Liquid Diet

[EricaNichole]

I am trying a liquid diet rig now. I'm drinking Ensures and smoothies, I'm pretty sure some of the smoothies are giving me diaherra and cramping. Is there a "menu" for a liquid diet? Also I am breastfeeding so I need about 2500 calories a day!

 

[Jennifer]

Have you tried juicing? There are a lot of threads floating around about it. I wonder if Ensure Plus might be better than regular Ensure but I'm not sure. Has your doctor given you any suggestions at all?

 

[hugh]

isn't ensure just lots of sugar with some low quality 'nutrients' added?

 

[Jennifer]

There is a fair amount of sugar (otherwise it would taste like yuck) but I think the nutritional value is pretty fair. I drink them as well during a liquid diet along with anything else your body can tolerate (broths, juices, teas etc.).

 

[shermel2]

I would encourage you to continue the Ensure suppplements especially if you are breastfeeding. You may consider doing a full liquid diet which includes teas, frozen yogurt, broth, Jello. Sometimes you can add cooked, refined cererals like Cream of Wheat if tolerated. I would speak to your Dr. especially if you are breastfeeding.

 

[Boloby]

If fiber is a problem, be sure to read the labels because some types of Ensure have it. I found out the hard way.

 

[shmo]

Ensure plus is a nice way to get more calories wile drinking less

 

[mickey]

Due to some esophogeal ulcers, I was put on a liquid diet only for well over a month. I lived on Ensure and Ensure Plus. It was easy to keep track of calories and it gave me the vitamins, etc. needed. I felt great and actually did not want to return to food, since I gained more hours in the day by not preparing/shopping for food and taking time to eat! Regardless, if you are over 40, try to find something with less soy. Many new alternatives than only Ensure, which was the only thing available to me over 20 years ago. Good luck!

 

[tzvia]

Ensure works for many people but I stay away from it because it has artifical colors and flavors, which have been shown to create and inflammatory response in the body. "Orgain" is a more natural brand, and there is also a new soy based one called "Svlete" which sounds good in theory but gives me terrible gas (I think I can't tolerate soy)

For me, the best nutritional drinks are the ones I make myself in the blender...that way I know what is going into them. My ingrdients usually consist of the following: banana, mango, yougurt, pea protien powder, a squeeze of liquid vitamin. Sometimes instead of yougurt, I use the juice from a fresh coconut. You can also do just banana, water, and protein powder with a squeeze of liquid vitamin. I peel and freeze the bananas before blending for a thick textured drink.

If choosing a store bought drink, I'd stay away from chocolate or coffee flavors, artificial flavors, artifical colors, artifical sweeteners, and anything you know you can't tolertate- like soy for example.

 

[tzvia]

Oh, I also add 2 tablespoons of coconut oil to my drink. It's soooo good for you and delicious! And I add a nice sized sprinkle of cinnamon too.

 

[tzvia]

So just wanted to share my recent story and how it relates to liquid/pureed food....

I was diagnosed with Crohn's in 2008 but had symptoms since 2000. I've have countless flares, but the worst happening last week, which landed me in the hospital for a week with a bowel obstruction....first time ever dealing with a full obstruction as opposed to a flare. I escaped without having surgery, and now am at home, healing on prednisone 40mg.

The Doc said I can eat whatever I want, but I made up my own diet, which I have been doing religiously since being hospitalized last week. I am only eating broths, smoothies, pureed foods, peppermint tea, and well cooked-well chewed chicken and fish. I've been having a BLAST making new recipes for purees! Each puree I make uses only organic ingredients and high quality oils..I'm totally making them up as I go along. Here are a few examples:

1) Puree of roasted butternut squash, coconut oil, sea salt
2) Puree of banana, avocado, lime--frozen like ice cream
3) Puree of tahini, banana, coconut oil, cinnamon
4) Puree of green beans, toasted seasame oil, sea salt
5) See previous post for smoothie/natural "ensure" recipe

I plan to keep on the puree/smooth diet as I wean from Pred and hopefully not go on any other meds.