When I started going to the clinic with my son what seems like forever ago and yet not that long ago, they definitely stressed he would need a high fat diet. McDonalds? Oh yeah. Biscuits? Oh yeah and make sure to have lots of gravy with those biscuits. Hamburgers? Order with extra cheese please.
Something deep down in my soul silently cried out that this could not be right. Why would someone with a digestive problem that could not digest fats properly, then proceed to eat much more of them? And what about plant-based fats? I asked the doctor a question about olive oil and he looked at me kind of funny and said to ask the dietician.
Anyhow, I never did adhere to the instructions given to me at the clinic, but instead opted for plant based fats. I admit, getting a lot of calories in took more creativity and effort than if I had gone the fast food route or double cheeseburger route, but he steadily gained weight even if some visits it was just a pound or two. Keeping his digestive tract “clean” with healthy foods to keep it functional was a key I believe to his being able to absorb and grow. Plenty of good rest was also part of the puzzle.
When faced with taking a medication that requires fatty food intake twice a day on top of meals, I believe it is crucial for our CF community to stick to plant-based fats. So, how does one do this?
Avocadoes have been my favorite way to get fat into my son and when I don’t have a fresh avocado on hand I can sneak some avocado oil into his strawberry smoothie. No one is the wiser. A handful of cashews or almonds can be the other way to accomplish getting the good fats in or even a mug of warm water with ghee butter and a little mineral salt. Tastes good and also helps to get the salt and mineral needs met, along with helping to cleanse the liver.
Chicken broth, although not plant based, if it is made from bones and butter added to it, will give you the benefits of bone broth and good fat. Coconut milk has plant-based fat in it, or you can have hard boiled eggs on hand, or a quick celery stick with nut butter. I prefer one called “Nutzzo” because it does not contain peanuts, yet it is the best tasting peanut butter alternative that I have tasted to date. Almond butter is a close second.
Energy balls made with oats, nut butter and maple syrup rolled in coconut flakes would be a good choice as well! I've also seen recipes for chocolate fudge made using dark cacao powder and coconut oil. Breads made with almond or coconut flour toasted and topped with ghee butter would be excellent.
Pouring a little grapeseed oil into your morning oatmeal or bowl of black beans also helps with getting good fat with no change in taste of the food that you are eating. Olive oil can be used to make salad dressings and is much healthier than the forms of oils commonly used in commercially prepared dressings.
I used to eat avocadoes with a dash of salt and Italian dressing on top of a saltine cracker. Substitute almond crackers for the saltines and you have increased your fat intake a bit more. The ways to get plant-based fats in for taking meds and proper weight gain are many, but most are not available on the go, as in going through a drive through. So, proper planning is a must.
There are other options for sure, but I wanted to list some plant based ones as it can be very tempting to eat a lot of dairy when wanting to increase fat intake but unfortunately that causes an increase in mucus production and may also contribute to constipation.
So my last solution for “on-the-go” plant based fats would be energy bars made largely from nuts. Or simply taking a jar of “Nutzzo” on the go, with a couple extra spoons. Just so ya know, I do not get a kick back from the “Nutzzo” company. I get it at Costco and while it is not inexpensive, the amount of good fat in it makes it worth the purchase price to me. And nuts that have been ground up are easier to digest and assimilate. Win-win!
As always, I pray you are in good health,
Love and peace,
Paula Baron P.T.
#pureliving316 #biohackyourbody #paulabaron
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