One of my concerns with the dietary changes after surgery is that I have some dietary issues already. I am gluten, dairy and corn intolerant, although I admit that I have been cheating and eating all 3 lately. I also don't do soy, so my proteins and liquids will extremely limited. I also eat mostly organic already
I've come up with a plan for eating after surgery using mostly flax, hemp and raw proteins. I just haven't seen others talks bout doing this. It seems that everyone does tons of dairy. Anyone have experience with avoiding these?
have you tried whey protein supplements? right after surgery, those grains will be tough on your system. I suggest you have a LONG talk with your dietitician. Are legumes - chick peas, black beans, lentils, and so on - a possibility? they're a bit carb-y for right after surgery, though.
You'll be unable to eat much for the first week or so afterwards, so figuring out what sort of protein supplement will work is important. as far as i know, whey doesn't have lactose in it, but i could easily be wrong.
some folks develop lactose intolerance after surgery, but mine actually went away. very odd.
protein source really doesn't matter - the reason i eat a lot of dairy is because it goes down easily and stays down. if you can get your protein from raw proteins, then go with it.
I'm actually fully dairy intolerant, but figured I may get more people with suggestions if I said lactose. So no whey. It's also hard to get whey protein that is non-gmo and gmos scare me. I'm planning (based on my research so far, but am open to suggestions!) to use egg, flax, hemp proteins. All of which are easier for me to get organic and non-GMO.
I am gluten intolerant and already don't eat much for grains. (other than my cheats the past few weeks, but that's over now). The nutritionist suggested rice protein, but I honestly feel like she is kinda new and not considering how carby they are. I can do legumes. Down the road I intend to sprout and grind them myself but it seems like a good idea to avoid them until I'm at goal if I can.
I do not have a specific weight goal. I'm more concerned about my size and my health. I feel like I'll know when I get there, but I don't want to put myself in a "Those who fail to plan, plan to fail." mindset. For practical purposes, I've set my theoretical goal at 150lbs. I know that's a little high for my height, but at 160 I could wear a size 6 and feel comfortable. I'm older now, so that may not be the same when I get there. I just don't want to get obsessed about a number. I want to be obsessed about living and feeling healthy!!! :-)
Last edited by MadCowOnTheMend; 03-06-2013 at 12:42 AM.
Reason: one more thought. ;-)
There also exists pea protein, although I've never had it.
Truthfully, I'm not sure how I would have gotten in my protein the first four months, if not for dairy and protein supplementation. I had a very picky pouch and then developed a stricture. When most people had transitioned to full foods, I was still on purees. While this may not happen to you, I would think finding an appropriate protein supplement that you can tolerate preop is definitely a smart decision. Keep in mind, though, that what you can tolerate as a preop sometimes changes afterwards, as tastes can change.
As for the corn/gluten intolerances, I think that might actually help you out. One is supposed to stick to protein first and then veggies/fruits. Staying away from carbs is encouraged, so this could help you. Many doctors want patients to transition away from protein supplements to food as soon as possible. Are you able to consume fish, beef, pork, chicken, etc?
I'm beyond happy that you're doing A LOT of research and that you know going into this that protein will be a challenge for you. I've been experimenting with chick pea flour - there are many italian and indian recipes using it - and they don't involve ANY flour that has gluten in it. there's also an indian bread that combines cooked, pureed lentils with a chick pea flour dough that's really good - they stuff it with potatoes, but it's great eaten on its own as well.
Anyone have WLS w Gluten and Lactose Intolerance?
