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What's the deal with Salads?

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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 9/2/2010 1:16 AM (GMT 0)
Why can't Crohnies eat salads?  I always thought it was because of possible blockages.  I've been on remicade for 3 months now and everything is normal (if you know what I mean) except when I eat a salad.  I then run to the bathroom several times. 

How many of you have issues with just a few food items and is it always just bowel issues or is it blockages that cause you to be careful with what you eat?

Posted 9/2/2010 2:37 AM (GMT 0)
I eat salads almost daily, but it's kinda a crapshoot (haha) whether it gives me D.
Posted 9/2/2010 2:45 AM (GMT 0)
I looooove salads! My favorites are the caesar salad from Outback Steakhouse, and Red Lobster.

They make me SOOOO sick, but for a caesar salad it's worth it to me lol.

Posted 9/2/2010 2:55 AM (GMT 0)
I never liked salads so I was rather happy when the doc told me not to eat them. I had him put it in writing so I can show docs and dietitians when they try to tell me to eat a nice big salad with lunch and dinner to lose weight.
Posted 9/2/2010 4:15 AM (GMT 0)
i tolerate salads just fine, probably better than many other kinds of foods
Posted 9/2/2010 4:32 AM (GMT 0)
Remicade put my intestines into remission. HOWEVER, I still cannot eat lettuce, especially Romaine. If I get constipated for any reason I don't need to take a laxative - I just eat Caesar salad! My GI told me that there are a lot of people\, even those without CD,that cannot break down the fibers in lettuce. I have found that I can sometimes eat the baby type lettuce if I chew it really, really well.
Posted 9/2/2010 4:46 AM (GMT 0)
If you have strictures then the fibre of some salad vegetables can worsen symptons and cause potential obstructions.

Also understand the chemical composition of some salad veges can cause inflammation which aggravates our inflammatory condition resulting in more D.

I LOVE all salads but can't eat any due to strictures - suspect pine nuts on a yummy salad caused my second to last obstruction even though I swear I chewed them to a fine dust AND my GI said post resection I could eat anything I liked ;P

My surgeon (differnt to GI) though told me I would be wise to avoid cabbage, brocolli and cauliflower - go figure!

Living on smoothies this week waiting for my colonscopy :(
Posted 9/2/2010 4:53 AM (GMT 0)
My intestines are in pretty good shape right now, but I'm still afraid to chance a salad ;-). I can eat raw peaches, strawberries, blueberries, and cucumbers, but haven't yet ventured any further then that. Maybe next summer :-).
Posted 9/2/2010 3:13 PM (GMT 0)
Salad used to be my favorite food.  I ate it everyday, sometimes twice a day.  Not so much anymore.  Somtimes it is no worse than anything else and sometimes it is really bad.  The two things I have found that I never touch are grapes and corn.  Those not only go right through me but give me horrible pains after I eat them.  So frustrating especially when you are one of the crohnies that can't seem to lose weight no matter what.  Went to Olive Garden a few weeks ago for my daughter's 6th b-day.  I used to go there and not even get a meal, just eat the salad and breadsticks.  This time I got a meal, and had one large plate of salad.  I was in the bathroom 3 times before we ever left the restaurant. 
Posted 9/2/2010 3:20 PM (GMT 0)
salad shooter here
Posted 9/2/2010 6:51 PM (GMT 0)

I have a salad once a year, then I remember why I don't eat salads! However, I can do spinach salads in moderation, but no lettuce! I love to eat a good caeser salad, but too painful. takes almost a year to forget how it made me feel.

Posted 9/3/2010 4:15 PM (GMT 0)
I'm fine with salads as long as I don't eat iceburg lettuce...last time I had it, I ended up in the ER and crapped in their parking lot on the way in.  =)  I'm fine if it's romaine or spinach.  And this holds true even when I'm in remission.

Posted 9/3/2010 4:24 PM (GMT 0)
Haha Zena, iceburg lettuce is all I can eat, but only a little at a time:)
Posted 9/3/2010 8:14 PM (GMT 0)
When I had a stricture I wouldn't even entertain the thought of a salad, or any rough foods. I didn't want to take any chance of a blockage, after many previous experiences with one, so I stuck with "safe" foods.

When I was finally feeling better after my last surgery which removed the stricture (and my gallbladder), I started to eat basically whatever I wanted. I had been on the low-residue diet for sooooo long, and gradually increased my consumption of all the foods I previously couldn't have. My recent colonscopy showed inflammation, but thankfully no strictures, so for now I plan to enjoy eating whatever I can now and hope I never get another stricture. Just got my Humira shot increased to every week.

Problem with D has never gotten better, but I do find that when I eat more fiber, I actually have a little less of a problem. I now eat salad almost every day. Sometimes I feel fine, and sometimes I don't. Could never quite point to any particular food as the culprit.
Posted 9/3/2010 8:25 PM (GMT 0)
I always looked at this way since realizing I can't have it any more.  You are scraping the sores on your insides with roughage stimulating the reaction to get rid of it in a hurry.  Kind of like hitting a scab on your knee.  At least it helps healthy people understand a bit better.
Posted 9/3/2010 10:17 PM (GMT 0)
I've never been able to eat salads. Actually, before I was diagnosed, we used to think that I couldn't eat them because of the chemicals most likely used on the lettuce. Thought I reacted somehow to those. But alas, here I am with Crohn's and now we know.

Actually, pretty much every leafy green will do me in. Cabbage....oh that's just hilarious. It's delicious, but not worth it.

And the worst part is, you try to eat healthier when you have an illness and salads=usually healthy. It sucks not being able to enjoy them!
Posted 9/3/2010 10:18 PM (GMT 0)

fongers06 said...
Salad used to be my favorite food. I ate it everyday, sometimes twice a day. Not so much anymore. Somtimes it is no worse than anything else and sometimes it is really bad. The two things I have found that I never touch are grapes and corn. Those not only go right through me but give me horrible pains after I eat them. So frustrating especially when you are one of the crohnies that can't seem to lose weight no matter what. Went to Olive Garden a few weeks ago for my daughter's 6th b-day. I used to go there and not even get a meal, just eat the salad and breadsticks. This time I got a meal, and had one large plate of salad. I was in the bathroom 3 times before we ever left the restaurant.


Olive Garden ALWAYS makes me sick - I never make it out of the restaurant either. I'm assuming it's because so much of their food is butter or cream based....not sure though. But you aren't the only one.
Posted 9/4/2010 2:57 AM (GMT 0)
I'm a salad lover, but it doesn't love me:( Oh love can hurt sometimes!!
Posted 9/4/2010 3:18 AM (GMT 0)
I loooooove salads. Used to eat them every day for 4 years before I realized how bad the fiber was for my Crohn's and I could get an obstruction with my stricture.

Stopped for like 3 months, but slowly starting to eat spinach again because I miss veggies too much. Definately not taking on iceberg or broccoli though...
Posted 9/4/2010 5:42 AM (GMT 0)
Ooooh, how I miss a good salad! I used to eat them and have no problems, but now I've been told to stay on a low residue diet due to obstructions.

I know broccoli has caused an obstruction in the past, and I don't touch the stuff anymore.
Posted 9/4/2010 4:20 PM (GMT 0)
salads can be a hit and miss for me, as are most fruits. I can be fine eating it one day, and the next completely awful. Last week I had a 'thank you' portion (when I'm with my hubby's family we have to have a bite of everything or it's really rude) with a couple bites of salad. Perfectly fine in the end. Then a couple days ago I had some shredded lettuce and I've regretted it ever since, especially since I'm on vacation atm.

What I hate, is how before I was even dx with UC/CD I was just starting to love certain foods like salad or tomatoes. Now if i decide to eat them it's a 50/50 chance I'll regret it later so most of the time I avoid them. I miss eating foods I love....... :( :( :(
Posted 9/15/2010 9:21 PM (GMT 0)
Okay, now I understand. There is several reasons why certain foods can cause problems. Not only obstructions, but also the Big "D".

I thought because I was in "remission" I shouldn't have the "Big D" anymore. But I still do. Not constant but several times a week. And salad is usually the reason. Trouble is that I'm diabetic (because of Prednisone) and I'm suppose to eat lots of fresh veggies. Kind of hard to do when you have Crohn's.
Posted 9/16/2010 2:04 AM (GMT 0)
I'm in the same boat with most of you. Salads and fruit keep me in the bathroom. I LOVE them too! Have to space it out when I do choose to make the wrong choice! Hahah!!
Posted 9/18/2010 6:55 AM (GMT 0)
I don't have problems eating salad, but some dressings bother me. Plus, I don't digest a lot of it, you can see it almost the way it went in when it finally comes out lol.
Posted 9/18/2010 9:17 AM (GMT 0)
One of the main sources of c. diff infections is lettuce that has been poorly cleaned - in other words restaurant salads.

Another common source is the skin of citrus fruits. Even after thorough cleaning, c. diff spores can hid in the pitted skin of citrus fruit.

So it's a good idea to avoid handling citrus fruit rinds and not to have lemon with the rind still on added to your drinks.
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