Hi again,

Some of you know I have a gut motility illness and after a 5 month search for eating in a way that's tolerable, I'm back to high raw. My goal is to avoid a feeding tube because that's the next step if I can't find a way to eat that doesn't make me sick. I mostly have pain and severe bloating 24/7 and acid reflux and occasional vomiting of undigested food. Today I have acid reflux and I've only had 2 bananas and 1 teaspoon of peanut butter. Yesterday I ate the same things with no reflux. It just works that way....anything can happen on any given day. Some of this may get better (or not) over time now that I'm off the cortisone I was put on for 4 years that I never needed.

I currently only tolerate small amounts of food at a time and then need to wait for it to digest to get a hunger signal again. If I don't wait, the food piles up and sits & ferments. Very uncomfortable.

I need mostly liquids. So far I'm able to eat (drink) bananas. Yesterday I was able to blend a few berries into a smoothie.

I can tolerate blended baby spinach in a smoothie. I cannot currently tolerate leafy greans like a salad.

I need any and all ideas for foods that are easily digestible and foods that can be prepared in a way that makes them more digestible.

Thank you for your time.


WendySmiling in Oklahoma
www.16weeks2health.blogspot.com
12/17/10.......240/155/125



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/10/2009 05:55PM by wendysmiling.

young coconut water .. (just the water not the meat) , i find really easy on the guts .. and really refreshing .. as well as melon juices/smoothies no greens added .. im guessing mono eating is probably the easiest on you .. so i dont think id mix too much into my smoothies .. keep it simple so you can digest it easier

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist

Jgunn is right on. Melons and other soft fruits should be some of the easiest items in the galaxy to digest. Just my experience.

-David Z. Mason

WWW.RawFoodFarm.com

Wow, Wendy, I feel for you dealing with these sever and uncomfortable issues.


Only idea I'd have is maybe monoeating or maybe a fast?

Very best wishes
Nibs

I'm trying to mostly mono eat. I guess I need to develope a taste for melon. I'm also going to try some juicing again when there's more fruit variety in the coming months. I think if I can find a green juice that I like that it would be good. Hek even if I hate it, it would still be good.

So far the only vitamin they have measured that I can't absorb is vitamin D. I'm on 50,ooo IU a week. My calcium is at the low end of the lab range. Part of the stomach deal is that what I eat isn't absorbed through the small intestine.


WendySmiling in Oklahoma
www.16weeks2health.blogspot.com
12/17/10.......240/155/125

[what I eat isn't absorbed through the small intestine.]

I don't believe this is possible at your weight. You are probably absorbing a great deal of what you eat. It would have to be so to maintain such a bodyweight.

Wendy,

These are all great posts for easy to digest foods.

Another thing that can prevent good digestion is strong emotions, mental turmoil, emotional distress, being under stress, emotional pain, obsessive behaviors. If any of these conditions apply to you, you might see what you can do to address them, to create some emotional balance and peace.

Being calm is very important to digestion and weight gain.

Hi Bryan. Indeed I need to work on my stress level. I'm exercising and learning to meditate.

Argula I wasn't meaning that I don't absorb food. There is a malabsorbtion issue with vitamins for people with Cushing's Syndrome along with weight gain. It from being medicated with cortisone for a long time.

I was 5'5" 128 lbs and wore a size 5 when I started taking the cortisone. It a horrid drug. I'm glad I'm off it.

Today will be a lovely day.


WendySmiling in Oklahoma
www.16weeks2health.blogspot.com
12/17/10.......240/155/125

What about raw applesauce w/o the skins? I've been thnking about that.


WendySmiling in Oklahoma
www.16weeks2health.blogspot.com
12/17/10.......240/155/125

you'd have to try the apple .. some find it hard to digest some don't

plums, nectarines, peaches, papaya, mango .. those are all pretty soft and easy too

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist

wendysmiling Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What about raw applesauce w/o the skins? I've been
> thnking about that.

Apples run right through some people, other people have no problems. When dealing with digestive troubles, one really needs to pay attention, be extremely patient and at times just try things and simply stick to what their digestive system can handle or accept. If it doesn't handle it, simply do not eat it. Unfortunately and surprisingly people still tend to think they need this or have to have that and don't stick to this thinking. I feel when that is the case, their issues must not be that bad ;O) No one food will cure, fix or be classified as a must have in my opinion.

I totally agree. There is a set "medical diet" for my condition. It starts with bullion and gatorade. (ick) My doctor told me to ignore and "diet" and eat (or drink) as many different foods as I care to. I try to listen to my body. Often people are told they need certain things... and often "they" are wrong.

Also there is quite a mental process when changing the diet drastically when it is not of one's choosing. When you are sick enough you finally break down and try to do the right thing, but very often there's a lot of fighting with the self through the process.

tanawana Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> wendysmiling Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > What about raw applesauce w/o the skins? I've
> been
> > thnking about that.
>
> Apples run right through some people, other people
> have no problems. When dealing with digestive
> troubles, one really needs to pay attention, be
> extremely patient and at times just try things and
> simply stick to what their digestive system can
> handle or accept. If it doesn't handle it, simply
> do not eat it. Unfortunately and surprisingly
> people still tend to think they need this or have
> to have that and don't stick to this thinking. I
> feel when that is the case, their issues must not
> be that bad ;O) No one food will cure, fix or be
> classified as a must have in my opinion.


WendySmiling in Oklahoma
www.16weeks2health.blogspot.com
12/17/10.......240/155/125



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/11/2009 08:25PM by wendysmiling.

Do you have issues with digesting fats? If not, maybe avocado. What about pineapple, since it contains bromelain (sp) that might be easily digested. Other then that I don't know, you've gotten some good suggestions so far. Oh, what about raw organic apple cider vinegar, a small amount diluted in water before a meal.

What does apple cider vinegar do?


I don't know about eating fat yet. It's hardder to digest. As I add in foods that is one I will definitely try. I love them.


WendySmiling in Oklahoma
www.16weeks2health.blogspot.com
12/17/10.......240/155/125

I would say fresh juice! Combos with greens high in calcium and celery.
No fiber digestion involved but lots of vitamins and minerals.
Also blended soups made with some cooked butternut squash or sweet potato.
Young coconut smoothies- blend water and meat.
Avocado is a very easily digestable fat.
Avocado/banana mashed
or spinach avocado soups in blender

Peanut butter is one of the hardest things you could possibly digest, as a roasted legume with mold often in it.

I am thinking of how i feed my baby!

I don't know that I've ever seen a young coconut. Are they supposed to be healthier than ripe ones? Thanks for the peanut tip.


WendySmiling in Oklahoma
www.16weeks2health.blogspot.com
12/17/10.......240/155/125

Hi wendysmiling,
Sorry to hear about your pesky difficulties.

Don't know if it'll help you but when my insides feel funky often times oranges seem to hit the spot. Maybe it's citric acid that gives me the right amount of kick.

Oranges are in season now too Wendy so maybe they'll be a charm.
Good Luck, Kit

wendysmiling,

You're getting great advice, especially about eating what a baby may be fed. They naturally have malabsorption problems, you know!

As for young coconut: my local grocery has started selling them from "Melissa's," a small, mostly organic produce brand based out west. They have a fibrous, coarse, white paper-like covering and are shaped like a cylinder with a small cone at the top. They don't look like coconuts, because the brown shell is underneath the white fiber layer. The meat is unctuous and soft and the water is abundant and sweet and clean smelling. The brown-fibered, fur covered mature coconut you commonly see in the tropical fruits section at grocers is virtually inedible--the water is usually fermented and the meat is tough and useful only for cosmetics manufacturing. The shell, however, makes a great drink holder for a tiki party : )

wendysmiling Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What does apple cider vinegar do?
>
>
> I don't know about eating fat yet. It's hardder to
> digest. As I add in foods that is one I will
> definitely try. I love them.


Apple cider vinegar can restore your natural ph balance, so if you tend to have to much acid, it will balance it or if you don't have enough. I suggest you Google it and read up on it and see if it might be beneficial for you.

jamielor Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I would say fresh juice! Combos with greens high
> in calcium and celery.
> No fiber digestion involved but lots of vitamins
> and minerals.
> Also blended soups made with some cooked butternut
> squash or sweet potato.
> Young coconut smoothies- blend water and meat.
> Avocado is a very easily digestable fat.
> Avocado/banana mashed
> or spinach avocado soups in blender
>
> Peanut butter is one of the hardest things you
> could possibly digest, as a roasted legume with
> mold often in it.
>
> I am thinking of how i feed my baby!

Why not raw blended butternut squash or sweet potato. Great smoothies with a high speed blender

I find the easiest things, I have ulcerative coltiis.
Bananas, papaya, and apricots work wonders!

And coconut water! and carrot juice! :]

I think mushrooms maybe as well.... going to try some tonight w/ some almond milk & veggie broth. You all are so nice! <3



WendySmiling in Oklahoma
www.16weeks2health.blogspot.com
12/17/10.......240/155/125



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/13/2009 12:17AM by wendysmiling.

Hi wendy,

Please don't forget that you have to find the foods right for YOU. Even if melons are easy to digest, or whatever fruit, that doesn't mean they are so for your stomach.

Personnaly, melons disagree with me although I like them very much.

I found the best thing is to use the muscle test and check how your body is respondind and that for every single food you put in your mouth. You will be astonished of the results.

good luck

Love


Cynthia

Hi cynthia

Quote

I found the best thing is to use the muscle test

What is the muscle test ?

cynthia,

Is the "muscle test" kinesiology or Nutrition Response Testing? I thought you need a Nadumpripad[sp?]practioner to do this; I have and it's worked well, but I don't think I could have done it effectively on myself. How would one?

Yea for me melons upset my colitis...

I tried eating cantelope in the morning empty stomach for abotu a week, but I would get cramps and sharp pains..

So I stick to the simples and what works best for me. :]

everyones different.. isnt it insane?

Wendysmiling,

Although I am not familiar specifically with Cushing's or long-term cortisone treatment, I think that I can offer some clarity.

First, the previous posts provide a lot of great info and insight for foods which are generally easy to digest, as well as tangential topics, such as self-observation and tracking to see what works for you.
Also, emotional stress and mental condition are very important, and their effects on digestion can be tracked just as carefully as dietary factors.

Young coconuts, also known as immature coconuts and green coconuts are not ubiquitous. Rather, they can only be found in certain shops, usually asian shops or specialty health food or ethnic shops. Young coconuts are highly perishable.
They are harvested from the "tree" while still green on the outside.

Before shipping to USA, the delicate green coconuts are cut into a "tiki" shape, removing the green peel outside the nut and revealing the white, immature husk which conceals the white, immature shell. The biggest challenge with young coconuts is retarding dehydration. Thus, they are wrapped tightly in plastic wrap.

A simple muscle test is referred to as applied kinesiology.

Now, after those clarifications, I will give my two cents.
Apart from finding foods which are easy to digest, TRY TO FIND WHAT YOU CAN DO TO MAKE FOODS DIGEST EASIER.

Previous suggestions included
monomeals
relaxed mental and emotional condition
blending.

I think that all three of these are great.
Perhaps you will find more.

I will add that blending can be used very effectively to enhance absorptivity.
For example, I use a Blendtec ICB7, which is so powerful that it micronizes the food.

The basic idea is that a blender this powerful breaks the cell wall of almost every cell in the food, thus spilling open the contents of every cell, making the nutrients readily available for easy absorption. This blending is far more thorough than chewing.

I hope this helps.

If you post a reply to this message and would like my feedback, it would be best to send me a private message to that effect. Otherwise, I may not check this thread for a while.

***Info from the advisors at HealthNVitality***

Muscle test or kinesiology: I used to have a friend practionner doing it free for me. Well. That's was a while ago. Then I realised that I could get the exact same results in using my pendulum.


At first You will need a little practice with it, but you will become free from therapists of all kind. Not that I have anything against them, of course, but I think life is sweetest when one can rely on ourselves for our food choice (especially as rawfoodis).

You can PM me for more info on how to use pendulum.

Love

Cynthia

Thanks again for the input my friends.

Last night I blended some fresh mushrooms with almond milk,and a bit of veggie broth. I warmed it and blended it. I swelled up, but I ate 2 cups. Maybe less would have been ok. With gastroparesis smaller amounts of food are usually tolerated better. Although I can have a 12-16oz banana smoothie w/o bloating and it lasts me about 4 hours.

I guess with the quantity of food being an issue I really need to look at getting the best nutrition from what I'm able to consume. Maybe after a while I can eat more. I will do everything in my power to not have tube or needle feedings. As long as I don't get malnourshied, I'm ok.


WendySmiling in Oklahoma
www.16weeks2health.blogspot.com
12/17/10.......240/155/125

hey wendysmiling,
its great to hear that you are trying solid foods. sometimes i can feel the same way. one day pineapple is great for me and another my mouth feels like i just ate acid. our bodies have a mind of their own. its a great goal to not have to not need tube or needle feedings! you have a great final outcome to look forward to. i have heard that lettuce is the hardest to digest because the cellulose is hard for our bodies to digest it. i have always heard while growing up, dont have a salad late because its hard for your body to digest. i havent done any research to go with what i said. i am just writing what i have heard. bananas seem really good. strawberries seem easy for me along with avocado. apples are good for me too, but those are super crunchy unless you blended them. my advice is to just do what is best for you. sometimes things advice have an adverse reaction with my body. each of our bodies are different and digest things differently.

from my perspective tho, pineapple, acidic tomatoes give me a hard time sometimes.

ooh i just thought of something, cucumber is really easy on my stomach. its like water with a crisp. maybe try some.

good luck