Another Intolerance

[Gloria]

I've suspected asparagus for a while, but didn't have to confront it until I began reducing Entocort. Once on a lower dosage, I would frequently have problems after my turkey days. Sometimes I would wake up at midnight or later and have D, then 15 minutes later I'd have to return to the bathroom. These episodes would be followed with no BM the next day, and Normans after they returned. The only foods I ate on turkey day that were different from the other days were turkey and asparagus. Since I've begun putting cauliflower in my soup, I haven't reacted, so the culprit was asparagus.

The reason I haven't wanted to accept that I'm intolerant to asparagus is that it was one of the two vegetables I could eat, cauliflower being the other. It was also the only green vegetable I could eat, and provided many nutrients that I'm lacking without it, particularly potassium.

I'm pretty distressed over having to eliminate it and am trying broccoli (so far, not good) and Brussels sprouts (hopeful, but need to test more.) I bought some turnip greens and kale - I have no idea how to prepare them. I've avoided leafy vegetables since I found this site. I only use a few seasonings: salt, marjoram, dry mustard and garlic. I have reacted to olive oil, but am OK with corn, walnut, almond and hazelnut oils.

I'm beginning to think that vegetables have been my biggest problem all along. Thank goodness I can eat mango because it's high in potassium. I made some low-sugar mango jam with Clear Jel and put it on my muffins. I tested cooked fresh mango yesterday and the day before and haven't had a reaction. I've been avoiding it since I got the rash last fall.

I've been eating 1/4 to 1/3 of a banana sometimes with my Corn Chex. Banana is also high in potassium. So far, no reactions. I'm taking Entocort at the rate of 2-1-1-1 every four days. My goal is to get to 0-1-1 every three days, because that's how much I can get on Medicare before I fall in the donut hole. I calculated the amount I could get last year (254, I recall) and came within pennies of the donut hole.

I found a recipe for almond cookies using coconut oil and I made them a couple of weeks ago. I didn't seem to react to them. Maybe I can use coconut oil - I've never used it before because I assumed it, like coconut milk, would bother me. I hope the cookies will take the place of the Pop Corners. The cookies were very good and tasted like marzipan.

Other than the problem with asparagus, I'm doing very well. It feels like I'm healing because I recover very quickly after eating a problem food. I am now down to 9 foods.

Gloria

[JFR]

Gloria,

I make kale chips. They are easy to make. Cut the leaves off the kale, chop them up, mix with the oil of your choice (I use olive oil but any oil will do), add any seasoning you like (I use only sea salt), put on a cookie sheet (i use parchment paper or you could grease it) and then bake in the oven for about 15 minutes at 350. You need to watch them because you want to take them out when they are crispy but not turned to charcoal. I hope you can tolerate them. I really like them and eat them a lot.

Jean

[maestraz]

Oh boy, Gloria, you sure do have to spend a lot of time and effort to manage your many food issues. I hope that some of the greens work for you.

I haven't tried turnip greens, so am not sure how bitter they might be, but I imagine anything you would do with spinach, you could do with them. I sauté beet greens in oil with garlic and a little lemon, so maybe you could adapt. Have you tried chard? I love it! I cut the leaf away from the rib and sauté it, or mix it with GF pasta and other ingredients.

I use kale in soup, mostly. I find it too tough to eat raw. If I want to sauté it, I cut out the rib. Jean, my daughter and SIL also make kale chips as you describe, and they are yummy!

Does anyone know whether there are varieties of kale that aren't so curly?

Are you eating fresh asparagus? Maybe the texture is the problem. I wonder whether eating canned, which tends to be overly mushy, would make a difference? But I don't know whether the liquid would present problems for you.

[Gloria]

Are you eating fresh asparagus?

No, I haven't eaten any uncooked vegetables in years. My asparagus was cooked so soft that DH didn't want to eat it.

Thank you both for your recipe suggestions. I'm assuming that these greens, uncooked, stay fresh about a week or less, right?

I'm testing Brussels sprouts again today. Hopefully they'll be OK.

Gloria

[Lesley]

Gloria - that's sad! I hope you can tolerate brussels sprouts.

[jgivens]

Any greens at all are good in soup or broth. I don't know whether beets are considered a root vegetable--I think they are--but beet greens are the tenderest of greens. I've also found baby kale lately and find it delicious because it isn't so tough and though I've only had it in salads fresh, I think it would be very tender cooked with a little vinegar added or lemon juice, if you can deal with either if those.
I hope you can find something green to eat! It's so hard when we're deprived of so many things! :-(

[Leah]

Gloria, can you eat artichokes?

[wonderwoman]

I bought a bunch of fresh beets today and cut off the tops. Then I thought maybe I can cook the greens. I found a recipe on line and tried it. It was very good. First time I had beet greens.
saute onion and garlic in coconut oil
I cut off the stems, didn't know if I should or not
cut the greens into small pieces
added the beet greens to the frying pan and cooked them until tender.
added salt and pepper

several recipes on line said to add feta cheese. That sounded good if you can tolerate dairy.
bacon would also be good in it
I just checked on line again and it said you can use the stems if you cut them in small pieces and saute them with the onion and garlic.

[maestraz]

Gloria, I bought a pound of kale two weeks ago for soup and only used half. What's left is still fresh. After washing, I put it in a plastic bag with a dry paper towel and it keeps nicely. The shelf life for other greens isn't as long.

[JFR]

I bought a bunch of these bags a while ago and they really work well, keep my vegetables fresh significantly longer.

http://www.amazon.com/Debbie-Meyer-Gree ... s+reusable

[coryhub]

Hi Gloria,
I am sorry that asparagus is not working out for you. Like you, I have not eaten uncooked vegetables or fruit in years. I just look at raw veggies & fruit and my stomach starts to cramp and bloat. I can tolerate small amounts of something like asparagus or cauliflower on occasion but mostly I stick with my two safest vegetables: over-cooked carrots, and canned green beans. I'm lucky because I can tolerate a little butter on them. Brussels sprouts have given me bad gas. Hopefully you will have better luck. I appreciate your comments about mangoes because that is a fruit jam I have not tried so you give me hope there.
Best,
Cory

[Gloria]

Wow - lots of good suggestions! Thanks!

Gloria, can you eat artichokes?

I don't think I've ever eaten an artichoke. I used to get them confused with avocado, which I can eat. Is it nutritious? I might look into it. I'm pretty leery of trying new things, of course, but I'm starting to get desperate.

I ate two large Brussels sprouts yesterday, and so far today I've had two perfect Normans. Yeah! Maybe my problem before with them was the ghee. It was hard to eat them alone, but they tasted pretty good yesterday. I'm getting ready to plant my garden; maybe I can plant them.

I tore some kale off the stalk today and put it into my turkey soup. I didn't taste it at all. It must be fairly mild. I was expecting a spinach taste. We'll see what my bathroom trip brings tomorrow.

I called my PCP to see what my blood test result from February was for potassium. I was surprised that it was 4.1 out of an acceptable range of 3.5 - 5.1. Whoo, hoo! My previous two tests were 3.7, so that's a nice improvement. I had been as low as 3.5. The Pop Corners, which I've had to give up, probably helped some, so I've started substituting Fritos dipped in Trader Joe's mango butter. They're just as good as the Pop Corners and are cooked in corn oil, which I can handle.

Things are looking up! Thank you for your support and suggestions!

Gloria

[Leah]

Gloria, I love brussel sprouts. i just toss the halves in olive oil, salt and pepper ( maybe garlic salt) and roast in a 425 degree oven ( a toaster oven works for a small amount) for about 15-20 minutes. They get crispy and brown on the outside, tender on the inside.

It always surprises me when someone says they haven't eaten an avocado or an artichoke. In California, they are both eaten all the time. An artichoke is actually a flower from the thistle plant. it's a weird one for sure, but packed with folic acid and vitamin C. it also has many minerals such as potassium, maganese, calcium, and iron. the easiest way to cook it is to just steam it, Depending on how big it is, it could take anywhere from 30-60 minutes to cook. Eating them is also interesting. You might want to google "eating an artichoke" because it is a little different, but kind of fun.

Glad to hear you are doing better. i also enjoy Fritos sometimes :)

Leah

[ldubois7]

Gloria...Have you tried cooked carrots? I eat them a lot. I eat green beans, acorn squash, butternut squash, asparagus, zucchini & yellow squash right now.
I am soaking lima beans, then going to try them next.

It is so hard....I love veggies and fruit and really miss them in variety!

[Gabes-Apg]

all i can say is 'bugger'

man - doesnt it suck when you have an eating plan worked out and for some mysterious, yet to be known reason you have to change the foods a bit

I feel lucky - i have about 17 ingredients in the mix for my eating plan. and am tolerating small amounts of peeled apples (uncooked)

and as aways Gloria, i am in total awe of your tenancity with your eating plan.

hope the adjustment to other greens are going well
take care