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Hi Gloria and Polly, I've been checking out the paleo diet and notice that beans are discouraged. Have you experimented with beans? I really like hummus and use pinto beans in Mexican food. Any info is appreciated.
JoAnn
Question for Goria, Polly and other MI
Moderators: Rosie, Stanz, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
Hi JoAnn,
I don't actually follow the Paleo diet, although I do think it's the best diet for people with multiple intolerances. I don't think legumes are permitted on the Paleo diet, but I'm not as familiar with it as Polly is.
I used to eat hummus as a replacement for cheese on crackers, but I discovered that I was intolerant to legumes last year. My legume intolerance kept me from being able to reduce from 6 mg/Entocort per day. I finally figured it out when I noticed that I had a reaction after eating green beans, and I ate them 3-4 times per week. I also had lesser reactions to peanuts and baked (pinto) beans and hummus. After I pieced it all together, along with the soy intolerance, I realized I had to give up all legumes. I've been much better since I did and am now able to maintain on just 3 mg/Entocort per day.
You may be wondering why I don't follow the Paleo diet. The reason is that I try to follow the diet I had before MC as close as possible by finding replacements for the foods I formerly ate. I still eat bread, cookies, cakes (very infrequently), chocolate, rice milk, ghee and rice pasta, for example. This way, my DH hasn't had to make as many changes in the way he eats. Many spouses of PP here eat the GF diet along with their MC mate. Mine doesn't. He has his own bread, cereal, cookies, etc. We use two pots for our pasta meals. I have my homemade mayonnaise; he still eats his Kraft salad dressing, and so on. Even so, he's had to make many sacrifices because of my MC, but at least they are minimized this way.
I'm not recommending that others do what we're doing. If spouses are willing to adopt the GF diet, then it's probably easier to live that way. This is just what has worked best for us.
Gloria
I don't actually follow the Paleo diet, although I do think it's the best diet for people with multiple intolerances. I don't think legumes are permitted on the Paleo diet, but I'm not as familiar with it as Polly is.
I used to eat hummus as a replacement for cheese on crackers, but I discovered that I was intolerant to legumes last year. My legume intolerance kept me from being able to reduce from 6 mg/Entocort per day. I finally figured it out when I noticed that I had a reaction after eating green beans, and I ate them 3-4 times per week. I also had lesser reactions to peanuts and baked (pinto) beans and hummus. After I pieced it all together, along with the soy intolerance, I realized I had to give up all legumes. I've been much better since I did and am now able to maintain on just 3 mg/Entocort per day.
You may be wondering why I don't follow the Paleo diet. The reason is that I try to follow the diet I had before MC as close as possible by finding replacements for the foods I formerly ate. I still eat bread, cookies, cakes (very infrequently), chocolate, rice milk, ghee and rice pasta, for example. This way, my DH hasn't had to make as many changes in the way he eats. Many spouses of PP here eat the GF diet along with their MC mate. Mine doesn't. He has his own bread, cereal, cookies, etc. We use two pots for our pasta meals. I have my homemade mayonnaise; he still eats his Kraft salad dressing, and so on. Even so, he's had to make many sacrifices because of my MC, but at least they are minimized this way.
I'm not recommending that others do what we're doing. If spouses are willing to adopt the GF diet, then it's probably easier to live that way. This is just what has worked best for us.
Gloria
You never know what you can do until you have to do it.
Hiya JoAnn (and Gloria too),
Like Gloria, I have found that legumes do bother me, but not as much as gluten or dairy. I can eat them occasionally, like once or twice a week, and certain ones are worse than others. For example, I seem to have little trouble with pea soup. You are correct that legumes (all dried peas/ beans, soy, and peanuts are legumes) are not on the paleo diet. Actually, legumes are even difficult for a normal person to digest ("beans, beans the musical fruit", etc.). I just experienced a legume problem this past week. I had found this delicious red pepper hummus and I ate it every day for a week. The D started, and as soon as I stopped the hummus, I was fine. Since you are a newbie, I would suggest limiting them for now to only occcasionally. Once your gut has healed, you may have better tolerance.
How are you doing?
Love,
Polly
Like Gloria, I have found that legumes do bother me, but not as much as gluten or dairy. I can eat them occasionally, like once or twice a week, and certain ones are worse than others. For example, I seem to have little trouble with pea soup. You are correct that legumes (all dried peas/ beans, soy, and peanuts are legumes) are not on the paleo diet. Actually, legumes are even difficult for a normal person to digest ("beans, beans the musical fruit", etc.). I just experienced a legume problem this past week. I had found this delicious red pepper hummus and I ate it every day for a week. The D started, and as soon as I stopped the hummus, I was fine. Since you are a newbie, I would suggest limiting them for now to only occcasionally. Once your gut has healed, you may have better tolerance.
How are you doing?
Love,
Polly
Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves, for they shall never cease to be amused.
Hi Polly, thanks for the information. I think that's good advice to only use the beans occasionally or not at all for awhile. I think I'm doing pretty good. I just wish I knew where I was as far as healing. Right now, I'm gf, df, egg free, soy free, and yf. I take 2 imodium each night when I go to bed and that limits me to about 2 bm a day. Sometimes the stools are well formed, sometimes very loose, and often just poof away when flushed! (You are the only people I could possibly describe this to 
) The imodium is my safety net each day so I can work. I've wondered if I should ask my gi for entocort. I haven't seen him since Dec. 1 and he said that would be the next step. I was planning on asking Tex what he thinks. (If you're reading this Tex, I would appreciate your opinion.
Would the entocort help me heal faster or should I just keep doing what I'm doing?) I'm afraid to not take the imodium right now as I am a teacher. I teach in a year round school and we track off about every 9 weeks. I'll be off a few weeks beginning Feb. 23, so I can do some experimenting then without the worry of work. Thanks for all you help. JoAnn
) The imodium is my safety net each day so I can work. I've wondered if I should ask my gi for entocort. I haven't seen him since Dec. 1 and he said that would be the next step. I was planning on asking Tex what he thinks. (If you're reading this Tex, I would appreciate your opinion.Would the entocort help me heal faster or should I just keep doing what I'm doing?) I'm afraid to not take the imodium right now as I am a teacher. I teach in a year round school and we track off about every 9 weeks. I'll be off a few weeks beginning Feb. 23, so I can do some experimenting then without the worry of work. Thanks for all you help. JoAnn
Hi JoAnn,
You're getting pretty good results from just two Immodium per day. Based on that, I would guess that Entocort would probably bring pretty prompt remission, assuming that you're not intolerant of it. That's obviously just a guess, though, because the only way to be sure, is to try it.
I'm not sure that Entocort would help you heal faster, but it can certainly bring remission faster. Basically, some members use Entocort to bring faster remission, so that they can work without having to constantly worry about having an "accident", while they're waiting for their gut to heal sufficiently, so that the diet alone will control their symptoms. For many of us, it takes a while for the diet to "take over", and control the symptoms, (like several months to a year or more, depending on the amount of damage accrued to the gut). After enough healing time, the Entocort can usually be tapered down to a minimum dose, and eventually discontinued altogether, provided that the proper diet is faithfully followed. Entocort just makes life easier, in the interim, and, of course, if it works for you, then you could discontinue the Immodium.
Entocort seems to be effective for about 60 to 70% of members who try it.
Tex
You're getting pretty good results from just two Immodium per day. Based on that, I would guess that Entocort would probably bring pretty prompt remission, assuming that you're not intolerant of it. That's obviously just a guess, though, because the only way to be sure, is to try it.
I'm not sure that Entocort would help you heal faster, but it can certainly bring remission faster. Basically, some members use Entocort to bring faster remission, so that they can work without having to constantly worry about having an "accident", while they're waiting for their gut to heal sufficiently, so that the diet alone will control their symptoms. For many of us, it takes a while for the diet to "take over", and control the symptoms, (like several months to a year or more, depending on the amount of damage accrued to the gut). After enough healing time, the Entocort can usually be tapered down to a minimum dose, and eventually discontinued altogether, provided that the proper diet is faithfully followed. Entocort just makes life easier, in the interim, and, of course, if it works for you, then you could discontinue the Immodium.
Entocort seems to be effective for about 60 to 70% of members who try it.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
JoAnn,
You're most welcome, of course. By the way, did you happen to notice Carrie's post about Lomotil and Imodium containing ingredients derived from dairy products? Have you checked the label on your Imodium? If it contains a dairy derivative, you might be better off without it, and it's possible that you might not need the Entocort.
http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=9271
Tex
You're most welcome, of course. By the way, did you happen to notice Carrie's post about Lomotil and Imodium containing ingredients derived from dairy products? Have you checked the label on your Imodium? If it contains a dairy derivative, you might be better off without it, and it's possible that you might not need the Entocort.
http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=9271
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.