Nutritional Update

ByRyan's Rally LLC

It’s been some time since you heard from me on Ryan’s diet. It changes from day-to-day (although I do have some staple items he always gets) and I built an Excel spreadsheet to automatically calculate nutritional content. He does get canned formula (Impact 1.5) too, but I take a ton of pride in what I make for him. My next step is to include some chicken breast in his diet. 

We have a VitaMix. More specifically, it is the VitaMix 5000. Simply put, it’s a blender on steroids. I can liquify anything! Everything that goes into Ryan’s stomach is administered through a feeding tube (a.k.a., g-tube). It is roughly the diameter of a straw. So, you can see that all content has to be thinned enough to make it down the tube. A clog can be a real issue. It hasn’t happened recently, thank goodness.

The VitaMix 5000 (via ezjuicers.com)

If you’re interested, I have listed everything (that I can remember) that Ryan can tolerate.

Fruits/Vegetables:

  • Kale
  • Broccoli
  • Spinach
  • Beets
  • Carrots
  • Onions
  • Cucumbers
  • Yams
  • Tomato (yes, I know, technically a fruit)
  • Watermelon
  • Cauliflower
  • Soybeans
  • Rhubarb
  • Kiwi
Nuts & Berries:
  • Almonds
  • Walnuts
  • Blueberries
  • Raspberries
  • Blackberries
  • Cranberries
Spices:
  • Parsley
  • Basil
  • Cocoa Powder
  • Garlic
  • Rosemary
  • Dill Weed
  • Mustard Seed
  • Sage
  • Marjoram
  • Cpriander
  • Caraway Seed
  • Mint
  • Savory
  • Thyme
  • Bay Leaves
  • Oregano
Juices:
  • Carrot Juice
  • Acai Juice
  • pomegranate Juice
  • Cranberry Juice
  • Prune Juice
  • Apricot Nectar
Dairy:
  • Non-Fat Yogurt
  • Organic Eggs
  • Skim Milk
Other:
  • Hot Sauce
  • Nutritional Yeast
  • Quinoa
  • Wild Salmon
  • Cod Liver Oil
Ryan’s digestive system has come a long way since this started this in January. A long way, indeed. I still laugh that Sue and I got the VitaMix as our Christmas present to each other. Anyhow, my goal is to achieve the ability for him to digest nearly any “normal” foods (i.e., excluding “junk” foods… although I might throw in a Cool Ranch Dorito for fun). I’ll be excited if he does well with poultry and meat.

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9 Comments

  2. Ken, I think Beth said it all and the wonderful foods you are giving to Ryan are certainly making him strong and leading him on the road to recovery..May you have the strength to keep up the great work you are doing with Ryan ..We’re with you all the way and anything about Ryan interests us. till later. love Gai

  4. Dear Mr. Diviney,

    I am a longtime follower of your blog and Ryan’s story, as I was living in Morgantown and working at WVU when he was injured. I’ve always read your posts without commenting, despite the fact that they often stay with me throughout my day. As many have said, you are a gifted writer.

    I am consistently amazed and inspired by your love and devotion to Ryan. But when I read this post about the food, I felt compelled to comment. I think often of health and nutrition as I feed my family (I have twin 6-year-old girls), because it is one of the few things I can actually do to help keep them healthy. I believe that what we eat has an incredible impact on our health and how our body functions. You devote your whole life to keeping Ryan in the best condition possible, which is unbelievably demanding. It would be so much easier for you to rely on nutritional supplements, but you don’t, because you know that you can provide something better. Your dedication to giving Ryan the absolute best of every treatment is nothing short of awesome.

    I know that your days are full of challenges and heartache. I hope that you are able to find some comfort and peace in knowing that everything that you and your family do is helping Ryan. He is blessed to have you.

    Beth

    1. And you are so blessed to have friends who care like Beth and the folks who write here. We are blessed as well with your continual updates and Ryan’s continual healing. Amen.

  5. Ken, you could bottle and sell this stuff at Costco! I would buy it to avoid swallowing all the tablet and capsule supplements every day. Bring it on!
    Love

  6. Wow, Ken, that is an awesome diet!! In addition to everything else, you are also a nutritional expert. We should all be eating those things!!! No wonder why Ryan looks so good!! Thank you for sharing this info. I am always interested in knowing about the various approaches you use to enhance Ryan’s health. I hope you have a smooth day, dear Ken, and I am sending lots of love, hugs and prayers to you and your family. Love, Paula

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