What is left to eat?

The only way I ever could have done this was to be ready.  It is just like when I quit smoking 18 years ago.  The trick was to have very strong incentive and great tools.  I found out that second hand smoke could hurt my children and they came out with nicoderm...all at the same time. 

Last year I had every medical test a GI specialist can administer and there really was nothing wrong with me.  I have Crohn's markers....but no active Crohn's disease.  I thought I had celiac's and I don't.  I tried removing and replacing foods, but there were so many problems that I would have just had to give everything up and add one thing a week back in.  The Dr.'s office told me that I could not fix my problem with diet.  It was really my last resort.  

As far as tools go, I am very lucky for all the good information available on the internet and in great books and a lovely friend who is so helpful.

Here is what I quit eating...wheat, milk, cheese, yogurt, meat, fish, all processed foods, including sugar and I no longer use my microwave and very rarely my oven or stove.  I went into this thinking I would allow myself "free days" at least once a week and give myself permission to eat whatever I wanted at social settings or special dinners.  I wanted this to be something that I can live with forever.

Somehow along the line my attitude changed.  I went from feeling like I was going to be deprived to really feeling like I had a zillion choices.  I think the biggest thing that motivated me and excited me was when my gi problem was 100% better within a day of eating this way.  I love the foods I am eating.  I am always, always full and satisfied.  I drink shakes twice a day usually and the shakes make me feel alive and healthy.  

I have been on vacation, gone out to eat and gone through other "tests" and I passed.  It is amazing the healthy food you can find at a restaurant if you are looking for it.  I found a black bean burger in the airport!  I had this fabulous quinoa, couscous, pine nut, spinach salad at Jams (Omaha)...I couldn't eat it all and brought it home and my daughter tried and loved it too.  Biaggi's (Omaha) has an entire gluten free menu and I had a wonderful salad there too that was spicy with nuts and had a nice "kick" to it.  

My very favorite meal at home is a green shake...that usually is not very green.  I keep adding all these wonderful things to it and it is so healthy.  I start with 2 cups of water, 3 handfuls of spinach, some kind of healthy fat like flax oil, coconut oil or an avocado, chia seeds, watercress, and fruit and stevia.  I change my fruit around...my favorite is blueberry, strawberry and banana.  I also add a scoop of protein, usually hemp, soy or pea protein.  YUMMY.  (2) of those a day are pretty nice. I just keep adding more things to it as I find something ultra healthy to add to my diet.  The color ranges from dark green to brown to purple.  It is always really tasty and filling.  Now you know why I have trouble getting my 6 meals in.  I could probably stick 1/2 of this in the fridge and use (1) for 2 meals.  The pea protein has 28g of protein in one scoop...then when I add the other things like spinach and chia seeds...I get my protein.

Last week Dr. Oz said he pours his shakes into ice cube trays and then just pops his cubes into a cup to melt and drink.  What a clever and easy idea for a busy day when we don't have time to put things together.

I eat a pear and a raw protein bar twice a day.  This assures me enough nutrients.  I have hot tea if I feel a desire for something warm.  I am starting to crave things that are wet.

I am resolved to try at least one new recipe each week.  I love salads with fruit, nuts and lettuce.  These are pretty easy to throw into a day without planning too much.  I have had 3 slices of ezekial bread this year and 2 slices of sour dough.  I ate the sour dough for the probiotics.  I also take a probiotic supplement.


I read a book last year by a very intelligent woman who practically cured her severe Crohn's symptoms with a macrobiotic diet.  (I will add her to my page of books), it is a great book for anyone, not just Crohn's sufferers.  It was easy to read and very informational.  This is where I learned about sour dough bread.  I am going to be trying miso soup too. 

Dr. Perricone was on Dr. Oz's show last week and said that if everyone was going to add one thing to their diet to be healthy (fight cancer, have beautiful skin, build immunity, get rid of cold symptoms.....)...well, guess what the grocery stores in Omaha no longer have?  No watercress to be had anywhere: )  I ordered seeds today.  I don't know if I can grow it here, but I am going to try.  Dr. Perricone also has a really nice looking recipe with asparagus, watercress and white beans.  Well, I have the asparagus...no watercress and I no one has white beans either.  This is the problem I have run into....finding the ingredients.  I went to Whole Foods and needed Rooibos as an ingredient for a recipe.  Luckily I found someone who knew it.  They did not have an herb but they had tea.  

Whole Foods posted this photo this week, the internet is a wonderful place to "google" to see what ingredients are and even what they look like.

I need to plan ahead and not buy any parts of a recipe until I find all of the parts...because they will go bad before I find everything I need.  Thank goodness for helpful grocers who will order in and the internet.  

I received 10 pounds of cocoa today from UPS.  I order most of my protein online.  It is tricky buying protein because a lot of them are "shakes" where they have added ingredients that you don't really want.  Also, the minute you add raw to the label, especially in nut butters, you increase the price by 100% or more.

It does not have to be more expensive than unhealthy food.  Not if you are careful and buy in bulk.  I went to Florida to visit my Mom and Dad for a week.  The first day we went to the Fruit Market.  I bought strawberries, blueberries, the biggest avocado I ever saw, watermelon, pears, spinach, tomatoes, cantaloupe....I know there was more...it was 26.00 and that made 2 meals minimum a day for the whole time I was there.  I also counted out 4 bars a day and took them with me and took my soy protein.  I wonder what the bag inspectors thought when they searched my bag.  Especially since I had my Christmas presents packed too....heart monitor and gps watch for running.  I bet those people see some weird stuff.  I am figuring out the food better than the technological gadgets.

When my husband had cancer, I bought him some FRS.  He got so tired and run down and caught everything there was to catch.  He refused to take it, I started drinking it before I workout in the morning and again in the afternoon when I used to get tired about 3.  I continue to drink it, it also pushes me to drink about 24 oz of water with it.  I think it provides a lot of B vitamins and phytonutrients.  I am never tired anymore.  I am not crediting the FRS with that but I do think that it provides some nutrients that I don't want to give up.  I do know that it helps me to put a little extra into my morning workout.

The one thing I have found in all of my vegetarian/vegan books is a small amount of protein.  I am working really hard to keep the protein up in my diet.  The isolated protein helps.  I know I should have more real food.  In the next few weeks I will add more beans.  I love black beans.  I am allergic to kidney beans.  Peas have a huge amount of protein.  I love pine nuts, those things are expensive, about a cup of pine nuts costs $6.50 right now.  I guess if you compare that to a filet it is a good deal.  I have a wonderful pesto recipe, a nice basic oil and balsamic vinegar dressing, with lots of garlic and a little mustard.  I eat raw honey and nut butters.  I use agave syrup for a sweetener and stevia.  I no longer eat processed sugars!  

I feel really good!  ~Cathy