The inflammation of Crohn's disease can affect any portion of your digestive tract, but Crohn's most often attacks the ileum, the final segment of your small intestine. This portion of your small intestine absorbs many of the essential nutrients in your diet. Inflammation of your ileum, or ileitis, interferes with your digestive system's absorption of nutrients and may lead to malnutrition. Although clinical evidence has not confirmed that any specific diet causes or cures Crohn's ileitis, you may be able to reduce abdominal pain and maximize your nutritional intake by avoiding certain foods, eating a balanced diet and taking vitamin and mineral supplements under your doctor's supervision.
Nutritional Risks
Crohn's ileitis affects the lining of your small intestine and its underlying tissues, causing abdominal pain, diarrhea, weight loss, nutrient malabsorption and rectal bleeding. With Crohn's ileitis, many of the nutrients you consume pass directly from your small intestine to your large intestine, where your body excretes them in loose, watery stools. People with Crohn's ileitis are prone to the malabsorption of fats, protein, carbohydrates, vitamins B-12 and D, potassium and other electrolytes, according to the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America, or CCFA. These deficiencies may increase your risk of malabsorption disorders like osteoporosis, a degenerative bone disease caused by a lack of vitamin D and calcium, and anemia, a blood disorder which may be the result of a failure to absorb vitamin B-12. Chronic inflammation of your small intestine may lead to a build-up of scar tissue, which can eventually cause a narrowing of your small intestine.
General Guidelines
While the metabolic effects of Crohn's disease increase your body's need for energy, Crohn's may also diminish your appetite, the CCFA notes. Although there is no specific diet to treat Crohn's ileitis, eating a balanced diet may improve your overall health and promote healing of the intestinal tract. Avoiding caffeinated beverages or foods, fatty or greasy foods, milk products and gas-producing foods, such as beans, broccoli and cauliflower, may reduce the abdominal cramping of Crohn's. High-fiber foods, such as raw vegetables and fruits and whole grains, may irritate the intestinal lining when you're having a flare-up of ileitis. To replace the fluids that you can lose during diarrhea, drink plenty of non-caffeinated, non-carbonated beverages, such as water, juice, herbal tea or electrolyte replacement drinks.
Low-Fiber with Low-Residue Diet
If you have narrowed areas in your small intestine, your doctor may recommend that you temporarily switch to a liquid diet or a low-fiber with low-residue diet. These diets facilitate the passage of digestive materials through your intestinal tract and allow your intestines to rest during flare-ups of ileitis. A low-residue with low-fiber diet omits high-fiber foods, like whole-grain breads or cereals, raw fruits and vegetables, dried beans, nuts and seeds. Refined breads and cereals, canned or well-cooked fruits and vegetables, tender meats, juices without pulp and limited servings of smooth milk products are allowed on a low-fiber with low-residue diet. This eating plan allows you to maintain your nutritional intake until medication or surgical intervention corrects the intestinal blockage that prevents you from eating your usual diet.
Supplementation
In addition to eating foods that contain calcium, vitamin D and vitamin B-12, your doctor may recommend that you take vitamin and mineral supplements to replace these nutrients. You may require supplements to replace potassium, magnesium and other electrolytes lost during diarrhea. With serious deficiencies of protein, fats and carbohydrates, you may need to receive supplemental nutrition through a feeding tube or a central venous catheter, according to the CCFA. Consult your doctor about dietary changes and supplements that may relieve your ileitis symptoms and help you maintain your weight and nutritional status.
