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Vegetables?

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CTBarristerCTBarristerMember
I made some fresh turnips yesterday. I chopped up the turnips, lightly coated them with olive oil, salt and pepper, baked them for 45 minutes at 375 degrees, and then mashed them up like mashed potatoes. If you can eat mashed potatoes, there is no reason why you can't eat mashed turnips. They are very high in vitamin C as well. On top of this, if you are on a budget, they are startlingly inexpensive. My dinner tonight will be chicken, leftover turnips, and leftover butternut squash which I also baked fresh yesterday. By the ways the Brits call turnips "neeps."

Lately I have tried some other nutritious fresh vegetables: Brussel sprouts and bok choy. The brussel sprouts I bought fresh, shredded and whole. The shredded I ate as a salad with a lemon, balsamic vinegar, olive oil and parmesan cheese dressing I made myself. I sauteed the remainder. The whole brussel sprouts I roasted in the oven.

The bok choy is sold in varities: organic, regular and baby bok choy. I like the organic. I stir-fry it in sesame oil and then add soy sauce and fresh ginger and a little white wine. Bok choy is rated among the top 5 most nutritious vegetables out there according to two different surveys I have read. The baby bok choy has a slightly different taste and are generally more expensive than the regular or organic. Also pretty good tasting and can be stir fried as well. Cooks up a little quicker and is a little more tender than the adult bok choy.
skn69skn69Member
I have a hand held mixer...a Godsend for me and my pouch...I cook all sorts of peas and beans in sauces for hubby (green beans, flat beans, yellow beans etc) and then I blend mine into a bean purée...Wonderful.
I make a really great tomato-avocado-cucumber salad that I serve hubby and then blend mine into a caspacho soup (cold soup)...
I eat a lot of steamed veggies like artichokes, asperagus, leaks etc...I just steam them the extra minute and then make a mustard vinagrette to dunk them in...no problems there.
I find that with the hand held blender I can cook anything I want for my family and then just blend my portion (or the leftovers for the next day) and eat without too much worry...I do the same with some fruits too, I make smoothies out of leftover fruitsalad from the previous night's dinner. It is my breakfast.
Sharon
SpookySpookyMember
Some of us will never be able to do the raw veggie thing, but it doesn't mean you have to forego veggies entirely.

If you are really having issues, many veggies like potatoes, squash (yes, a fruit, technically *LOL*), carrots, turnips, parsnips, yams, sweet potatoes, etc, can all be boiled or baked, and then mashed. You can remove the skins beforehand, as this is extra roughage you don't need.

As for other veggies like broccoli, beans, cauliflower, etc, etc, these can be boiled really well so that they are softer and therefore easier to digest, or else prepare them as a soup and puree them. Tasty, too!

Creamed spinach is another thing to try. There are many recipes online and I actually find spinach to be quite tasty, if prepared well.

Good luck!
SpookySpookyMember
Another couple of things I failed to mention earlier but just randomly popped into my head this morning:

Use frozen veggies rather than fresh. Most, like carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, etc, are blanched and then flash-frozen. This already cuts down on some of the roughage (ever notice how frozen broccoli is usually softer than broccoli cooked fresh?).

Also, boil, steam or microwave your veggies as opposed to stirfrying, as this generally makes them softer as well.
CTBarristerCTBarristerMember
Since I am on the Paleo Diet and have eliminated processed carbs, logic dictates that I offset that by consuming vegetables high in complex carbs. For this reason I am consuming lots of legumes - chick peas, and edamame. The edamame is steamed in a plastic bag in the microwave. I understand the supposed horror of microwaving vegetables in plastic bags, but that horror is hopefully offset by the fact that the edamame is in an inedible shell which protects the edible bean from whatever hidden horrors may exist.

I spoke to a registered dietician about my diet and strategy, and she suggested I try to get more starchy vegetables in my diet, and specifically recommended butternut squash. I buy the butternut squash fresh but pre-cut, and I either bake it or microwave it. I prefer the way it comes out baked. It's a really upstanding vegetable.

Sharon had mentioned Gazpacho and that is something I have made in the past in my food processor. There are so many different variations on it, that it is a dish you can really have fun with, if you have the creative culinary mind. I am sure Sharon does with her experience.

I would like to try and make some vegetable soups in my crockpot. Cream of cauliflower, with soy milk substituted for cream, is an idea I am toying with. I usually like to find a recipe and then modify it as I deem appropriate to my own taste/diet. If someone knows of a good recipe please post it. My mother made cauliflower soup Hungarian style with sour cream and onions added to the base broth. That was an interesting soup but sour cream is out now. So I would have to use soy milk, some other veggie milk or maybe yogurt. Sometimes I try recipe modifications and it backfires, but nothing ventured, nothing gained. You have to try and see how it works, just like that cooking show "Chopped". Sometimes weird ideas lead to great dishes, and sometimes they lead to disasters.
skn69skn69Member
Ct,
I have a basic stew/soup principal that works really well for me and no-brain cooking, here goes:
Choose 1 protien: beef, veal, lamb, chicken, fish etc (cheap cuts work best in the beef/veal catagorie)
Choose an aromatic vegetable: onion, garlic, shallots etc
Choose an herb base: parsley, cilatro, chives, basil, estragon, thyme, rosmary etc (yes you can combine them for some interesting flavours but if you are not used to fresh or dried herbs start out by using one at a thyme)
Choose a spice colour theme: yellow: Turmeric, cumin, saffron etc, Red: paprika, hot chili etc, Black & white: salt&pepper
Choose a veggie theme: green: peppers, green beans, broccoli, zucchini etc, yellow: squash, pumpkin, peppers, Red: peppers, tomatoes...
Choose a starch: rice, potatoes, noodles/pasta, couscous...etc
Choose a liquid base: Water, broth, tomato base or sauce, cream base
Start: sauté your protien with your aromatic veggie choice in a pot or pan until browned on all sides, add your herbs&spices, cover with boiling water or broth and let simmer until tender, Add your veggies, keep simmering then finally once well cooked (could take up to an hour for tougher meats, 20mins for fish, seafood and 1/2hr for chicken. If you are in a hurry do it in a pressure cooker, it takes 1/2 the time or if you have the time, a slow cooker...I make it in the oven too and it comes out great.
Finally add your base (tomato sauce or cream 15min before serving to thicken it up)and serve with rice, pasta (or drop your pasta into it), mashed potatoes etc
If you are worried about too many veggies then you can blend part of the stew/soup into a creamed version.
Hope this helps some of you get more veggies into your lives
Sharon
SpookySpookyMember
quote:
I do try to eat healthy food. Does anyone else feel as if they have been eating Lego a few hours after eating high fibre veg. My GP looked at me a little odd when I mentioned this.


I'm more aware of roughage moving through my system now, if that's what you mean. Smiler In particular, I often feel things moving through the old stoma site. Obviously that's where my bowel was resected, not to mention, I know I do have adhesions. But LOL on your GP comment! No, doctors don't quite understand our experiences.

Even 5 years out, I still prefer to avoid many raw vegetables. I'm generally okay with things like salad, spinach, cucumbers and tomatoes (all of which I eat on pretty much a daily basis), but outside of that and the occasional carrot or celery stick, I prefer to avoid raw veggies since I've had several blockages and partial blockages in the past (though not with the j-pouch; still, not a possibility I want to ever entertain again.)
A AnushkaMember
This thread is very encouraging to me - gives me hope that I will be able to eat fruits and veggies again. But it also confuses me a bit. The advice I've been given from my surgeon and his nurse is to avoid roughage because it will make my stool watery, increase frequency, thus leading to irritation, urgency, incontinence, etc. I'm only 5 weeks out from the takedown, and have been staying away from pretty much everything but bananas, apple sauce and very soft carrots and green beans in small quantities. This is the reason I've been worried about my nutritional status. (See my recent post asking for recos on "green" shakes to replace fruits and veggies: http://j-pouch.org/eve/forums?...217059136#2217059136)

Can those of you eating fruits and veggies give some perspective on this? Have I been given bad advice? Or is it a matter of time? How long should I wait to allow my pouch time to adjust before reintroducing fruits and veggies in their various forms (pureed, boiled, raw, etc.)? Do the fruits and veggies you all eat indeed make your stool watery, give you diarrhea, etc.? How do you deal with that? Take Imodium or other things to counter-balance?

I feel quite lost in the area of food and nutrition, which is a first for me. My staples have been whole grains, beans, fruits and veggies, and I'm under the impression I should avoid these. I've been told to eat white rice, pasta, potatoes, but I'm concerned about consequential health effects of eating a diet high in refined grains and starches long term.

Thanks for your advice!
Scott FScott FMember
Each of us reacts differently, but a few principles may help:
1) Moderation. Some (and perhaps most) foods are likely to be fine in small quantities. Large quantities are a different story.
2) Personalization. Pay attention to what you're eating, particularly if it doesn't go so well.
3) Simplification. If you add one food at a time you may have a prayer of understanding what your body's reaction means.
4) Observation. If it looks the same on the way out as it did going in, you either need to chew much better or choose a different food.
5) Experimentation. Some people swear by FODMAP. Others have good results with low-carb. Still others are juicing or making smoothies. Any system is fine to try, particularly if your current approach isn't working for you.
6) Patience. Be patient with your body, as it will continue to change. Be patient with your dietary changes, as some of them may only be effective over time. Be patient with yourself, as it can be very challenging to make sense out of confusing signals.
C cassiecassMember
Happy 4th

As someone posted we are all different.None of us know how well our pouches were made.The expertise of the surgeon.I had alot of woes.I do also have Endometriosis which feel is a contributer to my problems with digestion.
I stay away from any form of food (veggies and fruit ) which I cannot puree.I have no problem with them this way.I cooked as if I always do but then into the processor it goes.

Cassiecass
suebearsuebearMember
Anushka,

Please don't think that one j pouchers experience with fruits and vegetables will be YOUR experience. We all seem to be different. Try to eat a varied diet and see how it works for you. Really, I have no problem with a diet high in plant based foods. Lunch was raw carrots, celery, cucumbers and hummus followed by a giant bowl of watermelon. Dinner will be a large salad. This is the way I eat most days.
I don't have diarrhea and I don't take any medication for my bowel or otherwise.

Sue Big Grin
T tiesto81Member
It's really interesting reading how everyone is so different. I may be r naively thought that you can still eat most everything in time after your pouch heals but it sounds like many people cannot. Are there any statistics on what the majority of jpouchers are able to handle?

My hope was that with the exception of mushrooms, corn, and nuts (or any other jnskluable fibers) people in time can eat most everything. And even with the insoluables I thought it was just a matter of chewing even more than usual.

I've seen some YouTube videos of people recently out of takedown surgery that claim to be eating just like the pre UC days, or very close to it. I'm hoping once I get surgery, I will in time still be able to eat while wheats, veggies, and healthy things in addition to taking cheat days. But sounds like it is a big great unknown since our bodies are so variable!

I have a hard enough time trying to get in shape and eating bad carbs don't help. Bit having to go hardcore Paleo is something I don't feel I'd enjoy, since I like to balance and treat myself.

Anyways, didn't mean to derail the topic of veggies. Just an observation. Smiler
rachelravenrachelravenMember
I ate EVERYTHING for years after my j pouch surgery. EVERYTHING. Mushrooms, nuts, popcorn, corn, you name it. Never an issue.

I've had a few things be difficult to pass, like almonds when I didn't chew well, and a Portobella (still could eat button mushrooms).

I've had some other issues pop up with narrowing recently that scared me into going off heavy fiber, nuts, corn, and all mushrooms. Being careful with raw veggies, but still eating them, just making sure to chew, chew, chew. Doing a sort of modified Paleo, I suppose, as these days, I DON'T want too thick stool (my pouch is TOO efficient sometimes, these days, stuff canbe too thick), so I prefer a looser stool. I always say, early pouchers probably can't believe I have no issues or needs for thickeners and bowel slowers (never have), but that's me these days. Even need Milk of Magnesia every random once in awhile.
A AnushkaMember
Thanks to all of you for sharing your experience, advice and even lunch menus! You have done good in the world by taking the time to share! Understanding that we're all different, I'm still thrilled to hear that some J-pouchers can eat fruits, veggies and the works in various forms. This gives me hope and something to look forward to. I will bookmark this thread and refer to it often. Thank you Valerie Ann for initiating it.
CTBarristerCTBarristerMember
I have problems digesting corn on the cob, and salad, but excreting these veggies partially digested does not change based on whether I eat less or more.

Certain vegetables that are known to cause gas, cauliflower being a notable example, are going to cause more gas if you eat more. So you have to 1st identify what exactly the problem is with the particular vegetable. A lot of people have posted rather vaguely or obtusely that certain vegetables are issues but what those issues are can manifest as many different things.
tinyinktinyinkMember
CT, the paleo diet doesn't include eating legumes ... before my surgeries I was gluten free and then went on Paleo, for years.  Regardless, I am curious how things like chickpeas do with the j-pouch? I couldn't eat them before (they would cause terrible gas pain) so I am VERY afraid to try them now.
 
CTBarrister posted:
Since I am on the Paleo Diet and have eliminated processed carbs, logic dictates that I offset that by consuming vegetables high in complex carbs. For this reason I am consuming lots of legumes - chick peas, and edamame. The edamame is steamed in a plastic bag in the microwave. I understand the supposed horror of microwaving vegetables in plastic bags, but that horror is hopefully offset by the fact that the edamame is in an inedible shell which protects the edible bean from whatever hidden horrors may exist.

I spoke to a registered dietician about my diet and strategy, and she suggested I try to get more starchy vegetables in my diet, and specifically recommended butternut squash. I buy the butternut squash fresh but pre-cut, and I either bake it or microwave it. I prefer the way it comes out baked. It's a really upstanding vegetable.

Sharon had mentioned Gazpacho and that is something I have made in the past in my food processor. There are so many different variations on it, that it is a dish you can really have fun with, if you have the creative culinary mind. I am sure Sharon does with her experience.

I would like to try and make some vegetable soups in my crockpot. Cream of cauliflower, with soy milk substituted for cream, is an idea I am toying with. I usually like to find a recipe and then modify it as I deem appropriate to my own taste/diet. If someone knows of a good recipe please post it. My mother made cauliflower soup Hungarian style with sour cream and onions added to the base broth. That was an interesting soup but sour cream is out now. So I would have to use soy milk, some other veggie milk or maybe yogurt. Sometimes I try recipe modifications and it backfires, but nothing ventured, nothing gained. You have to try and see how it works, just like that cooking show "Chopped". Sometimes weird ideas lead to great dishes, and sometimes they lead to disasters.
tinyinktinyinkMember
suebear posted:
Anushka,

Please don't think that one j pouchers experience with fruits and vegetables will be YOUR experience. We all seem to be different. Try to eat a varied diet and see how it works for you. Really, I have no problem with a diet high in plant based foods. Lunch was raw carrots, celery, cucumbers and hummus followed by a giant bowl of watermelon. Dinner will be a large salad. This is the way I eat most days.
I don't have diarrhea and I don't take any medication for my bowel or otherwise.

Sue Big Grin

Do you find when eating raw veggies, that they don't digest all the way? I try to chew well but I've noticed this when eating lettuce, in particular and raw vegetables. My go-to, pre-surgeries was salad, I LOVE IT but now I'm afraid to have too much because my pouch seems sensitive. Granted, I'm only a month and half in. Thanks!

BobishBobishMember

Just to point out this thread you are posting too is 4 years old, but revived yesterday lol

 

Cooked veg is easier on digestion, and blended into a smoothie or soup even better.  I don't have a problem with an occasional lettuce leaf in a burger etc, but I'm not really an all out salad type.  Lentils and beans don't seem to cause me any big issues either, they don't fully digest (that's why blending is better)

WinterberryWinterberryMember

Hi, Tinyink. If you eat chickpeas, beans, peas, remember it might cause irritation and frequency because each bean, pea, etc., has a skin around it. If there was a way to eat only the inside of the bean, that would be great -- thickening, protein, and soluable! It's the skin that will come out almost whole and possibly burn on the way out. Lettuce and greens come out whole even though I chew thoroughly, so salads are out. I can eat carrots, zucchini, squash cooked really, really well and mashed with a fork. It's like feeding a baby, but maybe this is the new reality. It's okay, though, as long as you get the nutrition and are not sick anymore.

 

tinyinktinyinkMember
Thank you! 
 
Winterberry posted:

Hi, Tinyink. If you eat chickpeas, beans, peas, remember it might cause irritation and frequency because each bean, pea, etc., has a skin around it. If there was a way to eat only the inside of the bean, that would be great -- thickening, protein, and soluable! It's the skin that will come out almost whole and possibly burn on the way out. Lettuce and greens come out whole even though I chew thoroughly, so salads are out. I can eat carrots, zucchini, squash cooked really, really well and mashed with a fork. It's like feeding a baby, but maybe this is the new reality. It's okay, though, as long as you get the nutrition and are not sick anymore.

 

 

tinyinktinyinkMember
I haven't had any legumes yet... I was on paleo for so long I don't miss them, lol. I definitely have issues with burning.  I'm only a month and 1/2 in from my take down surgery so my pouch is new. It seems no matter what I eat at some point my skin gets irritated and it's uncomfy. I know most of this will improve over time.
 
Annikki posted:

I have issues with beans and legumes

 

I do have issues with large chunks of Mushrooms, too much raw apple and citrus gives me fire bum. 

 

But everything else is good cooked or raw.

 

Last edited by tinyink
tinyinktinyinkMember
Scott F posted:

Many of us enjoy salads without a problem. You're likely to recognize some of it in the toilet, but that alone is no reason for concern.

That is good to know! When I first saw some of the lettuce I was concerned and I swore I chewed it up well! I get very worried about food blockages because I had a complication (scar tissue blockage) after my 2nd surgery causing a long hospital stay and no food or water for over a week... it scared me so much and was so horrible I never want to experience that again! 

Last edited by tinyink
Scott FScott FMember

The blockages aren't really caused by particular food, unless you have a chronically narrowed area that tends to get backed up. Commonly the intestine gets kinked and then perfectly ordinary food becomes a problem, and folks think the food did it.

Are you using a barrier cream after every BM? Most butt burn is preventable. 

tinyinktinyinkMember
Scott F posted:

The blockages aren't really caused by particular food, unless you have a chronically narrowed area that tends to get backed up. Commonly the intestine gets kinked and then perfectly ordinary food becomes a problem, and folks think the food did it.

Are you using a barrier cream after every BM? Most butt burn is preventable. 

Interesting!  How does, or why does the intestine get kinked? Or, as you mentioned, does that really only happen with a narrow area? I'm going to meet with a dietician. I realize everyone is different and it's a lot of logic and trail and error, but I figured it won't hurt.

absolutely! I actually use an ointment before the BM  (I prefer A+D prevent) as a barrier, hypoallergenic wipes and hygienic cleansing lotion , a bidet and then after always apply Caldesene (corn starch powder with zinc oxide) to avoid any thrush like conditions. I also sometimes use Calmoseptine when it's really bad or at night. It doesn't always burn but I can telll a certain area is a little raw and irritated. I'm hoping this improves (I also, in general, have very sensitive skin). 

Thank you so much for your time and responses!

 

Last edited by tinyink

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