Crohn's disease is a chronic disorder that causes inflammation in the digestive tract. It differs from ulcerative colitis, another inflammatory bowel disease, in the fact that Crohn's disease can affect more areas of the digestive system and can affect body tissues. Crohn's disease affects between two and seven in every 100,000 people, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. In addition to medical treatments, such as medications and surgery, a healthy diet may help you manage your symptoms.
Function
A diet for Crohn's disease is geared toward supporting and improving your overall wellness and reducing the severity and frequency of your symptoms. Though a healthy diet cannot cure Crohn's disease, according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse, it can help fill in nutritional gaps caused by reduced appetite and nutrient malabsorption problems.
Effectiveness
Dietary measures may effectively improve Crohn's disease symptoms. A study published in Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics showed a positive correlation between healthy dietary changes and a reduced risk for relapsed symptoms in Crohn's disease sufferers. The study involved 51 patents in remission from Crohn's disease flare-ups between 2002 and 2005. Participants were assigned randomly to a diet that involved an elemental diet---a diet containing 50 percent presumed helpful foods, or a "free" diet, in which the foods were not controlled. At the end of the study, participants who consumed the elemental diet exhibited significantly lower instances of relapse than the "free" diet group. The researchers concluded that a specified diet can support long-term management and remission of Crohn's disease symptoms.
Basic Guidelines
Crohn's disease affects people differently. Thus, there is no one standard set of specific dietary guidelines that help everyone with the condition. Basic guidelines that may provide benefits, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, include eating a low-fat, nutrient-rich diet and eating small, frequent meals rather than one or two large meals each day. Avoiding foods that trigger your symptoms is also important.
Helpful Foods
An assortment of healthy foods suit a diet for Crohn's disease. Foods that may provide exceptional benefits, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, include antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables, such as berries, cherries, tomatoes, leafy greens and squash and whole grains, which are valuable sources of fiber and nutrients, such a B-vitamins. Lean protein-rich foods, such as skinless chicken and turkey breasts, legumes, lean meat and fish, enhance tissue repair. Fatty fish, such as salmon, albacore tuna, flounder and herring, contain omega-3 fatty acids, which may help reduce inflammation in your digestive tract. Probiottics---healthy bacteria found in yogurt and other cultured dairy products---may help improve your digestive health and prevent infections caused by harmful bacteria.
Foods to Avoid
Once you've determined your personal trigger foods, avoiding these foods can help prevent symptom flare-ups. Common trigger foods include high-fat and greasy foods, such as fatty and processed meats, poultry fat, cheese, fried foods, spicy foods and dairy products. The University of Maryland Medical Center also suggests limiting refined carbohydrates, such as sugar and enriched breads, pasta, cereals and snack foods. Limiting caffeine and alcohol can also provide benefits.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Crohn's Disease Facts and Treatment
- National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse: Crohn's Disease Facts and Common Questions
- "Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics"; Effectiveness of an 'Half Elemental Diet' as Maintenance Therapy for Crohn's Disease: a Randomized-Controlled Trial; S. Takagi et al.; Nov. 2006
