MICROSCOPIC COLITIS SUPPORT

Hi, I've been eating phase one for about 3 weeks. I have had less trips to the bathroom and I hardly ever have to run for it. My question is how do I know if something I'm eating from the safe for most people list is a trigger food or not? The first week and a half I was eating turkey, white potatoes, carrots, some jasmine rice, bone broth, decaf tea with a little almond milk or coconut milk, plain seltzer, and water. I was still having many trips of D in the bathroom. I took the white potatoes out because I am sensitive to some other nightshades and thought I should eliminate all nightshades to be safe. Now I am eating the same but have added salmon, rice cakes. I would really like to add another "safe" vegetable because I feel like I'm not getting enough nutrients. How do I know if it is a trigger food if I add one from the list above/pdf?

I'm also taking magnesium supplement and spray, vitamin B complex, vitamin D, omega 3 fish oil, 1 Welchol/day, and 2 antidepressants (which I cannot stop taking for any reason.)

Michele

P.S. I'm exhausted all the time and feel "under the weather." I'm in nursing school and really need to sharpen up to be able to keep up with the program.

You won't necessarily be able to tell, until you're in remission. That's why it's important to not experiment with new foods until you're in stable remission. You would probably notice if the "new" food made you violently ill, but if it were a food that causes your immune system to produce antibodies but your residual antibody level is still relatively low (IOW a minor reaction) then you probably wouldn't notice because the antibodies might build up slowly. And each time you guess wrong either delays your remission or postpones it until after you correct the problem. And after you have accrued a few problems, you probably won't know which one needs to be solved to get you back on track.

At least that's been my experience.

Tex

So, would you recommend that I just stick with the meat, carrots, and rice? I was hoping to try zucchini but it sounds like I shouldn't even try "safe" foods.

Michele

Remember, your food is your medicine. You are eating to heal your gut, not because you want a gourmet experience or even a balanced diet. A balanced diet is impossible while you have malabsorption That said, almost everyone can safely eat zucchini. If you want to monitor your food, keep a detailed food journal listing foods, timing, and reactions.

Tex

Tex,
Got it! Thank you for the guidance!
Michele

All is going well! I’m already losing the weight put on w/ the 9 months of Budesonide. Able to add green beans, dry peanut butter/chocolate-flavored rice cereal, and a bit of black pepper using your guidelines for adding new foods to Level One. Also a little black tea and small amount of carbonated drink. First visit to Whole Foods...that’s where I found the cereal...I use 1/4 cup dry in place of a cookie. Works for me! First real challenge coming up next week w/ ID friends staying over for a week. But, I have the eating plan firmly in my head and I shop accordingly. They eat much like we do w/ no prepared foods. I will fix for all of us what I can have and add some extras veggies for them. I have a plan and if I work my plan, I know all will go well!

Thanks for the update.

Tex

Are there supplements (vit/min) that typically cause problems for MCers? For example, turmeric curcumin was suggested by my doc (before I was diagnosed w/ MC-L) for joint and immune health. Is continuing that as well as piperine going to be problematic? Are there other things in that line that you might know about?

my experience (and observations of the hundreds of contributions here)

- start with Vit D3 and magnesium
- next priority active B's (thorne methyl guard plus is a good product)

turmeric and curcumin do not work for MC type inflammation.

check out some of the posts in the success stories area - you will see what others have done

Less is more when recovering from MC — the less supplements you take, the more success you will have with your recovery. Vitamin D and magnesium help healing, some of the "B" vitamins are OK if you definitely need them. Everything else can wait until you are in stable remission. It would literally take a wheelbarrow full of turmeric/curcumin to provide any significant benefit for MC. You would get sick before you could swallow enough to do any good.

Tex

Gabes and Tex -

Thanks to both of you for responding so quickly. I need to clarify...I wasn’t asking if the turmeric and piperine (for example), would ASSIST my gut inflammation...just wanted to know if it would HINDER healing. Already taking the type and of amt of magnesium and D3, as you recommend. Thanks for the info I’ve read here on those items.

My doc has me on GABA (rather than Lyrica) for permanent nerve damage in my neck, calcium, D-mannose, Ropinerole (restless leg syndrome), thyroid replacement (no longer have my thyroid gland), and Cardizem for hypertension. These I MUST continue.

in early stages of healing, spices can cause inflammation so yes it could hinder healing.

Hi Gabes -
Thanks for your quick response. I will suspend my turmeric curcumin and piperine for awhile to see if they are having a negative impact on my healing. Thanks so much for all the info and assistance you extend to help all of us heal! You will never know how much good you all have done...right here on the internet!

Hi Gabes -

Need clarity on this list from the Level 1 Eating Plan:

You said, "Sweet Potato/Kumara Red potato carrot courgette/zucchini/squash Rutabaga/turnip/swede Cauliflower" as the veggie list for Level One eating plan.

It looks like this was originally formatted in columnar list that maybe later was placed in a row configuration. How this list would be separated by commas, changes the listing of safe veggies. Do I have this correct?

Sweet potato/Kumara red
Potato
Carrot
Courgette/zucchini/squash
Rutabaga/turnip/swede
Cauliflower

In terms of squash...only zucchini or all squashes both winter and summer? I am unfamiliar w/ courgette, swede, Kumara red. I know you can't have any seeds and it looks like the seeds in the more mature yellow crooked-necked squash might be problematic as overcooking them still does not break down the seed. I know this all may seem inconsequential, but it determines the veggies I am supposed to be eating, which in turn, depends on how your original list is read since there are no commas. Thanks for your help! You will never fully realize the positive impact you all have here on all of us! I as SO happy I found you folks!

Hi Linda,

Courgette is the French word for zucchini i.e. some people know zucchini as courgette. Same with sweet potato and kumara. As for squash, this refers to the family of vegetables so things like golden yellow squash, the variety of different pumpkins are all fine. One thing to remember is to make sure these are all well cooked. It also helps to remove the seeds and skins particularly early on. My personal experience is that I can tolerate the skin of zucchini but not other vegetables e.g. pumpkin, potato, carrot. White potato is also a bit hit and miss for me.

I've been eating a strictly moderated diet for about 7 months and in the last 4 weeks have started to see (and feel) that I'm coming into remission. This has allowed me to start adding things back into my diet. Others have been able to get back into remission much quicker, so there is hope . The key is being consistently committed to your plan!