What I Eat: Amy's Sonoma burgers

 These vegetarian Sonoma burgers are gluten and corn free. This keeps me in remission. I had a burger on one of my bagels from against the grain and spread with ketchup made without white vinegar or corn syrup. The brand is Noble Made. 

I fry my Sonoma burger in olive oil. Best to keep it frying for a while to make it crispy.

They come frozen. You take them out as needed and fry them up. Delicious!

#Amys #Amyssonoma #sonomaburgers #cornfree #glutenfree #Crohns #beatcrohns

#foodasmedicine #crohnsflare #crohnsdiet #Dietforcrohns

Y Q Protein yogurt by Yoplait

 Yum! These yogurts have perfect taste and texture. They are made with low-fat milk, surprisingly.  I was shocked that they are only 130 calories. Another nice benefit is 15 grams of protein. The creaminess was so good. No starches or corn syrup. Highly recommend. 

Comes in blueberry, strawberry and vanilla.

Found at my local grocery store. 

#yoplait #YQprotein #cornfree #glutenfree #crohns #crohnsflare #crohnsdiet 

#naturalcurecrohns #foodasmedicine #beatcrohns

Chiobani probiotic yogurt: gimmick or added benefit

 I found this new yogurt by Chiobani in my local grocery store. The taste was good. Plenty of flavor and nice and creamy. It comes in peach, blueberry and strawberry. No starches or corn syrup. 

They named it Chiobani probiotic because they added extra probiotics to the naturally occurring probiotics in the yogurt. A lot of yogurt companies already do this. They just don't name their products after it.

Gimmick or added benefit? Really both. I already take extra probiotics in capsule form. I don't mind a little extra. So, yea its kind of a gimmick, but also beneficial.

#Chiobani #crohns #glutenfree #cornfree #beatcrohns #crohnsflare #naturalcurecrohns 

#foodasmedicine #probiotics

Fruit salad

 One thing that I love to eat, especially in the summer, is fruit salad. Any and all fruit agrees with me. Full of soluble fiber to feed my micro-dome I eat fruit several times a day.  There are also tons of nutrients. Today I had mine with my homemade banana bread.

Fruits can also be blended into a smoothie or juiced.

One note: Not recommend to eat seeded fruit during an active flare. This would include such fruits as strawberries, raspberries and blackberries. 

Perfect combination when paired with yogurt.

#crohns #crohnsflare #glutenfree #cornfree #foodasmedicine #curecrohns #howibeatcrohns

#healnaturally #crohnsdiet #dietforcrohns

Sauerkraut

 

Sauerkraut is, of course, fermented cabbage. It contains more of the probiotic lactobacillus  than yogurt, and of course is dairy free. It also contains a nice amount of vitamin C and K as well as fiber. It also contains smaller amounts of Calcium, Magnesium, Iron and Phosphorus. Known as an anti-inflammatory food it has been used for stomach ailments for decades if not centuries. 

It is suggested to start slow when first eating sauerkraut since it can cause some stomach upset at first. I would start with one tablespoon with dinner to see how your body reacts. 

There is literally nothing more delicious than homemade sauerkraut. My brother made a fresh batch on a recent visit. The difference between homemade and commercial was huge. Also I have seen some commercial sauerkrauts that contain actual vinegar as an ingredient. I avoid white vinegar as it is a corn derivative and will flare my Crohn's.  

There are dozens of videos on YouTube for how to make homemade sauerkraut. Here is one link: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUwC7bTjLkQ

Its really an easy process It just takes patience because it takes at least 5 days for things to start fermenting. Well worth it though and very inexpensive.

#sauerkraut #cornfree #glutenfree #foodasmedicine #crohns #crohnsdiet #crohnsflare 

#naturalcurecrohns #beatcrohns #lactobacillus #probiotics

Ful Madamas

 Ful Mudamas is a middle eastern food usually served for breakfast. The flavors are amazing. If you like stuffed grape leaves and humus, you will like this. We usually have it for dinner. Traditionally this recipe uses fava beans. However they are sometimes hard to find. I use chic peas in stead.

Why this fits in with my diet to control Crohn's: First off and most importantly this dish is gluten and corn free. And although it does contain dairy, the benefit from the yogurt offsets the potential gassiness. Always check that the yogurt is pure and free from added starches, which they sometimes do. 

Ingredients:

2 cups plain yogurt

1 can chic peas

2 tablespoons tahini

2 cloves garlic (optional)

2 tomatoes

large bunch of parsley

4 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice

olive oil (to taste)

paprika (to taste)

Directions:

1. Divide yogurt, tahini and chic peas between two bowels. 
2. Mince garlic and divide between bowels
3. rough chop tomatoes and parsley and divide
4. drizzle with olive oil
5. drive with lemon juice
6. sprinkle paprika
7. heat in microwave for 60 to 90 seconds

Enjoy! Makes 2 servings

#Fulmudamas #cornfree #glutenfree #crohns #foodasmedicine

#crohnsflare #crohnsdiet #naturalcurecrohns #SCD

Product Alert

 I am always talking about how companies can change ingredients at any time. This is why it is important to read the ingredients of every product, every time, even ones that you use all the time.

Very very disappointed that Siete now uses xanthan gum in some of their tortillas. It seems that some of them do not, specifically the extra large burrito wraps. The chic pea ones do not contain the xanthan gum either. However the important thing is to read the labels. I made this mistake myself and only realized it after I got home.

Xanthan gum is a derivative of corn. In the absence of gluten, it helps things to hold together better. In order to keep my Crohn's in remission, I avoid all gluten and corn. And this includes all derivatives of gluten and corn. This is why I must avoid xanthan gum. These tortillas had been a staple for me. I will probably just buy the extra large but check the label every time.

Probiotic PB8

 Another thing that I changed during my virus was my probiotic. Not all probiotics are the same. There are many different strains of the probiotics. Each of these strains affect people differently. We all have our personal microbial community.

I had used PB8 before but not sure why I changed. I had always had good results from this brand. It is actually a bit cheaper too, which did not make it less effective. There are no gluten or corn ingredients.

It may be wise to try different brands to see which one is right for you. It also helps to eat yogurt and eat gut friendly prebiotics that feed the good bacteria in our gut. These prebiotics include sauerkraut, kimchi as well as gluten free grains such as whole grain oats, fruits and vegetables. These foods feed the good bacteria and allow them to thrive.

Siete Hot Sauce

 In honor of Cinco de Mayo, I decided to break open my new bottle of Siete hot sauce. Siete uses apple cider vinegar instead of white distilled vinegar, which is the usual for hot sauces. White distilled vinegar is a big no no for me as it is derived from corn and will flare me. In addition to being compliant with my diet to control Crohn's, the apple cider vinegar lends a more favorable, subtle fruity experience

I paired the hot sauce with Siete tortilla chips and some homemade guacamole. Yum. Has been a long time.

Siete hot sauces come in four different flavors including chipotle, habanero, jalapeño and traditional. I had the chipotle. It was quite flavorful and somewhat mild. I've really been missing hot sauce in my life!

L-Glutamine

 One supplement that I used to recover from my last virus is L-Glutamine. L-Glutamine is one of the amino acids. Favored by body builders as a muscle building supplement. L-Glutamine has shown promise for soothing burns and quelling inflammation. It has been used for the treatment of leaky gut. I had not used this supplement before, but come away quite impressed. It seemed to turn things around for me in about three days.    

This particular brand is pure L-Glutamine. Nothing added that could cause more flare. It comes in powder     form which is mixed with water and taken on an empty stomach. I took about a teaspoon once in the morning. I actually mixed it with my daily green powder.  L-Glutamine can also be found in capsule form. There is no taste.

This is something I would use only during a flare. It seems to have great ability to heal. However it may not be needed during good times.

Crohn's, Covid, and the Covid Vaccine

 Some may have noticed that I have been quite inactive for the month of April. Well, it was a pretty bad month of being sick and I was left devoid of any energy to do much, let alone Blog. I had a Covid like virus which lasted for several weeks. It was not actual Covid. I was tested three times. However it was just as bad, with all the same lovely symptoms, fever, chills, diarrhea, nausea, headache, exhaustion and nasal drip. 

And of course it went straight to my colon. I started to flare. I got through this virus without having to be hospitalized. I do believe that it was only because of my strict diet that I got through with only minor flaring. It was nasty. I also rested a lot, drank tons of water and took immune supplements including B complex, zinc, D, elderberry syrup and fish oils.

Just when I was feeling better I was due to get my second Covid shot. As you can guess, it knocked me back down for a few days. Fever and chills and all. 

Take away: I believe that taking the vaccine is still a personal choice. These Covid and Covid like viruses are nasty. Really nasty. They will go straight to the colon. The Covid shot did cause a reaction in me but only for two days. I am glad to have gotten the shots to prevent serious complications in the future. If I had gotten actual Covid, I don't know if I would have gotten through it as well. Decisions on whether or not to take the vaccine to be left for discussion with personal care physician.

Supplements: Slippery Elm

 Slippery elm comes from the bark of the slippery elm tree. Historically it was used by Native Americans to soothe sores, burns and skin ulcers. It is also known as a treatment for sore throat. When combined with water it forms a soothing mucilage that can calm the intestinal track by coating it with the gel like herb.

I take slippery elm on an empty stomach with a full glass of water. Slippery elm will  absorb the water and push this soothing gel through the intestines. So its great for constipation. It should not be taken with medicines as it can reduce their effectiveness. This is useful when flaring and not meant as a preventative.

Caution: There may be a possible allergic reaction for those allergic to elm pollen or peach.

When I do take it, which is rare these days, I take two capsules with a full glass of water 2 or 3 times a day on an empty stomach. This of course is in addition to my strict diet. 

Caution: Do not take if pregnant.

Amaranth

 Amaranth is a naturally gluten free grain. Amaranth is a tiny seed, similar to quinoa and packed with nutrition. Amaranth is particularly high in protein, fiber, iron, manganese and magnesium. It's said to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties as well. In some studies it was also shown to lower cholesterol and help control weight. 

Amaranth can be ground into a flour or cooked whole. It can even be popped like popcorn.

I recently tweaked my favorite banana bread recipe for an Amaranth cook book. Here it is:

Ingredients:
2 very ripe bananas
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup milk (or milk substitute) 
1 tsp vanilla 
1/2 cup applesauce 

3/4 cup brown sugar 
1 Tablespoon coconut oil  melted
3/4 cup Amaranth flour 
1/4 cup ground flax seed 
1/4 cup almond flour 
1/4 cup gluten free raw rolled oats 
1/2 cup rice flour 
2 tsp baking powder (featherweight) 
1/2 tsp salt 
cinnamon to taste
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional) 

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Mash bananas in a large bowl.
3. Add egg, milk, coconut oil, vanilla, applesauce and brown sugar; mix well.
4. Mix all dry ingredients in separate bowl.
5. Slowly stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients.
6. Mix in chocolate chips if desired.
7. Coat bread pan with oil or margarine, or use parchment paper.
8. Bake 45 minutes.

Makes one loaf.

Making Substitutions: mayonnaise

 With warmer weather coming soon it makes me think of cookouts and coleslaw. Yum except I can't eat traditional coleslaw dressing without it leading to a flare. 

To avoid flaring, I avoid all gluten and corn, as well as all derivatives of corn and gluten. Unfortunately this includes white distilled vinegar, found in regular mayonnaise. White vinegar is a derivative of corn. Mayonnaise may also contain corn syrup, another derivative of corn.

Fortunately for me I have Vegenaise. It's a mayonnaise made with regular sugar and apple cider vinegar. To me it tastes exactly the same.

Bonus: Here's how I made my coleslaw with dressing last night:

3 cups cabbage and carrots (shredded or rough chopped)(or try other veggies like green onion and broccoli)

1/3 cup Vegenaise

2 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 Tablespoon sugar

salt and pepper to taste

Making Substitutions: Soy Sauce

 Soy Sauce

Regular soy sauce is full of gluten. Many people who decide to go gluten free will give up the breads, bagels, cereals etc. But forget about sauces made with soy sauce. Gluten is found abundantly in this delicious condiment. And who doesn't love asian cooking?

 Solution (two actually): Gluten free soy sauce (Also known as Tamari) or Bragg's liquid aminos. I use both depending on availability. They taste very similar to me. Once they are mixed in with sauces and food, there is no difference.

Why these fit in with my diet to keep my Crohn's in remission: I avoid all gluten and corn. Regular soy sauce, with all its gluten would put me in a flare

This is why I must avoid all sauces and mystery seasonings. Unless I make it myself or know ALL the ingredients, I avoid it. 

So if you are bothered by Chinese take out, it may be a hint that it is actually the gluten in the soy sauce that upsets your stomach.

Some Chinese restaurants (PF Changs for one) offer gluten free sauce. I also occasionally get Chinese food without sauce. Just steamed vegetables with plain meat. But I also make sure that there is no starch on the meat. All that said, I usually make it myself to be 100 percent sure. 

Bonus, here's my recipe for Corn and Gluten free Sichuan beef:

https://howibeatcrohns-lynne.blogspot.com/search?q=sichuan