My Diet Basics (For keeping me in remission)

 Hello! Welcome to my Blog! It's been a while since I just went over the basics of how I beat Crohn's. So here is a review.

I have found through journaling and keeping track of everything I eat and drink, and the results, what I can and what I can not eat. Once the basics are learned it can be applied to any food.

Wheat

I started by eliminating all wheat in my diet. This meant pasta, bread, bagels, most cereals, muffins, cookies, cake, donuts etc. Anything that is made with flour. Wheat contains gluten. Now it would be fine to just avoid wheat,  except that gluten is found in other places even when there is no wheat flour. 

Gluten

There are other grains that contain gluten, not just wheat. These include barley, rye, and regular oats. However there are many grains that I can eat, such as millet, quinoa, buckwheat, tapioca, rice, amaranth, and gluten free oats. So there are plenty of flours I can use for baking my own breads etc.

Corn

I found that eliminating wheat and gluten was not enough. Corn was a big problem for me as well. In fact maybe more detrimental than the wheat and gluten. Corn unfortunately is everywhere. And goes by many names. Some examples are corn starch, corn meal, corn syrup, maize, hominy, popcorn, corn flakes and zein.

Soy Sauce

Big no no. Regular soy sauce is derived from wheat, not just soy. Chinese food was out. Had to learn how to cook it my self. There are substitutes, gluten free soy sauce and Bragg's liquid Aminos. 

Corn and Gluten derivatives

These are foods that are derived from wheat or corn, but you would never know it. This was KEY for me. It wasn't until I eliminated these foods that I achieved full remission. These include, but are not limited to: white distilled vinegar, mayo, pickles, ketchup, maltodextrin, malt, powdered sugar (sugar mixed with corn starch), mustard, salad dressings, and xanthan gum. A lot of these contain vinegar. I can use apple cider vinegar and use it on salads. 

It seems like it doesn't leave much to eat. It does. Now comes my blog. As you read further I have product reviews as well as recipes for foods that are safe for me. I never lack things to eat.

Meat and Other Proteins

I can eat any fish, chicken, beef and pork by itself. I can eat canned tuna or sardines packed in water. Its the breading and sauces that contain the gluten and corn derivatives that get me in trouble. I can also eat eggs, tofu and tempeh, as long as the tempeh does not contain barley, which some do. Any bean is ok. Canned beans sometimes contain corn syrup which must be avoided. Bacon must be free of corn syrup. It is possible to find a safe sausage but it's rare to find one free of gluten and corn derivatives.

I can not eat breaded meats, meats with sauce, meatballs or meatloaf (unless homemade), breaded or sauced fish or chicken. I also avoid hot dogs and lunch meats unless I know the ingredients. Hebrew National brand hot dogs are ok.

Fruits and Vegetables

I can eat literally any fruit or vegetable except corn. Now I must watch what goes on them. For salads I use olive oil and lemon juice or apple cider vinegar. I use butter or Earth Balance margarine for cooked vegetables. 

Dairy

Dairy is not recommended for Crohn's since it can cause a lot of gas. I use Lactaid milk with no problem. I eat plain yogurt and add my own sweetener, usually honey. Many commercial yogurts contain corn syrup as a sweetener or corn starch. I like cottage cheese but it usually contains vinegar. One exception is Daisy brand cottage cheese, made without vinegar. Not a fan of cheese, but hen I do it is most safe cut directly from the block. Shredded cheese may have unwanted starch.

Drinks

Other than water I can drink natural juices, soda made with real sugar (Pepsi Real sugar), lactaid or other milk substitutes, coffee and tea with natural sweeteners, and seltzer water.

I can not drink soda made with corn syrup. I avoid protein and energy drinks. Too many ingredients.

Alcoholic Drinks

I am able to drink wine and brandy as they are derived from fruit. 

I avoid all grain alcohol such as beer, whiskey, scotch and vodka.

How to Get Started

The first step for me was keeping a journal. I wrote down literally everything I ate and drank. I also wrote down the bathroom results. In this way I could see which foods were making me flare. At first I didn't see a connection. Then I started realizing that the foods which gave me problems contained either gluten or corn, or derivatives of gluten and corn. 

Please read further in my blog for recipes and products that are gluten and corn free.

The SCD Specific Carbohydrate Diet

This diet designed for IBD and Crohn's has been around for a long time. Though not yet accepted by the medical community, it has shown promise anecdotally and in some studies. My diet is close. actually a bit less restrictive. When I first designed my diet I had not heard of the Specific Carbohydrate Diet. Its amazing how close they are. The following charts taken out of my book, How I Beat Crohn's,  compares the two diets on what can and can not be eaten. This book is available through Amazon.

If you liked this story, consider following me for more info, reviews, recipes and more.

Beanitos

 For those of you missing corn tortilla chips this was a wonderful find! Beanitos skips the corn and uses beans to make these delicious and healthy chips.

The texture is very similar to corn, firm yet crunchy. Just the right amount of sea salt. Perfect size for dipping. I brought a bag of these chips with me while visiting my brother. While I was there my friends and family tried them and loved them. They do not need to eat gluten and corn free but still enjoyed them immensely. 

They contain 5 grams of protein per serving, not surprising since the main ingredient is beans. There is also a nice 4 grams of fiber per serving as well. The ingredients are beans, rice flour, tapioca flour, sunflower oil and sea salt. Pure and simple.

I recommend sticking with the black bean with sea salt, restaurant style with white beans,  Pinto bean with sea salt, as well as the Beanitos Dippers made with white beans and sea salt.

The most important thing is that these chips fit in with my restrictive diet. I must avoid all gluten and corn as well as corn derivatives. There is no corn in these chips. I would avoid the flavored chips as they can contain some corn derivatives. 

These chips can be found at Whole Foods and other natural retailers as well as on line at Amazon. Great with your favorite salsa. I used Whole Foods mango salsa.

Rethinking Diet

To me diet is essential. It is THE way that I control my Crohn's disease. I do not take medicines of any kind. I have designed a diet that works for me. I discovered this diet through trial and error. By carefully journaling everything that I ate and drank I was able to figure out which foods affected my colon and sent me into a flare.

At first it seemed like the foods that upset my colon had nothing in common. Just random. Once I thought deeper about the ingredients in foods it all became crystal clear. All the foods that affected me contained either gluten or corn. Sometimes just things that were derived from gluten and corn affected me as well. These were ingredients such as soy sauce, mayo, corn syrup, ketchup, mustard, pickles and white vinegar. Eliminating these ingredients were essential.

The results were fantastic. My last colonoscopy showed NO signs of Crohn's disease. Total remission through diet. Now of course this was not a cure. If I eat any of the foods mentioned above I will start to flare again.

I have heard people say "gluten free never really worked for me". Well a lot of gluten free products use corn as a way to make them heartier and have better texture. If gluten free products make you feel even worse, then it may point to corn as the culprit.

Others have said "My Doctor said it has nothing to do with diet". I can only point to personal experience here. Keep in mind that Celiac has everything to do with diet. We now know this as a fact. I believe that Crohn's is a sister disease that is affected by gluten (like Celiac) AND corn.

This blog contains many good recipes that I am able to eat without problems. Of course everyone is different so it may not work for everyone. I also do many product reviews of gluten and corn free foods.

Xanthan substitute

Ok this is sweet! Really nice! This company, Pamela's, has come out with a substitute product for xanthan and guar gum. These are generally used in baking products and add to the texture. They make gluten free less crumbly and more chewy delicious.

Of course, I avoid all gluten and corn as well as gluten and corn derivatives in order to control my Crohn's disease. I am on no medication and I am in total remission from the disease. I discovered this diet through trial and error.

Xanthan is a derivative of corn. And it'll flare me. This is one of the ingredients I never eat.

Above are pictures of my latest bread using this product. I just added 3 teaspoons to the usual recipe. The results were good. Would recommend this product.

I bought it at Whole Foods for a little more than 5 dollars and it will last a long while.

The importance of checking labels

Well tonight I kind of made a mistake. I can usually eat Altoid mints without problems. They're quite delicious. Ive had them dozens of times and did not check the label. Something about the texture felt off. So I checked the label and they are now using CORN STARCH as one of the ingredients. It may flare me. We'll see in the morning. I won't really know till then. This just demonstrates the importance of always checking the labels, every time, since things can change.

Teen dies due to severe allergic reaction

Below is a link to a story of a teen who recently died due to a severe reaction to dairy. He talked to the wait staff but was not full informed of all the ingredients. This tragedy should never have to happen. His family is now pushing to require all restaurants to list all ingredients in their foods.

https://www.foxnews.com/health/teen-dairy-allergy-byron-buttermilk-chicken

Treating Crohn's with worms

Ok this is totally new to me. Apparently there is a new treatment for Crohn's that introduces microscopic worms into the intestines. This is done through a doctor's office and can be taken as a liquid that contains worm eggs. Ummmmm yuck. But apparently it has had worked on some patients. When the worms attach to the lining of the intestines it produces an anti-inflammatory effect. Not currently available in the United States.

  This is NOT something you can do yourself and there are side effects. Click on the link below to read the article.

https://www.healthline.com/health/crohns-disease/hook-worms

Found this beauty at Whole Foods. Just like the Ramen noodles eaten by college students everywhere, except healthier. It did come in other varieties as well. The nice thing about these noodles, other than being gluten free and corn free, is that they only take a few minutes to cook. I added vegetables and dry sea weed to make it more of a meal. Nice texture as well.

Eat the Rainbow

We all know the importance of eating lots of fruits and vegetables every day. They provide an abundance of phytonutrients along with fiber. They are low fat and full of flavor. They can be used in tons of recipes. Each color provides a different combination of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. 

In order to keep a healthy gut it is important to get both soluble and insoluble fibers. Soluble fibers can dissolve in water and are found in such things as apples, citrus fruits and bananas as well as oats, beans and rice. Insoluble fibers can not be dissolved in water and are not broken down by the intestines. They can be found in root vegetables such as carrots as well as cucumber, celery and edible seeds such as berries. 

Soluble fiber breaks down in the intestinal tract and is used for food to feed the healthy bacteria that lives there. These healthy bacteria keep our gut in balance and keep down any inflammation. This type of fiber is also responsible for lowering cholesterol. 

Insoluble fiber cannot be digested or absorbed. It pushes things along the intestinal track and prevents constipation. Some of it may be broken down by healthy bacteria. 

The more variation the better. Try to eat the rainbow, different colors of fruit and vegetables throughout the day. 

Of course the above picture shows corn as a healthy choice. I do not recommend eating corn in any form. This is how I was able to get my Crohn's under control.

Gluten and Corn Free Sichuan Beef

Being both gluten free and corn free makes it virtually impossible to eat out at Chinese restaurants. I really miss good Chinese food. This Sichuan beef recipe was really good and really quick. I started with flank steak that was already shredded, that I found at Whole Foods. You can also start with a pound of flank steak and slice it yourself.

Ingredients:

* 1 pound flank steak shredded or cut in thin strips
* 4  celery ribs, cut julienne
* 2 carrots, cut into ribbons
* 1 green onion, sliced
* 1/4 cup canola oil
* 2 Tablespoons potatoes starch
* 1 and 1/2 tsp sesame seed oil
* 4 Tablespoons gluten free soy sauce or Bragg's liquid aminos
* 1 Tablespoon creamy peanut butter
* 3 tsp brown sugar
* 1/4 tsp garlic powder
* 1 tsp minced ginger
* hot pepper flakes to taste
*2 cups cooked rice, if desired


Directions:

1. If meat is not pre shredded, cut into thin strips
2. cut celery, carrot and green onion in strips, ribbons and slices
3. In large bowl combine steak strips with potatoes starch, toss well to coat all sides
4. Heat oil in non stick pan
5. Add meat to pan, stirring frequently till cooked, several minute
6. Add vegetables and ginger, cook until desired tenderness
7. In small bowl, mix soy sauce, sugar, garlic powder, peanut butter and desired pepper flakes
8. whip together
9 Add sauce to pan and stir
10. serve with rice

New Name for High Fructose Corn Syrup

In order to keep my Crohn's in remission, I avoid all gluten and corn in my food. This includes all gluten and corn derivatives such as high fructose corn syrup. People are becoming aware that these substances can cause a lot of problems in some people. Manufacturers know that people are demanding a change. Well, that costs money. High fructose corn syrup is cheaper to use that white cane sugar. So instead of making the switch, they are renaming high fructose corn syrup, sometimes to just "fructose" which can be very misleading! See link below for the story:

http://achnews.org/2019/08/01/high-fructose-corn-syrup-has-been-quietly-deceitfully-renamed/?fbclid=IwAR3QOUrQ-1E-RHP7JC-_eItP4qN_Dp0YVCSPKvD-VcZSmS8NQ3aKrdkk5Rg

Gluten Free Corn Free S'mores

 Who doesn't love s'mores? But impossible when you're gluten free and corn free. Not anymore. You just have to know which brands to use. Marshmallows are made with corn syrup. And graham crackers of course are made with wheat flour.

For the marshmallows I use Dandies. They taste exactly the same as regular marshmallows. Bonus, they're also vegan.

For the graham cracker I used Kinnikinnick brand. They were not exactly the same but they were good.

I used regular Hershey bars for the chocolate.

Banana chocolate chip pancakes

 Here is my recipe for gluten free and corn free pancakes. I avoid both gluten and corn to keep myself in remission from Crohn's.

I also need to avoid all gluten and corn derivatives, such as corn syrup. I only use pure maple syrup. Most commercial brands of pancake syrup use corn syrup, so be careful to check the label.

Ingredients:

* 2 eggs
* 1 ripe banana
* 1/4 cup milk (or milk substitute)
* 1 tsp vanilla extract
* 1/3 cup oat flour
* 1/3 cup rice flour
* 1/3 cup almond flour
* 1 Tablespoon ground flaxseed
  * 1/2 tsp baking soda
  * 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  * 1/4 tsp salt
  * chocolate chips to taste
* 2 to 3 tablespoon butter or margarine


Directions:

1. Add all ingredients, except chocolate chips to bender
2. blend until smooth
3. pour into bowl
4. fold in chocolate chips
5. melt butter in pan over medium heat
6. pour batter into pan in pancake sizes
7. allow pancake to cook until golden brown on each side
8. remove from pan and serve with maple syrup

Makes 8 to 10 small pancakes




Suggestions:

* Always be sure to use pure maple syrup. Commercial brands use corn syrup
* A great egg substitute to try is ground flaxseed:
  1 egg = 1 table spoon flaxseed and 3 tablespoon water
  mix and let sit for 5 minutes to thicken
* You can experiment with different flours, such as garbanzo or quinoa flours
* you can also try blueberries instead of the chocolate chips

Clinical Study using a version of the Paleo diet shows improvement for patients with IBD

It seems that I am reading more and more about studies that tested the usefulness of dietary changes for people with IBD. Below is a link to a study that was done in 2016 using a version of the Paleo diet, known as the Paleo Autoimmune Protocol (AIP). This diet was formulated to reset the immune system by eating foods that will not inflame the intestines. When inflammation occurs it sets off an autoimmune response. This diet is meant to reset the immune system.

The AIP diet excludes grains, legumes, dairy, refined seed oils, refined sugar and food additives. It also recommends eliminating alcohol, eggs, nuts, seeds, nightshade vegetables and coffee.

The study was conducted over an 11 week period. A baseline was established based on severity of symptoms at the onset of the study. Patients were tested again after 6 weeks. They were then put on a maintenance diet for another 5 weeks.

This was a very small study, starting with only 18 patients. 3 patients dropped out of the study due to the inability to stick with it. Not an easy diet to follow.

Of the 15 patients who were able to maintain this diet 11 achieved remission!! That's 73 percent!!!  And all of them stayed on the diet for an additional 5 weeks and stayed in remission. That is as good as some drug studies, and without side effects.

Take away: Although this was a small study it was quite amazing. We are hearing more and more about studies using diet to treat IBD. Look, it's hard to change diet. It's our emotions, our traditions, family, security and comfort. Perhaps a few small changes at a time could lead to big results.

Below is a link to the original study.


https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5647120/

Now in book form

I am happy to announce that my blog is now available in book form at Amazon.com and Barnesanadnoble.com. In this book I detail how I discovered that I had Crohn's disease and the steps I took to beat it. I detail my diet, as well as compare it to the Specific Carbohydrate Diet. I also include 25 delicious gluten and corn free recipes that get me through the day, without flaring me. Please see links below.

Link to Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0359734278/ref=nav_timeline_asin?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Link to Barnes and Noble:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-i-beat-crohns-lynne-frankenbery/1132322676?ean=9780359734276

Krusteaz Gluten Free Brownies

 This brand is both gluten free and corn free. I got it at Walmart in the gluten free section. When we made it, we substituted milk for the water, and melted butter for the oil.  Milk substitute can also be used. We also used 2 eggs instead of 1. This made it even better. But I think it would still be good when original recipe is used.

Blueberries for intestinal disease

A new study came out showing good outcomes using blueberries. It seems that when blueberries are combined with a probiotics, the outcome is even better at calming things down. I think it's a winning combination anyhow.


See link below for the story:

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100208145055.htm?fbclid=IwAR0drL_z1FvbGxcAQQFV1ZC3-KgUBOYD0n7O0nQ3ps1KQezFgVAknNsrPB8

Dr Praeger's Spinach Littles

These are just yummy! I don't have small children in the house, but I buy these all the time for myself. They taste like tater tots, but with the added benefit of spinach. Gluten and corn free, of course. They also make ones that are made with kale instead of spinach.

What I Eat; Thai Green Curry Sauce

I have been using this sauce for quite a while now and absolutely love it! It's sweet, tangy and spicy all rolled into one. Great for leftovers, especially if they are a bit dry. Today I used it on my leftover tofu. Please note, it is not vegetarian. It does contain fish.

I got this at Whole Foods. While it was pretty expensive, around 8 dollars for a jar, you only use a little bit. A small amount goes a long way, so it contains several servings per jar.

Eating Out Safely

There is nothing more annoying than trying to have a nice dinner out and being interrupted by bathroom issues. It can also cause a lot of anxiety, worrying if tonight's dinner will ruin tomorrow morning. Unless you cook something yourself, it's hard to know every ingredient that goes into food cooked at a restaurant. For this reason, I don't go out often. But when I do, this is the strategy I use to eat out, safely.

Vegetables, Fruits, and Meats

The safest foods on any menu are the single ingredient ones. This means vegetables, fruits and meat with nothing added, such as seasonings or sauces.

As long as there is no sauce, a side of fresh cooked vegetables like broccoli or green beans is great! Except, of course, corn. I avoid corn in all forms. Even a bit of butter is good on the side vegetables if you can tolerate dairy. Just avoid margarine since it can contain corn oil. Whipped butter is a good alternative.

All fruits are great choices as long as they are fresh. Canned fruits can contain high fructose corn syrup which is a big no-no. This is more of a problem during the winter since fruits are seasonal.

Meat is almost always a good choice as long as there is no breading and no sauce. Steak, grilled chicken and baked fish are just a few examples and are all fairly safe. Burgers are usually fine and a lot of places are now offering them on a lettuce bun. Just no ketchup, mustard, pickles, bbq sauce, mayonnaise or relish. These contain distilled white vinegar and/or corn syrup. Distilled white vinegar is a derivative of corn.

Potatoes

Nothing goes better with meat than potatoes! Fries sound good. However, there are two issues here. First, french fries are cooked in oil. Sometimes this same oil is used and reused to fry other foods that are full of gluten. The oil may also be corn oil. Secondly, to make french fries taste better, they are sometimes soaked in corn syrup. This is especially true of the frozen fries. Luckily, I've found a few restaurants where I can eat the fries, including Five Guys Burgers that uses peanut oil.

If I'm not sure about the fries, I will usually stick to a baked potato with butter. Also, avoid the sour cream as it usually contains distilled white vinegar. However, Daisy brand sour cream does not contain vinegar and agrees with me. Mashed potatoes are also not a good choice because they can contain so many ingredients that may flare me.

Appetizers and Salads

Appetizers are not usually a safe choice because most are breaded and fried. I can get humus if it's on the menu, but pass on the pita bread. Shrimp cocktail is good too, but without the sauce. Some restaurants will also offer raw cut vegetables.

Salads are a good choice but must be ordered without dressing. You can ask for a side of olive oil, but make sure it is pure and doesn't contain added corn oil. You can also add fresh lemon. No croutons, of course. Also be sure to leave off anything that might contain vinegar, such as hot peppers or capers.

Gluten Free Pasta (but be careful!)

If gluten free noodles are available, be sure to question whether or not they contain corn. A lot of gluten free pastas tend to contain corn. Corn adds a nice flavor and texture, but is deadly to my colon.

Drinks

As far as drinks are concerned, the safest bet is plain water, maybe with some lemon. Anything sweet can potentially contain corn syrup and the diet drinks contain sugar substitutes which are also derived from corn. I might also order hot tea, but have to check the creamer for corn syrup. Bring your glasses or a younger member of your family; they're impossible to read!

Desserts

Desserts are hard. I only feel safe getting plain jello. Some restaurants offer gluten free options of cakes and cookies. But I never order these because I can't be sure of all the ingredients.

Talking To Your Waiter

The most important thing to do is to talk to the wait staff. Let them know that you have a food allergy. Although I have a gluten and corn intolerance which causes me to flare, I don't want them to think that I'm just being trendy or trying to lose weight. But restaurants are always accommodating for people with dietary restrictions so don't be afraid to talk to them. Also, I always leave a very nice tip for all their trouble and bombarding them with food questions!

It is sometimes a gamble and you might not know until the next day or later that night whether or not you made good choices. If you frequent a certain restaurant it is important to write down exactly what you ate and the results. In this way, you can put together a list of safe restaurants and safe foods.

It is also difficult to watch friends and family eating anything they want to without repercussions, while you sit there dutifully munching your vegetables like a rabbit.  Just keep in mind that it is the company you keep that is really important!