Today's Treat is.... A RECIPE!

I recently came across "How to Cook for Crohn's and Colitis" by Brenda Roscher (or you can get it for free here by signing up) and was intrigued to see what kind of recipes she had created that would be beneficial for those of us with an IBD. She herself struggles with Crohn's and makes it very clear that she too struggled for a while to find a healthy balance between nutrition and oral satiation. The recipes are rather simple and economically and in many ways no different than those that you would find in most cookbooks. The biggest difference being that these are tailored in that the ingredients are diced into much smaller and finer pieces, meats are far, far leaner, soy milk or alternative dairy products are specified and olive oil is recommended over any other type. However, keep in mind that these recipes were designed primarily for her needs and as we all know we all have specific diets that may include or exclude items that others can consume, furthermore these recipes are designed for those who are relatively stable in regards to their medical condition, so if you are having a flare up you might want to hold off on several of them.

So without further due here's a simple recipe for pita chips for those late night cravings when you know potato chips would be a really, really bad idea.

PITA CHIPS
4 Pita breads split horizontally
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 Teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 Teaspoon salt
1/4 Teaspoon black powder

*Preheat oven to 400°F. Drizzle pita halves with olive oil. Cut each half into 6 wedges.
*Coat a baking sheet with vegetable srpay and arrange the wedges on sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle wedges with garlic powder, salt and pepper.
*Bake for 8-10 minutes, until crisp.

Random Musing

As I don't want to exhaust my current list of jokes and videos related to all things poo and butts I have chosen to take this time to examine my food no-no's as I think I have recently discovered that a certain food that I enjoy appears to be a trigger and must be limited if not eliminated from my diet. So here it goes, Jorge's list of foods not to eat.

1. Broccoli, cabbage and other flatulence producing veggies: Yeah most of us know about avoiding these foods and although I can do without broccoli I really do or rather did enjoy eating cabbage in stews. Caldo we will miss thee.

2. Nuts: Once again to be avoided at all times, thankfully this only speaks for the nut in its normal, natural form. Paste or butter forms of it are rather okay, good thing because I have too many fond memories of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to simply let that wonder food go, plus I just discovered Nutella and prefer almond milk to all other milk varieties.

3. Milk: I was that kid that could drink a whole gallon milk in one seating, now either due to lactose intolerance, age, the UC or a combination of all of the above I must avoid it as well as most ice creams, some cheeses and certain other dairy products. Thankfully the alternatives are not as off putting now as they were when I was ma much younger lad. (Yes I used the word lad, in fact I think it should be used more often, as should dame.)

4. Carbonated drinks of all varieties: So long Coca Cola, so long Mr. Pibb, so long Mt. Dew and we will miss you Crystal Pepsi. Ah the number one choice for our obese youth and the must have refreshments at any sporting event (okay beer is the must have but you can't drink beer as a kid), but the pain of consuming you is far too great and the frequency of urgency is far to embarrassing to continue using you as refreshment.

5. Caffeine: Coffee and energy drinks to be more exact, teas I can tolerate a little bit better. I was never big on morning wake me up drinks but it's really funny and interesting to see how as a culture we are highly dependent on both coffee and energy drinks. I give all coffee drinkers a challenge out there, wake up at 4 in the morning and try to function until 10 in the evening without your coffee or energy drinks and tell me how it goes. Welcome to my world.

6. Chocolate and candy: Mainly dark chocolate or overly sweet chocolate, but it's okay in small dosages. A triple deluxe, sudden death by chocolate will make you poo cocoa flavored bricks cake on the other hand is completely off limits. Even the sight of it makes my bowels go "NO WAY JOSE!" Candy is just bad. I limit the amount I eat as it seems that the older I get the more sugar hates me.

7. Corn: One of the foods on the no no list for anyone with an IBD and not too hard to avoid but it's sad that when eating posole or menudo you must weigh the issue of whether or not you want to make it sound like the St. Valentine's Day massacre when you go use the restroom (Google it!).

8. Salads: I loved salads, in fact if I could eat a salad I would eat one daily for almost every meal, sadly salads don't love me and shouldn't be trusted as they are rather treasonous to my person. Thankfully salad's little cousin spinach does like me and helps to satisfy my "act like a rabbit for lunch" urges during the day.

9. Gravies and sauces: Any kind of gravy should be limited, and I admit I am bad at doing this since I love Italian foods and American style foods and Teriyaki and other all other wonderful taste bud stimulating culinary delights in existence, therefore I eat them in moderation and try to be careful what I eat them with in order to minimize the consequences.

10. Alcohol: Not a heavy drinker, hell I think I may have a beer every six months and a drink every eight so I'm good with that.

11. Exotic foods: Nope not gonna cut them out, unless they include something mentioned above that is a recognized trigger.

12. Fried foods: As a rule no one should eat them, realistically the only fried foods I eat are french fries and the occasional fried fish thing or other.

13. Beans: I used to love to eat beans. Sadly I can't eat them anymore. Even sadder because it's a cultural staple. Nonetheless I am willing to make the sacrifice.

14. Meat: Red meat to be exact. It seems as if red meat is not an immediate trigger that causes the urgency to use the restroom but instead one that causes further irritation and inflammation as well as bleeding of the colon. Therefore it is with great sadness that I must cut out red meat from my diet. I will still partake in the occasional breakfast sausage or even burger patty or two as ground beef is easier to digest but that will be it. So yes no more steaks, no more pot roast, no more meat loaf or cubed steak. No more caldo or carnitas or even cochinita (technically a white meat but still rather rich), and no more barbecued ribs. Oh red meat how you got me through the hard moments in life as well as got me fat. But that is all in the past as I must not substitute red meat with its avian cousin or cousin from the sea. Veggie patties will work as decent substitute, at least in pretending I am eating a burger but a poor and paltry substitute it will be. Nonetheless it is quality of health I am looking for and if you think about it red meat is most often than not the most expensive of offerings on a menu so on the long run it's also an economic decision.

And with that I will leave all of you tonight. Have a great weekend, a wonderful Easter and don't forget to bring used cell phones, used ink cartridges and stuff to sell at May's yard sale to Monday's meeting!

Free Crohn's Cookbook

I recently found a link to a Free Crohn's Cookbook from Crohn's online. Just click on this link and fill in your information. I ordered one but it has as of yet to arrive so I have no idea how good or bad it is. But as soon as it comes in I will try it out and report the results!

So I saw a taco truck...

Okay not really but while I was driving to go pay my vehicle registration this morning I heard on the radio about the Food Truck Festival that was going to be held at Santa Anita Park on April 2nd. And by food trucks I'm not just talking about those devilishly delicious but oh so bad for you taco and burrito roach coaches that you find in the alleys and backstreets and industrial areas throughout Los Angeles but also of the newer flavours that have appeared over the last few years. Sushi trucks and nacho trucks, cheesesteak trucks and burger trucks, barbecue trucks and rib trucks, pretty much anything and everything you can imagine will be represented there and boy will it be a truck foodies wetdream come true. And that got me thinking.

No, not about being hungry or food trucks or even betting on the horses but on food, or to be more specific a food festival. Since we have been blessed with a gastrointestinal system that has been declared war upon by our immune system we have the unfortunate need to be far more cautious and aware of what we consume. Nutritionists and dietitians hate us since their carefully crafted and created diet plans are foiled by our inability to eat granola or lettuce or beans or whatever healthy thing they want you to nibble on instead of those chicken nuggets.

And so I began to get an idea. Yeah I know, my ideas tend to lead to more trouble than they are worth but please bear with me. I know that we have been trying to create some sort of large event, an event that will distinguish the OC enough from L.A. so that it could have it's own CCFA chapter. Darrin and Wendy and Allison and Joslynn have been hard at work trying to find a band or a comedian or some sort of act to raise money and show that the OC is capable of handling it's own chapter. And so back to the food festival idea.

What if we held a food festival, but not just any kind of food festival. Forget about the fried Oreos and chili cookoffs and barbecue do or dies, I'm talking about organic, gluten free, community garden/farm, Vegan, Vegetarian and health specialized foods. Still with me? We are fortunate to have plenty of Trader Joes, Fresh & Easy, Sprouts and several other healthier type of grocery stores in the OC, there is also Whole Foods and Wild Oats and countless of mom and pop grocers. Then there are the celebrity cooks and chefs that specialize in this type of cuisine.

Now the questions is, is it feasible? Yes, I know it's kind of, I want to say ironic, that a group that caters to people with GI issues would sponsor such an event but at the same time it makes sense in that you can bring dietary awareness to those who suffer from and IBD and show them that they don't have to change their habits to a water and water diet. And that's why I'm tossing the idea out for you guys to look at and (pardon the pun) digest and see if it's worth doing.

Any and all feedback on this matter would be appreciated, logistically it would require some work and lots and lots of planning, but I don't think that it's a far-fetched or impossible idea. Let me know what you think people.

Let's talk about food!

Thank you Darrin for the wonderful newsletter you forwarded. And so children today's lesson will be centered on one of our most daunting adversaries, food! Yes we love it for what it tastes like but we hate it for what it does to our bodies yet sadly we need it otherwise we get stuck with a tube and an IV needle. And so ladies and gentlemen I present you with Best foods for those of us with an IBD. Enjoy!

Best foods for IBDs (source-Best Foods for Crohn's Disease)

1. Wild Salmon: Who can resist the succulent taste of the highly nutritious and tasty red meat of the king of freshwater fish, the salmon. It does cost a bit more than your off the shelf can of tuna but it's oh so worth it for the occasional meal as it not only soothes and stimulates your taste buds but also provides a healthy boost of Omega-3 & vitamins A,D,E and K. All highly valuable in fighting inflammation and giving us a healthy boost of much needed vitamins.

2. Yogurt: What else needs to be said? It provides calcium in a safe, easy to handle, easy to digest format and you can even make it tasty by adding additional ingredients to it. Keep in mind that plain yogurt works best as the colorful one, although tasty and fun to look at tends to lack the same amount of nutritious qualities that your body needs.

3. Smooth Nut Butters: I'm talking about peanut butter, almond butter, soy nut butter, not... FOCUS PEOPLE! The dating post was several posting back! Yes smooth nut butters work wonders, they are easy to digest, high in protein and best of all you can spread them on bread, tortillas, pita bread, flat bread, crackers, cookies or eat it with a spoon. They also provide fiber, vitamin E, niacin and calories for those of you struggling to gain weight.

4. Eggs: Yes eggs. I love them although I know that some people are kind of put off by them, but please hear me out! Eggs have iron, and plenty of protein they also have vitamin D and lecithin which is helpful in helping your body absorb vitamins A,D,E and K. But remember everything in moderation as too many eggs can lead to high cholesterol and we have enough problems to have to worry about that as well.

5. Whole Grain Pasta: Now pasta is bad to me, I love it but it's bad to me. However I also love to put stuff in it that may be the reason it's bad to me. Disregarding my own personal experiences with the devilishly heavenly stuff it is a great source of vitamin B. However it also has a good amount of fiber so please eat it, enjoy it but always in moderation.

6. Fresh Lean Beef: Need I say more? Beef is good, unless you have qualms against eating anything with a name that looks kinda cute and adorable on Far Side cartoons. But that aside it tastes good. It's also a great source of iron, calcium and vitamin B-12, minerals and vitamins that us that bleed a lot need a lot more of than our "normal" peers. But once again, in moderation. (I see a theme here.)

7. Potatoes, White and Sweet: Both sweet potatoes and white potatoes are dynamic and versatile foods that are a staple in our diet, whether at breakfast, lunch, or dinner you will probably have one or the other of this wonderful food with you main course, unless the potato is your main meal. Personally it's my number one comfort food. Oh hash browns how I love thee.... But back to the potato. It is also a great source of beta-carotene (sweet potato) and of vitamin C and potassium (potato. Just remember that boiled or baked works best, although fried is sooooooooooo much more tasty... but yes baked or boiled... baked or boiled...

8. Steel-Cut Oats: I like to stay away from anything that says oats since they enjoy to play rugby with my colon, however it is a great source of soluble fiber, slow-release, high-quality carbohydrates and you can put little pieces of apple or other fruits that you can pretend are marshmallows and feel like a kid again. It's a great breakfast food that you can make with water or give it an extra kick using milk, soy milk, rice milk or my favorite, almond milk.

9. Calcium and Vitamin D-Rich Milk: This is a tricky one as many of us cannot digest regular cow milk without the help of lactose pills. Therefore I recommend that you stock up on Lactaid pills or the equivalent if you wish to enjoy a nice cool glass of milk. There is an alternative as lactose free milk is now more readily available than anywhere in almost all major supermarket as well as several smaller ones. If cow's milk doesn't do it for you, lactose free or not, there is also calcium fortified soy, rice and almond milk. Due to malabsorption, calcium absorption and other issues I do recommend that you increase your calcium and vitamin D intake using one of these great avenues, that is unless you like talking a cocktail of supplements each and every morning.

10. Vitamin C-Rich Foods: Once again vitamin C is the key word. Unfortunately we do not absorb the required amount of it due to our GI system throwing a hissy fit and not wanting to play ball with the rest of the body. Therefore it is very important that you get this wonderful vitamin by eating whichever foods are high in it. Vitamin C is also incredibly helpful in aiding the absorption of iron into the body which is a great boon for us anemics out there. However I will add a caveat and say that I disagree with the original author's suggestions. It was stated that citrus fruits, brussel sprouts, broccoli and bell peppers should be sought to aid in this however those may harm some of us while not affect others. So be cautious in regards to fruits and vegetables. I love citrus but sometimes it can bee too much to digest, the solution is get a Juicer! All of the benefit and flavor without any of the seeds and stringy, fiber like stuff that could rub my colon raw. I cook with bell peppers for flavor but I make sure that they are really soft and can be cut with a paper napkin before eating them as that ensures that it would be easier to digest and run through the intestines. As for broccoli, as much as I love it the threat of gas and the pain that it brings upon me is far to great to risk eating more than an accidental nibble.

This list is in now way exhaustive and should only be seen as suggested foods and not as a definitive guideline. Use moderation and do a test run of foods using small portions in order to see how your body reacts to it before trying it. And as always please consult with you physician before making any substantial changes to you diet and please be aware of any and all food allergies you may have.