular butter is mainly fat, with very little milk solids. IMO if you're just off dairy to give your gut a rest, you probably could eat butter.

Linda

Post by **tex** » Mon Dec 13, 2010 8:27 pm

Theresa,

Here are some meal suggestions for people with multiple intolerances. Not all of these suggestions will work, obviously, because we all have to fine tune our diets to fit our own particular situation.

http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=53

The main difference between the SCD and the paleo diet, is dairy products, so without dairy products, you are basically looking at the paleo diet:

http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=49

Tex

teagirl · Post by **teagirl** » Tue Dec 14, 2010 5:05 pm

Hi Theresa, I have a similar list of problem foods to you except I can tolerate eggs. Everything I cook and eat is GF and DF.

Someone recently brought my attention to a magazine called LIVING WITHOUT - they bought me the holiday guide. There's a website http://www.livingwithout.com/
and you can find GF DF recipes there. Their lead recipe for Christmas is Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Holiday Lemon Sugar Cookies! I'm taking a subscription to the mag as I have found their recipes pretty good.

On the website they have a drop down menu for GF and one for DF. Much of the GF is also DF.

I have also used their GF recipes and substituted for the dairy product(s), eg their italian yeastfree flatbread called for yogurt so I used mostly applesauce with some rice milk (Rice Dream, plain) stirred into it. The flatbread was sooooo good, and didn't have many of the usual gf bread problems.

There are lists of substitutions which help as well.

Another good site is http://www.thespunkycoconut.com/
They are GF DF and sugar free and their recipes have worked well for me.

It's possible to eat GF and DF and eat well - I do! 18 months with MC and life isn't always easy but with some effort, you can even wow your friends with gf df offerings.

cheers ... Maxine

tcorbett · Post by **tcorbett** » Thu Dec 23, 2010 4:23 pm

Help!

I feel like I'm losing this battle - it was so hard going to the store and seeing all the Christmas candy - that I know is GF - but not SCD friendly! ARGGHHH! I wanted to cry right there in WalMart! I got home as fast as I could and ate my SCD chicken soup and jello. It felt good to stay on my diet - I just don't know how I will survive the next few days!!! I have to keep telling myself, only 3 more days to get thru the worst of it (we have company on the 26th), only 3 more days. I am back on the intro SCD for a few days to get me back on track yet again.

Sorry to moan with such other happy thoughts here - please help me get thru the Holidays!!! I guess I will spend a lot of time on my knees in prayer!

Thanks for listening.

Merry Christmas to all - Happy Healthy New Year too!

Theresa in snowy Maine

Linda in BC · Post by **Linda in BC** » Thu Dec 23, 2010 5:43 pm

Teresa, I wish I could just wave a magic wand for you and it would be the 27th.

I get through those cravings by eating Bliss Balls (recipe in Dees Kitchen) dipped in dark high quality chocolate. They are better than any candy... I just LOVE them, and don't feel deprived at all. All they have are ground up dried fruit, nuts, lemon juice and almond butter. You should make some for yourself!

Just keep expressing your feelings here.. we'll listen. I think when you can tell others how you feel , and are heard, somehow it takes some of those sad feelings away.

Linda

Martha · Post by **Martha** » Thu Dec 23, 2010 6:25 pm

The bliss balls are wonderful. I just made my second batch.

Gloria · Post by **Gloria** » Thu Dec 23, 2010 8:44 pm

Theresa,

The holidays are hard. I have found that it's easier to deal with it if I "turn off the switch." That is, I don't let myself think about how good the foods would taste, or let myself feel badly that I can't eat them. That's just torturing myself, and doesn't do me any good. It's hard to explain, but I just don't go with those emotions.

Going to the grocery store is hard the first few months. I remember getting tears in my eyes when I realized that I couldn't eat 95% of the foods in the store. Those were my better days. Now, I can't eat probably 99% of the foods in the store. Just keep telling yourself that you will get your life back and the sacrifice you are making now will pay off later.

It's been especially difficult for me this Christmas because DH has been melting chocolate to make his Christmas chocolate candies. The aroma in the house has been almost torture because I haven't been able to eat chocolate since June. He's finally done, thank goodness. I wasn't sure I'd get through it, but I did. I hope that next year, I'll be able to eat chocolate again.

Gloria