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kbonsall Aug 31, 2006

Ok, we got down to the  problem with my tum (we think).  I cannot eat red meat and have to stay away from dairy      I can deal with the red meat thing but its the dairy-free that makes me batty! 

Anywho, my question is, how do you veggie gals get calcium and iron?  I can't eat roughage either (a.k.a. most veggies).... I haven't eaten red meat in about a week and my stomach has been a lot better without it...

I may end up being a vegetarian eventually (eating lots of soy stuff now - all is good but the soy milk (BLEECH!!!)

chrissibrinkley Aug 31, 2006

Hi Kim!
Glad you're finding answers to your tum issues!

After a health crisis I wound up going wheat and dairy free and I don't do preservatives.  I don't eat any red meat either...(I saw cows up close and watched the calves play, they're too much like a dog for me.)  Because of my diet restrictions I do still eat poultry and certain fish.
If soy agrees with you that's great, my stomach didn't like soy at all.  I do rice milk...certain brands I don't like, certain ones I do. Rice Dream brand milk can taste gritty sometimes, whole foods brand and shop rite brands are my favorite.  I like the vanilla flavored with my cereals.  For calcium..I just buy as much as I can  that's "enriched" on the label and take supplements. The enriched natural juices they make for kids, enriched soy and rice milk, etc. 
If you're craving ice cream Celestial Seasonings (tea) just came out with a new line of "non-dairy" frozens that are really really good.  I don't do white sugar, but if I'm having a drop dead craving I let myself have some of this stuff.  Cheese...rice dream slices are pretty good.  I make "pizza" with them, they melt pretty nicely for "mac and cheese" and they're not bad on a sandwich, melted on veggies, etc. Personally I don't like the preshredded stuff and the blocks of it are gross (imo).  Butter...I use a "vegan" butter called "Earth Balance".  It comes in a tub and in sticks..the sticks are great for baking.  It tastes like butter at this point to me. 

I've been on my restricted diet for a long time now...it takes patience in the beginning, but once you're use to it and know about all of the products out there and you find what you like...it's no big deal.   Wheat and dairy free together was not easy at first , but I don't even think about it now when shopping, it's 2nd nature.
Whole foods & wegmans are good stores to shop and even Giant now has a great organics/natural section that's filled with dairy free stuff. Small "natural foods" stores usually carry all of the stuff I mentioned too.

Good Luck and let me know if you need any help with recipes or anything...

:hug:
~Chrissi

Shari Aug 31, 2006

Oh, great advice Chrissi , I'm wheat and dairy free also but have only been so since Feb. and do cheat a bit. I drink calcium enriched orange juice and take a calcium supplement as I need to be careful of osteoporosis (sp?) I cannot do soy either and do sorta like some of the rice milks, the vanilla especially. Great advice on the ice cream.
  It does take a bit of work but you adjust really quickly and get along well. I still have a bit of problem with social gatherings and eating out    but I manage.
  Hope your feeling top notch real soon Kim  :hug:   :hug:

kbonsall Aug 31, 2006

OOOH good advice!  How does soy not agree with you... I mean do you get tummy aches?  I haven't noticed anything but I haven't tried some of the stuff...

I am not suppose to eat gluten either - forgot to mention that but red meat really is what does it for me (I just can't digest it anymore - but that is ok).... I can eat poultry also but I can't have dark meat (maybe because of the fat content?)

I also cannot have caffine or carbonation LOL... I need a list of things I CAN eat!

chrissibrinkley Aug 31, 2006

Hi Shari,
Wheat free can be really hard at first....wheat's in everything!  I thought I'd never have decent pasta again, pizza, or a "bread" that I could stand.
Pasta: Tinkyada (pasta joy) is the closest I'll ever get to real pasta.  I can make mac and cheese, lasagna, summer pasta salads, etc.  It's so good that my husband couldn't tell at first.
Bread and other goodies:  http://www.ener-g.com/default.aspx   (pretzels!!! I can have pretzels once in a while!!)  The tapioca bread is the only one I'll get now and then...it toasts up well and tastes like sourdough (rice bread is like eating a couch cushion :crackup:)  The ener-g breads are vac-sealed and have expiration dates of a year or more because of the sealing, buying the bulk is a good way to go from the web site.

KIM: these breads are dairy free too...most commercials breads now have dairy in them.

Again, Good Luck and let me know if you need any kind of help!!

:hug:
~Chrissi

chrissibrinkley Aug 31, 2006

... I need a list of things I CAN eat!

HA HA HA!!  I HEAR YOU!!  I don't do caffeine AT ALL.  SO I guess for me it's no wheat, dairy, caffeine, preservatives and white sugar (i only cheat sometimes on the sugar...if I'm dying for that ice cream stuff!!) the no read meat is just a choice I made, not for any health issues I was having.

I just found that soy milk upset my stomach...like if a person with lactose intolerance drank milk...that's what soy was like for me.  It just made me feel heavy or ill to my stomach.  I don't find it bothers me if it's an ingredient in something premade. (go figure) But I wouldn't buy soy ice cream or milk for myself, it just didn't agree with me in it's full strength for some reason.

Gluten free products are all over now too.... the baking products (mixes, etc) are decent and the ener-g breads and stuff should work out for you very well.  I use gluten free only because a lot of it is dairy free too, in the baking mix stuff I can use my substitute vegan butters and oils.  Gluten Free Pantry products are nice...check labels for dairy, some have..some don't.

I love to bake at Christmas and Thanksgiving. The best baking cookbook I ever got was Simple Treats.  The authors are awesome, I've even emailed them once or twice.  It's a wheat and dairy free cookbook, it's not gluten free, but you may be able to substitute some stuff. 

:hug:
~Chrissi

TamiL Aug 31, 2006

Hi, I'm still doing dairy but gave up red meat about 5 months ago just could not do the eat a animal thing any longer if you know what I mean.  And gave up sugar. And I feel wonderful because of it.  It take awhile to get use to it but it is great!
:dance:

kbonsall Sep 1, 2006

I just realized again that you are in PA, Chrissi LOL...  :crackup: You are so full of knowledge! :hug:  right now I am in the stage of trying to figure out what I can and can't eat ... I miss salads too     ARRGH...

Eventually it will get easier and in the long run I will probably be healthier!  :dance:

Marie_ Sep 1, 2006

Hi Kim,
it's so great to hear from you!
we missed you... :hug:

My husband has ulcerative colitis and
he is on diet(for medication reason).
He eats allot of fish, Boiled Tofu and also  vegetables but need to be boiled well(or steam) till it gets softly the I chop them up. 
Fresh Vegetables are TABOO for him....

I know follow thing is may not be good for
you but this is little I know about Iron and other....

IRON: Soy been, Tuna(red meat), egg
COPPER: Soy been.  nuts.
ZINC: Tofu, skim milk.
MAGNESIUM: Flatfish. Salmon, Bonito(fish)
CALCIUM:Tofu, skim milk,sesame

I heard that absorption of calcium improves when you take  magnesium and calcium together.
...

Can you drink vegetable juice ?
If yes, try mist the soy-milk with
vegetable juice. it taste better.
for my hubby,he can't drink cold drinks so I make sure that drink  temperature is "room temperature".
He can drink this only when he is in good condition.

I hope some one can give you
better recipe... :redface:

hugs
Marie

kbonsall Sep 1, 2006

Thank you for your help, marie!   :hug:  :hug: I am not suppose to have things that are too cold either... I am not sure if I can have veggie drinks - I like V8 Splash (the veggie and fruit juice)maybe I will have to try that.  I think some things I can have as long as I don't over do it....

Marie_ Sep 1, 2006

Oh Kim, if you are trying Vegie juice, try it on
friday night(caz you are off saturday and Sunday wright ? ?). I always try new stuff to hubby oh friday so even he gets little sick(poor thing..)he has 2days to rest.
Please take small amount of juice and see if it's ok for you.  :hug: 

Can you eat banana ? (sorry for more question...) banana seems to be very gentle
to my hubby.....
hugs
Marie

kbonsall Sep 1, 2006

I can eat bananas and they are fine for my tum...     YAY! one thing I can eat! I am starting to think that I cannot digest soy very well... I had a Boca burger last night and my tum started to hurt a bit and this a.m. it was hurting also .... I might give it another try this weekend...  ARRGH! This is frustrating! 

WildThyme Sep 1, 2006

Hi Kim!!!!  It's so good to "hear your voice!"   :hug:    Glad you are getting to the bottom of all the tummy issues! 

You'll definitely want to wander around in the organic/dietetic/natural foods/vegitarian isles of the grocery store!  I do a whole lot of shopping there!  Most of those products are fairly well labeled as well.... you know, it will actually SAY, "contains gluten, dairy, etc..."  That will help a whole lot.  I actually LIKE the vanilla flavored soy milk..... Chrissi is right.... the Rice Dream stuff is pretty good too!

Kim Basta
Wild Thyme Originals

MerBear Sep 1, 2006

I'm not vegetarian by any means but do like veggie meals a couple of times a week. Have you tried TVP (textured vegetable protein) I get it at the Bulk Barn (very cheap) and it comes in different flavours. You can re-constitute it and make chili, shepards pie, etc. I've served it with no one the wiser!
If you search on goggle there are lots of recipes for it.

Marion

chrissibrinkley Sep 1, 2006

I just realized again that you are in PA, Chrissi LOL...  :crackup: You are so full of knowledge! :hug:  right now I am in the stage of trying to figure out what I can and can't eat ... I miss salads too     ARRGH...

Eventually it will get easier and in the long run I will probably be healthier!  :dance:

Yep, here in good old PA with our food restrictions...maybe it's the water??!  :crackup:
Like I said before I'm more than happy to help you out in any way I can (been there, done that).  Who knows, you may not need to stick to this forever, it may just be that your system is going through something and needs a break..we're all different.  They say women's bodies change every 7 years and things that were good for you once may not be again for a while.   I felt so much better after my diet restrictions that I've just kept with it...if I ever need to tweak it again it won't be so bad now that I'm use to it all. 
You'll get back to salads, no worries!!  If you're having IBS type stomach issues
(not sure, just using as an example) there's a lot of reading you can do on what veggies are good and how to prepare them...some are better raw, some are better cooked. 

I kept a food journal in the very beginning, it's how I realized I can't do any preservatives....I would get wicked migraines and feel lousy any time I ate them.  MSG..forget it..it puts me in bed with a migraine and terrible illness... BHT, BTA, mono tri blah blah blah they all make me ill.  It made sense for me to just cut them out.  I eat natural foods.  I can still eat lots of fun stuff, I have a few specific local restaurants that know me and that I trust to make basics for me, and if I'm eating somewhere unfamiliar like a wedding or a party I do the salads, veggie trays, fruit trays.  I've even taken my own stuff to family events (no one ever cares or makes a deal of it..in today's food allergy world it's kind of normal actually)

Like you said it will get easier and you will be healthier and you will feel so much better, no worries!!

:hug:
~Chrissi

Bonnie Sep 1, 2006

Hi Kim,
We missed you! So glad your back and getting your tummy figured out. 
I've experimented with various 'health' foods in an effort to be healthier but just can't drink soy milk. A great alternative I have found is almond milk. I buy it at my local health food store under the brand name "Almmond Breeze." It's a  good source of calcium, magnesium, vit E and vit D. It only has 2.5 grams of fat per cup. best of all it tastes good! Well, if you like almonds it does. I really like it on my cereal or in smoothies or even plain.
Also, if you can't do soy protein, you might try powdered egg white protein. It's pretty good in smoothies too.

I hope you find some good stuff you can eat and are feeling better and better every day! :hug:

Bumpkin Bears Sep 1, 2006

Hi Kim,  I can really understand where you are coming from, sounds like we are going through similar problems. I'm on a very restrictive diet at the moment, can't eat fruit, can only eat a few veggies and then only a tiny amount, only 1 potato a week, no sugar and so nothing sweet, only one type of cheese and no milk, no herbs, spices, anything with preservatives in them, no red meats, hams, bacon, no soy and only a little chicken, no sauces like ketchup, no nuts, cereals or grains (so mostly white bread)..... the list goes on and on so I'm really understanding you Kim.  My prob is extreme fatigue which I'm really struggling with and they have found that I am fructose intolerant and have problems with bad bacterias in my blood which are attacking my immune system and they can't get rid of them, which is a worry.   I also get tummy ache if I eat certain things.   I have also lost lost of weight on this diet (only 43 kg at the moment) so am just trying my hardest to keep it stable at least..... anyway this is not meant to be about me I just wanted to send a big hug of support Kim - if u ever want to chat just drop me a line :)

:hug:
Catherine

psichick78 Sep 1, 2006

You poor girls. I have a hard enough time just making sure I don't get fat again..lol never mind having to be that careful. I guess when you are really sick though..

I hope you guys give yourself credit for all the self control it must take sometimes.

And my boyfriends thinks I'm tough to feed because I'm a veggie. LOL

kbonsall Sep 1, 2006

Thank you girls sooo much!!! I knew you'd be able to help!  I talked to a gal that is semi-veg at my office and she said it may be the spices in the bocaburger that made my tummy sick (since a couple days before I ate a soy cheese slice and was fine)... we shall see, its all trial and error... so sick of soup and applesauce though! I want some darn ice cream and some salsa! No, not together LOL...  :crackup:   

Chrissi, they THINK it is IBS but they aren't sure.. whatever it is, it sucks LOL

Catherine, sounds like you are worse off than I am  :hug:  :hug:   I am not sure how much 43 kg is but I lost 10 lb within the last couple weeks (so now I am under 110 lbs (and 5'3")... the good news is that my favorite jeans fit, but I don't want to loose weight ARRGH! LOL...

You gals are soo helpful big huggsie wuggsies!  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:

Dilu Sep 1, 2006

Kimmy

Try the 8th Continent CHOCOLATE SOY MILK~~~~~it is delicious, and light, low in calories high in protein and a great way to get that protein in.............AND IT DOESN'T TASTE CHALKY OR SOYISH AT ALL!!!  HONEST~!~

Cheerios right now has a bogo coupon on it too!

Also, sounds crazy......but the food Network on line has lots of interesting veggie dishes that I am trying and it does sound like you can do chicken pork and fish?????

keep us posted......

love ya!

gollyhugs

dilu

kbonsall Sep 1, 2006

Can do chicken as long as it is white meat... I can do fish but I only have ever had haddock and tuna ... I am allergic to lobster so I can't venture too much, dont want to go into an asthema attack

by the way, my asthema has ALSO gotten worse and that is something else I've been dealing with ... some people have told me that allergies are the WORST that they've been in YEARS so hopefully it is that (on a pill and an inhaled steroid for that) I'm fallin apart girls, I really am! 

Shelli Retired Help Advisor, Banner SponsorSep 2, 2006

Kim/Catherine... is anyone talking to you about Crohn's disease at all?  Or maybe Celiac disease (gluten intolerance??  I have friends with both of these diseases and they are usually first diagnosed as IBS and only later, after more suffering, do doctors/nutritionists come to these two conclusions.

I don't have a lot of info to share personally but it might be worth a mention if you feel you're not sufficiently helped or relieved by the current round of recommendations.

Hope you're both much, MUCH better soon...  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:

kbonsall Sep 2, 2006

Shel, they were at first talking about Crohn's or celaic sprew (I think that is how it is spelled) and they scoped me and took samples of my small bowel and said everything was "normal"  I also have had TONS of blood tests! I had 8 viles taken at once.  They are having me do other tests right now (hemmocult tests) so maybe they will have more answers soon.

Shelli Retired Help Advisor, Banner SponsorSep 3, 2006

I hope they do, Kim.  :hug:

Bumpkin Bears Sep 4, 2006

Dear Kim, I know what it's like to have tonnes of tests, I've lost  count now!  Some were really pretty scarey, including a brain scan which thank god was all clear.  For me it is not IBS or Chrons because I don't have huge probs with my stomach (unless I eat the wrong thing at the moment!), but it is just exhaustion and often feeling dizzy and queezy sick.  I used to know someone that had very bad IBS and another with Chrons and they found drinking Aloe Vera Gel very helpful. 

The Drs say that  I had a developed a damaged colon at some point and the bad bacteria has escaped into my blood system.  Most of our bodies would notice this bad bacteria and tell it to go away but for some unknown reason my brain/body is welcoming it and saying "yeah, stay, have a party!!".   It is rather frightening because it can lead to some very serious problems if they don't get it sorted out.  They have worked out what the bacteria is but it is one of the very few where no antibiotics exist to kill it!  I went to a zoo yesterday with some friends and their two VERY lively children and by the end of the day I felt like I could hardly walk anymore I was so tired, feel like I've run a marathon today!  Need to order some more mohair so I can sit quietly and make some more bears!! 

I hope you get to grips with the diet Kim, after 3 months I'm getting more used to the restrictions, but I miss ice cream the most too!

Look after yourself,
Big HUGS,  :hug:  :hug:
Catherine