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Gaining Healthy Weight with Celiac and Food Allergies

December 3, 2012

Gaining Healthy Weight with Celiac and Food Allergies

December 03, 2012

Question:

In the past 1.5 years, I’ve lost almost 60 lbs (not by choice). I found out it was due to a medication I was on and have since stopped taking it. I get IV treatments twice a week now (protein on one day, minerals the next) because I’ve lost all muscle. I need to know how to gain weight properly, but I have now found out I have an allergy to milk and eggs. I need suggestions please. I’m so weak I can hardly walk.

From,
Rene

Answer:

Dear Rene,

Thank you for your question, and I’m very sorry to hear about your health struggles these past couple of years.

Assuming you have an otherwise clean bill of health from your physician, and now that you’re off the medicine that was causing your weight loss, you should be able to slowly start re-gaining the weight you lost, by following a well balanced diet of complex gluten-free carbohydrates, lean proteins (other than milk and eggs) and healthy fats such as nuts, avocadoes and olive oil.

To keep your energy up, you should plan on 3 meals a day, plus a couple of snacks in between meals to make sure you are getting adequate calories throughout the day. Assuming you have no other food allergies and intolerances other than milk and eggs, here are some suggestions for a full day’s menu:

Breakfast: Gluten-free oats topped with non-dairy milk of choice, plus a handful of nuts and dried fruit. Serve with fresh fruit of choice.

Mid-morning snack: Avocado Smoothie: Combine non-dairy milk of choice with ½ avocado and 1 cup frozen fruit of choice.

Lunch: Quinoa Salad: Cooked quinoa topped with pine nuts, peas, chopped chicken or turkey, chopped spinach, and a vinaigrette of olive oil, golden balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Serve with fresh fruit of choice.

Mid-afternoon snack: Hummus with raw veggies and gluten-free pita (I like to bake Udi’s gluten-free pizza crusts and cut them in to wedges for a pita bread substitution.)

Dinner: Gluten-free spaghetti and meatballs, served with steamed broccoli, green salad with oil and vinegar and fresh fruit.

Hopefully these meal ideas will help you re-gain the weight you have lost; however, if you find you’re the same weight after a few weeks of well balanced eating, you may want to schedule a consultation with a dietitian who specializes in celiac disease and food allergies, and who can provide you with more healthy and delicious meal ideas tailored to your food preferences and lifestyle.

In good health!

EA Stewart, MBA, RD


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