So what *can* I eat?

[HollyDay]

I'm aleady avoiding gluten.  Not because I'm celiac, but because of MTHFR and inflammation.  So, I'm avoiding all enriched foods.  That includes more than just flour products by the way. I only eat sweets/breads that I make or that I trust the source so I know the ingredients

I'm already avoiding dairy.  I do still include some cheeses, but no milk or cream, ice creams, yogurts, etc.  Again, inflammation

Recently the doctor said I need to go as low sodium as possible.  She did not give me a number to aim for, just said to start reading labels, take salt off the table, avoid any fast food, be very cautious at restaurants, and change how I'm cooking (ie the reading labels).  We will see in 6 months how my labs look, then go from there.  The board was very helpful in making low sodium suggestions

It goes without saying that years ago I cut out soda, artificial sweeteners, processed/boxed foods, lunchmeats.  So going low sodium for me is not cutting out lunch meat and hot dogs or boxed macaroni and cheese. 

So what can I eat? 

This is really starting to become a bother.  Meal planning?  What on earth can I eat?  Even chicken has saline injected to keep it moist?  How do I manage pot lucks?  Going out to dinner with Dh?  Dd has an awards banquet for college....how do I manage that?  Basically, social and professional dining is an issue I'm not sure how to resolve.

And it is a pain to sort.  The Hive advice and meal plans are greatly appreciated!!!!

 

[cintinative]

We have a Celiac here. I bake at home with a gluten-free flour blend.  Generally, the "easiest" meals are meat, starch, vegetable/fruit. Our starches are potatoes, gluten free pasta, rice or quinoa. Casseroles can be done but initially I avoided them--there were too many work arounds.  Even now, the only "casseroles" I make are lasagna and enchiladas. =)

I am hopeful someone here can give you some input on the dairy free end. I did gluten-free, dairy free for awhile using soy based margarine (earth balance), rice milk or almond milk, etc.  but it was not long term. Plus it was at least 10 years ago and fortunately there are a lot more products out there now.  =)

 

[TravelingChris]

Don't go crazy.  First of all, there is sodium in food naturally.  I remember when I was not allowed milk because of sodium in a hospital.  I am supposed to have lower sodium but one of the things I do is eat food high in potassium to counteract sodium-  as my Belgian doctor said- eat dark chocolate and nuts.  I also eat bananas and potatoes.  I am sure there are sites telling you what are low sodium foods.  One food that is high in Sodium is cheese.

Gluten avoidance is not at all necessary unless you have Celiac or gluten intolerance.  

You can make cold cuts yourself- roast  a piece of beef or pork and then cut into slices and eat another day.  You can have a potato for lunch and add leftover meat and a salad.   

 

[prairiewindmomma]

You might call to confirm, but my understanding is that Zaycon chicken has no added sodium (or any additive at all for that matter) at all.... https://www.zayconfresh.com/blog/frequently-asked-questions/

Beyond that, I would recommend reading here:

http://mthfrliving.com/food-and-recipes/ingredients/good-foods-mthfr-what-to-eat/ 

https://mthfreating.wordpress.com

IMO, I would be making my own bread products, eating lots of green salads (with homemade dressing) and veggies, and eating chicken, beef, beans, and eggs.

Social eating is awkward, but I think after six months this will feel more normal to you.  There certainly is a grieving period involved with major dietary changes, though, and it's ok to feel frustrated and sad.  For me, having a solid list of what I CAN eat (including treats) helps.

[Garga]

DH has to go low sodium as well. We found this out about a week and a half ago and we’re scrambling to figure out what to eat now. You said the board helped you with low sodium sggestions. Can you link me to the thread? 

I’m sorry I can’t answer your post, as this is all new to me. I also have your concerns about social eating, restaurants especially.

[prairiewindmomma]

One more thought, almond milk is low on sodium. It might be a good substitute for you when milk is needed for cooking. 

[SparklyUnicorn]

15 minutes ago, happysmileylady said:

 Would ask your doc for more clarification.    Saying”go as low sodium as possible” is not a very clear medical recommendation. Especially not if you have multiple medical conditions you are managing.  

 

I agree.  The doc did this to my dad, but along with that said go low several other things.  No guidelines.  My dad took that quite seriously and he went so low on some things he ended up having to have a test on his bone marrow because they thought something was seriously wrong.  Noo he just went too low on all of these things. I'm a bit irritated that he had to go through all that aggravation (not to mention the money all of that cost) because of no guidelines. 

And I agree on don't go crazy.  If you cut out the biggest offenders and don't add salt to anything, you'll probably be reducing salt to a decent level.  But to never go out and enjoy a work party or a dinner once in awhile...well that's not going to end well. 

[melbotoast]

For chicken without the extra solution added, look for a brand marked air-chilled. I buy Bell & Evan's brand at Whole Foods. They have their own line as well. 

[hornblower]

If you look at Chocolate Covered Katie's blog  & scroll through her healthy meal suggestions, it's pretty much all vegan & gluten free https://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/category/healthy-meal-ideas/page/2/

Forks Over Knives also has a lot of recipes.  Legumes & beans are very versatile and can be made into burgers, croquettes, pies, sauces etc. It's not just chili & soups once you learn to cook with them. 

I'm having chickpea of the sea for lunch today. My canned chickpeas have no sodium added. https://simple-veganista.com/2012/09/chickpea-of-sea-salad-sandwic.html

[Cecropia]

Re: meat containing saline or other solution, check around for a local slaughterhouse or small farmer who can sell you minimally processed meat.

Dh has major dietary restrictions and really struggles with work lunches, etc.  He has to balance the embarrassment/awkwardness of not eating normally vs. having a bad reaction in front of co-workers/clients.  He often orders a large plain salad with a drink and eats more after it's over.  At pot lucks, the dish that we bring to share is one that we know to be safe, and he'll brown bag the rest of his food.

[happypamama]

May I ask why low sodium? If it’s for BP, is this on the advice of a nephrologist (or cardiologist, but the nephrologists are the real BP experts, oddly enough) or on the advice of a general practitioner? If the latter, I’d ask to see a specialist. My nephrologist says that 92% of people who have high BP have it just because and that dietary changes only help a very small percentage. Cutting out processed convenience foods is always a good plan, but he definitely doesn’t want me to cut out ALL salt. I’m allowed to salt food to taste. Our bodies need salt to function. So I would really ask exactly WHY they recommend low sodium (and exactly how much) and look for evidence to support their reasoning. (It might be there — I’m no expert, just relating what I was told by a BP specialist, corroborated by other specialists.)

[rose]

How about rice and bean or roasted potatoes. Eggs would be nice too. One popular meal here is scrambled eggs, roasted potatoes and a salad. Try looking through vegan recipe sites and then lower the sodium as needed.

[prairiewindmomma]

One more thought...have you had inflammation markers done before and after with re: to the gluten thing? I find that some providers make blanket recommendations that don't necessarily play out for an individual's body.  I did a gluten free trial for several months and I had NO change on my inflammation markers or on how I felt. I went back onto gluten with no problems and I think my body is healthier having access to food-based b vitamins. Many gluten free flours aren't the healthiest (rice, corn, potato, tapioca, & sorghum easily come to mind) and if you don't have celiac markers or other specific indications to go GF, I wouldn't.

[Ellie]

Most veggies, most fruits, all meats--that's really quite a lot of food.

When you go to potlucks, you eat the food you bring. You'll learn which restaurants have food you can eat so you can go out with Mr. HollyDay. And those special events probably don't happen so often that once in a great while you can eat what is served.

[HollyDay]

2 hours ago, happypamama said:

May I ask why low sodium? If it’s for BP, is this on the advice of a nephrologist (or cardiologist, but the nephrologists are the real BP experts, oddly enough) or on the advice of a general practitioner? If the latter, I’d ask to see a specialist. My nephrologist says that 92% of people who have high BP have it just because and that dietary changes only help a very small percentage. Cutting out processed convenience foods is always a good plan, but he definitely doesn’t want me to cut out ALL salt. I’m allowed to salt food to taste. Our bodies need salt to function. So I would really ask exactly WHY they recommend low sodium (and exactly how much) and look for evidence to support their reasoning. (It might be there — I’m no expert, just relating what I was told by a BP specialist, corroborated by other specialists.)

This is very interesting.  I’ve been on anti hypertension medication for almost 5 years.  This change is for kidney function.  

[Kanin]

The social eating is the hardest for me, and I'm just gluten-free. But my DH can't have gluten, eggs, dairy, or nightshades. We can eat just fine at home, but it's really tough when you want to go out to dinner with friends or have some event at work. I usually try to bring something to share that I can eat, and I also eat before/after the event.

[Penguin]

4 hours ago, Garga said:

DH has to go low sodium as well. We found this out about a week and a half ago and we’re scrambling to figure out what to eat now. You said the board helped you with low sodium sggestions. Can you link me to the thread? 

I’m sorry I can’t answer your post, as this is all new to me. I also have your concerns about social eating, restaurants especially.

ETA how do I get rid of that image of the link? I don't like that, and I can't figure out how to take it away.

Here is the link

[SparklyUnicorn]

2 hours ago, happypamama said:

May I ask why low sodium? If it’s for BP, is this on the advice of a nephrologist (or cardiologist, but the nephrologists are the real BP experts, oddly enough) or on the advice of a general practitioner? If the latter, I’d ask to see a specialist. My nephrologist says that 92% of people who have high BP have it just because and that dietary changes only help a very small percentage. Cutting out processed convenience foods is always a good plan, but he definitely doesn’t want me to cut out ALL salt. I’m allowed to salt food to taste. Our bodies need salt to function. So I would really ask exactly WHY they recommend low sodium (and exactly how much) and look for evidence to support their reasoning. (It might be there — I’m no expert, just relating what I was told by a BP specialist, corroborated by other specialists.)

And this!  I had a high BP reading first time I met a new doc.  She said, "you go eat low salt" (yes exactly in this poorly worded I don't speak English as my first language way).  Errr...  For one thing I actually do not eat much salt.  And it was ONE READING.  I think some docs just parrot info they read in some out dated medical publication from 10,000 years ago.  If I had continued to have problems I would have gone to a specialist.  I did not and I had not changed my salt habits.  I did end up getting another doctor and so far she has been on the ball with the latest information. 

[SparklyUnicorn]

27 minutes ago, HollyDay said:

This is very interesting.  I’ve been on anti hypertension medication for almost 5 years.  This change is for kidney function.  

 

Ah ok.  This is why my dad is on low salt.  He was told this by a specialist.  However, that doc didn't give guidelines either. 

I'm frustrated by how craptastic doctors are. 

[prairiewindmomma]

I need to amend my advice if you are also having kidney issues. And, I would suggest you meet with a nutritionist to get exact parameters of what you should be eating.

Generally, kidney issues mean that you need to eat a low protein diet. Depending on *why* you are having issues, though, this can vary. 

GF vegan would be where I would investigate while I would wait to get in with a decent nutritionist.

[happypamama]

4 hours ago, HollyDay said:

This is very interesting.  I’ve been on anti hypertension medication for almost 5 years.  This change is for kidney function.  

Okay, that may be slightly different.  Still, I hope you are seeing a specialist for this.  And I would ask the doctor to clarify exactly what low sodium means.

[Tsuga]

13 hours ago, HollyDay said:

I'm aleady avoiding gluten.  Not because I'm celiac, but because of MTHFR and inflammation.  So, I'm avoiding all enriched foods.  That includes more than just flour products by the way. I only eat sweets/breads that I make or that I trust the source so I know the ingredients

I'm already avoiding dairy.  I do still include some cheeses, but no milk or cream, ice creams, yogurts, etc.  Again, inflammation

Recently the doctor said I need to go as low sodium as possible.  She did not give me a number to aim for, just said to start reading labels, take salt off the table, avoid any fast food, be very cautious at restaurants, and change how I'm cooking (ie the reading labels).  We will see in 6 months how my labs look, then go from there.  The board was very helpful in making low sodium suggestions

It goes without saying that years ago I cut out soda, artificial sweeteners, processed/boxed foods, lunchmeats.  So going low sodium for me is not cutting out lunch meat and hot dogs or boxed macaroni and cheese. 

So what can I eat? 

This is really starting to become a bother.  Meal planning?  What on earth can I eat?  Even chicken has saline injected to keep it moist?  How do I manage pot lucks?  Going out to dinner with Dh?  Dd has an awards banquet for college....how do I manage that?  Basically, social and professional dining is an issue I'm not sure how to resolve.

And it is a pain to sort.  The Hive advice and meal plans are greatly appreciated!!!!

 

I don't know anything about MTHFR so I apologize, but oats don't have a ton of gluten, and whole oats seem low processed. Can you eat those with pure maple syrup or honey and a different nut every day for breakfast?

Sushi is not necessarily high sodium and that has no gluten if you make it at home without panko.

Do you know how to make a vinaigrette for a homemade club salad? You can get Trader Joe's salads, many of which are vegetarian and GF, and use just half the dressing. That's what I eat and I'm not even on a diet. It's just a good choice for lunch.

Fruits and vegetables and nuts for snacks are great.

Grilled or broiled fish for dinner with seasoning and olive oil, grilled or broiled veggies (we love roasted veggies with olive oil, salt and pepper--which is not high sodium compared to processed foods), and on the side, rice or buckwheat made in a base of oil and chopped onions.

And then you could get really great with cooking lentils.

Also, not all chicken has saline injected. You can get higher quality meats. But if your doctor is saying "low sodium" I don't think that means "no sodium". I think it means a relatively low sodium diet without eating out. Good luck. Food limitations are hard. :( 

[Soror]

If you are just avoiding gluten due to mthfr you really don't have to be that strict, you can eat whole grain products that are not processed or enriched, there is even bread out there that would be fine.

I would agree w/ PP too, look for different meat. Even with chicken, there is a vast difference in how much is injected into different cuts and processors.

Reading her recommendations what I hear is that you need to avoid processed foods, otherwise I wouldn't stress it. Processed foods have by far WAY more sodium than anything fresh.

[HollyDay]

4 hours ago, soror said:

If you are just avoiding gluten due to mthfr you really don't have to be that strict, you can eat whole grain products that are not processed or enriched, there is even bread out there that would be fine.

I would agree w/ PP too, look for different meat. Even with chicken, there is a vast difference in how much is injected into different cuts and processors.

Reading her recommendations what I hear is that you need to avoid processed foods, otherwise I wouldn't stress it. Processed foods have by far WAY more sodium than anything fresh.

That is the thing.  I already do avoid processed foods.  And boxed foods like crackers, cookies,   croutons, etc.  

[Ann.without.an.e]

I am gluten free, dairy free, and vegetarian because of inflammation.  You can actually adjust and live, I promise.  I love veggies so it works for me.  I make homemade gluten free bread and it is so much better than store bought.  Pamelas bread mix is the best.  I eat lots of salads, veggies, hummus, quinoa, gluten free oats, etc. 

[Targhee]

You can eat veggies and fruits, meats, eggs, and fish (organic with no added saline), some grains (GF oats, quinoa, etc), beans, seeds, and nuts. You can avoid the gluten, dairy, extra salt by reading labels carefully and avoiding processed foods.

herbs and spices are a good seasoning replacement for salts. Almond/coconut/soy milk products are good dairy replacers.  We use coconut, almond, and tapioca flours along with potato starch and sometimes arrowroot for baking and thickening things.  We use lots of pumpkin purée, apple sauce, and bananas in baking too.  

I suppose the bottom line is you will have to find the brands/products that work for you and do most of your food prep yourself.  I'd read up on Whole30 and paleo diets just so you have a good base of how to cook without grains and dairy. There's a lot of foods left on the table!