Travel and family.

[Guest guest]

My husband and I would like to travel to Israel in November that is if

I am feeling good enough.

I am excited and " kind of " emotionally prepared. It won't be like the

last time- a deer in headlights- but there are many pitfalls that I am

aware of and I am trying to avoid those and work my way around them.

When I am there- besides seeing family and friends.. I plan to visit

the Organic Food Market, SCD kitchen and meet Avi Cohen and some of

the other SCD'ers from Ezra Umazor. I might be in Jerusalem too to

visit friends and wanted to go check out the healthfood store there as

well. I want to see if it is possible to use the SCD kitchen and get

prepared stuff there, or maybe I can cook there myself?? As prepared

food that I don't make scares me.. Unless it was another SCD'er like

Marilyn or my listmates cooking- then it's all good!! I don't know if

getting prepared food is a gamble? As SCD Israel has certain things

that are legal there that would be illegal here. There are lifestyle

differences though. I just need to follow what I do at home!

Anyway this way, I can stay at my Grandparents house- they are Kosher

and really want me to stick to the diet.. My in-laws are not kosher

so I don't even know how I could make food in their house and bring it

to my grandparents- My grandma in so many words said she would look

the other way and and I could use paper plates.. But I feel this

might bother my grandfather - although he would never say it to me as

he wants me to feel well- I want to respect him and it doesn't make me

feel comfortable. I would only cook kosher food but the actual

kitchen isn't kosher. The other thing is I cannot cook in my grandmas

kitchen - long story. So, having energy and figuring all these

details out while I am in Israel to see what resources are available

to me would be great so that maybe I can go to Israel more often to

see my grandparents and my dad.)

The other thing is when I am in Israel I stay at my in-laws house.

They are so super nice and sweet to me. Really trying to be

supportive. My mother-in-law doesn't really let me do the cooking for

myself. Her kitchen, her turf and she wants to spoil me. So, there

is a constant issue of cross contamination- Looking back I think this

might be one of the reasons why I had a very bad stomach ache when I

was there. Now her granddaughter has a bad egg and milk allergy. So

this is making her learn about cross contamination. But, I saw it

wasn't good enough. A spoon she used for cooking rice she used to

stir my chicken soup. It was tough- in my head I was like " do I eat

it, do I not eat it? I am so hungry? " and so on. That time I did not

eat it. But I cannot know about other times etc.

What would be a good way to teach someone about cross contamination?

I bought her BTVC in Hebrew. So she somewhat understands that I need

to be fanatical and is ok with that. Also, they seem to want to buy

all this stuff for me when I get there. They were annoyed that I

brought stuff from home- as they thought Israeli stuff wasn't good-

which made me uncomfortable as I don't want to upset them.. I brought

things like sardines and nut butter. They went out and bought me

" gourmet " sardines and it was full of illegals! I would like to bring

my own salt and other things this time too. I am not saying Israel

doesn't have good salt it's just that I would rather use what I am

used to as opposed to trying to read labels and ingredients for hours

on end. Plus Israeli labeling laws are pathetic comparing to the

States. Also, like bringing my own green tea. They make their own

mint tea from Nana leaves from their garden. I don't even know if

Nana is legal??

Since it is challenging for me to find a kitchen that I can do all the

cooking in how have you SCD'ers faired when going and staying at other

people's homes?? What do you do about cross contamination or like

keeping your food " safe " in the fridge?

I am kind of paranoid- I know but this fanaticism is the only way I

have managed to start feeling better.

Any tips or ideas would be super appreciated!!

Jodi

SCD 11 months

Crohn's/Colitis