Meal Ideas For Someone Broke Severe Fatigue

[healthwarrior]

Hi there.

I am new here. I have not been diagnosed with celiac disease, but I have autoimmune thyroid disease and chronic lyme disease. I just saw a nutritionist who told me she feels gluten is severely contributing to my lyme and thyroid problems due to an autoimmune response. I am not sure how she knows this since I tested negative for celiac disease (had endoscopy at columbia and no antibodies, but had One gene) My mom and uncles have inflammatory bowel disease, so she feels there is definitely a gluten sensitivity in my family. She is strongly recommending me to follow a gluten free diet, however I have several barriers..... I am on disability due to severe illness and am broke and cannot afford gluten-free products. My fatigue is to the point of almost being bedridden> I have no family that can help me shop or cook. It seems that this diet is impossible to do if you don't have money and energy to cook. Also, I am supposed to be staying away from dairy, soy, and yeast.

Rather than buying gluten-free products, I've just either not been eating or just eating when I have the energy to cook, which is rare. Also, the only thing I eat for breakfast is eggs- Every day. I cant think of any alternatives that do not involve some grains (I am yeast free- I do not eat any grains or gluten-free cereal) or things that do not have to be cooked. Also, I do not eat cheese or much fruit due to yeast. When I wake up, I barely have the energy to take my meds. Also, because of my lyme disease, I have to be on some meds that might not be gluten free, but are vital to my feeling better.

I want very much to be able to do this diet to perhaps keep my infections down and improve my Hashimotos, but I don't know how to go about it with no money and no energy to cook. Also, I notice that many of the breakfast ideas that are suggested are mostly carbs, i.e. gluten free pancakes , etc and I don't eat that stuff.

I really need some practical and feasible options for a person that is broke and is so fatigued, I can barely take care of myself. Thanks so much, Nancy

[lizzy]

nancy where abouts do u live . because if your near to me which is illinois i would come over and make you some meals so u can get your strength back . i eat alot of rice and pasta sauces whcih are gluten free when i dont know what else to eat and have been glutened and want to stay on something light, and i take gluten free supplements too help.

i will eat the same food all week if i know it doesnt bother me till i feel well enough to try something else in my diet.

i hope you have some one near you who can help and come over to cook for you dont you have any freinds are family to help. liz

[Felidae]

I wish I could help you. If there is some way you could get a rice cooker from a thrift shop or charitable organization or something. They sure make cooking rice like no work at all.

[Jnkmnky]

Eggs- deviled, scrambled, hard boiled, etc

Corn tortilla wraps

Spilt pea soup - bag of peas, chopped onion, chopped ham or bacon. In pot with water. Simmer till peas are broken down. SOOOO easy. Healthy, too! Hardly qualifies as "cooking".

Chili- dump ingredients in pot. Don't use meat if it's too difficult to cook up. Lots of beans, though.

Whole chicken in pot. Add rice, chopped veggies. Some stores are selling chopped veggies for stews, so you won't need to chop! Also, if you are too tired to chop veggies, you can add several whole carrots, snap some celery in half, cut once through an onion....Put those in the pot with the chicken and rice and when it's all cooked up, you can use your spoon to break them apart and eat.

Lentil soup- easy... like split pea.

Open Original Shared Link

Yeast free bread at Kinnikinnick. Put peanut butter on a piece of toast. Pricey, yes. Could be a nice change if you can find the way to afford.

You should also call the local churches in your area. They will send someone over to cook you some dinners. My friend has been doing this for years for folks who are too ill to help themselves. The people who do this want to help, so no need wasting time thinking you're bothering someone. You're being a bigger pain in the butt if you don't allow them to do what they are really wanting to do... help someone in need!

[healthwarrior]

awww. thanks so much for your offer to come cook for me!! ;-) Unfortunately, I am in NY, so would be quite a distance!!! ;-)

Thank you all for your suggestions for meals. BTW, I don't eat rice or ANY grains, even gluten-free ones.

-Nancy

[Jnkmnky]

awww. thanks so much for your offer to come cook for me!!  ;-)  Unfortunately, I am in NY, so would be quite a distance!!! ;-)

Thank you all for your suggestions for meals.  BTW, I don't eat rice or ANY grains, even gluten-free ones. 

-Nancy

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Why not? Are you just too afraid at this point.

[healthwarrior]

Why not?  Are you just too afraid at this point.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have bad candida infection and am on long term antibiotics, which makes it even harder to control, so i avoid most carbs. Also, trying to lose more weight, about another 25 pounds. My lyme disease put on about 50 extra pounds on me before I began treatment.

[debbiewil]

The easiest things I can think of are soups. I'll throw some meat and vegetables and seasonings in a slow cooker, and just let is cook for a few hours. Then it's ready when I'm hungry. You can use frozen vegetables - just throw a bag full in. I watch the sales and check out the stores own brands - one of the stores by me frequently has them for .99 for a pound. That and a bit of meat does a nice soup. Vary it - use one type of meat and veg today, another tomorrow or the next day. It will stay warm all day in the slow cooker, and you can eat small amounts frequently, which helps too with the fatigue. A large meal will put me right to sleep (I have Hashimoto's also). So half a bowl now, half a bowl in an hour or so. It's ready whenever you are. And try new things, don't stick to the same thing all the time. Pumpkin soup is wonderful - might find some leftover cans cheap after thanksgiving. Fish broths are very nutritious.

Debbie

[mart]

Healthwarrior, you wouldn't believe how much stuff is naturally gluten free! Yes, the gluten-free processed foods are rediculously expensive, but as long as you aren't craving pasta or bread, you'll do fine at the supermarket. You just need to learn to recognize gluten names and look at the ingredients on labels. Most major supermarket chains have their own brands, which are cheaper. If you ask your supermarket, I'll bet they'll give or send you a fat list of their own brand products that are gluten-free (like Publix did for me in Miami).

Also, I've found that eating at home is not only cheaper but definitely safer. I don't trust restaurants much, since most people are unaware of a gluten-free diet (such as possible contamination from a pan, etc.).

You can get a healthy, inexpensive breakfast with a glass of Carnation Instant Breakfast (not the chocolate malt flavor). Also cottage cheese and canned peaches is pretty inexpensive.

For lunch, rice cakes and peanutbutter (lots of inexpensive protein here).

For dinner, invest in a crockpot (they're so cheap - about $20). You just throw in any piece of meat (the more inexpensive the cut the better with a slow cooker). Throw in some potatoes or rice. This is not only inexpensive but also quite nutritious.

So sorry you are experiencing such a hard time in your life. My prayers are with you.

Mart

[tarnalberry]

avocados!

beans - chili is easy to make, and if you make a large pot full, you can have leftovers for the week (add as much meat as necessary to balance out carbs/protein/fat)

nuts - as "butter" on celery, or plain, or in something like "raw ranch dressing" with veggies

[healthwarrior]

avocados!

beans - chili is easy to make, and if you make a large pot full, you can have leftovers for the week (add as much meat as necessary to balance out carbs/protein/fat)

nuts - as "butter" on celery, or plain, or in something like "raw ranch dressing" with veggies

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

thanks so much for all your suggestions... I really appreciate them. Just one question about chili..... isn't the citric acid in tomato sauce not allowed on gluten-free diet?

BTW- what is CF? I know gluten-free is gluten free.

[happygirl]

I've never heard that citric acid is not allowed. Someone correct me if I am wrong.

On this board, CF usually refers to "casein-free" which is found in milk and other products.

[dlp252]

Just one question about chili..... isn't the citric acid in tomato sauce not allowed on gluten-free diet?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think it's okay on gluten-free, but citric acid was on the list of foods (that I got from my doctor) to avoid for candida/yeast...I'm not sure why though.

[jenvan]

healthwarrior... sorry for the place you are in right now... i hope as you are able to change you're diet that you find new energy soon!

easy ways to go gluten-free w/o buying all the gluten-free products is to buy fresh, whole foods, meats, veggies, fruits, beans, lentils, rice. if you want some gluten-free bread, an easy order is kinnikinnick's. economically speaking, it may be best if you buy a large mix and make up your own bread, and then freeze it. you said no grains, how about rice milk? would you ever have a bit of that? b/c you could make peanut butter smoothies for breakfast. or w/o, just fruit and juice to make a fruit smoothie. my morning snack everyday is peanut butter and an apple. you may want to explore the SCD diet. go hear to read more: Open Original Shared Link the one catch is it does require some cooking, so you may want to file it away for later...

also, have you cked products you use, ie. makeup, lotion to make sure they are gluten-free?

some quick ideas below....

heat canned soups (go here to see some gluten-free soups: Open Original Shared Link )

lunch meats (can wrap in lettuce since you do no grains), all sara lee lunchmeat (inc. hillshire farms) is gluten-free.

fruit

peanut butter (go for natural kind)

veggies, steamed, stirfried

frozen veggies, heat in microwave

some microwave gluten-free dinners, some listed below.

beans

if you do canned baked beans, several of bush's are gluten-free.

Thai Kitchen--lots of gluten-free thai type dishes...really good. You just add the meat you want, noodles, sauce etc are included. Open Original Shared Link

Amy's makes quite a few frozen dinners and a cheese pizza that are gluten-free. Amy's also makes quite a few gluten-free canned soups that are good too. You can see their products and get their gluten-free list here. Open Original Shared Link Amy's also makes some good gluten-free soups you can heat quickly.

Really yummy gluten-free rice dishes. You can serve as a side or add a meat/veggie and eat as a meal-- Open Original Shared Link

If you have a Trader Joe's by you-they have several gluten-free frozen stirfries and dinners. Just ck the gluten-free list on the website--east or west coast. They also have chicken sausage that is awesome!

Gluten free pantry makes some good skillet meals. Just add meat or beans. We really like the stroganoff meal. Open Original Shared Link free.com/glu/showprod.cfm...jectGroup_ID=74

Have you tried Tinkyada's gluten-free pasta yet? It is great and you can make a ton of quick meals with it.

Dinty Moore beef and chicken stew are gluten-free--just throw them in a pot to heat up.

Other quick meal ideas--tacos and taco salads are made gluten-free easy, rice and beans (you can get micro rice and canned beans-just heat with spices), lasagna, pasta dishes, stirfries, hamburger/fries (love Alexia fries-gluten-free!), rice/quinoa pilafs (there are a lot of quick/precooked rices out now), chips/salsa, we eat "breakfast for dinner" sometimes--gluten-free pancakes (Pamela's mix is our favorite) w/ meat/veggie omelettes, frozen veggies are usually gluten-free and easy to prepare as a side, baked beans--(most of Bush's are gluten-free), sandwiches wraps with , Delmix has some gluten-free taquitos as well as costco beef taquitos, Dinty Moore microwave meals, Hormel Tamales, Lundberg Rice Sensations, Perdue Short Cuts, Sam's Club beef Taquitos...

some name brand gluten-free food lists...

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

[jenvan]

also, go here and scroll down to see a list of manufacturers that will list gluten in their labels. this makes it much easier to shop for quick items: Open Original Shared Link

[Jnkmnky]

Citric acid is fine on a gluten free diet. Are you familiar with the gluten free diet??? If you have any questions, ask them here and I'll look and answer you quickly so you can get some food and start eating again!!

[paw]

Hi, I am new to this too. The doctor kept telling me more and more things I could not eat until it got to the point that I was just not getting enough food to have any energy. Still, I had symptoms that were not going away. (I was not yet gluten free).

I wonder if you need a little more carbs for some energy so you can make the healthy foods that will help you get better? Keeping the carbs low is fine, but cutting them all out can cause problems because you have trouble getting enough fiber and can cause constipation.

For fast and easy cooking, use frozen pre-cut veggies and canned fruit bought on sale. Fresh is good, but often a lot more expensive. If you can have sweet potatoes or yams, they are full of vitamins and have fiber too. At this time of year they are everywhere and on sale. Just bake them or even microwave them and mash with a fork. If you are not using butter or margarine, a little broth can be used to mash them.

Soups sound like a good food for you to keep in a crock pot or on the stove. Freeze the left over in small servings so you can eat a little now and something else later. Some gluten free ham or some chicken or beef and veggies and broth and you have soup.

Beans and dried peas don't agree with me, so I have to leave them out of my meals and soups right now and I was told to avoid tomatoes too. We are eating chicken cooked in a crock pot or baked and the left over can be put in salads or along side vegetables.

You can check each of your medicines online or call the company who makes them to see if what you take is gluten free. If it is not, sometimes another brand of a similar medicine will be safe for you to take. Good luck finding some foods to get you stronger and feeling better.

[Felidae]

I think when citric acid is made in a country other than the USA, its source needs to be questioned.

[VegasCeliacBuckeye]

I beleive her complaint regarding citric acid stems from her yeast allergy, not gluten intolerance...

I could be incorrect, though...

My suggestion to get carbs without yeast..

Corn Tortillas (no gluten, no yeast) -- try Mission corn tortillas at the grocery store

Microwave them and add luncheon meat/veggies and yeast free/gluten free condomints...

Hope this helps...

[Guest BERNESES]

Health Warrior- Hang in there! It will get better. Lots of people have posted good suggestions here. When i am absolutely exhausted i stick with the simplest stuff possible- vegetables, chicken, peanut butter. Keep us posted. People here do care!

[beelzebubble]

you said you were having trouble with breakfast ideas. these are some of the things that i have for breakfast.

cottage cheese with strawberries

goat cheese with nut-thins and fruit

boursin on a granny smith apple

smoothies with berries and yogurt

toast with almond butter and fruit

toast with peanut butter and fruit

apples with peanut butter

celery with pb and raisins

turkey bacon with tomatoes and avocado wrapped in lettuce

avocado, fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, lettuce and mayo on bread

gluten free frozen waffles (i think it's the lifestream berry ones that are my fave)

gluten free pancakes from pamela's or flaxjax

fruit and a handful of nuts

mochi (pounded rice thing that you bake-buy at whole foods), cream cheese and fruit

a plate of veggies with dip

any leftovers i feel like-who says you have to have breakfast for breakfast?

these are also good lunch choices, although most days i just have a salad. i hope this helps.

[kevsmom]

You might find some ideas in my reply to Frustratedneicey Pinned "I guess I have to Starve". There is a list of mainstream gluten free foods.

Good Luck.