Seeking advice on choices of food

Discuss changes in diet that have helped you manage your fissure, or any supplements or medications/creams that have been effective.

Return to Diet Tips / Supplements




Seeking advice on choices of food

Postby levelworm » 21 Apr 2013, 13:28

Hi fellow friends, I have been suffering from chronic anal fissure for 2 years and still cannot get a complete heal. It is usually constipation that caused(and re-caused) the fissure, but what is more frustrating is that it immediately turned to diarrhea afterwards, which worsen the case.
I'm now only eating honey and blueberry muffins (2-3 per day) and whole wheat bread (5-6 pieces) and some vegetables (mainly pea sprout as it helps to soften my stool more than any other vegetable). Occasionally I take some tofu and very little fish. I don't take diary product and I don't eat rice.
Can you give me some advice on a balanced diet? It seems that I tend to swing between diarrhea and constipation and it's difficult to get in the middle. I'm OK when the fissure is healed (before it being reopened in around 2 months) but after it is reopened I can never have normal stools.
Thanks in advance!
levelworm
Fibre Addict
 
Posts: 26
Topics: 5
Joined: 20 Apr 2013, 16:00
Has thanked: 0 time
Been thanked: 0 time
Gender: None specified

Re: Seeking advice on choices of food

Postby Ever the Optimist » 21 Apr 2013, 14:15

Hi Levelworm,
Please read through some of the past threads on diets and fissure friendly foods - Some people have even listed recipes and meal ideas that can really help on here plus the foods to avoid and the fissure friendlier ones...
I'm not an expert! but I have got my diet now to a level where I know almost exactly what kinds of BM's I am going to produce and how various foods affect me. Wholegrain bread is definitely the way to go but I would say go for only a couple of slices a day rather than 5-6 as too much bread could be a bit constipating and maybe just the one muffin?
You mention vegetables but are you eating lots of fruits too? Brown rice is great, if you like rice, but definitely avoid the white.
A typical day for me for example, would be an oat based or bran cereal breakfast with bio-yogurt and camomile tea. Snacks always include 3 pieces of fruit a day ( I vary those) with either a couple of oat/ wholemeal biscuits/ fibre fruit bar/ nuts (well chewed). Lunch is generally a mug of soup ( veggie soups work best) with either a wholegrain sandwich (filling generally chicken/ salad/ tuna) or a couple of wholemeal pittas with houmous/ cottage cheese. Dinner varies daily but I avoid tough meats, deep fried foods, pies, processed/ fast foods. I tend to go for wholegrain pasta dishes/ Quorn/ Chicken/ Turkey/ Fish with lots of vegetables/ salad, Stir-frys/ / Jacket potatoes etc. Beans and tinned fruits produce some of my smoothest BM's! I find that a little dairy in yoghurt & a small amount of cheese (not every day) does not hurt and I'm actually OK with chocolate. I only ever drink water or herbal teas....It might be worth keeping a food diary to see what produces the best stools for you and to work on that?? Also lots of Olive Oil in your food or a large spoonful a day assists in smoother passing of stools (in my experience) Do you suffer from IBS at all? Just wondering because of that fluctuation between the constipation and diarrhea?? If so, google diets for IBS sufferers because that might be really helpful to you too or you could always pop to your GP to assist you in reviewing your issues and your diet???
All the very best to you :)
Chronic Fissure diagnosed December 2011
Healed by Diltiazem around Feb 2013
Anal Fistula followed burst abscess in June 2012
2 internal troublesome piles remain & suspected, but undiagnosed, ongoing Levator Ani type symptoms & flare-ups
Ever the Optimist
Moderator
 
Posts: 1625
Topics: 24
Joined: 12 Apr 2012, 16:00
Location: UK
Has thanked: 62 times
Been thanked: 102 times
Gender: None specified
Mood: Living life again

Re: Seeking advice on choices of food

Postby Mercury » 26 May 2013, 15:35

Ever the Optimist wrote:Hi Levelworm,
Please read through some of the past threads on diets and fissure friendly foods - Some people have even listed recipes and meal ideas that can really help on here plus the foods to avoid and the fissure friendlier ones...
I'm not an expert! but I have got my diet now to a level where I know almost exactly what kinds of BM's I am going to produce and how various foods affect me. Wholegrain bread is definitely the way to go but I would say go for only a couple of slices a day rather than 5-6 as too much bread could be a bit constipating and maybe just the one muffin?
You mention vegetables but are you eating lots of fruits too? Brown rice is great, if you like rice, but definitely avoid the white.
A typical day for me for example, would be an oat based or bran cereal breakfast with bio-yogurt and camomile tea. Snacks always include 3 pieces of fruit a day ( I vary those) with either a couple of oat/ wholemeal biscuits/ fibre fruit bar/ nuts (well chewed). Lunch is generally a mug of soup ( veggie soups work best) with either a wholegrain sandwich (filling generally chicken/ salad/ tuna) or a couple of wholemeal pittas with houmous/ cottage cheese. Dinner varies daily but I avoid tough meats, deep fried foods, pies, processed/ fast foods. I tend to go for wholegrain pasta dishes/ Quorn/ Chicken/ Turkey/ Fish with lots of vegetables/ salad, Stir-frys/ / Jacket potatoes etc. Beans and tinned fruits produce some of my smoothest BM's! I find that a little dairy in yoghurt & a small amount of cheese (not every day) does not hurt and I'm actually OK with chocolate. I only ever drink water or herbal teas....It might be worth keeping a food diary to see what produces the best stools for you and to work on that?? Also lots of Olive Oil in your food or a large spoonful a day assists in smoother passing of stools (in my experience) Do you suffer from IBS at all? Just wondering because of that fluctuation between the constipation and diarrhea?? If so, google diets for IBS sufferers because that might be really helpful to you too or you could always pop to your GP to assist you in reviewing your issues and your diet???
All the very best to you :)

Thanks a lot for this post!
Some very good info in this post, figured it's worth saying thanks and bumping in the process.
Mercury
Fibre Addict
 
Posts: 22
Topics: 2
Joined: 15 May 2013, 16:00
Has thanked: 0 time
Been thanked: 1 time
Gender: Male

Re: Seeking advice on choices of food

Postby Ever the Optimist » 27 May 2013, 14:09

Thanks Mercury :)
Hope all going well with yourself!!
Chronic Fissure diagnosed December 2011
Healed by Diltiazem around Feb 2013
Anal Fistula followed burst abscess in June 2012
2 internal troublesome piles remain & suspected, but undiagnosed, ongoing Levator Ani type symptoms & flare-ups
Ever the Optimist
Moderator
 
Posts: 1625
Topics: 24
Joined: 12 Apr 2012, 16:00
Location: UK
Has thanked: 62 times
Been thanked: 102 times
Gender: None specified
Mood: Living life again

Re: Seeking advice on choices of food

Postby Mercury » 27 May 2013, 17:51

I'll update my intro thread, it's not been too good :(
Mercury
Fibre Addict
 
Posts: 22
Topics: 2
Joined: 15 May 2013, 16:00
Has thanked: 0 time
Been thanked: 1 time
Gender: Male

Re: Seeking advice on choices of food

Postby Kreaybutt » 27 May 2013, 19:30

I think you're eating way too much bread. I'd maybe go down to one muffin and 2 slices of bread a day. Multi grain is great though! Try adding in some soups or oatmeal or fruit salads! Chocolate seems fine for me too but I stick to dark chocolate. Less sugar and no milk!
Kreaybutt
Proctosphincteranalogist
 
Posts: 170
Topics: 30
Joined: 12 May 2013, 16:00
Has thanked: 0 time
Been thanked: 3 times
Gender: None specified

Re: Seeking advice on choices of food

Postby levelworm » 28 May 2013, 10:06

Thanks for all the replies! I almost forgot about this thread. Anyway, the fissure comes back and cannot heal for 2 months so I called for an appointment for a surgery. But it takes a long time to get an appointment here.
I'll eat less bread, as Kreaybutt pointed out. And I'm going to touch anything that is stuffed with sugar because everytime I eat some of those I either got constipation or Diarrhea. I also believe I have IBS (both of them) so I'm taking probiotics (have been doing this for 6 days but seems to get more constipation/Diarrhea so I'll stick for a few more days and stop using it if it does not get better).
I'm also eating a good amount of vegetables, drinking a lot of water. I'm bit afraid about meat so I only eat chicken and fish now, by a daily basis. I don't understand why the fissure does not heal, and I'm also suffering from severe itching after the BM and during the night so finally I decided I have to go through a surgery.
Thanks again and hope you will never suffer from a fissure!
levelworm
Fibre Addict
 
Posts: 26
Topics: 5
Joined: 20 Apr 2013, 16:00
Has thanked: 0 time
Been thanked: 0 time
Gender: None specified

Re: Seeking advice on choices of food

Postby Please go-away! » 05 Jul 2013, 15:09

I found a miracle dried fruit, I don't, necessarily have chosen this new dried fruit over my prunes, because of the protein in it (yet it is digestible)
Its called Golden Berries..., also known as cape gooseberries, are considered a superfood due to their high concentration of nutrients.
An ounce of goldenberries contains 3 grams of fiber, a nutrient that supports healthy digestion and cholesterol levels.
A bright yellow fruit from Brazil,(and other countries) the goldenberry is loaded with B vitamins that are essential for maintaining a healthy metabolism. While they’re sold fresh, goldenberries are easier to find in dried form and are available at health food stores,Not only are they sweet and tart,
Few know, however, that the antioxidant and dietary fibre levels of  Golden berries are actually higher than those of goji berries and other dried fruits. Golden berries, being protein-rich,(still very digestible in small amounts, about a handful or sprinkled on Oatmeal)are also packed with beta-carotene (pro-Vitamin A), anti-inflammatory bioflavonoids (Vitamin P), various B vitamins, potassium,(if you have to much diarrhea,then you need to replenish your potassium) phosphorus, soluble fibre and insoluble fibre.
These nutritious super berries are flavor-packed with an unforgettable sweet and sour taste( I would call it more tangy, then sour) that bursts in your mouth,yummy.
You have to try them I just love the sweet and tart taste of dried Golden berries.
For me I add them to my Oatmeal, as I just discovered them, along with chopped apple, or what ever else is your fancy..so enjoy all.
                             
                         Image healthy, happy eating all.
Fissure fighter
User avatar
Please go-away!
King Fissure
 
Posts: 578
Topics: 15
Joined: 04 Jun 2013, 16:00
Location: Ontario. Canada
Has thanked: 6 times
Been thanked: 19 times
Gender: Female


  • Similar Topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post

Return to Diet Tips / Supplements



Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 6 guests