Anyone else with Crohn's Disease and/or on a low-fiber diet?

dreamwellali

I'm really struggling here. My calories are at 1500/day, which I know is a lot compared to a lot of people, and I just can't seem to not be hungry all the time. I also simply cannot exercise every day due to my illness (right now, other times this isn't a problem).

The problem is, I can't eat many fruits or veggies or whole grains because they seriously hurt me. I also don't tolerate beans or soy well. So I find myself stuck with a lot of meats, white breads, and dairy, along with pre-packaged foods. I can usually tolerate canned peaches and fresh bananas, sometimes apples and cooked asparagus or a salad if I'm having a really good day. I get my vitamin C from juices, but those are not at all filling.

I've found a few grains that I can do. I do the Nutri-grain low-fat waffles for breakfast almost every day and on good days can have oatmeal (which I LOVE).

I've seen both a nutritionist and dietician, both of whom were lacking for ideas. So I'm hoping maybe someone out there has been in a similar situation and can give me some clues.

(PS. I've had Crohn's for 22 years. I know what my body does and does not tolerate. Please do not give me suggestions such as "Try the Maker's Diet/Specific Carb Diet/etc", because not only have I already tried them, but they don't work for me. I don't mean to sound *****y, but I'm really tired of hearing that kind of thing. I know my body and am just looking for specific foods I may have overlooked that might help me)

LisaLN

I hear ya. And honestly it's even hard for people with similar diseases / problems to offer help to another because no two are the same. I have IBS and it's a roller coaster. Certain things trigger it, which I try to avoid, but then just when I think I'm doing well...something happens. All I can offer for you is to just possibly add more exercise to offset any extra calories you've eaten and drink tons and tons of fluids. I don't know how much fiber/protein you can tolerate, but that definitely helps stave off hunger. Would something like Miralax help you at all? (To help with the more protein vs fiber issues sometimes.) Again...don't know if that would trigger you or not. But Miralax is WAY gentle on most people. Wish I could offer more help than just this!

dreamwellali

I am lucky in that I am a big water drinker, and that helps with the "full" feeling a lot.

I haven't tried Miralax or anything like that under the assumption that it would loosen things up that are already too loose, if you know what I mean

It really is true that everyone with diseases of this sort have different things they can tolerate. It really is too bad that we can't all share diets, but I am glad to know that there are others that at least commiserate with me.

bridgetteamie

Good morning! I am also afflicted with Crohn's Disease so I can understand your frustration. I can't tell from your post if you're simply looking for more food options or if you have something more specific in mind. I can give you an idea of what works for me, and maybe it will be something new.

I try to stick to an anti-inflammatory diet. I've done a lot of reading about foods that can promote or agitate autoimmune disorders. Combine that with what Crohn's patients to eliminate from their diet and I'm not left with a lot of options. I also understand what its like to know what will make your flare ups worse. I, for one, can't have overly processed food, which is a real pain when you're starving.

When I'm first hungry, I drink a lot of water or tea. Sometimes dehydration can feel like hunger, and tea, for me at least, can be really soothing for my disease. I love veggies and fruit, but I have to avoid seeds and tough grains as well. I read that peanut butter, and peanuts themselves (and nuts suck for Crohn's people anyway) are proinflammatory so I've tried creamy almond butter, which is better for you and less abrasive, on apples that I cut up so as to avoid even the possibility of the core. I also steam my veggies slightly (you can buy steamer bags in the grocery store) which makes them easier to digest, at least for me. These things have never given me any abdominal pain, and they keeps things "moving along" comfortably. All these little items are easy to store at home or work for a quick fix.

Have you tried steel cut Irish oats from McCanns? It's a really hearty oatmeal, less like mush, and its been very good to me as far as filling me up goes. I cook it up with some honey and cinammon for sweetness, and again it's been a good source of controlled fiber and energy for me. It can get be by from breakfast to lunch without any real hunger pains.

Does hummus bother you? It's really good on toasted naan or pita bread and can be a nice healthier snack that satisfies. Sometimes I add veggies I can comfortably eat to the naan so I get a really well rounded snack. I may even pair it with seedless grapes.

I don't know if any of this is what you have heard before, and if so I am sorry for wasting your time. I know what it's like to struggle with this and I have a lot of recipes I could share if you're interested. Keep up the great work!

LisaLN

Yeah, Miralax definitely keeps things running. I go from one extreme to the other and it does help to somewhat stabilize things. But again, that's just me and doesn't necessarily mean it would work for you, too. Your doctor could give you more info on that one I'm sure. I definitely sympathize with you and only those going through something similar truly understand how miserable it can be. People who don't have it look at us like we're crazy sometimes and think "just deal with it"...which is sad but true.

LisaLN

Good morning! I am also afflicted with Crohn's Disease so I can understand your frustration. I can't tell from your post if you're simply looking for more food options or if you have something more specific in mind. I can give you an idea of what works for me, and maybe it will be something new.

I try to stick to an anti-inflammatory diet. I've done a lot of reading about foods that can promote or agitate autoimmune disorders. Combine that with what Crohn's patients to eliminate from their diet and I'm not left with a lot of options. I also understand what its like to know what will make your flare ups worse. I, for one, can't have overly processed food, which is a real pain when you're starving.

When I'm first hungry, I drink a lot of water or tea. Sometimes dehydration can feel like hunger, and tea, for me at least, can be really soothing for my disease. I love veggies and fruit, but I have to avoid seeds and tough grains as well. I read that peanut butter, and peanuts themselves (and nuts suck for Crohn's people anyway) are proinflammatory so I've tried creamy almond butter, which is better for you and less abrasive, on apples that I cut up so as to avoid even the possibility of the core. I also steam my veggies slightly (you can buy steamer bags in the grocery store) which makes them easier to digest, at least for me. These things have never given me any abdominal pain, and they keeps things "moving along" comfortably. All these little items are easy to store at home or work for a quick fix.

Have you tried steel cut Irish oats from McCanns? It's a really hearty oatmeal, less like mush, and its been very good to me as far as filling me up goes. I cook it up with some honey and cinammon for sweetness, and again it's been a good source of controlled fiber and energy for me. It can get be by from breakfast to lunch without any real hunger pains.

Does hummus bother you? It's really good on toasted naan or pita bread and can be a nice healthier snack that satisfies. Sometimes I add veggies I can comfortably eat to the naan so I get a really well rounded snack. I may even pair it with seedless grapes.

I don't know if any of this is what you have heard before, and if so I am sorry for wasting your time. I know what it's like to struggle with this and I have a lot of recipes I could share if you're interested. Keep up the great work!

This is great info! Never thought of tea to help with everything. Same with almond butter vs. peanut butter.

dreamwellali

Oh, I definitely like the switching from peanut butter to almond butter idea. I do eat peanut butter almost every day because I can tolerate it, but if it does contribute to the inflammation then it's a bad idea. I also love the idea of the steel cut oats, I will give them a try.

I also found that whole wheat pasta doesn't cause me any problems. While it's not an ideal (it's still pasta), it does fill me up much better than regular pasta.

Thanks!

healthygrl

I've had Crohn's for about 18 years. I TOTALLY agree that everyone is different and get so sick of the, "oh, just do this diet...it totally cured my Crohn's!" :huh:

Some foods that I find are both "diet" and "crohn's" friendly are: Yogurt, brown rice, whole-wheat pasta, bananas, string cheese, triscut crackers, cottage cheese, eggs, oatmeal, grits, hummus, carrots, green beans, sweet potatoes.

I hope this gives you a few ideas!