Being a Cystic is seriously a full time job. If you're not thinking about one thing you need to be on your toes thinking about another. Food is one of those things you tend to not think about and just out of habit eat what you are given.
CFers need a high calorie, high fat diet! I have explained the digestive tract with Cystic Fibrosis in a previous blog. Maintaining a normal BMI (Body Mass Index) is extremely hard for CFers to do! We are at a higher risk of constipation, poor absorption, diabetes, liver and kidney issues, and inflammatory issues in our lungs. So when we grab a snack we should be thinking of all of those issues. Yet, lets face it, no one can just look at something and know "that is going to block me up" or the time a group of friends or family makes you dinner or even going out to eat, needing to think "what can I eat an not be rude?" "Is there a menu item that will give me greasy stools?" These are not atypical questions you think about, at least I don't. My thoughts normally run along the lines of "FOOD!"
So there are four major things we as Cystic's need to remember; salt, constipation, easy to digest, and fatty foods. The tricky part is all of these can hinder the other. What do I mean? Cheese is a great source of calcium and will constipate at the same time. Everything is ok in moderation, and by that I mean one extra helping for a Cystic is staying "in moderation"!
- Iron is essential for carrying oxygen to the body. You can find iron in some cereals, meats, dried fruits, and dark green vegetables.
- Zinc is important for growth, healing, and staying healthy. You'll find zinc in meats, liver, eggs, and seafood.
- Calcium helps build strong bones. Milk, yogurt, and cheese.
- Salt. Cystic's lose a lot of salt in their sweat, especially during hot weather and when they exercise. A good way to replace this salt is by adding salt to food and eating salty snacks regularly.
The issues with these foods is having them cause a blockage. When dealing with blockage issues and a Cystic it is a very sensitive issue. This will change and differ from patient to patient. All I can do is tell you my experiences and what I have done to avoid going under the knife again! Just a few foods that can cause a blockage yet are good for Cystic's at the same time.
- Red Meat slows down the digestive process, however provides iron and zinc that we do need.
- Potatoes no matter how much you love them are super stratchy and will slow down digestion.
- Cheese has been just a common blocker for a healthy person. When mixed with the extra mucus in our body, it just becomes a sticky mess.
- Pasta will bind you up and you may not even realize it. If you are Italian like myself, and Sunday's are Pasta days or maybe you just love pasta! Go to the store and get the Fiber Plus Pasta's. The fiber will break down and is good for a Cystic and our digestion.
- Bananas are a great source of potassium, however they are not easy to digest and will cause blockages if eaten too much.
- Milk believe it or not is actually really bad for a CFers body because of the mucus mixing with it. However, milk provides a lot of things we need. Doctors will normally recommend milk, for bones and overall nutrients from milk.
- Sugar is a no brainier however, lets face it, we all love sweets. This does become a big issue if you are diagnosed with CFRD (Cystic Fibrosis Related Diabetes)
- Caffeine will also drag you down on energy yes, it will boost your energy at first, but the effects after are lagging and it also will block up your system.
So with all of these good yet not good for you foods what do you do? Simple, eat them in moderation you can eat anything unless you are allergic to it of course. Then make sure everyone around you knows what you are allergic to.
I am allergic to dark soda the caramel in the soda's make my super sick to my stomach. So I have to make sure everyone knows I can't drink Pepsi or anything like that. Sprites and other clear sodas I am fine with. Trust me going out as a younger Cystic this allergy sucked. Especially when people would try to be nice and buy me drinks at a bar. I would constantly ask "What's in it?"
★Tips for little ones. There are so many things that you can do to possibly help a little Cystic eat.
- My mom used to say things like, that will make you prettier, make your hair shiny, your eyes brighter. Now of course that would only work with a little girl. Perhaps that is why I have so much confidence now because of the things I would eat only because they made something about my physical appearance "nicer." Pretty sure none of it was true, but it worked.
- Pretend to get a text or email informing you that you and your little Cystic have to keep the bad guys from attacking. Tell them its a villain that they are familiar with and if you don't eat all of the food they will not be strong enough to beat the bad guys. That they have to eat their food so the bad guys see how strong they are and won't want to mess with your house.
- Pretend that they grow before your eyes as they eat. When they stop eating you see them getting smaller and smaller. So they need to eat or they may disappear.
Regardless of the method you use or the way you get your Cystic to eat. Make sure to make eating a fun situation. They do and will need to eat more than normal kids. If it is always a struggle and not a fun experience they will not want to eat. Make sure to make it as fun as you can. Use your imagination to its highest, and your Cystic's imagination.
The main thing to remember while making sure to stay away from blockage surgeries is that for whatever you may eat. Look into it later if need be but always try to find the pros and cons of all of the food you consume. Like the ones I have listed they are both good and bad. Cystic Fibrosis is a very complex disease and honestly you can live to be 90 and you will still not have it all down. Everything changes and everyone is different. What your body responds to is different than what your sister or your friend with CF or even how I would respond to different foods.
★Just always have laxatives and anti acids near you at all times!
Eat Happily,
Sandi
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