is there a better choice? I just can't eat much right now, no matter how hard I try.
Thanks, Jen
Posted by Aniek (Member # 5374) on :
Ensure has a lot of sugar I think. But it is better to have something than nothing. I got underweight last year and it sent me back years in recovery so do what you need to keep the weight on.
Also consider yogurt, as it is slides down pretty easily. You can get plain yogurt and mix it with things. Granola or honey or fruit.
Also maybe try other soft foods, like scrambled eggs.
Posted by MissPatient20 (Member # 22581) on :
I can't tolerate ensure or any type of weight gain shakes either. They have too much sugar, just like Aniek said, and far too many allergens.
Some things that may help your calorie that go down easily and are very easy on the stomach are plan potatoes, hot cereals (especially gluten free ones, like Bob Redmill's), and high calorie liquids like Coconut milk or carrot juice.
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- There are many things in this that are very bad for lyme patients: corn syrup, caseinate, gluten most likely in the natural and artificial flavor, and who knows what else since that term is not specific.
The sugar is far too much and would not give you the kind of weight you'd want to gain.
You also have to consider that this stuff sits in metal cans in hot warehouses for who know how long. It's not real food. And it would likely make the lyme and candida much worse for you as well as adding to chances for developing diabetes which often follows lyme anyway.
And NO ONE should be consuming corn syrup. It can have extremely damaging effects on the body.
pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin, folic acid, chromium chloride, biotin, sodium molybdate, sodium selenate, potassium iodide, phylloquinone, vitamin D3 and cyanocobalamin. -
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- Ginger capsules or adding ginger to your foods can help ease nausea if that's why you can't eat much.
Lentils with carrots . . . juiced vegetables. Quinoa. Protein will help you gain the kind of weight but also good complex carbs and healthy fats.
Brazil nuts, macadamia nuts, walnuts - almond butter -
If you can't eat much, putting it though the juicer or the blender but please give your body REAL food. That is only way it even has a chance. ---
Not so much for weight gain but for concentrated nutrients and a protein powder mix, you might search for Biogenesis BioCleanse - it's a functional food powder. But you will still need real food, even if worked through a blender.
You might consider getting a hand blender for stove top use with legumes and then adding in the left over bulk from juicing veggies.
===================
More for some quick nutrition rather than weight gain, but these may give you some energy to make a meal:
lots of supplements in this one protein powder combo - and also others in the green power. Both come in capsules, too, but the powders make my life so much easier. They are not cheap, but with so much combined, the price is understandable.
You can click on "supplement facts" for each of these links:
BioGenesis Bio-Cleanse Functional Food
(this has rice protein, vitamins and supplements for liver support)
[ 10-17-2009, 01:23 PM: Message edited by: Keebler ]
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- Have you had your thyroid checked to be sure you are not hyperthyroid?
You want to gain muscle weight, not fat weight, so I'd say eat more protein and maybe good quality root vegetables for strength. Macadamia nuts might be very helpful, too. They have a mix of protein and the fat is of good quality.
Coconut milk or whole milk yogurt will pack on the pounds fast, but that is just fat weight.
Can you lift weights? Strengthening your muscles will add weight and that would be toned mass, too.
I've only seen this is passing, but L-Carnitine or Creatine may be used for weight gain. If you take any supplements your LLMD should first approve the type, brand and dose.
THE REQUIREMENTS OF PROTEIN & AMINO ACID DURING ACUTE & CHRONIC INFECTION . . .
Anura V. Kurpad - Institute of Population Health & Clinical Research, Bangalore, India
129. Indian J Med Res 124, August 2006, pp 129-148. Review Article.
Excerpt: " . . . In general, the amount of EXTRA protein that would appear to be needed is of the order of 20-25 per cent of the recommended intake, for most infections. . . ."
- Full article at link (or google the title if it does not go through). -
Posted by garunner (Member # 19474) on :
My LLMD recommends a good quality whey protein shake w/ a tsp of l-glutamine powder. It's low sugar, but unfortunately, not very high calorie if you're trying to pack on pounds....
Posted by METALLlC BLUE (Member # 6628) on :
The shakes I recommend always include Olive Oil to get the calories up. Don't add too much, else the taste will be "Olive Oil."
Posted by sixgoofykids (Member # 11141) on :
I made whey protein shakes. I used whey protein, water, and frozen fruit. They are also good with avocado added to that mixture. You don't taste the avocado much, it just adds a good, smooth texture and some fat.
I made a "fudge" from coconut oil, almond butter, raw cacoa nibs (ground), agave syrup, and vanilla. It's not cooked, just mixed, then refrigerated to make it firmer.
I lived on mostly just those two items for months. The other thing I ate frequently was Van's gluten free waffles with a fried egg on top. Mostly though solid food made me feel bad.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
I would try to make your own shakes with protein powder. That way you can control the sugar content. Ensure and Boost contain a lot of sugar.
Can you eat nuts for weight gain? or almond butter added to celery or whatever else you can put it on?
Posted by groovy2 (Member # 6304) on :
Eat Nuts-- Not peanuts tho - they have mold on them-Jay-
Posted by LuluBellesMama (Member # 22583) on :
i believe there is a formula called elemental that a lot of people with eosiniphilic colitis and esophagitis use, this might be up your alley but you would have to research it
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- Are you on a gluten-free diet? If not, that might really help. -
Posted by JamesNYC (Member # 15793) on :
Peanut butter has a boat load of calories. So does cheese. Fat has 9 calories per gram. Protein and carbs have 4 per gram.
Eating fat is 80% more efficient for increasing caloric intake. If you're not eating much, you might want to be more efficient per bite.