Please help me!!

[shlaba]

Ok I know i'm new and i'm really in need of some help!!....I've been just diagnosed with a form of intestinal cancer and was told I have to cut most red meat from my diet as well as fatty meats, now being that i usually eat meat this poses a BIG problem for me and i'm hoping that u guys can help with suggesting what if any leaner meats I can cook and smoke?(beside the obvious beef and pork tenderloin)....I would appreciate any help as this is a life altering situation i'm in.

Thank You, Shlaba

 

[dadwith4daughters]

Shlaba, I'm very sorry to hear of your diagnosis. But love the fact that you still want to figure out what to Q. There are a couple of very lean cuts that you may want to consider. The leanest and most healthy is Osterich. I'm in the hotel business and we call this the "other red meat" b/c it looks more like a filet than a piece of poultry. But it's delicious. Here's a link that might help http://www.highfeatherfarms.com/health.html.
Also, buffalo is the leanest of red meats you can buy. Both Osterich and Buffalo are a bit tough to find, but not impossible. Check with your butcher to see if they can special order for you.

 

[richtee]

Oh man...dude. First off, Being new has nothing to do with the level of help we can or will give, but I'm gonna kick this Upstairs to Someone who CAN help. God bless and good luck!

That said... ask your Dr. about the advisability of eating smoked products at all. Seriously.

Sigh... raw deal, but keep your chin up. Attitude helps. I beat the "C" word 12 years ago :{)

On edit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polycyc...ic_hydrocarbon contained in smoked meats to varying degrees- my reason for asking the Doc.

 

[iso]

Talk to a professional nutrionist. They can work with your doctor to help you with dietary adjustments that you can live with and work with your treatment plan.

Good cuts of seafoods like salmon, tuna, steelhead, cod, & halibut can get you your proteins while keeping the fats down to a minimum. All of these are great smoked and grilled.

Learn as much as you can about your cancer. Hook up with other patients and survivors. Both are important. Current patients can talk and discuss treatments. Other survivors will give you hope and encouragement.

I am a 4 year survivor of a different form.

 

[hawgheaven]

Wow Shlaba, I am very sorry to hear this, but you can beat this thing! Prayers and best wishes coming your way!

Dadwith4daughters beat me to the punch by suggesting buffalo and osterich... very good choices. They are very lean and very tasty...

Good luck!

 

[smoked]

shalba,
first off and most important, talk to a nutritionalist. I am very sad to hear the diagnosis, I myself have a rare autoimmune disease so I know where you are coming from. One of the biggest things is to keep in mind the quality of life, if you really enjoy things then dont just cut them out....but listen to the doctors and most important once again....talk to a nutrionalist and let them know what you enjoy and why. Chances are they will tell you more on the white meat side....so chicken breast, turkey, pork...and of course seafoods such as tuna, salmon etc....good fatty acids there...all these things can be smoked.....but may have to be done in moderation.....also talk with the doctor on the course of medication as certain chemo type meds can have really big restrictions (my autoimmune disease is similar and is treated at times with chemo btw....) but once again, quality of life is a big issue that you should take charge with your doctor and make sure he/she knows it as well. Good luck and god bless (and as ISO said, seek out support groups as they are AWSOME, I know....even with as rare as my disease is, there was a support group that helped me get thru the dark days and still does, first thing they taught me was it ain't a death sentence, second thing was don't sweat the small stuff, third thing was....it's all small stuff......good mental attitude can be the biggest difference, here is one possible place to start for your condition... http://www.peacehealth.org/kbase/shc/shc12.htm).

 

[ron50]

Been there too, you will get through this! Positive mental attitude will help a lot.
I also cannot eat red meat but I have found many tasty alternatives. It can get tough like when I was smoking a whole packer brisket and I couldn't eat any (ok I had one bite) but you will be able to eat very well without the red meat.


Poultry is a great choice and readily available. Turkeys, whether whole, breasts or drumsticks are all great. Ground turkey and chicken can be substituted for beef in burgers, meatloafs, meatballs. My kids are so use to eating ground turkey that they don't even like beef meatballs anymore. Cornish hens, chicken are all good lean meat choices; just don't eat the skin.

Fish is great too and lets not forget veggies like ABT's peppers mushrooms etc.

Much of the flavor in food comes from the seasoning and not the meat itself. Pick good rubs, marinades and sauces and I think you will find plenty of great items to smoke. Brine your poultry to add flavor and moisture, rub down your meats, use flavor injectors; lots of ways to add flavor.

I've read tons of articles on smoking meats as far as the health dangers and although there is suggestions that it is bad for you, other cooking methods have there own risks too. Everything in moderation.

I'll send prayers your way and if you need any suggestions on food choices, spices, rubs, etc. your friends here at SMF will be more then happy to help.

 

[homebrew & bbq]

Sorry to hear about your diagnosis. I was recently diagnosed with diabetes which has also required some major changes in diet and lifestyle. One thing that helped a lot was diabetic education classes that were offered by the hospital. They gave us lots of information and had a nutritionist there to answer questions AND our insurance covered the cost.

It might be worth checking with your doctor to see if there is something similar available for your condition and in your area.

I'll keep you in my prayers.

Take care and do what you need to do to live long and well.

 

[deejaydebi]

Helol Shlaba -

As you can see you've found some really caring people here! My heart and prayers go with you. I think Ron can be very helpful to you at this point and he's one heck of a nice guy too! Talk to your doctors. Although they probably don't know much about Q they'll still be able to help!

 

[ron50]

Just to show you how you can modify things to fit your lifestyle here is an example.

My lower fat version of the venerable Fatty!

Combine a package of ground turkey breast and hot italian turkey sausage (casings removed). Chill it well and roll it out flat.

Saute some peeled and finely chopped apple, onion, jalapenos, mushrooms and peppers in a non stick fry pan with a little bit of evoo till soft. Let cool.

Add this mixture to the rolled out meat.

Add some shredded 75% fat reduce cabot cheddar, some 2% extra sharp cheddar, and some part skim string cheese. Roll fatty up making sure fillings are totally encased by the meat. Sprinkle some of your favorite rub on.

Take some strips of roasted red pepper and drape over the top of the fatty.

Smoke at 225-250 degrees until internal temp is 170. Mop or spray every 30 minutes with a mix of 1 tbsp evoo, apple juice and maple syrup.

 

[buddy]

I'm not going to comment on what meats to eat because you've had some pretty good replies to your post. But I want to say that I hope you get better , and if you need someone to talk to , there are plenty of good people on this forum who care. Is this a problem that they think they can cure?What exactly is the diagnosis?

 

[shlaba]

Thanks for all the support and advice!!!!...i am going to try and see if i can find osterich or buffalo meat around might be a little luckier searching in toronto....again thanks everyone

 

[pigcicles]

Other than the obvious bird type meat there is also shell fish, fish, and you might give alligator a try. I'm not sure if reptiles are considered red meat or not???

I wish you the best in your fight with the beast.

 

[ajthepoolman]

My heart is with you during your struggle. Keep your head up and stay positive!

I second the osterich. Wonderful meat, although I believe it is considered a "red" meat. Check with those who are more knowledgeable than I.

 

[richoso1]

Sorry to hear about your condition, you will be in my thoughts and prayers. You'll be finding new ways and things to smoke before long. It's amazing how we can adjust when it is needed. Best wishes my friend.

 

[flyboys]

I am really sorry to hear about your situation. You will be in my prayers, and like Richtee said, God is the one who can truly help you. Also to echo Richoso1, you will be able to adapt. My wife was diagnosed with a deadly lung disease last year and currently needs a heart and lung transplant. With three young kids, it hasn't been easy, but we were all able to adapt to it and live each day with a new outlook on life. God will never put you through anything you can't handle, and every experience you have will teach you something.

 

[squeezy]

Man! ... I'm really sorry to hear about your health issues and please know you are in our minds and prayers ...

Just want to add another meat that is healthy, Emu ... also a bit pricey, but low in cholesterol and fat with a nice beefy flavor. Not to hard to find in Ontario.

Stay positive guy!