Colitis is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD, which requires sufferers to diligently watch their diets. Marked by an inflammation of the colon, it includes several types, including ulcerative colitis, infectious colitis and Crohn's colitis, according to One Healthy Lifestyle. Many experts put Crohn's disease in its own category, although both Crohn's and colitis are classified as IBDs. Common colitis symptoms can include diarrhea, cramps in the lower abdomen and loss of appetite. There also can be excessive weight loss and an increased urgency to have bowel movements. There are a number of websites and organizations that offer free diet advice to help suffers ease their symptoms. Most organizations and related websites suggest that patients talk to a registered dietitian, especially if they begin to lose weight or if their diet becomes too restrictive.
Mayo Clinic
The Mayo Clinic reports that certain foods and beverages can aggravate the symptoms of colitis, especially during flare-ups. Not everyone is affected by the same food and drinks so it is important to find out which are the offending choices. A fairly comprehensive list of suggestions on how to change your diet to reduce symptoms is available on the Mayo Clinic website. A link is in the Resources section.
Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America
"Once you develop IBD ... paying special attention to what you eat may go a long way toward reducing symptoms and promoting healing," says the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America, or CCFA. The organization provides a dietary guide for patients and their families on its website. "It is based on the results of ongoing studies and the accumulation of knowledge gained in recent years," says CCFA in its introduction to a rather thorough FAQs style section. There's a link to the CCFA's helpful FAQs in the Resources section.
CCFA has a free e-newsletter and an Information Resource Center that provides info in more than 20 languages. It has a toll free number at 888-694-8872 where callers can speak to master's level health professionals, and an online chat area where specialists are available. Its Information Resource Center's Patient Education Corner offers articles and webcasts to help patients learn more about diet. Links to both are in the Resources section.
American Gastroenterological Association
The American Gastroenterological Association has free brochures---in English and Spanish and limited content in other languages---about diet and medication for IBD. The brochure provides basic facts and info on how to "treat a and manage all aspects of the digestive tract, including nutritional needs and obesity, as well as complications from medications," according to the organization's' website. Visit the group's website, noted in the Resources section, for more info.
LIVINGwithUC.com
The more you know about how ulcerative colitis affects you, the more you can do to help manage your symptoms, reports the LIVINGwithUC.com. Look for ways diet and lifestyle choices and patterns could be aggravating your ulcerative colitis with a free downloadable symptoms diary; the link to this useful tool is available in the Resources section.
Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of Canada
Food For Thought, a free downloadable brochure by the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of Canada or CCFC, has a wide range of diet information. Insight on what foods to avoid or be aware of their impact on your disease are outlined. For example, the insoluble fiber in the skins of fruit, whole wheat and grains, brown and wild rice can be problematic. It suggests eating smaller meals, more frequently during acute episodes and finding your "trigger" and "safe" foods. The brochure is available on the CCFC website, which is listed in the Resources section.
References
- One Healthy Lifestyle: Colitis
- Mayo Clinic: Ulcerative colitis: Lifestyle and home remedies
- Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America: Diet and Nutrition
- Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America: Information Resource Center
- Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America: Information Resource Center: Patient Education Corner
