Part of coping with colitis is to watch what you eat --- and what bothers you. This is especially true if you have ulcerative colitis, an inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD. With some other forms of the disease, your day-to-day diet may be less of a factor. For instance, ischemic colitis often is a milder disorder that resolves itself in a few days. Here are some pointers on foods that could cause problems, particularly with ulcerative colitis.
Fiber-rich Foods
While foods high in fiber are a nutritious part of your diet, they can aggravate the pain and diarrhea that are symptoms of ulcerative colitis. The Mayo Clinic recommends that you experiment with fiber-rich foods like whole grains and raw fruits and vegetables. If a food like popcorn seems to bother you, eliminate it from your diet. Also bear in mind that cooking fruits and vegetables --- steaming, baking or stewing --- might let you enjoy them without making your symptoms flare up.
High-fat Foods
Fatty, fried and greasy foods can cause diarrhea and gas if you have ulcerative colitis. It may alleviate your symptoms to avoid foods such as butter, margarine and cream sauces. Cutting back on fat also may help people who have the less-severe disease of microscopic colitis, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Dairy Products
If you are lactose-intolerant, milk and milk products may worsen your colitis symptoms --- and may cause problems such as gas and cramping that are hard to differentiate from symptoms of colitis. You may have to eliminate dairy products entirely. But because these foods are nutritious, the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America suggests that you first try an over-the-counter product to minimize lactose-intolerance symptoms.
Tips on Beverages
Dehydration can be a hazard if you have colitis, so make sure that you drink plenty of water and other fluids. However, the American Academy of Family Physicians warns that you should avoid beverages with caffeine, carbonation and alcohol. Those can cause problems such as gas.
