Crohn's disease is an inflammatory bowel disease that causes swelling and pain in your digestive tract. Though Crohn's disease is chronic, you may go through bouts of remission, during which your symptoms seem to disappear, and occasional or frequent flare-ups. Symptoms of Crohn's disease may include diarrhea, painful abdominal cramps, fever, reduced appetite and rectal bleeding. Dietary measures, such as eating certain foods and avoiding others, may help you manage your symptoms.
Function
Though an appropriate diet can't cure Crohn's disease, it may help reduce or prevent your symptoms and enhance your overall wellness. Your diet should include a variety of healthy foods and provide rich amounts of nutrients, since nutrient deficiencies can occur as a complication of Crohn's disease.
Guidelines
A suitable diet for Crohn's disease is generally low in fat, rich in nutrients and limited in foods that trigger your symptoms. The Mayo Clinic recommends eating small, frequent meals rather than two or three large meals each day and staying properly hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids. Your diet may be limited in fiber if you are experiencing diarrhea or find that fiber-rich foods make your symptoms worse.
Trigger Foods
Certain foods trigger or exacerbate your symptoms. If you aren't yet sure which foods cause problems for you, restrict common trigger foods from your diet, which include high-fat and greasy foods, chocolate, dairy products, spicy foods, raw fruit and fruit juices and gaseous vegetables, such as beans, broccoli and cabbage. Since fruit and vegetables are valuable sources of nutrients, talk to your doctor before eliminating them completely.
Optimum Foods
Ensure your diet provides sufficient nutrients and calories. Ideally, your diet will include a variety of fruits and vegetables, whole grains in place of white bread and processed snack foods and lean protein sources, such as skinless poultry, lean meat, low-fat dairy or soy products, fish and egg whites. Optimum fat sources include nuts, seeds and plant-based oils. Antioxidant-rich foods, such as leafy greens and sea vegetables, and foods rich in B-vitamins, calcium and magnesium, such as whole grains, are particularly important for Crohn's disease sufferers. If you tolerate healthy foods well, incorporate a broad variety into your meals and snacks regularly.
Food Preparation
Preparing your foods using low-fat cooking techniques, such as grilling, baking and steaming, can help prevent diarrhea and other Crohn's disease symptoms. You can also reduce the fat content of your favorite foods by making healthy substitutions in your recipes. Use low-fat cheese in place of high-fat cheese and low-fat soy milk in place of whole milk, for example. If fiber-rich foods bother you, the University of Maryland Medical Center suggests baking or steaming fruits and vegetables. You may also be able to eat fruit and vegetables without the peal or canned fruit, stored in natural juices. To keep your meal sizes modest, use small plates, such as salad plates, rather than dinner plates.
