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Vegan and crohns? Any successful people out there?

I have been vegan for two years, and am in midst of a flare up right now. My gi wants me to eat fish and eggs now so I am abiding, but I'm reading all these posts on how it's hard for vegans with crohns to get their protein and I'm second guessing my diet choices. Any successful vegans with crohns or anyone with advice?
 

DJW

Forum Monitor
Hi. Vegan ostomy can probably help but I don't know how to tag him. You could search members and private message him.
 
Without eggs and fish, what was your protein source before? There are plant based protein sources, one being what i feel to be 'clean' is organic hemp protein Nutiva 15g. There are single serve samples that you can try before buying a larger size to see if it might work for you.

There are times when this illness gets ugly we do things we may not want to. I have eaten meat, cheese, milk and butter.

*I am currently not vegan and have a horrible guilty conscious for consuming animal products. Which may sound odd to non vegan peeps ~ I spent many years not eating animal products when I was younger. However needed the protein too, So I have been desperately searching for a easily digestible, palatable, organic plant based product, finally feel i have found it for now.*

Ask your Dr. if this could help??
Hope you feel better soon.
 
I have been vegan for two years, and am in midst of a flare up right now. My gi wants me to eat fish and eggs now so I am abiding, but I'm reading all these posts on how it's hard for vegans with crohns to get their protein and I'm second guessing my diet choices. Any successful vegans with crohns or anyone with advice?
After years of struggling against it, I have found the best way to manage UC is with a gluten-free vegan diet.

It also has to be a wholefood diet for me – totally avoid fake soy meat and all other processed vegan foods.

Having said that, I do occasionally have steamed fish or poached eggs, if I feel like it. But mainly stick to vegan.

I cannot really do lentils and chickpeas, unless they are slow cooked or cooked in a pressure cooker. Cooking slowly for longer makes for better breakdown of food and ultimately better digestion for me. So maybe just a change of how you actually cook the foods will help.

Animal proteins like dairy and meat are hard to digest anyway, let alone for someone like me who has an impaired internal health issue. They leave me with cramping, pain, wind, bleeding, diarrhea, constipation and mucous. I find them very acidic to my system and I find I do much better on alkaline foods.

It is very easy for vegans to get protein. If you are having problems, I really suggest you make an appointment with a nutritionist who specializes in vegan cuisine. Or even better a certified wholefood health coach practitioner. They can plan meals for you and guide you in the right direction. Some of them also offer cooking courses to help you along.

I did this a few years ago and it was one of the best things I have ever done. The lady I saw also specialized in “superfoods” and since starting on things like Wheatgrass, Camu Camu powder, Acai powder, Maca powder, Chia seed gel, Gubinge, Spirulina, etc…my health and diet has just improved in leaps and bounds.

Are you including any sort of vegan green smoothies or green vegetables juices into your diet? These will really help you to get better nutrition, and the juices are particularly good for when you are flaring and cannot eat solid food.

Also I am pretty much sugar free.
 
I was watching two Horizon programmes yesterday and thought of this thread. http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episod...15-2-should-i-eat-meat-how-to-feed-the-planet

The first was about whether meat is bad for your health (conclusion: red meat is good for your health so long as you don't go over the recommended limits; processed meat is bad. They didn't cover white meat, I think because there are no concerns over its effects on health), the second about whether farming livestock is bad for the environment (conclusion: yes it is. But more intensive farming techniques, which often have the appearance of giving the animals a poorer quality of life, are better for the environment than less intensive farming).
 
Hi SmellyMelly, when you mention lentils or chickpeas have you heard that if these are re heated they cause less discomfort if brought to a full boil?

Also ~ i am not sure if it applies to both UC and Crohns but heavy consumption of certain greens (especially in juice) can have a possibility to contribute to stones, gall and kidney?

Sugar is not really easy on the body, being a rather large task for the body to break down being just one reason. I try hard to be conscious in what I consume, limiting sugar as much as possible and not turning to fake substitutes. I buy local raw honey and find it can be used in many items.

Bread doubles me over and is not worth the pain.

I had meant to add above: The hemp protein, when added seems to feel best when added slowly to a intake - otherwise can possibly cause discomfort ~ could just be how the system state is at the time??

I am a huge fan of organic barley green - but even limit my intake of it. I enjoy how it just feels right and has positive results but fear my body may grow use to it and could not be as effective. Again 'the law of diminishing returns' is a possibility.

Your tips are great, I am going to look into them, thank you for the info!
 
I was vegitarian for ethical reasons for the 28 years of my life. My mother used to say I decided I wante to be vegetarian when I was 3 years old and it had become very much part of my identity. By the time I got out the hospital from being diagnosed and treated for Crohn's I was anemic, 20 pounds underweight and could barely walk.

I had heard that beans, lentils, and grains can all be hard on your digestive system and tofu as well due to having so much estrogen. I held out for about two weeks and then slowly started to learn how to eat meat.

It tasted gross to me at first and the idea that I was eating dead animals was revolting, but 3 months later I have learned to like chicken and white fish and look forward to eating them because they give me so much more energy than tofu. I try to eat only free-range organic chicken and wild caught fish because the animals are more humanely treated and healthier to consume as well. I also avoid gluten, sugar, most dairy, alcohol and caffeine and have managed to gain 30 pounds in 3 months.

If you're body will tolerate being vegetarian that is great. Persoally I decided that I didn't want to be a martyr for the sake of being vegetarian.
 
when you mention lentils or chickpeas have you heard that if these are re heated they cause less discomfort if brought to a full boil?

Not heard that. But if that was the case then tinned lentils and chickpeas would be OK for me - but they are not. I soak the dried lentils or chickpeas for 12 hours first, and then cook them in a slow cooker. I don't bring them to a rapid quick boil. Works fine for me.
 
Also ~ i am not sure if it applies to both UC and Crohns but heavy consumption of certain greens (especially in juice) can have a possibility to contribute to stones, gall and kidney?
You are thinking about oxalic acid which only applies to cooked greens.

I also don't have heavy consumption of certain greens. I have one green juice a day - which is hardly heavy consumption - and I always mix my greens for variety.

For Example: On Monday I may have a broccoli and apple juice and on Tuesday I may have a kale and carrot juice. And these are also standard serving sizes - I don't consume pounds or kilos of greens every day.....not an elephant yet! :)

Green juices are extremely helpful for my UC; they will settle down a flare almost immediately.

They are a good source of easily absorbable extra nutrition; especially if you struggle to eat fibrous fruit and vegetables, like so many of us do when we have IBD and IBS.
 
I had meant to add above: The hemp protein, when added seems to feel best when added slowly to a intake - otherwise can possibly cause discomfort ~ could just be how the system state is at the time??
I cannot take hemp protein as in the seeds; unless I buzz them up to a fine powder. They are just too rough and irritating otherwise. But I can make hemp milk with them though, so this may be an option for you. I take hemp oil every day in a smoothie, as it is the best way of getting hemp into me without issues.
 
You are thinking about oxalic acid which only applies to cooked greens.

I also don't have heavy consumption of certain greens. I have one green juice a day - which is hardly heavy consumption - and I always mix my greens for variety.

For Example: On Monday I may have a broccoli and apple juice and on Tuesday I may have a kale and carrot juice. And these are also standard serving sizes - I don't consume pounds or kilos of greens every day.....not an elephant yet! :)

Green juices are extremely helpful for my UC; they will settle down a flare almost immediately.

They are a good source of easily absorbable extra nutrition; especially if you struggle to eat fibrous fruit and vegetables, like so many of us do when we have IBD and IBS.
You made me laugh ;) i guess being so small right now everything feels heavy consumption, lol. Some drink the 'greens' a few times a day. Depending on bowel loss even one a day could cause stones, at least that is what i was told. After op #1, i was told to stay away from several greens like kale, spinach, green beans, etc due to the risk of stones. (so far)I do fine with barley green and it feels right when i do drink it. However from too much fats (trying to gain weight) my gallbladder is now gone.

I have never eaten beans from a can, i meant good old homemade. To boil when heating/ reheating for better digestion.

The hemp protein is ground for sure, not in whole seed form. Great alternative.

You sound like you are doing really well, thanks for all the info and sharing.
 
I actually realized I made a typo, it was my primary who wanted me to eat the fish and eggs, I hadn't gotten established with a GI yet at that point.

Thanks DJW and UnXmas, I did contact veganostomy and he was very nice and helpful!

@*If to be honest, I didn't really follow my protein sources carefully. I just kinda ate what I felt like and that's how I lived. I recently did a blood test and it came back that my protein was good, but I had eaten fish the day before, so not sure how it would be without it. Where do you buy your organic hemp protein, I have never heard of it or seen it? I totally sympathize with the guilty conscience, I however didn't go vegan because of animal ethics, but it seems as how I have not eaten it in over 2 years, when I do eat it it is very apparent in my mind what I am eating lol, and I don't enjoy it.

I am not due to see my gi back for two weeks, schedules weren't allowing. I just had a colonoscopy and endoscopy last Thursday, and did a CT scan yesterday of my abdomen and pelvis with enterography with oral and rectal contrast. I decided yesterday that I am going to go all plant based again, and see how I do. I started yesterday after the scan and I have to say that today I feel phenomenal! Full of energy, less than average pain level that I deal with on a regular basis, and bm's are better! I am super excited lol.

SmellyMelly I do feel that I have a lot of mucous in my stool when I consume animal products, to the point where I think I need to have a bm but it's really just gas and mucous (gross!) And I just bought a whole ton of veggies and some fruit to juice, I have a really expensive juicer that I never utilize, so I'm going to be doing that once a day as a supplement, not a meal. Btw I tried to do kale yesterday, I bought a bag of the pre-chopped, and I put in like 4 handfuls and got like a teaspoon. Is kale not great for juicing?

I also did decide to try to limit any added sugars as much as possible, which is a huge step because I love anything sweet. Also cut out caffeine, I drank the occasional starbucks as a treat and didn't think it bothered me, but I came to realize the next 1-3 days were absolutely horrible, and realized the link. I don't drink alcohol at all.

I am experimenting with beans right now, I never had eaten them on my own so am not sure if they bothered me or not. I made a lentil vegetable soup last night and ate it today for lunch, and feel fine so far. My crohn's is moderate in my colon, rectum, and anus so I don't have as many problems in my intestines or stomach. But I will definitely keep the slow cooking in mind. I normally buy canned (I know I probably shouldn't) so maybe from now I'll try the old fashioned method and see how I tolerate it.

Thanks for all the info everyone! Btw, is there a way to quote multiple people in one reply, or would I have to do separate responses? Didn't want to have to do that lol. Thanks again!

I'm holding off on nuts and seeds for now until I can try a lot of fruits and vegetables and make sure I do okay with that. I know it can be irritating for a lot of people with crohn's and colitis.
 
After op #1, i was told to stay away from several greens like kale, spinach, green beans, etc due to the risk of stones.

I am pretty sure you would have to eat an awful lot over a long period to cause stones.

Maybe instead try one teaspoon of barley grass, spirulina or wheatgrass (or a combo) in a glass of water
 
"*If to be honest, I didn't really follow my protein sources carefully. I just kinda ate what I felt like and that's how I lived. I recently did a blood test and it came back that my protein was good, but I had eaten fish the day before, so not sure how it would be without it. Where do you buy your organic hemp protein, I have never heard of it or seen it? I totally sympathize with the guilty conscience, I however didn't go vegan because of animal ethics, but it seems as how I have not eaten it in over 2 years, when I do eat it it is very apparent in my mind what I am eating lol, and I don't enjoy it."

I think what the test may have been Albumin? It can be a good one to keep an eye on for protein absorption. I don't think eating fish the day/night before could effect it??
Organic Hemp Protein can be found online IHerb.com, SwansonVitamins.com, even some on Ebay, or in most Whole Foods, Sprouts, etc. It is a good source, but I did find to go slow when adding the amount to an actual serving. It can possibly cause bloating if too much too fast is consumed for some.
I am a softie for anything alive - animals are helpless, it just taste and feels wrong, and is too hard to digest for me. The act of it honestly breaks my heart.

"I am pretty sure you would have to eat an awful lot over a long period to cause stones." for fats (which animal products do have) it did not take long to blow out/fill my gallbladder with stones - cheese, butter, cream in attempt to gain weight, totally bit me in the butt.

"Maybe instead try one teaspoon of barley grass, spirulina or wheatgrass (or a combo) in a glass of water"
The barley sits fine, and actually have had GREAT success with it effecting wound healing. I use it only when I need to, I want it to be a 'go to' possibility just in case. I will have a nip of it from time to time, for a boost ;)
I see a dietitian soon, however they really are so limited with knowledge, lol. So far Surgeons have been more help with mentioning cautions with consumption.


Thank you, & hope you find a solution that works. Seems to be a task but worth the effort ;)
 
Thanks everyone again for your help! I ended up finding out that my crohns is only in my colon, rectum and anus, so my Dr says being vegan is absolutely fine :) btw, does crohns ever start to affect a different organ that it didn't before? Like where mine is all located in the lower region, is it possible to start affecting my intestines or stomach?
 
After op #1, i was told to stay away from several greens like kale, spinach, green beans, etc due to the risk of stones.



Fizzy sodas like Coke can put a huge strain on the kidneys and cause kidney stones, but doctors don’t tell you to avoid it.............instead they tell you to avoid green veggies – the very things that are actually beneficial to IBD.

If you want good nutritional advice then avoid the doctors. :)

They told me to eat all sorts of rubbish with IBD and the food and drinks they recommended to me, I have since discovered actually made me sicker in the long run.

According to Greg Fitzgerald (a renowned Naturopath and Osteopath), he treats a lot of people with IBS and IBD. He says that his patients have NEVER been asked by their doctors what they eat. And yet Greg Fitzgerald improves symptoms and heals people with supplements and diet.

Crazy
 
SmellyMelly I do feel that I have a lot of mucous in my stool when I consume animal products, to the point where I think I need to have a bm but it's really just gas and mucous (gross!)
Gross it the word.

This would be causing inflammation and you would be best to avoid animal products until you are better.

You are not digesting it well at all.

The only way I can consume chicken and this is only occasionally too: cook in a sauce in the slow cooker for 6 - 8 hours.
 
And I just bought a whole ton of veggies and some fruit to juice, I have a really expensive juicer that I never utilize, so I'm going to be doing that once a day as a supplement, not a meal. Btw I tried to do kale yesterday, I bought a bag of the pre-chopped, and I put in like 4 handfuls and got like a teaspoon. Is kale not great for juicing?
Kale is excellent for juicing

But it depends how good your juicer is. If you are only getting a teaspoon then something is not right there!

Also you would always dilute kale with carrot or lemon or apple.

I usually use 4 big organic leaves with stems, an organic lemon with peel and pith intact and an unpeeled organic apple – normally makes around 500mls (2 cups) of juice.

But do NOT buy pre-chopped. As soon as you chop anything it starts to loose nutrients. Just buy a bunch of kale, keep in the fridge and use each leaf as and when you need it.

I have a powerful juicer so I juice the whole thing; stem and all. Just make sure you rinse it well prior and use certified organic if possible, as kale often tops dirty dozen lists around the world. I buy organic and grow my own pesticide free kale.

Kale and carrot juice really settles me down if I am flaring.

My best discovery ever! :)
 
I normally buy canned (I know I probably shouldn't) so maybe from now I'll try the old fashioned method and see how I tolerate it.
Canned is fine for emergency use.

But most cans have a BPA lining and this is bad for health.

I avoid canned and processed food wherever possible

Soaking lentils, chickpeas, raw nuts and seeds, helps to make them more digestible.

Raw nuts straight from a packet give me terrible nausea and pain. But if I soak them first, and then sprout them or dehydrate them, or turn them into a milk alternative........then I am fine.

Start off slowly and experiment. Don't go gung-ho and eat masses at your first time, as that is just asking for trouble.
 
I am loving this at the moment:

http://lolaberry.com/recipes/quinoa-nori-metabolism-boosting-wraps/

It is not 100% vegan due to the seaweed but that depends on how strict a vegan you are (i.e.) whether doing for health reasons or animal welfare reasons.

I don't think you would consume any sea life; but some vegans are very strict.

Quinoa is a fantastic source of complete protein and easier to digest than animal protein

Let me know how you go if you make them
 
BTW:

Lola Berry forgot to mention that you need to rinse the Quinoa first before cooking - to remove the bitter outer coating.

Just like you would rinse white rice first before using.
 
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