DSers: What do you eat? And any vegans out there?

[BigGeekGirl]

Your "menu" consists of all the things I cannot eat. Except corn chips. I can eat a few of those. The "cannot" is because of SIBO, small intestine bacterial overgrowth. The likely causes of that can include the DS, but do include aging, and the use of PPI/H2's and opioids.

SOMETIMES, not you...not so far, proponents of a vegan lifestyle seem to consider their choices superior to the choices of others. And because of that, I may be just a tad defensive. So, just for the record, a vegan diet would render me housebound due to non-stop diarrhea, so...fuck the environment and the animals, too. It's a survival issue.

To be honest, while a nice salad sounds great and would be a huge treat, I happen to REALLY LIKE things like ribeye and tri-tip and scrambled eggs and ham. They "cure" the diarrhea and can be found anywhere and allow me to be part of the human race, which unattended SIBO does not.

(I may be the only one here...now...with SIBO. But, given how many here use PPIs and H2 medications and maybe opioids, and have had gastric surgery and might some day be 70 years old, too...and I want them to recognize this issue sooner rather than later.)

Anyway, @Stefanie S. ...do your best to get in the needed protein. But if you go vegan, you HAVE TO get FREQUENT labs. We do not recover easily or quickly from deficiencies. Don't let lifestyle OR inattentive doctors cause you to get irreparably ill. Remember that having the DS without adopting the necessary diet, supplements and lab testing is suicide.

I think I left out some back story. I am not vegan. I have leather shoes and take vitamins that include gelatin , etc.

I am trying to eat whole food plant based for my husband who is on his second kidney transplant and has dangerously high cholesterol. He is not a DSer. But I do 100% of the cooking.

Full on ethical vegans can be very unethical in their treatment of people who won't act like them, you are correct.

I'm sorry to hear about your health issues. I'd be sad to give up veggies as I've always loved them. One of the reasons I chose DS was the ability to have a full functioning stomach so I could eat raw veggies.

I'm sure I will settle into a place where I am eating meat or eggs a few times a week. Right now I am doing this to model to my husband that it can be done and the food can be tasty. The good news is his cholesterol is coming down !!

One other note- my brother is a cardiologist who is plant based (not vegan) and sponsoring a double blind study now on strict plant based eating - and that includes getting less than 10% of calories from fat like some of the blue zone populations. (If you've read about blue zones- they are where the longest living people are clustered). It was his suggestion to help my husband...

I too love ribs and steak but equally love lentils and cabbage so it is working for me.

I'm not suggesting the same path for all as each of us react differently to DS and our needs differ.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

I think I left out some back story. I am not vegan. I have leather shoes and take vitamins that include gelatin , etc.

I am trying to eat whole food plant based for my husband who is on his second kidney transplant and has dangerously high cholesterol. He is not a DSer. But I do 100% of the cooking.

Full on ethical vegans can be very unethical in their treatment of people who won't act like them, you are correct.

I'm sorry to hear about your health issues. I'd be sad to give up veggies as I've always loved them. One of the reasons I chose DS was the ability to have a full functioning stomach so I could eat raw veggies.

I'm sure I will settle into a place where I am eating meat or eggs a few times a week. Right now I am doing this to model to my husband that it can be done and the food can be tasty. The good news is his cholesterol is coming down !!

One other note- my brother is a cardiologist who is plant based (not vegan) and sponsoring a double blind study now on strict plant based eating - and that includes getting less than 10% of calories from fat like some of the blue zone populations. (If you've read about blue zones- they are where the longest living people are clustered). It was his suggestion to help my husband...

I too love ribs and steak but equally love lentils and cabbage so it is working for me.

I'm not suggesting the same path for all as each of us react differently to DS and our needs differ.

In that case, when you resume cooking/eating meats, please move here. I hate cooking. I could have my husband stop by and pick up meals. (Oh, when you do mine...he needs the opposite...a cadiac survivor/pre-diabetic diet...he gets the soft cheeses, I get the hard cheeses, thank you very much. ) Especially when the goal is low fiber/low residue...like this, but subtract out all the wheat flour stuff in the starches:
https://www.gicare.com/diets/low-fiberlow-residue-diet/

AND, just for fun, the fruits and veggies I can eat are supposed to have no "skin," no seeds, and be cooked to death...like, canned fruits and veggies. IOW, mush. Just mush. Friggin' mush.

(Otherwise, all that healthy, high fiber stuff parks itself in the small intestine and ferments.)

 

[Stefanie S.]

I am 12 years post op. I am sure some of my absorption is back.

I was very low carb the first 18 months during my magic window.

I have maintained a 225 lb loss in 12 years but was down 265 so have regained 40lbs.

About 7 weeks ago I went 'whole food plant based'.

I read Proteinholic and many other studies about protein goals in general. For me my surgeon had always had us aim for 75 grams a day and I can do that easily plant based.

I am enjoying lentils, beans, tofu and lots of veggies and fruits. Sometimes I will eat a vegan processed fake meat mostly because my son and husband aren't too hip on eating veggies all day. Lol.

I feel amazing. I drink a plant based protein drink (or eat extra tofu) on days I go to the gym.

So I think it can be done. But I'd wait for your body to finish losing. When I was at your stage I would often eat many low carb veggies - spinach salads, peppers and a few onions, cucumbers, etc. I added in more at a couple years out.

I plan on getting my labs done next month to see how things are. But this is the best I've felt in years and I've lost almost 20lbs.

Thank you for this! I know it is widely believed that it isn't possible to get enough protein on a vegan diet, but I knew better. What I'm really worried about is the number of carbs that comes along with the vegan protein. For that reason, you are probably right that I should wait a while. But I LOVE this message and congrats on feeling great and dropping 20!!!!

 

[Stefanie S.]

And in case you're curious I am food charting to make sure I'm hitting 60-90 grams a day (some more , some less)

One day:

Two servings old fashioned oats, half an avocado mixed in, seasoned why Cajun spice. 12 grams of protein.

Wasabi peas (4 servings throughout the day) 20 grams of spicy protein.

BBQ lentils, corn chips, half an avocado. 25 grams of protein

Zoodles, red peppers and onions in tomato sauce over quinoa. 20 grams of protein.

Spicy curried sweet potatoes

Another day:

Coffee with cream

1 avacado on 2 pieces of toast, peanut butter and an apple. (15 grams of protein)

Tofu scramble w/ peppers and onions , salsa and corn chips. (22 grams of protein)

Mushroom / cauliflower sloppy joe (no bread), lentil pasta w/ chickpea dressing (20 grams of protein)

Wasabi peas (3 servings) 15 grams of protein.

Thank you for this!

 

[Stefanie S.]

Your "menu" consists of all the things I cannot eat. Except corn chips. I can eat a few of those. The "cannot" is because of SIBO, small intestine bacterial overgrowth. The likely causes of that can include the DS, but do include aging, and the use of PPI/H2's and opioids.

SOMETIMES, not you...not so far, proponents of a vegan lifestyle seem to consider their choices superior to the choices of others. And because of that, I may be just a tad defensive. So, just for the record, a vegan diet would render me housebound due to non-stop diarrhea, so...fuck the environment and the animals, too. It's a survival issue.

To be honest, while a nice salad sounds great and would be a huge treat, I happen to REALLY LIKE things like ribeye and tri-tip and scrambled eggs and ham. They "cure" the diarrhea and can be found anywhere and allow me to be part of the human race, which unattended SIBO does not.

(I may be the only one here...now...with SIBO. But, given how many here use PPIs and H2 medications and maybe opioids, and have had gastric surgery and might some day be 70 years old, too...and I want them to recognize this issue sooner rather than later.)

Anyway, @Stefanie S. ...do your best to get in the needed protein. But if you go vegan, you HAVE TO get FREQUENT labs. We do not recover easily or quickly from deficiencies. Don't let lifestyle OR inattentive doctors cause you to get irreparably ill. Remember that having the DS without adopting the necessary diet, supplements and lab testing is suicide.

I'm super appreciative of this advice and these cautions. I do struggle with eating animals... I struggle a lot. But I'm also following the diet recommendations to a T... the recommendations I found on this site and NOT the one my doctor suggested that would already have me sick! And I have already had several rounds of labs done and I'm super careful. But some day, I want to get back to more vegan ways...

 

[Munchkin]

I'm super appreciative of this advice and these cautions. I do struggle with eating animals... I struggle a lot. But I'm also following the diet recommendations to a T... the recommendations I found on this site and NOT the one my doctor suggested that would already have me sick! And I have already had several rounds of labs done and I'm super careful. But some day, I want to get back to more vegan ways...

I think some day you will be able to do this. But right now it's most important to lose the weight. As much as you can, as fast as you can. I don't doubt your ability to get in enough protein but eating a vegan diet the real thing to worry about is the carbs that come with the protein. And all the regain comes from...carbs.

 

[BigGeekGirl]

Thank you for this! I know it is widely believed that it isn't possible to get enough protein on a vegan diet, but I knew better. What I'm really worried about is the number of carbs that comes along with the vegan protein. For that reason, you are probably right that I should wait a while. But I LOVE this message and congrats on feeling great and dropping 20!!!!

I've always advocated taking advantage of your weight loss window. I had a BMI of over 60. I had a lot of weight to lose. I ate under 30 grams of carbs a day for 18 months although every 10 days I'd have some bread or pizza crust just to shake up my body.

Now many years later all the 'low carb' is clouding my brain. But honestly I had slipped into eating some crap food (goldfish crackers, bread, pasta, cookies) so I am replacing them with fruit, potatoes, sweet potatoes and beans. Yes, they are all carbs but my body is for sure processing the 'whole food' differently. And I am loving every potato I eat.

I think often we lump all carbs together (like that recent study that was published) and all carbs are not equal. When I eat whole food carbs my gas doesn't even smell as strong ! I am eating more carbs and earlier in the day and not stinking up everything. My husband is thrilled. Lol.

For now take time to lose the weight.

Good luck!

 

[southernlady]

I've always advocated taking advantage of your weight loss window. I had a BMI of over 60. I had a lot of weight to lose. I ate under 30 grams of carbs a day for 18 months although every 10 days I'd have some bread or pizza crust just to shake up my body.

Now many years later all the 'low carb' is clouding my brain. But honestly I had slipped into eating some crap food (goldfish crackers, bread, pasta, cookies) so I am replacing them with fruit, potatoes, sweet potatoes and beans. Yes, they are all carbs but my body is for sure processing the 'whole food' differently. And I am loving every potato I eat.

I think often we lump all carbs together (like that recent study that was published) and all carbs are not equal. When I eat whole food carbs my gas doesn't even smell as strong ! I am eating more carbs and earlier in the day and not stinking up everything. My husband is thrilled. Lol.

For now take time to lose the weight.

Good luck!

Each of us is different. I can handle bread etc but as much as I adore fruit, it's the worst offender to my gas.

 

[LindaDarnell]

Hi @Stefanie S. ..I have nothing to contribute as far as vegetarian or vegan options. I do wish you well and caution as I've always been warned that those diets arent compatible with DS. I can literally remember overhearing the surgeon and Nut fussing at a patient who had chosen a vegan diet and was malnourished in so many areas. I remember them repeating "critical "
So do be careful, love.

 

[LindaDarnell]

I've found a help for gas that makes a little less offensive. I came across papaya enzymes on another was forum. They do NOT work if you take them after the gas has started. But if you take them a few minutes before eating something that may cause offensive gas, it helps me tremendously!! I do have to take higher the dosage, and I dont do this on a regular basis. But if I know I'm going to eat something, carbs or whole milk, that will blow away the house, I take them. It doesnt eliminate completely but lessens the frequency and potency by 60 to 70% if I had to guess. Let's just say, I dont wake up in the middle of the night, having to spray the room down in Ozium. I am going to get my husband to try them as well and see if it helps.

 

[writegirl]

BTW, the biggest women I know right now are all vegans. They think it will help them lose weight but every single one of them is gaining. From my seat in the stands, veganism looks like the fast track to morbid obesity. And there is more and more data out there that says low sugar/low carb is the best diet plan. http://bariatricfacts.org/threads/esc-huge-diet-study-shows-carbs-not-fats-are-the-problem.5716/

OMG THIS ^^^^ every single vegan I know is either heavy or rapidly ballooning. In fact, I myself went vegetarian for a time and gained the most weight of my life when I did that. Some of my friends who have struggled with weight have been doing a Keto diet--which is pretty comparable to living the DS lifestyle and they are dropping or have already dropped significant weight. I considered trying the Keto route before I committed to surgery, but I was so tired of the yo-yo and the bounce back into substantial regain (that I KNOW would have happened to me after years of major weight loss and even more major regains) that I opted for the surgery and what I like to think of as the "Forever Plan."

 

[BigGeekGirl]

OMG THIS ^^^^ every single vegan I know is either heavy or rapidly ballooning. In fact, I myself went vegetarian for a time and gained the most weight of my life when I did that. Some of my friends who have struggled with weight have been doing a Keto diet--which is pretty comparable to living the DS lifestyle and they are dropping or have already dropped significant weight. I considered trying the Keto route before I committed to surgery, but I was so tired of the yo-yo and the bounce back into substantial regain (that I KNOW would have happened to me after years of major weight loss and even more major regains) that I opted for the surgery and what I like to think of as the "Forever Plan."

Vegans can eat Oreos and junk all day - as long as it doesn't come from an animal source.

I'm eating whole food plant based. Trying to eliminate processed foods all together.

I did Keto for years... But you slip off Keto a little and it's easy to gain. My husband can never be 100% compliant to any diet so the Keto was not a good fit for him. This plant based eating is more forgiving. And I've never heard a doctor say 'don't eat veggies'.

 

[LindaDarnell]

Vegans can eat Oreos and junk all day - as long as it doesn't come from an animal source.

I'm eating whole food plant based. Trying to eliminate processed foods all together.

I did Keto for years... But you slip off Keto a little and it's easy to gain. My husband can never be 100% compliant to any diet so the Keto was not a good fit for him. This plant based eating is more forgiving. And I've never heard a doctor say 'don't eat veggies'.

Keep hanging around bariatric docs and RDs and you'll hear "dont eat veggies"...at least in the beginning of your journey. It's the best way to jumpstart your weight loss and because your protein requirement is so high after any of the WLSs, you won't have much room or need for veggies. Seriously. I'm not one to say that a plant based diet is not doable, but with DS or even RNY where you experience malabsorption by design, I just don't see how it can be maintained exclusively in a healthy regimen.

 

[BigGeekGirl]

Keep hanging around bariatric docs and RDs and you'll hear "dont eat veggies"...at least in the beginning of your journey. It's the best way to jumpstart your weight loss and because your protein requirement is so high after any of the WLSs, you won't have much room or need for veggies. Seriously. I'm not one to say that a plant based diet is not doable, but with DS or even RNY where you experience malabsorption by design, I just don't see how it can be maintained exclusively in a healthy regimen.

Ha. Funny. At my 18 month follow up my surgeon said 'you do a great job with veggies. Why aren't you eating fruit?' To me. (When looking at my food diary). That was before I added in starchier veggies like sweet potatoes and beans.

I told him I wasn't a fruit fan and he told me to eat one serving of berries a day. (I still don't!)

I get berries are healthy and low glycemic. I just don't like them.

But I've enjoyed watermelon this summer and tomatoes are technically fruit.

 

[southernlady]

I told him I wasn't a fruit fan and he told me to eat one serving of berries a day. (I still don't!)

I get berries are healthy and low glycemic. I just don't like them.

I poop berries when I eat them and the gas is bad.

I do like watermelon in very small amounts.