No Fat Diet

musenchild

Your best bet is probably lots and lots of fresh vegetables.

Broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, artichokes, greens like kale and spinach, and mushrooms are all high in protein per calorie, with lots of filling fiber that should help you feel more satisfied, plus you can eat a lot and stay within your calorie goal.

Steam, saute in a nonstick pan with a tablespoon or two of fat-free vegetable broth, or roast without oil. Experiment with salt and pepper, spices, and lemon juice for flavor. Nutritional yeast is a great topping for veg, vegan and low in fat (1g in 16g of nooch, which is a lot if you're just sprinkling it on your veg).

Good luck getting this taken care of, that's a total bummer!

rickerred12

get the frigger hauled out.

Alohathin

Having you tried cutting sugar out of your diet instead of fat or good fats?
I’m not a health professional but I’ve been doing a lot of research lately about the “Fat Free” vs “Sugar free” theories and this is what i have concluded. Our bodies are designed to metabolise fat, carbs and protein. We have an internal calorie counter that tells us when we have had enough by the brain sending out a “I feel full” feeling. In looking for info on the different types of sugars, it appears that out of the 3 main sugars ( glucose, Galactose and Fructose) Fructose is the one that doesn’t register with this internal calorie counter and our bodies are not designed to metabolise it. As our bodies don’t detect it when we do eat it, we have to eat a whole stack of it just to feel full. Which a lot of us do ! Hence the reason why fruit juice is more fattening then full milk if you were to drink the amount to feel full for each of them. Sounds crazy right?! To add to this, unlike fat where our bodies can break this down and have a use for it , fructose turns straight into fatty acids ( which will affect your gall bladder) and this is what’s adding to our hips and worse gathering in blood stream and eventually clogging our arteries.

Years ago the Diabetics foundations insisted on diabetics eating fructose. However, in the last few years they have recalled this advise becuase of the other affects it has on the body, being instantly turning in to fatty acids ( before even glucose as a chance to react in the body) and going into the blood stream as fat rather then sugar, hense the reason it doesnt spike blood sugar levels. Sneaky little buggers !!!


As I said, I’m not a health expert but found this very interesting :P

Fats are what set off gall stone attacks. Sometimes spicy food, as well. That is why she is going low fat.

Yeah absoutly, but Fructose turns straigt into fatty acids too, so wouldnt it make sense to cut that out then?

Fructose never set off a gall stone attack for me. Maybe it's different for other people...I don't know. Spicy foods did not bother me, either, and I know it is a trigger for some people's gall bladder. I ate plenty of fruit when I was dealing with gall stones. Low fat was the only thing that kept them at bay.

vegan444

Having you tried cutting sugar out of your diet instead of fat or good fats?
I’m not a health professional but I’ve been doing a lot of research lately about the “Fat Free” vs “Sugar free” theories and this is what i have concluded. Our bodies are designed to metabolise fat, carbs and protein. We have an internal calorie counter that tells us when we have had enough by the brain sending out a “I feel full” feeling. In looking for info on the different types of sugars, it appears that out of the 3 main sugars ( glucose, Galactose and Fructose) Fructose is the one that doesn’t register with this internal calorie counter and our bodies are not designed to metabolise it. As our bodies don’t detect it when we do eat it, we have to eat a whole stack of it just to feel full. Which a lot of us do ! Hence the reason why fruit juice is more fattening then full milk if you were to drink the amount to feel full for each of them. Sounds crazy right?! To add to this, unlike fat where our bodies can break this down and have a use for it , fructose turns straight into fatty acids ( which will affect your gall bladder) and this is what’s adding to our hips and worse gathering in blood stream and eventually clogging our arteries.

Years ago the Diabetics foundations insisted on diabetics eating fructose. However, in the last few years they have recalled this advise becuase of the other affects it has on the body, being instantly turning in to fatty acids ( before even glucose as a chance to react in the body) and going into the blood stream as fat rather then sugar, hense the reason it doesnt spike blood sugar levels. Sneaky little buggers !!!


As I said, I’m not a health expert but found this very interesting :P

Fats are what set off gall stone attacks. Sometimes spicy food, as well. That is why she is going low fat.

Yeah absoutly, but Fructose turns straigt into fatty acids too, so wouldnt it make sense to cut that out then?

Fructose never set off a gall stone attack for me. Maybe it's different for other people...I don't know. Spicy foods did not bother me, either, and I know it is a trigger for some people's gall bladder. I ate plenty of fruit when I was dealing with gall stones. Low fat was the only thing that kept them at bay.

I'm fairly sure sugars wouldn't be an issue, because their relatively simple for your body to digest. Its the fats that require more bile to break down, so when you eat the fats, the extra bile that's stored in the gallbladder is pushed out as the gallbladder contracts. If there's a stone in there, it plugs the passageway which causes the pain.

I certainly wouldn't be focused on the low fat aspect if I didn't have this issue, and I'm uncomfortable with all the carbs I'm consuming, but for now it seems like the only way to be pain free.

vegan444

Your best bet is probably lots and lots of fresh vegetables.

Broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, artichokes, greens like kale and spinach, and mushrooms are all high in protein per calorie, with lots of filling fiber that should help you feel more satisfied, plus you can eat a lot and stay within your calorie goal.

Steam, saute in a nonstick pan with a tablespoon or two of fat-free vegetable broth, or roast without oil. Experiment with salt and pepper, spices, and lemon juice for flavor. Nutritional yeast is a great topping for veg, vegan and low in fat (1g in 16g of nooch, which is a lot if you're just sprinkling it on your veg).

Good luck getting this taken care of, that's a total bummer!

I'm trying to eat lots of veggies, but even that's hard. Even spinach has some fat in it (not much, but it contributed to my attack today). I didn't know that mushrooms were a source of protein. I don't like them much, but that might be the next thing I try since split peas (which I paired with spinach) have a bit of fat too. It's hard too, cause I can't do anything to appease the cravings. Typically, before I knew this was an issue, I could indulge a bit as long as it was in moderation. It seriously bums me out to think about eating nothing but veggies!

vegan444

You have to consume essential fats.

Of course, but if I eat any fat (anything about 5g a day so far) I'm in severe pain which lasts 3-6 hours without pain killers (and those often don't work). Not to mention the hours of sleep I lose.

I'm not trying to advocate for a fat free diet and I'm sure it's not healthy, but for the time being it is necessary for me. Just trying to get tips on how to eat as healthy as I can without eating the fats.

vegan444

Make it simple, have it removed.

Let me add...you still need to change your diet to lower fat/cholesterol meals...or you may need to invest in Charmin.

Before I knew that this was gallstone pain I was still eating fewer fats than were recommended. I'm vegan, so most of the fats were the "good fats" and I wasn't consuming any cholesterol. I don't think I necessarily needed to change my diet in this way (carbs were always a bigger issue for me)if it weren't for my gallstones, which were probably mostly a genetic issue, since my mother and aunt both had to have theirs removed in their 20s, and this has been an issue since I was 18.

vegan444

My liver enzymes were high due to gallstones also, but only when I had the attack that sent me to the ER. Prior to that, my enzymes were normal (or at least not notably high). The reason they were high when I went in was because a stone was blocking a bile duct.

I had known that I had gallstones for several months, but what the surgeon found out when he removed the bladder was that it had likely been bad for several years. It had actually fused to my liver, and he said it was the worst looking gall bladder he had ever removed.

I lost a lot of weight fast when I was avoiding fats, because I was eating very little food. So, I don't have much advice on diet, but thought I'd give you a bit of encouragement about your liver. The enzyme level certainly can be attributed to the gall stones. Let's hope so! Levels went back to normal after I had the bladder and stone removed.

I'm hoping that's the cause. It was really scary when I knew I had the enzymes but didn't know I had a gallbladder issue. Now I'm hoping that one is the cause of the other. It's just frustrating at this point because the surgeon won't just remove the gallbladder and see if that helps the enzymes. He wants to see if a specialist wants a liver biopsy while I'm having the surgery. That means long delays (wait times in Northern Canada are crazy). On the bright side (or maybe not) the enzymes are going down.

VelociMama

I think you need to talk to your doctor and setup an appointment with a dietician that specializes in this issue. No one here is going to be able to give you the help you need.

DesireeLovesOrganic

Have you looked at Forks Over Knives or Engine 2 recipes? They are vegan but they don't use oil in anything either so everything is low fat. Happy Herbivore has a lot of fat free options too. What about things like pea soup, lentils in crockpot? I am eating quinoa right now with some spinach, zucchini, tomato, and onion and spices....no fat (but I do eat a lot of fat, I am vegan too but I have nuts, avocado, and coconut oil a lot.) I realize that with your gall bladder issues that you can't though. Hope you can get that surgery soon!

tlsegar

I see you said you live in Canada so I'm not sure how much of an option this is for you, but I would see if I can get a second opinion and find a doctor who is willing to take out the gall bladder sooner rather than later. That's no way for anyone to live. I had mine taken out in April of this year as my episodes were getting progressively worse and more frequent. After one exceptionally miserable weekend, I knew there was no way I could continue like that. Best of luck to you.

vegan444

Thanks so much for the advice everyone. I will check out those recipe sites. Hopefully I can find something. Most lentils do have some fat in them, and even spinach does. There's not a lot, but it adds up to 5g really fast! I think the hardest part for me is identifying the foods that actually have no fat. It's amazing how many things have a small amount in them.

I have seen my family doctor, the ER doctor, and 2 surgeons about this. The surgeons are the ones that I have to convince and I have a really hard time fighting for my best interests in those sorts of situations. They both want me to see a liver specialist first (even though my high enymes might be caused by the gallbladder). I need to be more persistant and less easily intimidated and I'm going to keep going to the ER everytime I have an attack, which the ER nurse said could speed things up.

VelociMama

Thanks so much for the advice everyone. I will check out those recipe sites. Hopefully I can find something. Most lentils do have some fat in them, and even spinach does. There's not a lot, but it adds up to 5g really fast! I think the hardest part for me is identifying the foods that actually have no fat. It's amazing how many things have a small amount in them.

I have seen my family doctor, the ER doctor, and 2 surgeons about this. The surgeons are the ones that I have to convince and I have a really hard time fighting for my best interests in those sorts of situations. They both want me to see a liver specialist first (even though my high enymes might be caused by the gallbladder). I need to be more persistant and less easily intimidated and I'm going to keep going to the ER everytime I have an attack, which the ER nurse said could speed things up.

ER docs are not going to give you the comprehensive care you need. Go see the specialists ASAP so they can run the tests they need to do and treat you. This is no way to live.

vegan444

Thanks so much for the advice everyone. I will check out those recipe sites. Hopefully I can find something. Most lentils do have some fat in them, and even spinach does. There's not a lot, but it adds up to 5g really fast! I think the hardest part for me is identifying the foods that actually have no fat. It's amazing how many things have a small amount in them.

I have seen my family doctor, the ER doctor, and 2 surgeons about this. The surgeons are the ones that I have to convince and I have a really hard time fighting for my best interests in those sorts of situations. They both want me to see a liver specialist first (even though my high enymes might be caused by the gallbladder). I need to be more persistant and less easily intimidated and I'm going to keep going to the ER everytime I have an attack, which the ER nurse said could speed things up.

ER docs are not going to give you the comprehensive care you need. Go see the specialists ASAP so they can run the tests they need to do and treat you. This is no way to live.

Specialists are hard because I live in a small town. There's one specialist in a town that's a 3 hour drive from here, who is probably the one I'm going to be seeing. Other than that, I'd have to go 4 hours in the other direction. That's all stuff that my family doctor arranges too. I should hear back soon though, so cross your fingers for me!

VelociMama

Thanks so much for the advice everyone. I will check out those recipe sites. Hopefully I can find something. Most lentils do have some fat in them, and even spinach does. There's not a lot, but it adds up to 5g really fast! I think the hardest part for me is identifying the foods that actually have no fat. It's amazing how many things have a small amount in them.

I have seen my family doctor, the ER doctor, and 2 surgeons about this. The surgeons are the ones that I have to convince and I have a really hard time fighting for my best interests in those sorts of situations. They both want me to see a liver specialist first (even though my high enymes might be caused by the gallbladder). I need to be more persistant and less easily intimidated and I'm going to keep going to the ER everytime I have an attack, which the ER nurse said could speed things up.

ER docs are not going to give you the comprehensive care you need. Go see the specialists ASAP so they can run the tests they need to do and treat you. This is no way to live.

Specialists are hard because I live in a small town. There's one specialist in a town that's a 3 hour drive from here, who is probably the one I'm going to be seeing. Other than that, I'd have to go 4 hours in the other direction. That's all stuff that my family doctor arranges too. I should hear back soon though, so cross your fingers for me!

Sometimes you have to be a pain in the *kitten* to get doctors to do their job right.

*fingers crossed* Just don't be afraid to put your foot down and demand more answers and better care hon. Otherwise, most docs will just drag their feet.

vegan444

I definitely need to work on that. I'm going to be calling tomorrow to follow up, and I have a new appointment on Monday.

VelociMama

I definitely need to work on that. I'm going to be calling tomorrow to follow up, and I have a new appointment on Monday.

I know it's not related to your topic, but I have a congenital heart defect that none of my doctors caught until I made them send me to a cardiologist that specializes in electrical issues in the heart. It took about 6 months of tests and running around to finally get a diagnosis and treatment, but I knew something was very wrong with me for a long time. Treatment worked like a charm too, and I was back to feeling great and normal (no palpatations, intermittent shortness of breath, etc.)

You just have to fight sometimes to get things done. There's no reason to live miserable when your condition is treatable.

vegan444

You're so right. I know I need to fight more for this. Not sure why (I suspect its a low self esteem thing) but I've always been really bad at making my own well being a priority. With medical stuff especially, I feel like I must have to wait because other people are in worse condition than I am. I'm starting to realize that that's not always the case. For example, after the surgeon came in to talk to me for less then 5 minutes, he spent a bunch of time arranging a follow up with a drunk guy who broke his leg and was swearing at nurses all day in the ER.

VelociMama

You're so right. I know I need to fight more for this. Not sure why (I suspect its a low self esteem thing) but I've always been really bad at making my own well being a priority. With medical stuff especially, I feel like I must have to wait because other people are in worse condition than I am. I'm starting to realize that that's not always the case. For example, after the surgeon came in to talk to me for less then 5 minutes, he spent a bunch of time arranging a follow up with a drunk guy who broke his leg and was swearing at nurses all day in the ER.

That makes sense, but try to remember that letting things like this go can lead to serious problems down the road. It's okay to be selfish sometimes, even if you have to fake it. Good luck to you no matter what you decide! I hope you can get some relief.

vegan444

Of course, I'd resolved to stand up for myself and demand treatment right away, but by the time I'd seen the doctor I was coming down off pain killers, seriously sleep deprived, and had been in the ER for 6 hours. Not my finest moment, so when he said something I didn't want to har I just started to cry instead... that'll show em!