The Diva Diet - Part I: Dining In

With another off-site at work coming up, a friend at work asked me whether I still needed to bring my lunch. Our department usually provides our lunches and snacks during off-site meetings, but it is served buffet style. It is great for most people, but it does not really work for someone who had a transplant.

I explained to her that I probably will need to bring my lunch to off-sites forever, or at the very least, arrange for or order my own food. I explained that I need to have my meals made for me; it’s like a “Diva Diet.” It’s got to be made for me, because I am special (wink).

 

I have written about my diet in bits and pieces in previous blog posts. However, with the holidays coming up, the parties and various gatherings may prove to be challenging. I would like to socialize, but sometimes it is fairly difficult to explain my situation, especially around happy occasions like the holidays. I think writing this post will help me figure out how to deal with my situation in social gatherings and also will be a great reminder for me.

Guidelines for the “Diva Diet”: Cooking at Home and Dining In

Dining in is now fun because I have a bit more variety on what I can cook. I would call this the “Iron Chef” or the “Chopped Kitchen” diet, but I think “Diva Diet” is a little bit catchier.

Make sure that everything is cooked thoroughly. This means no more runny eggs, medium rare meats, ceviches, or sushi with raw fish. With a big turkey, make sure that it is thoroughly cooked (I bought a meat thermometer for this purpose).

Everything should be well done. With my immune system lowered, cooking must kill any lingering germs since this could be detrimental to my new kidney. As an example, the nutritionist at UC Davis said that certain salmonella can considerably damage my new kidney. Better avoid and live another day.

Important note: eggnog could be problematic because it does contain raw egg yolk. Also, I should avoid of aiolis since they traditionally contain raw eggs (Although I have seen cheater ones, but why take a chance).

Keep things clean

Maintain food safety. Just as important as keeping a healthy diet is maintaining excellent food safety.  Bad bacteria in foods can make you sick, and with my new kidney, I am more susceptible to illness. Maintaining good food preparation habits when cooking is very important. Wash your hands well with soap and warm water. When in doubt, wash your hands... again and again and again.

Make sure everything is clean, and I mean everything: your kitchen, surfaces, utensils, plates, and the food. 

Wash your food thoroughly. If needed, use a vinegar and water mixture to wash your veggies. Cut your fruit before eating it to see if there is any spoilage or unexpected crawling visitors (e.g. worms).

Potlucks. Potlucks are probably the biggest challenge for me since most of our family gatherings are potlucks. I do hope that my family has safe food practices. Make sure that everyone uses a serving spoon. For this year, I have been sticking to the hot foods and zapping it in the microwave first before eating. If you don't know where the microwave is, have a back-up. At the very least, have a granola bar in your purse.

Desserts may be iffy. I always look at the tempting pies or cakes and wonder if they are safe. I generally just not have it. If it is single-serve or wrapped, it is possible to enjoy it, but if it has been hanging out for a while, I avoid it. General rule of thumb: when in doubt, avoid it. It's really not worth it.

Also, since these are your family or friends, maybe you can go first. This avoids the germ issue. This is the Diva Diet after all. Also, avoid going for seconds. The food is not as safe at that point, but if you must, nuke it.

Enjoying the bounty of the season

Most importantly, have fun. Although I have restrictions, it is not like when I was on dialysis when I had to take binders every time I eat something with high phosphorus or be wary of the potassium content of my food. Given that, sometimes it does feel that it is more restrictive. I do miss my salmon sushi, oysters, and ahi poke (a Hawaiian raw salad with ahi tuna), but I think I already had my share of this.

Feel free to experiment. I love trying out new ingredients. As an example, recently, I just tried Delicata squash and molasses. Although I still have to watch for potassium and cholesterol due to my immunosuppresants, I feel I can be more adventurous as long as I maintain a balanced diet.

 

Next installment: Dining Out