Coconut oil

Hey guys, I was curious to see if anyone out there uses coconut oil to help increase their daily fat intake. I had my surgery on the 21st of November, and I followed my nutritionist's instructions for a low fat diet, but it's gotten to the point where I only poo once a day, and it takes every bit of effort I have.  I'm also worried about hernias this early out, so I've started ingesting organic, unrefined virgin coconut oil this evening.  I'm starting with one tbsp a day and seeing where it goes from there.  I know it's a very healthy fat, and more readily absorbed because it's not as difficult to break down in the system.  I naturally don't eat a lot of fatty foods, I don't want to go the way of actual fried foods for a multitude of reasons, but I'd like to know what kind of experience you guys have had with this, how much you eat, and if you'd recommend staying with it.  Thanks!

From what I have been reading here from the vets you do not need to follow a low fat diet with the DS and hence you are having constipation. Coconut  oil is a good fat, so is the other fats.

With the DS we only absorb 20 percent of fat, as a result fat is your friend. It will keep you regular and get things moving again

I had read the same things as well, but  wanted to give my NUT the benefit of the doubt.  I guess I hadn't realized the absorption was so low, so I need to brush up on my ds facts, haha.  Looks like I'll be eating more than a tbsp soon enough if that's the case.  I guess my only concern about eating so much fat is how many carbs are going along with that.  I count numbers, I'm really anal about it, so it's hard to get past that, I suppose.

On the contrary, when things are made low-fat, they usually are higher in carbs.  Instead of purposely eating low fat, concentrate, instead on whole foods, as in whole cheese (not part skim), legs/thigh meat of chicken, well marbled meats, and BUTTER,.  Butter is my way of increasing fat and it makes meats easier to digest.  

It's probably the low fat diet that's constipating you (if you're on pain meds, blame those too) if you're getting plenty of water.  It shouldn't take a lot of effort to poo.  Grab some milk of magnesia to help with that until you find some balance.

There are very few (like 1 in 100) nutritionists that actually understand how a DSer needs to eat, and their rates of absorption.  You're only absorbing 20% of the fats you eat.  You need fat for brain function, digestion, and healthy skin.  Healthy fats or not, with our low rate of absorption, it just doesn't matter.  Cholesterol doesn't matter, either.  I eat red meat and butter every day and my cholesterol is 120

Oh and calorie counting is a lost cause.  To effectively do that, you need to deduct 80% of the calories from fat, 60% from complex carbs and 50% of the calories from protein.   DS Math is a bear.  Just count protein and water and roll with the rest.

My advice would be right now as far as you are.. Don't count calories.. You want to count numbers I would count protein and how many ounces of water..right now you shouldn't be even worrying about calories.. You aren't eating enough to matter.. What matters is your body getting protein so it can do what it needs to do.... Protein, hydration, vitamins, and most of your proteins contain fat... Cheese, steak, yogurt... Ect ect... Unfortunately if a NUT tells you to eat a low fat diet with DS.. I would not be seeking advice.. You will be way better off getting help from the vets.. They know... I'm almost 2 years out so I don't consider myself a vet but I can say I have been successful and reached goal and healthy by following what works and the "rules" of the DS, Via the vets!! 

Coconut oil is awesome for your hair and skin and cooking though! Especially when your hair may start shedding, like it often does with the DS, and if your skin gets dry which is also common.. I use it a lot but I have no need to eat it to get "fat" intake.. Good luck on your journey :)

Also when you strain to have to go to the bathroom , your risking hemroids... Not fun! 

Well, it certainly won't hurt you.  But one tsp a day won't help you much either.  Why not modify your diet and stop avoiding fat?  Why not enjoy what is essentially a free food for you?  I seldom eat fried food and I get a lot of fat.  Think real mayo, butter, salad dressings, sour cream, cream, and cheese.  And of course, meat!  Low carb, high fat is much tastier than low carb, low fat.

I'm very similar, I don't avoid fat but I don't eat a lot.  I've never fried foods (I hate spatters) and love white meat chicken.  I actually hated the lap band because it was so hard to eat white meat!   I don't like dark meat chicken, don't really like cheese, I'm a pain in the tail end on this.  My nutritionist told me if I'm worried about fat intake to use the Barlean's Swirl oil.  it has omegas 3 6 and 9 (I think) and I take it everyday.  Absolutely no trouble with going to the bathroom.  But I've really tried to up the fat where I can, using regular milk instead of fat free, etc.

I've never used coconut oil, but I love using grapeseed oil for cooking.  It has a higher flash point than olive oil so you can take it to a higher temp without smoke and it's healthy fat with very little flavor.  Does coconut oil have a flavor to it?

It kind of tastes like a creamy mounds bar, minus the sugar and chocolate.  Not terrible, but not the best thing ever.

A coupla things here. First of all, coconut oil is actually very good for you, and has many health benefits I won't go into all the benefits as anyone can just google it, but the old worries about it were all based on really old studies that were only on HYDROGENATED coconut oil, and the hydrogenation makes the healthiest of oils bad for us, so whatever oils you use, make sure they are not partially or fully hydrogenated.

You have the DS? Eat fat. Many of us had surgeons that were great cutters, but their NUTs keep giving out post-op advice for RNY, and these surgeries are just not "one size fits all" aftercare. We absorb so little fat, and soon enough you will likely feel it in how dry your hair and skin feel, and it sounds like you already feel it with poop. Come here, or to DSfacts or ProBoards to get DS specific advice, but just smile and nod with the nut.

Not only do I cook with the coconut oil, but also use coconut milk in things like my protein drinks. It's also very high fat, but makes them creamy and delicious. And don't stress on the carbs. One of the great things about the high fat things is that they are already low carb. Many products actually end up with MORE carbs when they cut the fat, so no more low fat stuff. Real milk and cream are now our low carb friends!

Thank you so much for your responses, everyone, they've helped me to figure out what I need to do considerably.  I'll try to watch for higher fat options and only keep track of my protein and fat numbers...I'm still new to this, so I feel I have to keep track of something.  And the unrefined coconut oil is helping already, and it does have a flavor, just of coconut, so it's palatable.  I can't drink milk, but I'll see if I can't do creams and butter.  I was lactose intolerant before the surgery, and after I had a TERRIBLE experience with milk, so I'm hesitant to include lots of dairy into my diet, high fat or not.  I'll just have to suck it up and try, making sure to keep some Imodium around, just in case.  The meat I can do, though.  Again, thank you so much :-D