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Need To Gain Weight With No Dairy and No Allergens. What To Do?

I have lactose intolerance and can't handle dairy. After trying diary, I have had a horrible long-lasting relapse which I am having difficulty getting over. I am losing so much weight because of this, however, and my new food allergies.

I am eating tons of Olive Oil and Avocados with my meals, but it isn't working. So I need a drink like Ensure or Boost that does not contain: Diary, Peanut, Tree Nuts (including Cocoanut), Corn, Tomato, Potato, Carrot, or artificial additives.

Any recommendations and does anyone know if Sprouts or the Vitamin Shoppe might carry these? I am trying to call both now to see, so wish me luck. Any recommendations, however, would be appreciated!
 
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nogutsnoglory

Moderator
Coconut oil is very fattening to if you want to add it to shakes or just eat it straight.

Do you eat white flour? Things like pasta offer fast calories.

There is ensure clear that has no dairy.
 
I should've put all tree nuts instead of just peanuts. I've tried Cocoanut Milk and I did terrible on it.

I called Vitamin Shoppe and they don't carry anything for weight gain that does NOT include milk. I'll call Sprouts tomorrow. I also feel like I am losing a ton of energy too.

I've lost tons of weight.
 

nogutsnoglory

Moderator
Can you make your own shakes and load them up with avocados? Can you cook with lots of olive oil and animal fat?

Some lactose intolerant people can handle goat milk and cheese. That would be a good source of fat.

How long have you been dairy free? What do you attribute the weight loss to if you have avoided dairy and nuts for a while?
 
Walmart and many grocery stores carry Ensure and Boost. There is Lactose free weight gainers (muscle milk) on the market you will just have to check them out to make sure, they do not mess with other allergies.

Also may want to consult your GI about asorbtion, most people lump this with vitamin and mineral diffeciencies, but it can also reduce the amount of calories you are asorbing. I just read a article yesterday about crohns patients not asorbing fats, if this is the case you are losing many calories.

Have Vitamins and Minerals checked I struggled with gaining my weight back until I got Iron infusions and while it may not be issue for you worth checking it out.

Remember weight gain is very slow process I am usually 225lbs, went to 150lbs in April 2012 and only back to 180lbs, busting my butt. Stick with it even if you are only gaining 1lb a week.
 

rygon

Moderator
As said above, it is a slow process. Its just like losing weight (but opposite lol), it has to be a long term change and crash bulking will not only shock the system and most prob make you ill again, it will only work for the short term and you wll end up losing the weight again.

Apart from the info already given, I would look into exercising. The will help with your appetite and muscle weighs more than fat so will help to gain weight
 
I've been dairy-free for well over a month.

@amrycrohns, can you please give a specific example or perhaps a store (like Vitamin Shoppe, Sprouts, etc) that might carry a Dairy Free, Allergan-Free weight gainer. I already looked at Walmart and they all say they contain either corn, milk, or even soy.

Again, I really appreciate the replies. I hope to find something soon (this weekend perhaps).

And yes, I eat tons of Avocados! And Olive Oil, but it really isn't enough at the current time.
 
http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/mhp/paleo-protein.html;jsessionid=FD5DFB3C2B26F038EF16F3FBDCFC0714 and maybe look at http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/cytosport/muscle-milk-gainer.html the second may not be a choice since it's just lactose free and still has whey from milk.

Ensure clear is carried at my Walmart, but it does contain Corn Syrup so I am still searching for premade drink that you can drink.

Oh yea if you are good with peanuts I would eat peanut butter aswell, just table spoon here and there tons of calories.
 
To improve nutrient absorption, try eating small portions 6 times a day instead of 3 meals. Take a good multivitamin in liquid form which you will find at a health food store. Often with CD rapid transit of food is because of the bolus if eating 3 times a day. Rapid transit also causes oral treatments to be less effective. Also try following your sodium and fluid intake limiting to 3000 to 4000 mg sodium (package labels show sodium content) and 12 eight ounce cups of fluid (no carbonated or caffeinated beverages). Try almond milk and almond butter; nuts contain minerals. Try quinoa flakes for breakfast; quinoa contains iron, about 8%. Reduce your gluten, eat more rice, potato, banana, corn for carbs. Use probiotics, eg Philips colon health lactobacillus with each or every other meal or try at bedtime or one to 2 hrs before a meal Dr. Ohira brand (see Amazon) contains lactobacillus and Florastor or a generic S. bolardi yeast with MOS. You should determine which probiotic works best for you to help digest better and outcompete the bugs that are irritating / inflaming your gut.
Eat wisely, no junk food, caffeine, alcohol, or too much fatty or spicy stuff. Coconut yogurt is also a good source of probiotic lactobacilli. Glutamine powder once a day is sometimes a booster along with low dose iron 18 mg twice a day and zinc 30 to50 mg a day For iron, ferochel is easy on the gut at 18 mg. Such diets are helpful to me along with some form of exercise every day and/or yoga, all in moderation.
 
As said above, it is a slow process. Its just like losing weight (but opposite lol), it has to be a long term change and crash bulking will not only shock the system and most prob make you ill again, it will only work for the short term and you wll end up losing the weight again.
Could you explain what the hell a crash bulk is?
 
Make sure you are adding a lot of carbs with high fat. High fat alone will not cause you to gain weight. In fact, the only way I lose weight is to a high fat, very low carb paleo diet. Make sure you eat high fat foods but at the same time eat some high carb foods. For example, eat 2 or 3 bananas along with that higher fat meal. If you can tolerate potatoes, they are pretty high in carbs too.
 
What helped me to put on around 50lbs of lean mass the last couple of years was working out in the gym, and eating 4 meals a day. I would eat largely meats during that time, but also some vegetable oils such as olive or coconut oil, fruits such as oranges and low fiber vegetables. Working out twice a week was all it took, for me.

I suspect that raising my vitamin D3, with vitamins supplements and some sun exposure help also. There are some studies showing sensible sun exposure raises sex hormone levels, such as testosterone. As I would joke with friends, add food, water, a little bit of sunshine and watch me grow.

As Charleigh mentions, eating sugary, carbohydrate foods can help put on weight too. Some weight loss physicians have found that controlling blood sugar levels will lead to weight loss. The opposite often happens, spiked blood sugar levels leads to weight gain.

I was just reading the other day once again how some doctors feel the hormone insulin is the "doorman to the fat cell night club."

"5 Helpful Analogies for Understanding Complex Health Issues"

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/5-he...standing-complex-health-issues/#axzz2UDlvsa00

& an interview with Dr. Cannell on the topic of the sun and vitamin D supplements and testing.

"Interview with Dr. John Cannell of the Vitamin D Council (vitamindcouncil.org)"

http://www.crohnsforum.com/showthread.php?t=48140
 

rygon

Moderator
Could you explain what the hell a crash bulk is?
I was thinking the opposite of crash diet :p

If you try and put too much weight on to start off with its shocking your body into trying to process much more food than its used to. Especially if its hard to digest foods like some carbs.
I have found that doing this is very hard to keep up for longer than a few days as your body doesnt want that amount of energy. It also stresses your guts, which in turn can cause inflammation and cause more weight loss.

By slowly increasing your calorie intake your body can adapt to it easier, and it will more likely to be more successful in the long run
 

Cat-a-Tonic

Super Moderator
I see what Rygon is saying about a crash bulk. Personally, if I eat too much fat at once, my body just kind of rejects it and sends it out undigested or only partially digested. I experience the same thing if I drink a supplement drink too fast - I think Ensure is something like 250 calories, and if I gulp it down, my body just can't handle that amount of calories all at once and I get cramps and the runs. But if I sip it over the course of 15 minutes, it's fine. Overdoing it, too much too quickly, will likely just cause more digestive distress.
 
If gaining weight is your priority, you may need a less restricted diet, at least for a while. As mentioned in posts above, you need a diet that will work for you long term, and I've found that in order to do this I have to like the taste of food I eat. If you have no appetite, it will make it so much easier if you can eat things that you like and which go down easily even when you're not feeling well.

Since you're lactose intolerant, obviously you'll be avoiding dairy, but what type are of allergy are your other allergies? Smooth peanut butter is something I've found so great in trying to keep my weight up. Is it possible that you could include things like this in your diet, at least for a while, and when you've got some weight to spare or when you have more of an appetite, you could try a more restricted diet? Or do your allergies give you severe symptoms?

Have you been tested to make sure you're absorbing your food properly? Can you estimate the number of calories you're eating and see how much extra you need?
 
If you can afford it try Nestles Vivonex; sometimes you can find it on sale on the CVS web site, not in the store. Follow directions to make it using a blender and add a banana ana tbsp of creamy almond butter and for a great source of fat use half an avacado and a tsp of low temp coconut oil (contains medium chain triglycerides). Be sure to sip it slowly about every 10 to 30 minute per mouthful. Vivonex is often used for enteral feeding. There are two types one is higher in fat than the other. Sweeten with stevia to taste, but not too sweet, else you will grave high levels of sweetness from other foods. Very very absolutely important ...Check with your doctor before doing the vivonex or any other foods recommended on this forum!
Hope this works
Mitsu
 
Hello, weight loss can be so awful and for me it feels so hard to stop once set in motion, plus the muscle loss that had went along with it.
I am not seeing you are vegan, so even though it was something I had steered away from as an end result I gave into it. Even worse, hamburger patties. Also I found Chicken was easiest and most versatile. The chicken being high in protein and a bit easier to digest. Rice and potatoes are also nice. Real boiled chicken broth with rice is wonderful! I still can't eat turkey, pork or eggs.
High carbs from flour, sugar made me lose more. Was an overload or irritant on my intestines. Honey was the easiest sweetener to digest. Even Bananas felt acidic and gave me stomach pain.
Since you are checking the health food shops, I found a great benefit from using Organic Barley Green in powder form. It soothed my intestines and made absorption easier. In the fine powder form I use/used a lidded shaker and mixed it with real grape juice. I started slow and with a small amount and noted a difference fairly quickly. Some do not like the taste. I am not sure if I can post the best place to buy this, however it is online. This is also carried in health food stores.
Also I try to rest as much as possible, I try to stay hydrated with organic unsweetened juice, reverse osmosis water, and herbal teas.
Always ask your dr. I hope you find something that helps.
 
Lot of of good info in these posts, only one discrepancy I see is with the fats. If you cannot absorb fats as a result of crohn's, then obviously a very high fat bulk diet will not work for you and you may lose weight (to one of the individual's posting). Otherwise, a high fat diet is good and your body will adapt to burning these calories for energy instead of carbs. Going high fat and high carbs is bad, but moderation with both is fine.

Here is some background on me, perhaps you can align with my new diet, as it kicks ass and works.

I am lactose intolerant and also have food allergies. I lost a total of 15 lbs recently and the flare ups in the past were very rough. As a result, I developed a new diet that will reduce flare ups and increase my weight safely. So far I've gained back 11 lbs.

Perhaps you can use a variation of this diet to help. You don't have to eat anywhere near all the meals/calories I eat. The important parts of the diet are the shake in the morning/night, lunch and dinner. The shakes alone are calorie packed and at first I could not have them all at once, but then grew used to it after 2 weeks.

I do not eat after 9:30 PM and I sleep by midnight. I also weight lift again 3x/week since I have lots of energy as a result of this diet.

Here's the regimen with some background info around the food:

(You must break up your meals into smaller portions to alleviate stress with digestion. This is also great for your metabolism and health, crohns or not.)

1. Morning Shake with a fish oil pill before work
  • 1 cup frozen berries (buy a mix at the grocery store w blueberries, strawberry, blackberries, rasberries, ideally)
  • 1 banana
  • 2 tablespoons psyllium seed husk
  • 10-12 oz water
  • 3-4 tablespoons virgin coconut oil (this has high saturated fat, but not all saturated fats are bad, this one is stabilized and good for you.
  • 1 scoop whey isolate protein powder
(this is VERY important, you must get pure whey isolate as it is pure and easy on the stomach since it contains no lactose, gluten or any filler. Every weight gainer and most supplements have lactose and may not bode well with your stomach because of all the terrible crap in them. crohn's or not, isolate is the purest and best. You can get this for about 10/lb if you find a cheap site. Let me know if you want suggestion here.)

2. Pre-Lunch Snack -Avocado, Carbohydrate w/ vegetables and protein source
  • Half an avocado
  • Carbs- I would say potato/yams here but since you can't have, try 1.5 cups of white rice or some pasta
  • Veggies
-red bell pepper, cucumber, avocado, tomato, endives, salad greens (if you can have, I can't), kale, spinach (yum). Do not eat anything here that causes flare ups obviously, and perhaps boil if it enables you to eat it.
Protein-1 or 2 breast grilled chicken/turkey, or some cold cuts if you really don't want to cook (the nitrates contained in cold cuts is another issue entirely, lol)

3. Lunch - Sandwich with protein
  • Bread- This is what adds all the calories mostly. I usually use white baguette bread (its delicious and isn't as high in fiber like wheat etc)
  • Protein - chicken, fish, turkey, or cold cuts (whatever kind you can handle cold cut-wise)
  • Add in's
-any vegetable, perhaps some avocado! I usually add in 2 slices of muenster cheese and it doesn't seem to bug me

4. Post-Lunch
(usually same thing as what I had before my lunch--I just make double and eat it 2-3 hours after lunch)

5. Dinner - Lots of greens, protein
I lay off on the carbs and fat a bit here and just make sure I have some of the following:
  • Protein-grilled chicken, grilled ground turkey, fish (I love salmon, but hate tuna, it bothers me)
  • Carb-very small amount of pasta fried with a little olive oil
  • Greens
-spinach, spinach, spinach, endives, salted cucumber, salad, red bell pepper, kale

6. Night Shake w/ fish oil pill
Same thing as morning shake up top, but I replace the 3-4 tablespoons of coconut oil with almond butter.



NOTES:
  • You may notice, this diet is really simple and has very few food types in it. I am a simple guy and want a really easy grocery list. I also have less flare ups since this stuff certainly does not bother me and its usually all I eat.
  • I hate cooking/preparation so I usually grill up enough chicken/turkey 2/3 times s a week for the entire week. I also slice up all my veggies in one day and put them in big, individual containers and take what I need to for meals as necessary. I boil lots of spinach and kale, but you can just as easy throw kale into the protein shakes. The only other thing I cook are potatoes (which you can't have) and the pasta. I put olive oil on all my veggies or really whatever I am eating.
  • You do NOT have to have this many meals, just make sure your calorie intake is higher than what you are burning and that you get the morning/night shakes in since they have high calories and can be drank relatively easily. At first, just eat what you can, maybe half the amount listed for each meal.
  • I take a multi-vitamin with meals as well, and a probiotic around 11 PM when my stomach is empty, but this will depend on what you think is best and are deficient in. You can really use a lot of supplements to assist you but it has been essential (at least for me) to get in fish oils and psyllium for digestion.
  • Again, about the protein powder or any weight gainer--most of this stuff has a lot of filler and potentially bad things that you might react bad to. See what you can handle, maybe you CAN have the cheap protein products (whey isolate at 10/lb is pricey I suppose) and weight gainers. That will save you some money certainly. But if not, whey isolate is pure and easy to digest. Some sites even have cold filtration whey isolate protein, which is SUPER easy on your stomach. Then there is also the crappy tasting, hemp protein, which is yet even easier to digest. I guess what I am saying, is, there is always a solution in terms of protein powders, it just depends on what you can/cant eat. There are many more protein powders that are pure and that you may react well with. Check it out on truenutrition.com (they are kinda pricey, but just to give you ideas).

Hope this helps, its kicking ass for me so far and my flare ups are better.
 
Hi mate,

I'm new to this whole selective eating thing, but I've always trained (Weights and Boxing), and following this flare up of Crohns I'm having am going to continue doing so.

Just wanted to say that the poster above's suggestions are right on the money, given that I've dropped a bit of weight following this flare up, and want to get back up into my normal fighting class again, I'm also going to be looking to put back on weight in the most stomach sensitive way possible, and have copied the post above for reference with this (hope you don't mind constant eater)

Can I suggest that you have a look into the various protein shakes available, and definitely give one of them a try. Obviously whey may not be the best option for you, but as mentioned there are a lot available. Maybe have a look at pea protein, rice protein, hemp protein, soy (not sure about allergies here) and beef protein isolate ( watch for added creatine and extras they like to throw in with these)

Apart from the beef protein the majority of these proteins don't seem to contain the amino acids necessary for complete muscle growth, however with a reasonable diet, such as that already suggested, you should have it covered.

Another good way to get extra protein ( and therefore bulk) into yourself is liquid egg whites, hardly any fat and easy to use with pretty much anything.

All the best with you weight gain goals mate
 
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