new to this: how to still eat healthy with chrons?

Hello there... I've been reading up on this forum and it has been really helpful. however, I have been gathering so much contradictory information on self-treatment for Inflammatory bowel disorders that I dont know which is up or down. Mostly I am confused about the suggestions to eat low-fiber foods (with lists of okay foods being primarily in the refined carbs sector) with the sites and info saying its best to avoid carbs. My maintance routine has been mochi (basically a brick of brown rice that puffs up when you bake it) or quiona, and well steamed veggies. I am ready to try something new but it seems so foreign to me NOT to eat whole-grains and tons of veggies (even though they hurt). I feel like if I eat tons of white rice and refined bread stuff that my blood sugar would go all whack among other things.

Can anyone help me sort out the contradictions/pros ands about low-fiber (refined foods) as opposed low-carb approach to IBD? I am lactose intolerant and have major problems when I eat nuts or seeds and I see that those are more found in the low-carb approach.

just trying to sort this out..

Thanks!!

~lots of light to all of you

Hey dusk, I know the feeling. It's pretty tough to determine whats good and whats not with so many voices out there. I have found though that almost every one responds well to chicken soup and stocks for a few days if a flare up comes on. Just cook the bleep out of the soup, throw in whatever veggies you want and let it simmer to mush. I've been on it for a week now myslef as I'm waiting for some prednisone to kick in. That's really the only universal I'm aware of. Good luck.

I still have not made my own yogurt, so I have been using probiotic capsules until I can get the yogurt happening. Commercial yogurt is not aged long enough to ferment all the lactose in it and it also tends to have thickeners added to it (gelatin is the only one acceptable for the SCD).

As far as grains go, I started by avoiding all grains. I replaced potatoes with squash and bread with fruit, cottage cheese (dry curd), aged cheese, eggs and almond butter. I have graduated to a serving of rice with dinner (no symptoms here at all) and still eat fruit and almond butter for breakfast (sometimes boiled eggs); dry curd cottage cheese, tilsit cheese and apples for lunch (I cream the cottage cheese with SCD legal mayo that I make myself and often add curry paste for flavor, or sometimes honey and spices); and dinner is almost normal. The only desert I have is toasted almonds and some cookies that my wife makes (macaroons with almond flour - very little flour and mostly honey and coconut with some chopped dates and pecans). I sometimes have tea with honey - it is comfort food for me and I tolerate it a couple of times a week.

Making yogurt is really easy! I have a dehydrator, so I can make up to 8 quarts at a time. I think it's delicious, and it's also a nice high calorie food. You can also use it in a lot of recipes, like the cheesecake, frozen yogurt, and pumpkin pie (all of which are quite tasty). Yogurt has a much higher count of probiotics too, so you don't even need to bother with the pills if you don't want too.

I personally live on a low residue diet all the time. I don't eat any red meat, only chicken, fish and turkey. My veggies are always cooked till really soft and mushy. I have found great success with this diet. Its easy to chew, easy to digest. And along with my diet, I always make sure to take a maintainence med. I consider the diet and meds as compliments of eachother to keep me feeling good. JMHO

Huesofdusk, I too was severely lactose intolerant so I used lactaid products THEN I discovered a great probiotic that actually aids with lactose intolerance (Primadophilus Reuteri made by natures way found in health food stores fridge, it must be kept cold) and not only has it aided with my lactose issues but with my CD as well.

Some fibre daily is necessary, only those with stricturing crohn's have to use fibre with caution,but some amount of fibre daily is always better than none at all.

Start a food diary, with eating only healthy foods then you'll know which ones you can tolerate and which you can't since it varies greatly for each crohnie...one thing for sure, the healthier you eat/drink the better for you all around.

:)