Opinions on raw vegetables

[Coach Polly]

In another post Joe mentioned that we shouldn't eat raw fruits or vegetables. My doctor had suggested the Paleo diet which is all about green, leafy vegetables so I'm confused! I also don't understand cooking fruit? Other than baking apples I always eat my fruit raw. Give me some opinions please!!

Coach Polly

[Joefnh]

Hi Coach Just to get you started here is a good link with a new member (at the time) asking about the same question of raw veggies. Our boards leader and probably one of the smartest people I know gave a great response to this question. I hope it helps

http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewt ... ht=lettuce


Take care coach

--Joe

[tex]

and probably one of the smartest people I know

Wow! Your check is in the mail.

Seriously, Coach Polly, the Paleo diet is a great diet for someone with MC, (who is in remission), because it will usually keep them in remission, since it rules out all grains, dairy products, and legumes. However, (and this is a big "however"), there are many elements of the Paleo diet that someone with MC cannot tolerate while their MC is active. We simply can't handle the fiber in most fruit and many vegetables, and when they are raw, they are even worse.

Are you aware of how fiber serves to keep the digestive system "regular", (for normal people)? According to a recent research report, it actually tears the cells of the mucosa of the colon, causing the mucosa to secrete mucus, as a healing, (and protective), agent, and the mucus serves to stimulate bowel movements. Obviously, that is not a good situation for someone who's mucosa is already hypersensitive, due to all the inflammation present with MC, because of the fact that inflammation also causes the release of copious amounts of mucus - that's another contributing factor that causes the raging diarrhea that plagues most of us when we are reacting. Many of us can look in the bowl and see waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much mucus floating around, already - we don't need more of it.

As the gut heals, though, more fruits and veggies can be slowly introduced, and eventually, they can be tolerated at normal levels.

Tex

[Coach Polly]

WOW! This is the biggest roller coaster ride ever! So let me get this straight--I need to be GF, SF, and DF for sure and leave off fruit and veggies (especially uncooked) until I am in remission? This summer (before my diagnosis) I went GF because my brother has Celiac and suggested I try it. I ate ALOT of white rice and baked potatoes! But when my doc suggested Paleo I switched from rice/potatoes to alot of fruit and steamed veggies. I am soooo confused now!! I am sure y'all have answered these questions a thousand times. I'm sorry!!

Tex, I agree with Joe that you are the resident expert and I really appreciate your guidance. I am also thankful that Joe took the time to write that 1,2,3,4 list or I would still be traveling down the wrong road.

Coach Polly

[Joefnh]

Coach Polly, yes MC can be a bit of a roller coaster at first. Overall well cooked fruits and veggies are ok, I would just be careful of ones like string beans. Veggies like steamed carrots, peas and squash are great; these when well cooked are tolerated by most quite well.

You do not have to leave off all fruits and veggies, just the raw ones. Well cooked ones are well tolerated. I would say a good third of my foods are veggies and fruits.


As far as the Paleo diet, I would say I follow a modified Paleo diet that includes the following:

Meats like lamb, chicken, beef and fish (for me the lamb and chicken settle the best)

Well cooked veggies: carrot, peas, lima beans, tomatoes and squash

White & sweet potatoes

Rice... lots of white rice, occasionally brown rice (a little higher in fiber, be cautious at first).

GF breads and pasta

Eggs

Bananas (my wonderful snack and standby food)

I would be very careful of eating out right now, and avoid any factory packaged foods... its in those areas that the 'landmines' exist. Its absolutely amazing how much soy and gluten can and does sneak into the food chain. Cooking from scratch with whole foods right now is your best bet. Over time you will be able to find safe restaurants and known foods that are packaged that you can tolerate. Early on though I would play it safe.

Overall Coach Polly, this is what works for me, we are all a bit different and will find things that work better to suit our own unique needs. I would use this and the other notes on the board as a guideline to get started. I would start simply with a handful of foods you know work well, and then slowly add one at a time while keeping a food diary. This with meds is the quickest way to achieving remission.

This can seem like a roller coaster or a maze at times, hang in there, have patience and work on what foods settle the best. From that list you will be able to feel better again soon

Take care Coach Polly

--Joe

[Coach Polly]

Thank you so much Joe!! That is the exact information I was needing. Lists and I get along very well. I know everyone is different and will react to different things but having a starting place that I feel confident in is HUGE to me right now. The list you gave was more in line with what I followed this summer before I was diagnosed. My biggest problem is my brother who has Celiac knows ALL the bad food that is GF (like Almond Joys and Reese Cups) so when I was GF I wasn't SF, DF, or especially sugar free!! When my GI told me to go Paleo I followed it exactly and obviously that's not the correct route either.

I also take the probiotic VSL#3 and Digest Gold. Someone said in an earlier post that digestive enzymes can be a problem--anybody have an opinion on that?

Coach Polly

[Joefnh]

Coach Polly I am actually impressed your GI doc recommended any diet at all. The vast majority do not have a clue as to the dietary connection with MC.

I know from my experience and form several others that the probiotics have caused issues with many here. Early on my Doc had me take a product called Align... lets just say that it was not beneficial

You should note Coach Polly that just about all commercial chocolate is made with Soy Lecithin. There are several chocolates made with cocoa butter instead. FWIW just about all your really good locally made chocolates are made with cocoa butter... it actually tastes much better, its just more expensive to make as the soy is cheaper. Check out a product name called Enjoy Life, they make several really good chocolates that are GF/DF/SF

I believe that the members Gabes and Harma know of another chocolate that is also GF/DF/SF, I just cant think of the name right now

Take care

--Joe

[Polly]

Hi Coach Polly!

I am the other Polly here, and I haven't have a chance to welcome you yet, so

I am also a paleo Polly, so we will have a lot in common. You will find out that your brother who is celiac has a much easier road to travel. How I wish I had only to avoid gluten. Sigh. Many if not most with MC have multiple food sensitivities.

Just a word of caution to add to the excellent advice you have already received. Peas , beans (all of the legume family actually), and tomatoes contain lectins, which are known to open those "gates" in the gut wider, allowing foreign food particles greater access to our bodies. So, if you want to be extra safe, you might avoid peas, string/lima beans and tomatoes for now. Many of us start on a very restricted diet and then add in new foods one at a time to see if we react to anything.

You may be interested to know that I have managed my MC/multiple food sensitivities for over 10 years now with diet alone. I have been mostly paleo for about 3-4 years and can eat almost every fruit and veggie known to man! Once your gut fully heals (which can take a year or more) you should be able to eat almost all paleo foods without difficulty. Hang in there. It DOES get easier and you WILL get better. And you won't believe how much energy you will have.

Love,

the original Polly

[tcorbett]

Hello All,

I am so glad I found this message. Original Polly - thanks for what you said about the string beans and tomatoes - which I couldn't figure out why they were issues for me - other than the fact that I tested positive for them 2 years ago - which was mostly due to leaky gut. I had no idea that by "cheating" and eating these, I was actually opening the gates!

I am hoping I can finally figure things out and I am so overwhelmed. I need to get my head on straight.

I am pulling out lots of foods as of today. I am now on Xifaxan, as well as apriso and some others.

Thanks for all the info hear from everyone!

Theresa

[Gabes-Apg]

Coach polly - check out the other thread about Chocolate Fix and the details for the GF/DF/SF chocolate is there