Part three of my journey with crohns.

So I moved into Mum and Dad's garage and lived there for a couple of months as I recovered after surgery. Things were slow for a while, I rested alot and the major activities for the day were showering and going outside. Sometimes I would have to stop half way through drying myself, after a shower, and rest for a bit. It was exhausting. My bowels were slowly getting back to normal. Some movements, at the start, after the surgery were incredibly painful (tears would be had), but that was also on the mend.

I started my journey of research into how to eat post surgery as a crohns patient. About a week or so after my surgery I went and visited a naturopath breifly. I sat down with her for about half an hour and she educated me on what foods are good to eat and what I should stay away from and the reason. Even though it was hard to hear what she had to say, I loved that she spoke to me as though I would definitly change and that I could definitley do it. She set the bar high for me so I could reap the benefits. She did not speak to me in such a way as to think I couldnt do it, or its too hard, or just go halfway and you will be ok. She understood much more than me and knew that I needed to make the change and respected me enough to set the bar high. I appreciate that more than anything. It was a challenge I needed to take it on and own it for myself.

The list she gave me of what to avoid was this...

FOODS TO AVOID: (underlined were absolute definites)

wheat

diary

alcohol

caffeine

citrus

nightshade vegetable (capsicum, potato, pumpkin...)

corn

soy

peanuts

red meat

sugar

junk food

processed and packaged foods

colours

preservatives

flavourings

She reccomended I have lemon water 15mon prior to meals and to drink about 2L water a day. She then she went into all the things that I can replace all I have been eating with healthy alternatives.

She told me about quinoa, chia seeds, buckwheat, millet, nuts, seeds, legumes, rice milk, spelt and kamut flour, and so many other options. To be honest, when she gave me the list of 'avoids' I was dumbfounded and was wondering what I was going to eat. Then she mentioned some of the many other options, and as I started to hunt around in alternative and health food stores and health sections in main grocery stores I was quite amazed at alot of the options out there.

Now it was all about discipline, experimentation and changing my taste buds. The next 9-12 months for me was so, so hard. I struggled to come off all the food I normally ate and all my little addictions. I craved all the food I used to enjoy and was attempting to change my mindset  and taste buds to a whole new way of eating. It was damn hard work!! I failed some days, but would make sure I just  got back into eating well again and not beat myself up about it. I was going cold turkey and gung ho into it. My driving motivator was thinking about what I had just been through and not wanting to go there again. I was determined to live a healthy vibrant life. I would make sure I would do what I can with whats in my hand, which is so much more than I originally thought! I now believe we have a hugely significant amount of control over our health.

I remember thinking I thought I was quite healthy pre surgery. But the more I was learning, I realised I was not at all. There was so much to learn and so much to implement. I started at first just changing what I normally ate with something else healthier. So my cereals/breads would become kamut or spelt bread and I would get organic oats or brown rice flakes etc from the health food stores and have those for breakfast. I made sure that anything I bought that was packaged that I knew exactly what was in it. I started reading all the labels/ingredients in the food I was buying and if it wasnt wholesome it would go back on the shelf.

Reading labels on food was  HUGE eye opener to me as to what I was actually putting into my body. For example I thought I was just having bread, or a cereal or a can of food, or even a harmless fruit bar, but the label said other wise. So once I was getting into the habit of reading what was in my food my options diminished greatly.  I go by the rule, if I dont know what it is, or can't pronounce it, or it has any numbers, then I dont buy it. That makes it easy.

So I continued on. I would substitute wheat pasta for rice, millet, buckwheat pasta. Milk was substituted with rice, oat, and after about a year or so, goats milk and coconut milk. I found some delicious mung bean noodles in the asian section of woolies. I continued to bake and just substituted the flours with wholemeal kamut or spelt flour and sugar for honey or coconut sugar. I tried to get as wholesome and organic as possible.

Snacks were fruit and veg, rye/rice crackers, nut butters and I experiemented and made chocolate pastes with dates, avocados, raw cacao powder and coconut oil. That was one of my favourite treats. I occasionally ate chicken and fish. I ate alot more brown rice and millet, lentils, chickpeas and lots of salads and vegies. I quickly learned how to supplement with good and healthy foods compared to what I normally had. I was learning to love hearbal teas also. I used to drink 6 or so cups of coffee a day and this new diet showed me other hot drink options!! I was feeling great as I was slowly recovering.

I am not a good cook and I had no passion for cooking (it is slowly changing). One of my desires in a husband was to be with someone who loved cooking!  But with the change of diet I was learning to appreciate food and cooking more. I learned to initiate eating at places I knew I could eat at if catching up with people and if that was unavoidable then I would ask the cooks/waiters questions about what is in their food and work out what would suit me best. I have come to appreciate and understand the importance of saying no nicely if I am offered food I cant have, with respect to the person having made it and realising that it is my health that is the priority. When people know what you have been through and why you say no they completely understand, if they dont, then who cares what they think. Your the one that has to deal with side effects! So be strong and stick with your convictions to be healthy.

I also started going to 'Wholesome House' which is a health food store in Mowbray, Launceston and 'Natures Works' which helped me out with getting different products.  I got onto chia seeds, carob, coconut oil, healthy chutneys and sauces (which I am attempting to make now), coconut water, brewers yeast...

Experimenting, reading, research and buying good recipe books, and looking on the net for good recipes and health sites became the new thing that I did. I also hunted down great people to talk to who were already ahead of me with healthy eating and lifestyle and I learnt from them.  One great book that was brilliant to read and who I could relate to a bit was 'The Makers Diet'. I would  reccomend this book to anyone struggling with gut problems who wants to change their diet and lifestyle.

I still have much more to share. I want to also go into my journey with the after care from the hospital, and the people I have met along the way and what they have shared with me and where I have come to today. My diet has changed drastically in 3 years from all that I have leant and I want to share so much with you. 

Thanks for stopping by.