food/nutrition resources for healing in recovery?

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lvg
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food/nutrition resources for healing in recovery?

Postby lvg » Mon May 17, 2021 10:17 am

Hi all! Was wondering if you have any tips or resources you’ve found that have helped you with knowing how to eat the best foods/supplements etc in order to promote gut healing?

One resource I’ve found is Meghan Livingstone’s youtube and blog - she had cdiff back in 2012 and has a plan for helping gut health. I’m not sure if I’d purchase the video class or not, tempted but it’s expensive!

I’m realizing that 3 months post fmt now I really need to diversify my diet more. I’ve been eating so bland but don’t know the best ways to start. I’ve used some low fodmap guides but wondered if any of you have followed any specific plans or books or resources or foods or supplements that really helped you in recovery and to conquer pi-ibs.

Thanks ahead of time! :)

beth22
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Re: food/nutrition resources for healing in recovery?

Postby beth22 » Tue May 18, 2021 12:55 am

My Gi suggested a modified FODMAP diet as I could not tolerate some of the vegetables. It also helps for SIBO.

lvg
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Re: food/nutrition resources for healing in recovery?

Postby lvg » Tue May 18, 2021 7:39 am

Thanks, Beth! Did your gastro suggest FODMAP modified in any specific way? I’ve been trying to do FODMAP diet but I know it’s not supposed to be a long term thing and am not sure which foods to try adding back in first!

Proteins have seemed to be fine, like chicken, organic beef, turkey, shrimp, eggs. For veggies I’ve really just tried spinach, carrots, small amounts of celery. Fruits I’ve tried blueberries...

beth22
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Re: food/nutrition resources for healing in recovery?

Postby beth22 » Wed May 19, 2021 3:26 pm

I pretty much could not tolerate most fruit. Kiwi seemed to be okay. I still don't eat raw vegetables except avocado, which I guess is technically a fruit. Cooked vegetables that are okay for me are: carrots, green beans, spinach, zucchini, artichoke. But, everyone is different. I don't eat dairy, but some people can tolerate it. Just try small amounts of a new food and see how you do with it and try one thing at a time.

lvg
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Re: food/nutrition resources for healing in recovery?

Postby lvg » Fri May 21, 2021 7:48 am

Thanks, Beth! That’s all really helpful!

GtrGrl
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Re: food/nutrition resources for healing in recovery?

Postby GtrGrl » Thu Jul 08, 2021 3:07 pm

Anyone had any experience with stevia? I’m avoiding dairy and sugar, as advised by many on the board, but really need to stabilise and hopefully start gaining some weight (I’ve lost 12kg) so am thinking of buying some vegan protein shake powder — but the sugar free ones seem to have stevia instead and I wonder if this is a good idea…

Thanks for any insights!
Contracted C Diff from a round of Flucloxacillin, November 2020.

Metronidazole - Metronidazole - Dificid - Dificid - Vancomycin - Upper GI FMT - Vancomycin - Vancomycin - Lower GI FMT

Ril
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Re: food/nutrition resources for healing in recovery?

Postby Ril » Thu Jul 08, 2021 4:18 pm

I used sweet n low ( saccharin) throughout recovery and had no issues.

Bobbie
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Re: food/nutrition resources for healing in recovery?

Postby Bobbie » Fri Jul 09, 2021 1:26 pm

Stevia upsets my stomach - big time. But everyone is different.

GtrGrl
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Re: food/nutrition resources for healing in recovery?

Postby GtrGrl » Thu Jul 15, 2021 5:17 pm

Thanks for your feedback, both. I might leave it a while longer before I dabble.
Contracted C Diff from a round of Flucloxacillin, November 2020.

Metronidazole - Metronidazole - Dificid - Dificid - Vancomycin - Upper GI FMT - Vancomycin - Vancomycin - Lower GI FMT

Bobbie
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Re: food/nutrition resources for healing in recovery?

Postby Bobbie » Sat Jul 17, 2021 2:40 pm

Beware of “experts” selling help.

I regained weight with Ensure Plus drinks - vanilla, very cold. Supplemented with two a day. Many varieties now.

beth22
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Re: food/nutrition resources for healing in recovery?

Postby beth22 » Sun Jul 18, 2021 12:59 am

Everyone is different for sure. Ensure went right through me and gave me D!

lvg
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Re: food/nutrition resources for healing in recovery?

Postby lvg » Mon Jul 19, 2021 8:30 pm

GtrGrl - You could try a small amount of stevia - it didn’t sit well with me and I haven’t tried it again yet. I did try collagen powder the other day for protein and it seemed fine. My husband also got me some garden of life protein powder to try that does have sugar in it, but not a lot - haven’t tried it yet though!

Some things that have been working for me to maintain weight have been Earth Balance, ghee, potato with butter and parsley and sea salt, bread, organic ground beef, almond butter, rice with butter and parmesan, and dark chocolate. I do eat a little bit of so delicious coconut milk ice cream even though it has sugar. I’ve also tried almond milk yogurt. I’m planning to try lactaid soon. I’ve been making muffins out of kodiak cake mix (for protein), almond or peanut butter, banana, almond milk, dark chocolate chips, and a little maple syrup. I’m having one every day with a scoop of Earth Balance on top. I’m also making some chocolate muffins with coconut oil as an ingredient for some added fat. Full fat coconut milk has worked for me as an ingredient in butternut squash soup (I leave out anything like onion and garlic currently). I tried things one at a time to see how they went.

I personally am not eating a ton of sugar but am not completely avoiding it either since I did need to be able to eat foods that had some sugar in order to not keep losing weight. I get how challenging it is to figure it out!

I’m almost 5 months post fmt and am having more success slowly adding foods back. Wishing you the best in doing the same!!

GtrGrl
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Re: food/nutrition resources for healing in recovery?

Postby GtrGrl » Sat Jul 24, 2021 2:02 pm

Thanks very much, Ivg. On reflection, I’m thinking it’s a bit soon to add anything new. It’s been 2 months so quite early days, really. I am having things like cashew butter, buttered potatoes, lentil pasta and avocados and I think I may have gained a pound these past couple of weeks, hurrah! If I have anything that upsets the balance I know I will immediately panic that IT has come back so I think I will stick to what I know and just try to eat more of it so as not to go backwards on the weight front. However this is the kind of list I can come back to, so thanks! (Remember the days when your phone wasn’t full of screenshots about health?! Sigh!)

Wishing you continued health.

Ril
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Re: food/nutrition resources for healing in recovery?

Postby Ril » Sat Jul 31, 2021 5:37 pm

Be careful with high protein drinks. Check to see if they are high in fiber as many of them are and that may irritate your gut. Try it out before you buy too many of any one and get stuck with them!

Things like pasta, rice, peanut butter, eggs, baked potatoes, grilled and baked fish and poultry, avocado toast (yummy,) pretzels, crackers and small amounts of hummus when you are stable. I have always been lactose intolerant and got way worse but can use lactaid pills and add more foods, but would do that slowly now. Remember you can eat hard cheeses - Swiss, cheddar, etc.- but introduce them in small amounts to see how you tolerate them.

Many years later I still have to be careful intermittent with the amount of fiber I eat because of IBS and that is from IBS without a FMT.

Good luck. I think you are on the right path.
Rita


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