Healthy diet vs CF needs

Starfall99

New member
I've been aware for years that my diet is garbage. In recent years I've been suffering from a lot of respiratory inflammation and GI issues, and I'm thinking it's time to get serious about improving my diet. My problem is, the dietary recommendations for inflammation/GERD/constipation often contradict the CF dietary recommendations. Has anyone found a way to balance these competing needs?

Also, I have an unfortunate aversion to most vegetables, which is really limiting. I only like cooked broccoli, spinach, and asparagus (and corn and potatoes, which I don't think really count). I'll also eat tomato products but not raw tomatoes, and sometimes carrots if they've been cooked with something else. And cooked onions. I don't like any raw veggies, which really sucks.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!!
 

jaimers

Super Moderator
I've also been coming to this conclusion lately. maybe as a start you could add more cooked veggies into your meals in sneaky ways. for example: shredded/grated/chopped super fine carrots, zucchini, squash, spinach, etc. into burgers or meat loaf, muffins, stir fry, mix other veggie purees in with mashed potatoes, etc. have you tried roasting veggies? they kind of caramelize and getting really delicious. Do you like smoothies? you can add greens and such into those and the flavor is masked by fruit. check out recipes for toddlers on pinterest. I know this sounds weird but a lot of those recipes add veggies into them in "hidden" ways! Jessica Seinfeld has a lot of recipes that hide veggies or swap out ingredients for healthier versions of kid favorites. seasonings go a long way too in making veggies more palatable. I really like the 21 Seasoning Salute and Everything Bagel Seasoning from Trader Joe's--and they're cheap! good luck!
 

rubyroselee

New member
I struggle with this as well. I crave salt constantly, which usually equates to junk food. What I found is that I try not to worry too much about what I'm eating because it stresses me out! But I do try to get in some fruits and veges each day, lots of protein, and eat whatever my body is wanting. I figure that if I'm having a strong urge to eat something, it's because my body needs it. So if it's salt, I eat salty foods. Everyone is different, so I hope you're able to find a good balance.
 

Mica

New member
Hi there! I am a CFer and clinical herbalist and I've done a lot of work on nutrition throughout the years. Nutrition is critical to CF health and unfortunately mainstream diet advice is very poor. And poor nutrition leads to digestive issues. So I created a website specifically to address this issue (cfnaturalhealth.com). I also give personal consultations on diet, supplements, and medicinal herbs. Let me know if you'd like to chat!
 
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