UC Diet - What do you suggest?

[Forum Admin]

To all members,

We're posting a snippet of a suggested Ulcerative Colitis diet that may help control your symptoms and lengthen the time between flare-ups. Please feel free to comment on what does & does not work for you.

There's no firm evidence that what you eat causes inflammatory bowel disease. But certain foods and beverages can aggravate your symptoms, especially during a flare-up in your condition. It's a good idea to try eliminating from your diet anything that seems to make your signs and symptoms worse. Here are some suggestions that may help:

Limit dairy products
Like many people with inflammatory bowel disease, you may find that problems, such as diarrhea, abdominal pain and gas, improve when you limit or eliminate dairy products. You may be lactose intolerant — that is, your body can't digest the milk sugar (lactose) in dairy foods. If so, try substituting yogurt or low-lactose cheeses, such as Swiss and cheddar, for milk. Or use an enzyme product, such as Lactaid, to help break down lactose. In some cases, you may need to eliminate dairy foods completely. If you need help, a registered dietitian can help you design a healthy diet that's low in lactose. Keep in mind that with limiting your dairy intake, you'll need to find other sources of calcium, such as supplements.

Experiment with fiber
For most people, high-fiber foods, such as fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains, are the foundation of a healthy diet. But if you have inflammatory bowel disease, fiber may make diarrhea, pain and gas worse. If raw fruits and vegetables bother you, try steaming, baking or stewing them.

You may also find that you can tolerate some fruits and vegetables, but not others. In general, you may have more problems with foods in the cabbage family, such as broccoli and cauliflower, and with very crunchy foods such as raw apples and carrots.

Avoid problem foods
Eliminate any other foods that seem to make your symptoms worse. These may include "gassy" foods such as beans, cabbage and broccoli, raw fruit juices and fruits — especially citrus fruits — spicy food, popcorn, alcohol, caffeine, and foods and drinks that contain caffeine, such as chocolate and soda.

Eat small meals
You may find you feel better eating five or six small meals rather than two or three larger ones.

Drink plenty of liquids
Try to drink plenty of fluids daily. Water is best. Alcohol and beverages that contain caffeine stimulate your intestines and can make diarrhea worse, while carbonated drinks frequently produce gas.

Ask about multivitamins
Because ulcerative colitis can interfere with your ability to absorb nutrients and because your diet may be limited, vitamin and mineral supplements can play a key role in supplying missing nutrients. They don't provide essential protein and calories, however, and shouldn't be a substitute for meals.

-Forum Admin
SEROVERA®

[caira111]

Yes, there is a recent research conducted at UC establish that a low carbohydrate (Atkins) diet was more effective than a low fat, calorie-controlled diet for short-term weight loss. The research, also found that the low carbohydrate diet, which tends to be high in fat, was not linked with harmful effects on heart sickness risk factors, such as increases in cholesterol or blood pressure.