How To Live With Food Restrictions

By Sneha Dave for U.S. News Going to the movies is excruciating -- not a typical statement for a teenager to make. I can’t ever concentrate on the film, only the sights and sounds of others eating the favorite food I haven’t been able to consume in years: popcorn. Restricting or cutting out certain foods can be extremely difficult for those of us whose bodies can’t tolerate them. Diagnosed with debilitating ulcerative colitis at age 6, I have learned to navigate a world of dietary minefields. But armed with these strategies, I have learned to combat cravings for things that could wreak havoc in my body. If you or someone you know is struggling to avoid off-limits foods, here’s what works for me: 1. Find alternatives. After a grueling two weeks in the hospital, a nutritionist visited me at age 12 for a serious talk about my new dietary restrictions. Corn -- in any shape or form -- was out of the picture, as were many mouthwatering foods such as tacos, pizza and ice cream. The worst part? After reading nutrition labels, nearly everything on grocery store shelves seemed to have the very ingredients I couldn’t touch. So instead of eating those cheese puffs I loved (which had cornmeal) we searched around for a good replacement. Rice puffs, it turns out, taste very similar. It helps a lot to make small substitutions that still keep things “normal.” 2. Visit a health nutrition store. Not everything I used to eat can be replaced with a direct alternative. That’s ...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news