You are what you eat...

According to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation website: 

CF Diet – In CF, a high-calorie, high-fat diet is vital for normal growth and development in children, and offers adults a way to maintain optimal health. The dietitians at CF Foundation-accredited care centers work with patients and their families to map out the best diet for each person.
Nutrition and general lung health are closely linked. People with cystic fibrosis may need extra calories to compensate for the malabsorption of nutrients. These extra calories also help to meet the greater energy needed for breathing. In fact, for children with CF, extra fat calories are good for fueling normal growth and development. 

There are right and wrong ways to maintain a high calorie diet.

Calories do not have to come from bad sources. There are ways to increase fats and calories while also increasing nutrition. There is a direct correlation between diet and health. The food that we consume serves as information to our body...when the body receives the information it determines how to use it. By sending our body incorrect information, we can confuse the metabolic process causing our health to decline. The nutrients packed in food enables the cells in our body to do their job. Food plays an important role in our growth, development, and maintenance. Without proper nutrition, the aspects of functioning can be negatively influenced. 

Here are some good choices that both incorporate high calorie and good fats:

Peanut butter- rich in protein, healthy fats, and aids in muscle mass buildup and cardiovascular health. Just two tablespoons of peanut contains appox 200 calories and upwards of 16g of good fat.

Avocados- rich in B6, C, E, K, potassium, magnesium, and folic acid and they have approx 380calories and 35g of fat (medium to large California avocado).

Olive Oils – have 124 calories and 14g of fat per tablespoon. The Mayo Clinic has findings that some research shows that MUFAs (monounsaturated fatty acids – healthy dietary fats) may also benefit insulin levels and blood sugar control, which can be especially helpful if you have insulin problems related to diabetes.

Eggs – 1 large egg contains 70 calories and 5g of fat with 6g of protein. Even though eggs sometimes get a bad rap for higher levels of cholesterol, the tradeoff is they are rich in natural B vitamins (B2, B6, and B12).

Nuts- help control blood glucose levels, rich in fiber and protein. One ounce has about 160-190 calories and 16g of fat. Mixed nuts are both rich in vitamins and minerals. My only concern here is that nuts are also high in dietary fiber, so watch out how many you consume in one sitting!

Bananas- rich in vitamin A, thiamine, B6, fiber, folic acid. Bananas have almost doubled the calories of other fruits- a large one has about 120 calories.

Granola- (w/nuts, whole wheat, molasses, honey)  loaded with fiber and essential oils, one cup is roughly 597 calories.

Dried fruit- loaded with calories, about 400 in one cup!

Various fruits and vegetables have calming effects on the cells, anti-inflammatory properties, and serve as antioxidants.

Health benefits of various fruits and veggies:

Carrots- beta carotene, anti-inflammatory effects, reduces bile and fat in the liver

Oranges – 1 large orange has 65mg of vitamin C, which helps push glycolysis and strengthens hair, nails, arteries and veins.  

Watermelon- vitamin C, antioxidant, muscle relaxant

Cucumber- vitamin K

Kiwi- natural enzymes (proteases), sleep aid

Apples- boost immune system, blood sugar regulation

It can be really hard to go from eating a ton of Twinkies, ice cream, and burgers to controlling your diet. I've slowly transitioned from junk food to healthy food with junk treats!

I try to eat kiwis and pineapples daily, they have natural enzymes (proteases) that break down the proteins. I've also started drinking Bolthouse Carrot juice mixed with orange juice. This really alleviates the late night coughing spells since carrot juice is super high in Vitamin A.

Having CF doesn't justify eating whatever you want. If anything, we should be more cautious with what we put in our body. Our bodies are sensitive and already weakened, by consuming so much processed junk, our bodies are working twice as hard to break that food down and maintain a pattern of homeostasis. When it comes to empty calories, we aren't really benefiting ourselves.

Know what you eat. Here is a great website to be able to look up different foods and their nutritional content. Let’s see what you all come up with for healthy choices!

http://nutritiondata.self.com/

Good eats! 

B.