Re: Low Residue/Low Fiber Diet (WAS: Re: No Breakfast)

jmcquown wrote:
kilikini <kilikini1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
jmcquown wrote:
DK <intrceptor@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

I totally agree about not making carbs (and by extension,
sugars) the focus of breakfast. A couple of eggs rather than
toast or cereal in the morning doesn't leave me feeling like
I'm starving by lunch time. An egg scrambled with a little
grated cheese and a couple of slices of bacon, even better (I
love bacon!) :) Jill

Can your colon handle that?

Gee, I didn't know you cared. Eggs are fine (they were giving me
scrambled eggs before I was discharged from the hospital) and mild
cheeses are fine. I'm avoiding bacon (arrrgh!) until after surgery.


Is it because bacon can be hard that you can't have it? I'm curious
as to what you *can* eat right now. I would imagine soup (which is
your forte), pasta, rice, eggs, cheese, - can you eat bread?

kili

I have to eat a low fiber ("low residue") diet for a while. Weird,
since common medical thinking indicates diverticulitis is caused by
not enough fiber in your diet. I was eating plenty of it and look
where it landed me! High fiber food isn't easily digrested. It can
get trapped in the diverticuli. Once the diverticuli become inflamed
and infected (and in my case, rupture) high fiber is downright
dangerous.
So for the time being, refined white flour products. No whole grains,
multi-grain breads or pastas. Biscuits beat white toast, hands down
:) But I'm no good at making them... think Ellie Mae Clampett! I
like Mary B's brand frozen (uncooked) biscuits. I can only have
white rice, not brown. Can't have wild rice - I know, it's a grass
seed, not rice, but I love it.
Eggs are fine. Cheeses are fine if they're mild. American, cheddar,
colby & swiss varieties come to mind. Can't eat the pepper-jack
that's in the fridge. I've been told to avoid highly spiced foods so
of course I'm craving a bowl of spicy chili or a plate of tamales. LOL
I need to avoid overly fatty and fried foods; I could probably eat a
few slices of crispy bacon (which is really the only way to go) but
why tempt fate? When I was in the hospital I had a breakfast of ham
& scrambled eggs. The ham had been chopped into tiny bits. I'm not
going that far - my teeth still work ;) Lean meats, chicken and
seafood are on the yes list, thank goodness. (Had two crab cakes for
dinner last night.)
Fresh fruit can be too high in fiber. Canned (processed) fruit is on
the okay list, except for pineapple which is fibrous no matter what.
Vegetables need to be well cooked. That's not a problem... I don't
like veggies cooked to mush but I was never a fan of "tender-crisp",
either. Potatoes have to be peeled; no mashed taters with the skins
left on. <sigh>
Cream/pureed soups are recommended. Potato-leek sounds good right
about now. I'm pretty sure I could eat the sourdough "bread bowl" I
like to serve it in, too :)

I have to avoid nuts and seeds at all costs; that includes seeds in
tomato sauces. And, for the time being, things like lentils and
dried beans and peas are a no-no. I can't eat corn, either, which is
a shame since I love corn on the cob and corn chowder! But the skin
of the kernels is too fibrous and difficult to digest.

If I want something sweet I can have ice cream, chocolate, pudding or
Jell-O.

Jill

Wow, that's pretty strict! I had no idea, Jill, you've got my full
sympathy. With my colitis, I'm supposed to eat a low-fiber diet as well,
but now I've got gallstones as a result of the low-fiber diet and my
gallstones are really bothering me lately. It's time to get the gall
bladder out and I'm dreading it.

Are they still planning on doing surgery for you or are you still waiting to
see?

kili


.