A Day of Grain-free Eating

Hey, everyone! I hope you all are feeling happy and healthy. I, myself, have been feeling a lift in spirit lately because it's finally Spring here in Indiana! I have my two little tomato plants doing well out on the deck (I named them Delila and Drake, haha), and I've been enjoying more walks lately. I can't wait until the farmer's market is open and set up outside! Anyway, sorry to ramble. This post is actually just to give you guys a quick peek at what a day of grain-free eating looks like. This is the diet that I stick to right now, with the occasional cheat days. I notice an improvement in my physical health and digestion when I stick to this diet, and my inflammation shown in my blood work went down significantly after just two weeks. There's no sign of my Crohn's visibly in the gut, nor in my blood work any more. Hooray! Ideally I would also eliminate any non-fermented diary from my diet as well, such as milk. And generally I do, though I sometimes use lactose free.

The guidelines for this diet are fairly simple in premise. Eliminate all grains from your diet. This includes corn, wheat, rice, all pastas (except for quinoa), etc. I also eliminate most legumes, such as beans and peas. The exception to that right now, for me, is peanut butter. Yes, peanuts are, in fact, legumes, and not nuts. This is a relatively new diet adventure for me, so it's not perfect right now. My focus at the moment is eliminating grains/gluten, because I really believe we're not meant to eat these things. They weren't commonly available to our ancestors, so I don't think our body is set up to properly break these things down during digestion.

Without further ado, here's a peek at today's grain-free eating:

I didn't eat breakfast. Instead I just had some Mandarin Orange flavored distilled water made by Simple Truth. I just wasn't hungry; This is not a "skip breakfast everyday" thing.

Lunch: Pan-seared chicken with garlic and onion green beans.

For the chicken, I seasoned it with seasoned salt, smoked paprika, and onion powder. I seared it in a bit of coconut oil in a non-stick ceramic pan, then finished the cooking process in the oven. While it baked, I sauteed some green beans (which had already been steamed) and sliced red onion with a bit of coconut oil and extra virgin olive oil blend. I seasoned with garlic powder, onion powder, and sea salt. Here's the finished dish:

Snack #1: Greek yogurt with 100% dark chocolate chips and toasted almonds.

Snack #2: Banana-Chocolate "ice cream" or smoothie. I listed how I make this in my post about smoothies, here. Today I really wanted something extra chocolatey (thanks, hormones), so I added a teaspoon of Nutella. No, it's not the healthiest thing, but this homemade chocolate ice cream is a better alternative to other similar sweets. I looked at the nutritional info the other day for a chocolate muffin. 600 calories for one stinkin' muffin! And tons of fat. With no nutrition. We were grocery shopping and my sister was looking at these muffins, when I told her that they were probably super bad for you. Out of curiosity, she check out the label. She didn't buy the muffins. Haha. ANYWAY. The Nutella really gave the flavor a little extra something, and I quite enjoyed this treat.

Dinner: Baked potato with bacon and cheddar cheese. This could have been healthier and more filling if I had opted to bulk it up with some veggies. I actually love broccoli on my baked potatoes, but I was spending time with my significant other and didn't want to take the extra time (we hadn't had any time together in while). Yeah, I'm guilty of this too.

And there you have it, my grain-free foods for the day!

If you're tired after eating, suffer from bloating/gas, stomach aches, etc, then give this grain-free change a try! Check with your doctor or medical provider (or use your own judgment; you know your own body) before embarking on any change in diet, though. And keep a food journal! That's the best way to keep track of how you feel. Remember, everyone is different.

So, what is off the table when eating a grain-free diet? Whether whole grain or refined grain, neither are included. Remember, it's grain free. It means no:

• Corn (corn chips, tortillas, corn on the cob, popcorn anything made with corn)
• Wheat (whole wheat or refined bleached wheat like white flour)
• Rice
• Oats (oatmeal, granola made with oats, etc)
• Bulgur
• Barley
• Millet
• Rye
• Durum Wheat
• Fonio
• Kamut
• Semolina Wheat
• Sorghum
• Spelt
• Teff
• Tritical
• Wild rice

And what's acceptable? Well, lots of fruits, veggies, and protein. I also include dairy at the moment, but I avoid milk. Fermented dairy like yogurt has many health benefits. There are also some healthy, protein-rich grain substitutes that are often mistakenly categorized as grains, because they can be used like a grain. These are sometimes called "pseudo cereals". These things are ok to eat, as they are not technically a grain:

• Amaranth
• Quinoa
• Buckwheat
• Chia seeds
• Acacia seeds

What makes the first list a true grain, while the second list isn't?

A grain stems from the grass family and is a small edible fruit bore on a plant.
A seed is an embryonic plant, with a hard seed coat whose contents are edible.

So a grain is the fruit of a plant stemming from the grass family, whereas a seed is not produced as the fruit of a plant, but rather it's a plant in its embryonic (unborn) state.

And now you know grains from seeds.  :-)

I hope you guys have learned something from this post!

Until next time, everyone!

Breakfast Smoothies

I'm not a natural morning person. But I try to be, most of the time. That means that I have a slow start in the morning. I move slowly, think slowly, and have to pry myself out of bed. Which is hard. To pry yourself. Maybe hire someone to do it for me...

Anyway, on the days that I'm especially dragging, I don't want to cook breakfast. I always get an energy boost after a good breakfast and my morning vitamins/supplements (I take CVS brand women's multi for active mind and body, which has an energy blend. I also take a vitamin B complex.), but what am I supposed to do when I don't have the energy to cook? It's a vicious cycle. The old me would raid the fridge for leftovers from dinner to be popped in the microwave (usually things like leftover pizza...) or pour a bowl of sugary cereal. But not anymore. Now I make a smoothie. It's the easiest, quickest way to get quality nutrition into my body. And they're easily digestible, because the fruit and veggies are pulverized into a nice, cold, smooth... well, smoothie!

 I use the Nutribullet, which is awesome. I know there are more expensive, fancy blenders out there, but personally, I don't need all the bells and whistles. I want quick, simple, and efficient, and that's exactly what the Nutribullet is. I invested in it right after my first ostomy surgery (while I was still in the hospital), and I've loved it since. I'm very protective of it, haha. If you're serious about making smoothies, you'll want to make sure you're using a blender that can crush frozen fruit and ice efficiently.

So, what kinds of smoothies are good for breakfast? Well, just about any of them. But here are my favorites.

If you normally have a bowl of sweet cereal or oatmeal, try this one:

Chocolate Banana

Ingredients:
-1 whole (large) banana (I use frozen, it gives the best consistency)
-1/2 cup of chocolate almond milk, lactose free chocolate milk, or chocolate milk (you can also use the regular varieties and add a little chocolate syrup to taste)
-1/2 cup ice
-1 teaspoon coconut oil (virgin, non-processed, cold-pressed, organic is optimal)

Directions: Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. If you need to add more liquid, go ahead. I like mine thick, so I can eat it with a spoon. Like cereal. Haha. If you're wondering, the coconut oil is very nutritious and good for you, and it's great for an energy boost to get you going. I had this one this morning, and if I hadn't, I probably would have dozed back off to sleep (it's raining right now) and not be writing this.

Pineapple under the Sea

Ingredients:

-1 ripe banana
-2 leaves of kale
-1 cup of pineapple juice
-1/2 cup of pineapple chunks
-1 cup of almond milk, coconut milk, lactose free milk, whatever floats your boat
-1 teaspoon of coconut oil
-1/2 cup ice

Directions: The directions are pretty much always the same. Put your ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. If you want it thinner, add more juice, milk, or even water. If you want a bit of a tropical twist, add in a tablespoon of frozen orange juice concentrate (or to taste). I call this "pineapple under the sea" because of the pineapple, the green from the kale, and Sponge Bob, of course. This one can really kick start your metabolism and get you going in the morning. Oh, and for the pineapple, I use canned packed in 100% pineapple juice. Just make sure you read the labels and make sure there are no added sugars.

Morning Caffeine+

Ingredients:

-1/2 cup your choice of frozen fruit (I like to use the berry medley, but all of them are great)
-1 single serving cup of vanilla yogurt (you can also use Greek, which is healthier but tastes different)
-1/2 cup ice
-1/2 cup strong green tea

Directions: You know the drill! Throw that stuff in and blend! For the green tea, of course I brew my own. Don't use the store-bought Nes-Tea stuff, it has all kinds of sugars and such. You want 100% green tea, nothing else. Read the ingredients of the tea bags before you buy them as well. It should say "green tea leaves" and that's it. I heat up 3/4 cup water over the stove til it boils, then pour it into a cup, then add my tea bag. You don't want to actively boil the tea bag itself because it can kill off some of the nutrition. The 3/4 cup is usually reduced to 1/2 cup by the time I take it off the stove. I allow my tea to steep for 10 minutes or so, then squeeze the tea bag dry (gotta get every bit out of it), and then it's ready to go. This smoothie will give you your morning caffeine in a whole new, and healthier, way.

There you go, my current top 3 breakfast smoothies. I'll add more as I experiment and find new ones. Here are a couple extra tid-bits you may find useful:

- For those of you with ostomies, the chocolate banana smoothie, or any one with a banana, will help thicken up your output. My pouch cooperates with me so much more with I have a banana smoothie.

-Yogurt is your friend. Greek yogurt is your bestie. Greek yogurt is way better than the regular stuff. It has a lot of live cultures/probiotics that help regulate your bowel and are healthy for your digestive system in general. Plus, it's loaded with protein. But not all Greek yogurts are created equal. Some are actually really terrible and full of filler material, plus lacking the healthy active cultures. I'm doing a post about this soon, but for now, all you should know is: buy Chobani. I'll educate you on why later. But if you compare its label to the label of, say, the Dannon Green variety, you'll probably figure it out on your own. Don't let Dannon's tempting flavors fool you.

Alrights, guys, I hope this has inspired you to always get a healthy breakfast, even if you aren't a morning person!

Take care! Until next time.

Popcorn Alternatives

Popcorn. Popped corn. I'm not sure which one is politically correct, but one thing I do know is that many people, with and without IBD, can’t break it down during digestion. And not just popcorn, but corn in general, seems to be troublesome for many of us. I’m not a huge fan of corn, except in popped form. It’s essential to my movie theater experience (along with the Twizzlers and Reese’s Pieces I smuggle in). My boyfriend, who also had Crohn’s, is a whole different beast. He loves popcorn, just about any time. He’ll make a meal of it. And while he’s so darn cute gobbling it up, he often pays the price. Tummy aches, bloating, diarrhea, and gas are frequent symptoms for those that have issues digesting this treat. For me, the risk is an ostomy blockage. Luckily, I don’t have many issues with that, and can eat popcorn with no ill effects. Now, if I eat an entire bag… and then eat a second batch… not that I’ve done that… I mean, of course I’d own up to it if I had… OK. I did. Anyway, I had a bit of a stomach ache after, but was ok. I don’t make a habit out of this, though. It just so happened that I had two separate movie dates that weekend. But I digress…
 

So, we all love popcorn (I think). But it doesn’t love all of us back. Meanie. But you’re in luck! There are some great alternatives that can hit the same sweet (or salty) spot that popcorn does. Let’s start with the easy, store-bough options. Even though I do avoid packaged foods and try to stick to a whole-food diet, I believe in moderation for just about everything.

First up, there are “Pop Chips”. This is a brand that does a variety of healthy chip-alternatives, and one of those is a “Pop Chip” made from corn. But they’ve removed the casing/kernel shell, which is often the culprit for all of our discomfort. My boyfriend discovered these and really likes them. Pop Chip isn’t the only brand (in fact, this isn’t the brand that my bf loves, but it is an option and is pretty good tasting), just check out the health food section of your grocery store. Check the label if you do get the brand Pop Chips, because they’re all about “popped” snacks, but not all of them are corn-based. Just a note. You wanna be sure of what you’re getting and eating. Although if they sound good, give their other varieties a try, they might be another alternative to corn-based products all together.

The second store-bought swap is mini rice cakes. The brand I’m familiar with is Quaker, but I know our stores always have a generic, and there are other name brands, I’m sure. You can get these little guys in savory flavors like cheddar cheese (my favorite) or sweet like caramel. Great for those of you that like sweet popcorn, caramel corn specifically, of course. These are made from puffed rice, so they’re easily digestible, and they taste great. 

These two swaps are good for ease and convenience, but there's another option. You can do a homemade swap as well. There are two healthy, high-protein grains that can be popped just like popcorn on your stove-top at home: quinoa and amaranth. Technically, quinoa is a seed, but it has similar properties to grains, and it’s much healthier. It’s my personal preference, but either one will be a good pick. So, here’s the recipe, and the directions.

You’ll need:

-1/2 to 1 cup of quinoa or amaranth (pre-washed)

-1/2 to 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil

-Any desired seasonings, such as salt, pepper, powdered cheese, Italian seasoning, cinnamon and brown sugar, anything herbs, spices, etc that you want to use.

Directions: Put pan over medium-high heat. Add ½ teaspoon of oil to the pan, then add about ¼ a cup of quinoa or amaranth. Don’t overcrowd the pan; you want the bottom of the pan to have light, single-layer covering. Stir the grains with a wooden or heat-safe (not metal) spoon and watch as they begin to pop. It can get a little crazy; you’ll hear them pop, and some may even pop right out of the pan (especially so with amaranth). It’s ok, most will stay in. Amaranth will change in color when popped, from yellow to white (sound familiar?), while quinoa turn a toasty-brown color. 

Keep stirring so they don’t get burned and all of the grains have a chance to pop. Once most of them have popped, remove them from the pan to a bowl, toss in your choice of seasoning, and toss to coat. Continue to do this in batches until you have the desired amount (you can do it in batches, putting each batch into the same bowl and season them at the end if you like, or do separate bowls so you can try out different flavors). You can even drizzle in a little butter if you like, or use “butter flakes”, found on your cooking/baking isle or popcorn/snack isle.

Some flavor ideas:

-Pizza flavored: Sprinkle with dried parmesan cheese topping and Italian seasoning

-Traditional: Season with salt and butter to taste, or try the powdered butter-flavored seasoning I mentioned above

-Sweet: Sprinkle with cinnamon, a dash of nutmeg, and a little brown sugar. Yum!

-Sweet #2: Make a trail mix variety by adding in chocolate chips and dried fruit.

Please note that these are both grains as well, and you may tolerate them better than popcorn, or you may not. IBD dietary issues are sometimes trial and error, and everyone is different. Start with a small amount and see how you do before consuming bigger quantities. 

I hope this post has given you guys some ideas!

Until next time, I hope everyone is as happy and healthy as they can be!

Staying Hydrated: Isotonic and Hypotonic Beverages

Hey, everyone. Lots of changes going on in my life right now, so I apologize for the slow release of posts. But today I have a good one for ya, and I know some of you are eagerly waiting.

Ostomates, people with IBD, or other illnesses can suffer from dehydration. As someone with an ileostomy, I'm particularly at risk, as is anyone with an ileostomy. This is because we're losing a large quantity of water through our ostomy due to our shortened bowel. But we're losing more than just water; it also flushes out many of our electrolytes, like sodium and potassium. And despite what you may think, drinking plain old water just doesn't help us recover.

When you lose a large amount of fluid from your body, you also lose electrolytes. Drinking plain water will only replace some of the fluid loss, and it won't replace the electrolytes; in fact, it dilutes them. And if you have an ileostomy, drinking plain water could make you even more dehydrated. So what should you be drinking?

There are different kinds of drinks. That is, every beverage falls into one of 3 categories. The ones I'll be talking about are Isotonic and Hypotonic. Isotonic drinks are things like sports drinks, specifically Gatorade, Powerade, etc. Isotonic drinks replace fluid loss, electrolytes, and supply carbohydrates (sugar in this case) for energy. But these store-bought varieties contain too much sugar. And the high level of sugar is only necessary as a fuel source, for times when you're going to need an extra boost of energy; ie, long runs, hiking, etc. So what about those of us that don't need that added sugar (carbohydrate)? We just need something that will replace the electrolytes and fluid without the added carbs. We do need a bit of sugar, as studies show that it helps the body to optimally absorb the electrolytes and fluid. But too much sugar in an everyday beverage can have negative effects. So, we remove the excessive sugar, and what we're left with is a Hypotonic beverage. This type of beverage replaces the fluid and electrolytes without the extra carbohydrates.

Here's the specific break down:

Isotonic Beverage: quickly replaces fluid loss and supplies extra carbohydrates (sugar, or glucose specifically). This drink is ideal for athletes like runners and others that rapidly lose fluid via sweat.

Hypotonic beverage: quickly replaces fluid loss without added carbs. This is suitable for those that have fluid loss but don't need the rapid energy boost of extra glucose.

I have concluded that Hypotonic beverages are optimal for ostomates, people with IBD, and other conditions that cause a loss of fluids. But don't go chugging down that Gatorade! Remember, it has a bunch of sugar, and falls into the Isotonic category. Here's a recipe to make your own Hypotonic drink to have throughout the day. It will replace the fluid and help restore and balance your electrolytes. This is what I personally use. :-)

• 32 ounces of Water (I use tap water because too much filtered, purified water is bad for you- a post on that later, perhaps?)
• Lemon juice, approximately 3 table spoons
• 1 pinch of sea salt, approximately 1/2 teaspoon
• 3 tablespoons of frozen orange juice concentrate (this is our bit of sugar that allows better absorption)

Put all of these things into a bottle and shake well. Give it a minute to allow the salt to dissolve. Chill if desired.

If you are working out and find that you DO need some extra carbs for fuel, double the amount of OJ concentrate.

I'm still learning all about these things and developing different formulas. This is my current perfected version, but I imagine I'll be able to make it even more exact in the future. I'm in the process of writing my next short book on the subject, so if you're interested in more of the science behind it, causes of dehydration, risks and symptoms, how different electrolytes work in the body/why they're needed, and more things in this category, then keep an eye out for the release in the near future.

Until next time!

Aloe Infused Water

Hey, everyone. I've been really under the weather for the last week and a half or so, but hopefully on my way to feeling better. I was at the pharmacy earlier, and saw that they had really nice aloe vera plants for sale. Then I logged on and got a little article on FB about the benefits of aloe vera infused water, which I was already aware of, but thought I'd share with ya'll. I tried a store-bought variety once, but it was pretty awful tasting, and I just couldn't get it down. I know aloe isn't the best tasting stuff in the world, but if you make your own infused water, I feel like it's bound to better. Plus, you're free to customize it however you like!

Some of the benefits of ingesting aloe infused water:

Digestive

Aloe contains compounds that help heal and sooth skin externally and internally. It can decrease irritation in the digestive tract, and help to heal ulcers in the stomach and intestine. Aloe juice can also help with inflammation in the bowel, as frequently seen in colitis, IBS, and other inflammatory conditions.

Immune System

Aloe contains anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-fungal properties. These things can aid the body's immune system in cleansing of toxins. This assistance to the immune system also helps to balance it out in general, which can result in a reduction of things like seasonal allergies, and chronic inflammatory conditions.

Heart Health

Ingesting aloe vera juice can also improve heart health! It assists in the body's blood circulation. Some research suggests that it may even help to decrease total fat in patients with high cholesterol, which results in a reduction of fatty deposits and blood clots in the arteries.

Possible Adverse Effects 

As with any homeopathic or prescription medication, everyone responds differently. A possible side effect of ingesting aloe is diarrhea, due to a natural laxative found in the plant. 

Please use your best judgement and/or consult your physician prior to using this or any other homeopathic remedy. This is not meant to diagnose, cure, or prevent any disease or illness. This is meant to inform of the possible health benefits of aloe infused water/aloe juice.

To make your own aloe-infused water, just dice up a small bit of fresh aloe and drop it into a glass of chilled water. Allow to sit and chill for a few minutes to allow the aloe to thoroughly infuse. Then drink up! You can customize this by adding lemon or lime, other diced fruits, or even infusing tea or juice with aloe in place of water.