Diet in colitis of intestines, what you can eat and what you can not

Colitis is the inflammatory disease of the large intestine, in which its proper functioning is disturbed. This leads to symptoms such as abdominal pain, flatulence, diarrhea, constipation, rectal bleeding, weight loss and fatigue. Diet in colitis of the intestine is one of the main methods of treatment, which allows you to alleviate or eliminate the symptoms of the disease.

Unfortunately, there is no single diet that would suit all patients with inflammation of the large intestine. Each patient picks up food in colitis of the intestine individually, based on the tolerability of specific products.

What foods should be excluded from the diet?

Patient choosing a diet menu for bowel colitis should make a list of those products whose use causes a worsening of the disease or worsening of symptoms. Each person will have this list individually.

Products that most often cause constipation or diarrhea, flatulence and bloating, which have to be excluded from the diet for most patients when colitis of the intestine:

• Dairy products. They can cause bloating and flatulence, so in nutrition when bowel colitis you need to abandon their use. In addition, often inflammatory diseases of the colon are accompanied by lactose intolerance contained in dairy products.
• Nuts. These products are difficult to digest in the intestines and can irritate its mucosa.
• Seeds. Operate on the mucosa, like sandpaper, so it is better to exclude them from the diet. Their use in a diet with colitis of the intestines can cause diarrhea.
• Popcorn. This is one of the most difficult to digest cereals, as it contains a large amount of fiber. Popcorn also has a shell that is not completely digested and can irritate the intestinal mucosa. Raw vegetables and fruits. These foods are rich in fiber, which is difficult to digest. Some people with colitis tolerate certain fruits with removed skin.
• Carbonated drinks. Contain undesirable for intestinal gas.
• Coffee, chocolate and caffeinated drinks. Caffeine stimulates the intestines, so eating it during a diet with colon colitis can cause diarrhea.
• Sharp products. Too much spice can cause an exacerbation of colitis or worsening of the symptoms of this disease.
• Fatty products. Fats are not completely digested in the small intestine, which can cause abdominal cramps and diarrhea.
• Spirits. Drinking alcohol can cause dehydration, which in case of colitis worsens the patient's condition. In addition, alcohol can interfere with the action of drugs taken to treat inflammatory bowel diseases.

Approved

products As with the list of products that should not be consumed in colitis, each patient selects experimentally the food that can be included in the diet. The goal of the diet for colitis is to calm the irritated bowel, eliminate constipation, diarrhea, flatulence and other symptoms of this disease.

What you can eat when colitis of the intestine:

• Potatoes, rice and pasta. These products are easily digested in the digestive tract.
• Oatmeal. Contains soluble fiber, which is more easily tolerated by the intestines in colitis.
• Almond milk. This is a safe alternative for patients who do not tolerate conventional dairy products.
• Eggs. They are a source of easily digestible proteins. Mashed vegetable soups. Vegetables in this form are digested in the digestive tract more easily. Nevertheless, you should avoid eating soup from those vegetables that can cause increased gassing in the intestines( broccoli, Brussels sprouts).
• Salmon and mackerel. These fish are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, which fight inflammatory processes in the body.
• Bananas. These fruits are easily digested in the intestines and rich in nutrients.
• Bird. Meat of poultry is rich in proteins, which are well absorbed in the digestive tract.
• Lettuce is well absorbed in the intestines.
• Water. You need to drink at least 8 glasses of clean water every day. Diet in colitis of the intestines with diarrhea should include as much water as necessary to prevent dehydration.

However, all people with intestinal colitis should remember that their body needs more nutrients than a healthy person needs, so their food should provide these needs to the maximum - that is, it must be diverse and full.

General nutrition recommendations

Proper nutrition is one way of restoring intestinal health. Efforts of the patient with colitis should be aimed at alleviating the inflammation of the mucous membrane of the colon and providing the body with the necessary nutrients.

Patients should eat small portions, but regularly. Daily intake of food should be divided into 5-6 small portions and eat every 2-3 hours. This reduces the load on the digestive tract, helping it absorb nutrients better.

Patients with colitis need to carefully monitor the provision of their body with enough calories, essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals. At the first symptoms of exhaustion and nutrient deficiency, it is necessary to adjust the diet, increasing the caloric value and nutritional value of the diet. Many patients have to take tablets vitamins and minerals.

To find out products that are poorly tolerated by the body, a person with inflammation of the intestine is best kept a special diary in which you can mark the eaten foods and the appearance of symptoms of the disease.

A diet for intestinal colitis with diarrhea should include a sufficient amount of nutrients and fluids. In this case, some patients are useful to reduce the amount of fiber in the diet, refusal to drink alcohol, caffeine, fatty and sharp foods.

Nutrition in colitis and meteorism is aimed at reducing the formation of gases in the digestive tract. To do this, you should exclude from the diet of spicy food, beans( peas and beans), cabbage( cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower), carbonated drinks, caffeine and products containing sorbitol( artificial sweetener).

Nutrition for intestinal colitis with constipation is aimed at softening the stool. To do this, it is useful to consume enough water, increase in dietary fiber( this is not suitable for all patients with colitis).

Foods are not the cause of colitis, but they can cause it to worsen and weight the symptoms of the disease. Correctly selected diet facilitates the course of colitis and reduces the frequency of exacerbations, and also reduces the risk of complications.

Consequences of non-compliance with the diet

If a person has not determined what to eat when colitis of the intestine, he often develops exacerbations of the disease and heavies her symptoms. This is dangerous by the development of dehydration, nutritional deficiencies, vitamins and minerals.

More severe inflammation in the large intestine may cause the development of :

• bleeding;
• of intestinal ulcers;
• colon cancer;
• of intestinal obstruction.

Sample menu

Example of recipes for a diet for intestinal colitis:

• Breakfast - oatmeal and a glass of soy milk enriched with calcium.
• The second breakfast is 1 glass of Greek yogurt with ½ cup melon diced.
• Lunch - 60 grams of boiled chicken breast and 30 grams of cheese with low fat content, 2 slices of oatmeal, 200 ml of wiped vegetable soup.
• Snack - 1 large banana, sprinkled with natural nut oil.
• Dinner - 90 gr of baked salmon with 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, 1.5 cups of cooked asparagus, 1 cup of boiled rice, 1 glass of soy milk enriched with calcium, 1 glass of blueberries.

Colitis is a common bowel disease. Since the food consumed comes into direct contact with colitis inflamed in colitis, it is not surprising that nutrition can improve or worsen the condition of people with this disease. Selection of suitable food is carried out individually for each patient, based on the tolerability of specific products.

Author: Taras Nevelichuk, doctor,
specially for Moizhivot.ru

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