Diet for colitis during an exacerbation

Colitis is an inflammatory disease of the mucous membrane of the colon. Its symptoms can be noted in most people who are faced with other pathologies of the digestive system. Treatment is always complex, and one of the main aspects of therapy is nutrition. Diet is especially important for colitis during an exacerbation.

Colitis: features of the disease

Colitis is a disease associated with inflammatory processes in the colon (its mucous membrane is affected). Inflammation also affects the internal muscle layers, due to which there is a violation of intestinal motility, inhibition of its secretory functions. Negative processes begin to proceed faster due to the intensive multiplication of pathogenic microorganisms.

There are two main types of pathology - acute and chronic colitis. In the first, the symptoms are quite obvious, but in the second type, the disease is characterized by the extinction of symptoms and periodic exacerbations.

Depending on the spread of inflammation along the mucous membrane, colitis can be divided into right-sided, left-sided and pancolitis. In the latter case, inflammatory processes affect the entire mucous membrane of the large intestine. Interestingly, even in the presence of chronic colitis, a person may not be aware of it until the moment of exacerbation.

On a note! Most often, colitis is detected in men aged 40-60 years, and in women - at the age of 20-60 years.

It is not difficult to determine that colitis has passed from a chronic stage to an acute one. It is given out by the characteristic symptoms:

• stomach ache;
• bloating;
• rumbling;
• constipation or diarrhea;
• mucus in the stool.

The main symptom of colitis is problems with defecation, a person begins to experience false desires, which do not lead to anything, or in the process small portions of feces with a liquid base, dense lumps. Less commonly, the presence of bloody discharge in the mass is noted. In colitis, constipation may alternate with loose stools.

Abdominal pains have a cramping character, accompanied by flatulence, and the stronger the inflammation in the intestine, the more pronounced these symptoms will be.

Attention! Colitis in the acute stage may be accompanied by headaches, general weakness, and fever. However, the symptoms in different patients can be different and often depend on the nature of the lesion of the intestinal mucosa or the presence of concomitant pathologies.

Reasons for exacerbation

Doctors find it difficult to answer why colitis worsens. According to statistics, the disease is noted in every 5th patient who has relatives with the same problem. So the development of colitis, in all likelihood, depends on hereditary factors. But still, in most cases, the disease appears against the background of an attack of the digestive organs by bacteria and viruses. Other pathologies of the digestive system, such as poisoning, enzymatic disorders, gastroenteritis, etc., are also capable of provoking colitis. The disease can develop due to improper lifestyle and addiction to bad habits, as well as as a result of prolonged use of certain medications.

The main factors affecting the occurrence of acute colitis:

• frequent drinking of alcoholic beverages;
• unhealthy diet (there is not enough fiber in the menu, or there was a prolonged diet for fasting before the onset of the disease);
• stress;
• decreased immunity;
• infection;
• vitamin deficiency.

Colitis treatment

Colitis treatment is always complex. It includes taking medication and a special diet. The goal of treatment is to eliminate the symptoms and the cause of the disease, to restore the bowel function. The doctor prescribes drugs that can regulate stools, eliminate diarrhea, as well as drugs that will help improve tissue regeneration and restore normal intestinal microflora. Operations to treat the disease are rarely used. Exceptions are ulcerative colitis or colon ischemia.

On a note! Additionally, the intake of vitamins, drugs that increase immunity, and physiotherapy exercises are prescribed.

For any type of colitis, diet No. 4 according to Pevzner is necessarily prescribed. It can be a table "a", "b" or "c".

Why is diet important?

We are what we eat. This truth has long been scientifically confirmed. After all, his health largely depends on what a person eats. And the correct diet is the basis for the treatment of many diseases, especially those related to the digestive system. It is also indicated for colitis, as it softens the course of the disease, helps to eliminate symptoms, and accelerates recovery.

Advice! In case of inflammatory processes occurring in the intestines, it is simply necessary to use enveloping products, which, when mixed with water, form a film on the intestinal walls, thereby reducing the sensitivity of the mucous membrane and protecting the affected area from additional irritation. Examples of such foods are flaxseed oil, rice, or oatmeal.

A good colitis diet can regulate stool if you have severe diarrhea and also prevent inflammation from spreading further. For these purposes, astringent products are used, examples of which are blueberry fruit drinks, quince compotes, etc. With constipation, bran is shown, which will help to cope with stool stagnation, soften it, improve peristalsis and quickly but carefully empty the intestines.

On a note! The diet must necessarily include foods containing B vitamins. The bottom line is that it is in the intestines that the process of synthesis of some useful substances of this group takes place, and due to damage to the mucous membrane, it does not happen as it should. Thus, the heart and nervous system begin to work worse, since B vitamins, first of all, are necessary for these systems.

It is important to remember that the diet for colitis should be phased. First, a person eats according to one scheme shown during the acute period, then changes the menu to another, which is recommended after an exacerbation of colitis. The transition to the usual diet is gradually carried out.

Nutrition principles

Nutrition for colitis, regardless of what type of diet is prescribed by the doctor, is based on the observance of some simple rules.

1. You need to eat often and in small portions. The number of meals per day should be 6-7, and the serving size should be about the size of a person's palm. The break between meals should be 3-4 hours.
2. Do not eat hot or cold food. The optimum temperature range is from 25 to 55 degrees.
   

   Hot food is not worth eating

3. Salt and sugar are used to a minimum; if possible, it is better to refuse them altogether.
4. It is advisable to grind all food, if possible, to a mushy or puree-like state.
5. The amount of protein in the menu should be large, but the volumes of fats and carbohydrates are significantly reduced.
6. You cannot eat fried food - all dishes are steamed or boiled.
   

   Steam cutlets

7. It is important to drink plenty of clean water.

Advice! In the event of an exacerbation of colitis, it is better not to eat anything at all for the first day, and it is recommended to enter the first food not earlier than the second day.

Prohibited foods

In the presence of colitis, especially in the acute stage, it is important to completely exclude the following foods and dishes from the menu:

• pickles and pickles;
• smoked meats and fatty meats and fish;
• legumes, millet and pearl barley;
• most baked goods, including rye bread and baked goods;
• fatty and fried foods and dishes (cottage cheese, sour cream, cheeses, hard-boiled or fried eggs, cream, rich soups, etc.);
• fresh garlic, onions, sour vegetables and fruits (especially citrus fruits), fresh herbs and spices;
• dairy;
• alcohol, kvass, carbonated drinks.

On a note! In 40% of patients, colitis can be triggered by vegetables, and in 30% - by fruits. An exacerbation of the disease is noted in 26% of patients after eating smoked meat and fish, and in 38% - due to baking and alcohol.

Diet for colitis

The basis of the diet for colitis is porridge on the water, decoctions of vegetables, cereals, ground meat, steamed. But you won't have to sit on such a diet for a long time - only during an exacerbation of the disease. Next, you need to go to another stage of diet therapy. People with chronic colitis will have to stick to a certain, but not so strict diet for life.

Table. Foods prohibited or permitted for colitis.

Colitis type	Allowed foods and dishes	Prohibited foods and dishes
Chronic	Crackers, rice or oatmeal porridge on the water, soups with meatballs with rice or oatmeal, chicken or beef meatballs, blueberry jelly, rosehip broth, steamed omelet.	Bread, rye bread, pasta, rich broths, milk, hard eggs, fatty fish and meat, barley, beans, honey, fruits, sweets.
With constipation	Lightly fried cutlets, soft cheeses, compotes, kefir, some types of cookies, boiled fruits and vegetables, cereals with a small percentage of milk, salt in limited quantities.	Fried foods, smoked meats, sausages, whole milk, soda, alcohol, pickles.
Ulcerative	Fish, cottage cheese, soft-boiled eggs, lean meat, rosehip broth, rice porridge in water, mashed fruits.	Fatty meats, spicy and fried foods, pickles, coffee, sweets, sauces, alcohol, mushrooms, plums.
With diarrhea	Veal, chicken, boiled fish, green peas, pumpkin, zucchini, soft-boiled eggs, cottage cheese desserts, marshmallows, pears, dried wheat bread, cinnamon.	Rye bread, yeast dough products, cheeses, rich soups, beets, garlic, radish, horseradish, most of dairy products.

Diet No. 4 according to Pevzner, prescribed for colitis, has three variations. In the acute form of the disease, table 4a is recommended. In this case, food is consumed in small portions of 200-300 grams. You can eat steamed fish and meat dishes, low-fat broths, boiled eggs and steam omelet, rosehip decoctions, green tea, coffee, grated cottage cheese, croutons, sweet fruit jelly. It is important to exclude fiber-rich foods, as well as coarse and spicy foods from the menu.

Advice! It is important to control your protein intake. So, while dieting, an adult should receive about 1.5-2 g / 1 kg of body weight per day.

After 4a, diet 4b is prescribed. You can eat everything the same as during an exacerbation, but you need to supplement the diet with potatoes, carrots, zucchini, pumpkin, cauliflower. You can also eat kefir, low-fat milk and sour cream, cream, curd mass. From sweets, preference should be given to stale pastries or curd pies. You can also eat marmalade, jams, marshmallows. Milk can be added to coffee and tea.

Before switching to regular food, you need to sit on a 4c diet for some time. You can eat porridge with diluted milk, drink compotes and juices, eat vegetable casseroles. Some foods can be lightly fried. Low-fat milk is gradually introduced.

How is colitis treated?

Step 1. It is important to study all the features of the disease and symptoms in order to understand how to cope with the disease.

Step 2. You should definitely contact a specialist - it is not recommended to treat colitis on your own. It can be easily confused with other medical conditions. In addition, only a doctor is able to prescribe the most effective treatment and choose the right diet.

Step 3. It is necessary to take medications according to the scheme prescribed by the doctor.

Step 4. Foods that provoke intestinal irritation should be excluded from the menu.

Step 5. You need to eat only in small portions, but often.

Step 6. It is important to drink as much water as possible.

Step 7. You can try to connect to general therapy and alternative methods of treatment - for example, acupuncture.

Video - Diet number 4

Colitis is a disease that can cause significant discomfort, and, if exacerbated, can seriously affect the quality of life. People with a predisposition to the development of this pathology are advised to carefully monitor what they eat. And if a misfortune happened and a person is faced with an acute form of colitis, then following the correct diet will help to cope with the disease faster.