Less appetizing meals resulting in lack of desire to eat.

[Erica Gucc]

So unfortunately I feel pain after every meal I eat. If its not tasty I often can't scarf it down quickly enough before the symtpoms hit which can kill my appetite especially if the foods not one of my comfort foods. What do I do? I'm worried I'm not finishing this "6" rated meal. I usually am making 9-10s by my own standards. Ugh.

[ShannonM816]

Unfortunately, part of trying new foods and recipes is risking that you're going to make something you don't care for. If you have a meal like that occasionally, it's probably not too big a deal not to finish it. If you don't finish it, but feel hungry and are able to eat something later, be sure you're eating a mini-meal, not something like fruit on its own.

 

You might try keeping a variety of sauces and salad dressings that you like on hand. Mayo, for me, fixes a variety of problems. It adds flavor and helps when things are too dry. This zingy ginger dressing is another one that I like -- the flavor is strong, and masks a lot of issues pretty well. Plus it's even better on things that actually turn out the way they're supposed to.

 

Another thing to try in the future might be, whenever you try a new recipe, pair it with a favorite food. Then you're bound to be able to eat some part of the meal. Or just keep some favorites on hand all the time so you can heat them up if something turns out inedible. 

[Erica Gucc]

Yeah, thanks. Unfortunately I have NO ready to go protien for my first week of the whole30, so all my "mini meals" have been missing in protein. I've had to have several because I eat, feel pain, stop, feel hungry again. Its a tough cycle. I was hungry, so i had some pistachios and fruit, and immediately im in pain. 

 

Im in pain regardless of what I eat, but I need to find food I can eat quickly enough that it gets inside me before my insides start hurting :(  

[GFChris]

I see from one of your earlier posts that you have Crohn's. You might want to stop eating nuts and see if you find improvement. Nuts can be hard to digest, especially for folks living with Crohn's.

Was your fruit something like an apple with skin? The skin can cause issues with Crohn's also.

As far as proteins go, there are a lot of canned compliant options: tuna, salmon, chicken, sardines. Eggs are another quick protein. Shrimp cook up fast.

[Erica Gucc]

I understand the argument that certain foods are hard to digest. But like I said it's not relevant. I feel pain regardless of what I eat. My biggest issue is getting enough food and my appetite. My appetite is affected by pain. So last nite I had a less than stellar meal. I couldn't finish 1/3 of it because when the pain started happening all I had left on my plate with jicama which I realized I didn't like. You see when you're in pain, putting more food in your mouth is very unappealing. Unless that food is "super normally" delicious. Then your brain can convince it self to eat that food even though your body is like ahh stop eating.

I find not eating helps with pain but I lost too much weight when skipping meals and lost a ton of micronutients. So I came up with a strategy to make sure to eat yummy foods as often and quickly as possible so to get as many calories and nutrients in.

So since starting whole30 i have had lots of pain after meals. I suspect this is because of introducing more fibrous meals. Maybe I should start loging how soon after a meal I start feeling pain. The pain comes eventually but sometimes it seems to have an earlier onset. Not sure why.

Nuts, seeds, skinned fruits, uncooked veggies, are hard for a person with Crohns to digest. That's why in the SCD, they introduce vegetables slowly, fruits less slowly, nuts and seeds very very slowly. Unfortunately I don't really feel like I have a ton of options. Furthermore I'm also cooking for my boyfriend and don't want him to suffer eating the same unappealing veggies all the time!

I just don't know what to do. I could skip the nuts and fruit snacks and eat olives instead (and maybe some fruit which is easier to digest) but I am more focused on finding yummy meals and ways to prepare them so I can get in the recommended portioning. If I can only eat half my plate before it stops being yummy then I'm missing out on the rest of the meal.

[GFChris]

Have you tried working with a dietician or nutritionist who specializes in Crohn's? That might be an appropriate next step, independent of a Whole30.

ETA:

There have been some past discussions with people living with Crohn's on a Whole30. Here are a couple (both recommend being on a medication):

http://forum.whole9life.com/topic/5841-crohns-can-whole30-help/h-

Http://forum.whole9life.com/topic/19628-crohns/

[missmary]

Im in pain regardless of what I eat, but I need to find food I can eat quickly enough that it gets inside me before my insides start hurting :(

 

This is worrysome to me. I don't think eating quickly is the answer, and, in fact, eating quickly might be making this experience more painful for you. Crohns pain is not on a timer that starts when you start eating. It is a reaction to food that is irritating your gut. I think you would be much better off selecting the foods you can eat with less pain, even if it means a more restricted diet for a while. No apples, nuts and salads. More bone broth, well-cooked (soft) meats, veggies, and fruits. Think mashed sweet potato or potato, unsweetened applesauce, etc. Raw foods and nuts might be an option for you at some time in the future, but for now it sounds like they are just too irritating to your system.

[SpunkyBug]

So sorry about your pain. That sounds awful.

 

What are the "9" or "10" rated meals that you typically find yummy?

 

What ingredients do you most miss?

 

What Whole30 recipes have you made but not enjoyed?

 

Are there specific ingredients that you just do not like?

 

With the answers to those questions, the recipe curators amongst us might be able to suggest compliant dishes you will enjoy, or at least be able to eat more of.

[SugarcubeOD]

I understand the argument that certain foods are hard to digest. But like I said it's not relevant. I feel pain regardless of what I eat. 

There must be foods that cause less and more pain tho?  Are there some that seem to only cause a minimal pain? If so, what are those?  Are there some that cause a great deal more pain?  What are those? Or does every single thing you put in your mouth cause the exact same amount of pain?  Raw vegetables are hard to digest for the most sturdy gutted of us... I would be steering way away from those if I was you!

[ladyshanny]

This is worrysome to me. I don't think eating quickly is the answer, and, in fact, eating quickly might be making this experience more painful for you. Crohns pain is not on a timer that starts when you start eating. It is a reaction to food that is irritating your gut. I think you would be much better off selecting the foods you can eat with less pain, even if it means a more restricted diet for a while. No apples, nuts and salads. More bone broth, well-cooked (soft) meats, veggies, and fruits. Think mashed sweet potato or potato, unsweetened applesauce, etc. Raw foods and nuts might be an option for you at some time in the future, but for now it sounds like they are just too irritating to your system.

I'm with Missmary here.  You say that all foods cause you pain so you don't bother with keeping any out of your diet.  My take would be that your poor gut is irritated so no matter what you put down there, it's going to hurt. But if you keep putting things in that cause irritation, it will never heal.  Go with missmary's recommendation of healing and gentle foods, leave off ANYTHING that research and history and your own experience tells you is not suitable and let your gut heal.

 

You might be in for a bland, boring diet for awhile until your gut starts to heal a bit.  But bland/boring for awhile has to be better than scarfing food and waiting for pain.

[Erica Gucc]

There must be foods that cause less and more pain tho?  Are there some that seem to only cause a minimal pain? If so, what are those?  Are there some that cause a great deal more pain?  What are those? Or does every single thing you put in your mouth cause the exact same amount of pain?  Raw vegetables are hard to digest for the most sturdy gutted of us... I would be steering way away from those if I was you!

 i wish i knew I have ADHD as well, so being vigilant in taking notes about the foods i eat and their after effects is very hard. I am going to try to start doing that, since i always have my phone on me, im going to search for a good app for that.

 

The problem is that when a meal contains multiple ingredients, how do you know what the culprit is ?? Anyway, its a good time to start on my whole30 to log the foods and when/how much i feel pain after. You're right, sometimes the pain is more severe, but then there are other factors, as I am taking pain medications (Low Dose Naltrexone and Medical Marijuanna when I can). Sometimes the AMOUNT of food is clearly an issue, e.g. eating a LOT of food can be more painful than just eating a small meal or snack.  But its a good time to log since I am eating mostly the same stuff with a few variations here and there, meats veggies and fruits. I've cut down on the nuts severely since I posted this thread, maybe it helps a bit, I dont know. 

 

 

So sorry about your pain. That sounds awful.

 

What are the "9" or "10" rated meals that you typically find yummy?

 

What ingredients do you most miss?

 

What Whole30 recipes have you made but not enjoyed?

 

Are there specific ingredients that you just do not like?

 

With the answers to those questions, the recipe curators amongst us might be able to suggest compliant dishes you will enjoy, or at least be able to eat more of.

 

Typically a meal that I find "yummy" is very savoury and authentic tasting. I love adding Sour Cream or Cheese to meals. Home made pasta + pasta sauce and parmesean cheese, chilli with sour cream and cheese, sour cream/cheese/spinach stuffed chicken wrapped in bacon, tacos w/ salsa, sour cream, cheese...see a trend? I love cheese and use it to add flavour and delicious creamy texture to meals. Hard to spruce things up without dairy Also, no bacon, since i cant find compliant, no rice, its just so HARD when you are so used to eating a certain way, and things like "cauliflower rice" dont hold a candle to the texture and flavor of jasmine rice.

 

I tried a few recipes I felt were "misses". I dont have them on hand, but I was not a fan of a butternut squash curry. I did not like the coconut flavor, nor the butternut. Cauliflower is "ok". It smells like farts but tastes slightly better, but the smell is part of the dish for me, so if i dont like the smell, i dont enjoy it so much. Jicama I just did not like, and I did this one recipe where I was making BBQ ribs in my slow cooker, but it came out all dry and crumbly. 

 

I miss cheddar cheese by far the most. I like the gooey, creamy, comfort cheese gives a meal. 

 

I just don't like jicama I suppose, but I only tried it one way, and suppose it could taste better in another way. 

 

I guess, I just miss foods that you'd find typically in a SAD diet. When i cut out wheat, i did miss out on a lot of foods with bread, I'd be mentioning those, but I think it was a good idea to cut out wheat, and have accepted that pizza/burgers/tacos will never be the same (gluten free pasta, cookies, and cakes are great though, so I'm not TOO sad)

[SpunkyBug]

Thanks for answering my questions. You've provided a really clear picture. Just a few more questions, though! Do you like eggs? If so, are there certain ways of cooking them that you DO like as opposed to other ways that you do NOT like?

 

I'm kinda bummed that you say you didn't like butternut squash, as I find it has that warm, comforting texture and flavor that I sense you are missing. How have you prepared it so far, and is there a chance you would consider trying it a different way?

 

I realize I am taking a different approach from the moderators who are much more qualified to help you address your pain. I'd like to help you find things that taste good to you, because there really ARE yummy things to be eaten on Whole30 -- I swear!

[Erica Gucc]

.  But bland/boring for awhile has to be better than scarfing food and waiting for pain.

 

maybe i dont know. i find it VERY difficult to eat if the food isnt appetitizing. My saving grace durring times when I was too skinny and skipping meals was a delicious meal i could look forward to. A bland meal, if I am able to eat it, still hurts, then just pisses me off. Like why the eff did I eat this bland, unappealing meal, if im just gonna feel bad after ANYWAY? but before, my definition of "bland" often involved some non compliant ingredients. For instance, they'll tell you white rice, white bread, and pasta is EASY for a person with crohns to digest, so I'd go with those, with very few things to spruce it up. 

 

In the intro diet for GAPs/SCD, the recomendation is to have bone broth and some cooked/boiled meats and very few veggies and easy to digest fruit. The diet IS extremely boring. I couldnt imagine getting a whole meals worth of calories with some bone broth + cooked chicken and pureed carrots 3 x a day. 

 

I think - some day in the future - I'll be ready to take on a more serious diet (SCD/GAPs) with the "intro" diet where you SLOWLY introduce foods which could be a problem. But I'm not ready to do that NOW. Right now, I am focusing on stopping my sugar dragon, as I still eat lots of candy and sweets and desserts on a day-to-day basis. I just know thats not good for me, but I'm addicted. I think in the future, a diet more geared towards Crohns could be helpful for me, but I have trouble when I say, make a batch of cookies, I eat all of them. I make a cake - I eat the entire cake. Its awful. I just cant stop myself when it comes to those goods. I thought whole30 would help me get away from that. I'm not ready for even more restrictions, I'm already pretty depressed about not getting to eat cake for 21 more days.

[Erica Gucc]

Thanks for answering my questions. You've provided a really clear picture. Just a few more questions, though! Do you like eggs? If so, are there certain ways of cooking them that you DO like as opposed to other ways that you do NOT like?

 

I'm kinda bummed that you say you didn't like butternut squash, as I find it has that warm, comforting texture and flavor that I sense you are missing. How have you prepared it so far, and is there a chance you would consider trying it a different way?

 

I realize I am taking a different approach from the moderators who are much more qualified to help you address your pain. I'd like to help you find things that taste good to you, because there really ARE yummy things to be eaten on Whole30 -- I swear!

 

 

I love eggs, in all formats! but I think since starting my whole30, my love for eggs weaned a bit, because i just eat it all the time. I especially like fried egg though. For some reason, the gooey yolk I enjoy a lot, I've only had it once, a fried egg on sweet potato hash, but i loved the gooey-ness. 

 

I didn't do the whole30 because I wantted to be unhappy for 30 days. I would have done GAPs/SCD if I really wanted to treat my crohns. I wanted to find a way of healthy eating that was also delicious. And the whole30 promises the foods we eat on whole30 are delicious, but I'm skeptical. IT's only been 8 days and I feel like they lied to me. I am almost willing to accept that every meal isnt gonna be a hit, but before I started messing with my diet, everything I ate made me happier. I ate for pleasure, and also for calories, which I desperately needed. But seeing my Wellness Doc, she said I was low on all different kinds of things, and wanted me to cut out Gluten, Dairy, and Excess Sugar. I remember being very sad that day, imagining a future where I just was unhappy with everything I ate. I relied so much on foods which were tasty, because even when I did not want to eat, my brain would convince myself that because its delicious, its worth it. But I found whole30 and thought, hey, I might be able to swing it - eat deliciously and nutriously. Good foods taste good, yada yada. Just not AS good as the unhealthy counterparts.

[GFChris]

 

 

I didn't do the whole30 because I wantted to be unhappy for 30 days. I would have done GAPs/SCD if I really wanted to treat my crohns. I wanted to find a way of healthy eating that was also delicious.

 

Sounds like you just haven't found the right recipes yet. 

Have you browsed Mel Joulwan's website or Nom Nom Paleo's site? Those tend to be the most popular, and both have amazing delicious meals.

 

Have you made homemade mayo yet?  Believe it or not, you can use that in place of sour cream to top your taco meat, chicken and chili with.

Have you made zucchini noodles with tomato sauce yet?

Have you tried different colored cauliflower? (I find orange to be sweeter than standard cauliflower.)  Then again, you might want to avoid cruciferous veggies, given your Crohn's.

I wouldn't recommend jicama to you, as I find it's best raw, and you want to avoid raw vegetables with having Crohn's.

 

[SpunkyBug]

Here are some recipes you might like:

 

Magic mushroom powder (Great in eggs -- more about that later)

http://www.oregonlive.com/foodday/index.ssf/2008/06/recipe_detail.html?id=8980

 

Cracklin chicken

http://nomnompaleo.com/post/74180911762/cracklin-chicken
 

Roast chicken

http://nomnompaleo.com/post/99591424823/weeknight-roast-chicken

Or

http://nomnompaleo.com/post/33574189692/easiest-roast-chicken-ever

 

Hot Thai chicken with broccoli and cauliflower

http://www.wholelifeeating.com/2010/12/hot-thai-chicken-with-broccoli-and-cauliflower/
 

Skillet roasted chicken thighs with Brussels sprouts

http://www.wholelifeeating.com/2012/01/skillet-roasted-chicken-thighs-and-brussels-sprouts/
 

Buffalo Chicken "pasta"

http://paleomg.com/buffalo-chicken-pasta/
 

Sweet potato meatloaf

http://paleomg.com/paleo-savory-sweet-potato-meatloaf/

 

Moroccan salmon

http://theclothesmakethegirl.com/2010/05/06/moroccan-grilled-salmon/

 

Merguez meatballs

http://theclothesmakethegirl.com/2012/03/29/merguez-meatballs/

 

Rogan Josh lamb stew

http://meljoulwan.com/2010/07/13/paleo-rogan-josh/

 

Silky gingered zucchini soup

http://theclothesmakethegirl.com/2012/11/05/silky-gingered-zucchini-soup/

 

Golden cauliflower soup

http://theclothesmakethegirl.com/2012/10/24/golden-cauliflower-soup/

 

Mashed cauliflower

http://theclothesmakethegirl.com/2012/11/07/mashed-cauliflower/

 

Coconut-almond green beans

http://theclothesmakethegirl.com/2012/03/14/coconut-almond-green-beans/

 

Broccoli bagna cauda 

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/broccoli-bagna-cauda-51217020

 

As far as eggs and butternut squash, here's what I do: Whenever I make scrambled eggs, I put in one tablespoon of butternut squash puree (I buy it in the can, but you can make it yourself) for each egg, and I add several big shakes of magic mushroom powder.  I cook the eggs real slow in a nonstick pan, stirring pretty much constantly with a rubber spatula, making sure they don't get dry or overcooked. Take them out while they still look a little underdone, if you can handle it. It takes extra time to do it this way, but it's so worth it. They come out like custard, and are so yummy.

 

I also like to sauté small cubes of butternut squash with thinly sliced sunchokes (Jerusalem artichokes) in a pan with ghee. I sprinkle them with magic mushroom powder and cook them over medium until they are well cooked. They should be practically falling apart. So good.

 

I hope at least some of these recipes appeal to you, and that they end up being tasty enough to enjoy -- I hate to hear that someone isn't enjoying eating! If you have a spiralizer or pressure cooker, let me know and I'll post a few more recipes.

 

Best of luck!

[Erica Gucc]

Wow thanks both of you I'll read through those links and try it out!!

This week I'm taking an approach to make a meal I usually love every. Day. It started off with a new way to prep Buffalo chicken on Saturday. Still haven't found the perfect recipe but the ranch dressing I made was delicious and came super inhandy at the party I went to the next day.

For this week I made yet another delicious breakfast - I used the sweet potato cinnamon and apple hash recipe scaled up a ton and egg frittata muffins. This week using sausage and leftover salsa and its just damn good. I think umani every time I make something and salsa has tomatoes so it's a hit. And the apple cinnamon sweet potato hash is a warm and welcoming comfort zone. Matched with a coffee pulsed with coconut milk and a cinnamon stick

Who needs sugar and dairy?

Snacks roll around and I'm fine here too. I have no problem reaching for meat, fruit, and olives. I got all the fat, protien, and carb

As you know vaw veggies are not preferable so unless I have a cooked veggie on hand fruits the way to go.

Today I tried heating up sweet potato in the microwave. Miss. Gotta listen to my moms advice on that one.

For dinner tonight I made stuffed peppers

As I was dumping in the can of diced tomatoes (my variation I'm place of half a can of tomato sauce) and used some red pepper flakes, adobo, dried parsley and basil (I would have used fresh If they were on hand) oh it was tasty. I sprinkled almond flour on top and broiled it. A friend recommended nutritional yeast so I'll look into that to see if it could add back the creaminess.. Not sure if its allowed?

Tomorrow is chilli and I'm probably making a mayo to go with it

Pretty sad about the WHO report today. Looks like I need to change my shopping habits.

What I want to do ideally is find delicious foods following AIP and slowly get off of nightshades and eggs

Currently they take up most of my diet and with the new report from who, I feel like there's nothing I can eat to make me healthier!!

But whole30 is a start. It's a commitment to doing better

These recipes will hopefully help me ride out next week.

This week after chilli its going to be a recreation of my own

Chicken cutlets

Ultimate childhood comfort food. Very easy. Delicious. Don't know how il male the mashed potatoes but I'll figure it out. I know how to make amazing chicken cutlets with coconut flour and I like this recipe because its so easy!!!

Thanks again and I'll post back once I go thru the recipes.

[Erica Gucc]

Oh and yes to the spiralizer. No pressure cooker. Slow cooker recipes welcome

[Karen]

Mashed potatoes with light coconut milk and coconut oil (I use expeller pressed so it doesn't smell like coconut) whipped to perfection is divine! My step kids haven't caught on that it's not butter and milk, and they are p i c k y eaters.

I'd try to avoid broccoli, cauliflower, and sun chokes (I call them fartchokes) as they tend to cause more gas, which could impact your pain levels.

Nom nom paleo's crispy chicken is a staple in our kitchen. Paired with greens (if you're off greens you can find something else), avocado, apple chunks, and a simple balsamic vinegar dressing is divine.

[SpunkyBug]

This spiralized veggie recipe is simple but so good:

 

http://fitfoodiefinds.com/2014/05/roasted-easy-herby-spiralized-vegetables-20-spiralized-recipes/

 

And here's Nom Nom Paleo's famous Kalua Pig for the slow cooker:

 

http://nomnompaleo.com/post/10031990774/slow-cooker-kalua-pig

 

Sounds like you're coming up with lots of great ideas on your own. Way to go!

[BaelasOma]

Hi I have Crohn's too and I started Whole30 on the 25th of Oct because I was having another flare and like you have no appetite and pain with each meal, but I knew I had to improve my diet if I wanted to feel better and help heal myself.  First are you on meds?  if not you need to get on something to help with the inflammation.  I don't like taking mine but I make sure to take it when I flare.  When you are having a flare, you need to cook all veggies well and peel your apples and chew well to reduce the pain of the food passing your bad spots.  Sorry if I sound Momlike, You most likely know a lot of this stuff.  I'm mentioning it just in case.

 

Here is what I've done.  I try to fix meals that are high in taste so I at least enjoy eating them a bit.  Second I pre make some protein, I cut up a pound of chicken breasts and simmer them in chicken broth with some cut onions, sea salt, pepper and garlic cloves.  I boiled some eggs.  I prepared some ground beef with salt, pepper, onions and garlic, divided them into meal portions.  I bought some thin cut lean pork chops, and some frozen salmon.  I bought some fresh veggies and steamed them all so I had ready vegetables.  Bake a few yams ahead of time as well.  This way when you are too sick to cook a full meal from scratch, you can still throw something together in a few minutes.  Cooking the pork chops or salmon only take about five minutes you can heat your veggies while they are in the pan.

 

When I want a meal I have the basics and I can pick what is most appetizing at the time.  I use different spice blends or approved sauces to flavor.  I also use liberal amounts of ghee and coconut oil to increase the flavor.   I eat protein with each meal and veggies, once I start to feel ill I stop, I finish that same meal when I feel like I can eat again.

 

If you need something slightly sweet to make you want to eat, I make fried apples by slicing apples and cooking them in coconut oil, sprinkle on cinnamon, nutmeg to taste and a dash of sea salt.  I will eat that with a pork chop.  Baking yams also makes them taste a bit sweet, I add a bit of ghee and some cinnamon and nutmeg. 

 

Hope some of this helps!

Good luck!

Lisa

[Erica Gucc]

Thanks so much Lisa!! yes it does help to hear your experience. Cooking up foods in advance is a great idea. I am lucky to have the energy to cook every night. Every day feels like a blessing now that the Cimzia and 6mp kicked in!! It was GOD awful before that. I wouldnt be able to do whole30 without those power-horses.

 

I like to sautee my apples in ghee and apple cider and cinnamon, which creates this gooey, caramelized concoction. Yum, and a great use of a seasonal juice (because if I wanted to I could just drink it straight but trying not to do that as its not allowed)

 

I am doing more of what you are suggesting now. I roasted a TON of veggies yesterday to add on to meals, just in case i didnt find what i made that night as appetizing, i could heat up some of the roasted veggies and dip them in the mayo I made.

 

I made a lot of mayo too, and I love it, I can eat anything in it hahaaha.

 

Since i made this post, I've made a lot of adjustments. I got a lot of great recipe suggestions, and I'm trying to stick to foods I know and love, and trying new things with caution and as a small part of the meal so I still get all the essential portions.

 

Thanks!

[Erica Gucc]

Lisa, I have another question. Do you peel your apples when you cook them? Do you find that helps at all?

 

I'm not sure if I should bother peeling apples, its just another thing I gotta do, and I feel already like I do insanely too much for meal prep haha