Creating a Diet for Ulcerative Colitis
If you are reading this chances are you have Ulcerative Colitis or you know somebody who does. The first thing I want to tell you is not to worry. Ulcerative Colitis can usually be treated so effectively through changes in diet and medications that the symptoms become extremely manageable. In fact certain medications could cause a remission that lasts for years. Medication is just one piece of the puzzle however. Diet also plays a very large role. Some say diet is the most important factor of all. That has yet to be proven but it is clear if you properly alter your diet for Ulcerative Colitis the symptoms can become much more bearable.
Whether you are taking medicine or not it is important to change your diet for Ulcerative Colitis. It will help you eliminate the foods that cause flare-ups as well as help you maintain proper nutrition. It may be a difficult undertaking at first but creating your diet for Ulcerative Colitis will be well worth it. It is a way for you to take control of your disease and regain power.
The general guidelines for Ulcerative Colitis diet:
Avoid dairy: Dairy is a food group notorious for causing gas which can be very painful when dealing with UC. Try reducing your dairy intake for a few days and see how you feel. This simple change can make a big difference. Additionally it is possible that you may be lactose intolerant which can cause many symptoms including diarrhea, abdominal pain and gas. People with Ulcerative Colitis are more likely to have food allergies so it is important that you seek the services of a dietician to determine your food allergies. Otherwise you will continue to unwittingly consume the foods that cause you harm.
Avoid greasy food: Greasy foods, such as fried food, or anything with a high fat content, can trigger Ulcerative Colitis symptoms. This includes abdominal cramping, diarrhea and gas. If you suffer from these symptoms after eating fried foods it's possible you are suffering from malabsorption, a condition in which fat is not easily absorbed and passes quickly through the intestine. If you believe this to be the case consult a dietitian.
Experiment with fiber: There are two types of fiber: soluble and insoluble. People tend to find that soluble fibers help with their symptoms while insoluble fiber exasperates them. Insoluble fiber can be found in many fresh foods such as fruits and vegetables. Since fiber affects different people with Ulcerative Colitis differently it's possible your body will only be able to handle a very small amount. It is important for you to experiment and find your personal quota.
There is no one-size-fits-all diet for Ulcerative Colitis
A large part of dealing with Ulcerative Colitis learning about your body. You must listen to it to figure out what you can and cannot eat. Everybody is different. What might be right for you may not be right for some. That's why the single most important part of developing a diet for Ulcerative colitis is maintaining a dietary journal. In your journal you should catalog everything you eat throughout the day as well as any flare-ups you have. This will help you form a correlation between certain foods and flare-ups so you can eliminate them from your diet. If you are not sure what foods are causing the flare-ups doctors recommend you try the elimination method. The elimination method is very simple. All you do is eliminate the suspected food from your diet while keeping the rest of your diet the same. If there is a noticeable decrease in flare-ups then that food is probably to blame. It is important to not make any other changes to your diet while implementing the elimination method or else you will not get accurate results.
The role of Supplements
It is difficult to maintain a completely balanced and nutritious diet for Ulcerative Colitis. That is simply the nature of the disease. Supplements are an important tool that will help you maintain a balanced diet. Without supplements it would be very difficult to maintain a completely balanced diet. It is important to note however that supplements are just that, supplements. They are not a substitute for eating healthy.
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