Part 1 (diet)
I went to the IBD and you Education Symposium today in Edmonton, AB, Canada. I thought I would share some of the information with you all. This is Part 1. Please remember that this is not my thoughts or opinions, just my notes.
Registered Dietitian and IBD
- discussion on diet types of Crohn's and Colitis diets
- be weary of any that claim to "cure" you because if that was the case they would put of all their patients on it
- she discussed 3 main diets that she has seen in clinic and the risks of those diets: Self Healing diet, Breaking the Vicious Cycle, and Pain Free in 1 Day
1) Self Healing Diet: this is a vegan diet with fasting and food combining. Theory is meat causes IBD. You can only eat fruit and veggies in raw state or in juice form (via juicer), and some nuts. Really at risk for missed nutrients and reduced protein intake. To get adequate intake, one would have to eat 8 cups of fruit and veggies and 2 cups of almonds in a day. Fasting days required. No meat at all. Very difficult diet. Not recommended.
2) Breaking the vicious Cycle (simple carb diet): avoid complex carbs on this diet as theory is complex carbs increase inflammation. Can eat fresh only, no processed, no dairy except for homemade yogurt, no grains, some beans, some fish. Risk - decreased carb intake. Which is not good as carbs required for brain health/mental health. This diet can work if you watch carefully to make sure you get adequate carb intake.
3) Pain Free in 1 Day: looks at combining certain foods at certain times. For example, never have carbs with protein. Then you have to wait certain time periods between certain foods. For example, can't eat for 4 hours after eating meat/protein. Works on theory that certain foods require acid environment and certain foods require alkaline. This goes against how actual GI tract works as all foods hit acid in stomach. This diet is okay if you want to follow but be careful that you don't have reduced intake because of wait times between foods.
In short: there are many diets out there but there is no one IBD diet. The above are examples of extreme to okay. Basically the dietitian stated that you should follow the food guide set by your country. Be careful of diets you find on the internet and the ones above. Always discuss with your doctor/healthcare team.
In general, the following seem to be common in IBD:
1) Lactose intolerance (10 to 20% of IBD patients) Increased risk of this if you have small bowel CD vs UC. Most IBD patients will have a temporary lactose intolerance during a flare.
2) Gluten free: currently no research proving it shows improvement in IBD population. In general population, 1-2% have this. In IBD 5% have celiac on top of IBD.
3) Low Fiber
So just try and find a balanced diet. Avoid triggers (acid, fat, caffeine, red meat, fiber, milk are common ones). But do experiment so that you can try and enjoy food again.
I went to the IBD and you Education Symposium today in Edmonton, AB, Canada. I thought I would share some of the information with you all. This is Part 1. Please remember that this is not my thoughts or opinions, just my notes.
Registered Dietitian and IBD
- discussion on diet types of Crohn's and Colitis diets
- be weary of any that claim to "cure" you because if that was the case they would put of all their patients on it
- she discussed 3 main diets that she has seen in clinic and the risks of those diets: Self Healing diet, Breaking the Vicious Cycle, and Pain Free in 1 Day
1) Self Healing Diet: this is a vegan diet with fasting and food combining. Theory is meat causes IBD. You can only eat fruit and veggies in raw state or in juice form (via juicer), and some nuts. Really at risk for missed nutrients and reduced protein intake. To get adequate intake, one would have to eat 8 cups of fruit and veggies and 2 cups of almonds in a day. Fasting days required. No meat at all. Very difficult diet. Not recommended.
2) Breaking the vicious Cycle (simple carb diet): avoid complex carbs on this diet as theory is complex carbs increase inflammation. Can eat fresh only, no processed, no dairy except for homemade yogurt, no grains, some beans, some fish. Risk - decreased carb intake. Which is not good as carbs required for brain health/mental health. This diet can work if you watch carefully to make sure you get adequate carb intake.
3) Pain Free in 1 Day: looks at combining certain foods at certain times. For example, never have carbs with protein. Then you have to wait certain time periods between certain foods. For example, can't eat for 4 hours after eating meat/protein. Works on theory that certain foods require acid environment and certain foods require alkaline. This goes against how actual GI tract works as all foods hit acid in stomach. This diet is okay if you want to follow but be careful that you don't have reduced intake because of wait times between foods.
In short: there are many diets out there but there is no one IBD diet. The above are examples of extreme to okay. Basically the dietitian stated that you should follow the food guide set by your country. Be careful of diets you find on the internet and the ones above. Always discuss with your doctor/healthcare team.
In general, the following seem to be common in IBD:
1) Lactose intolerance (10 to 20% of IBD patients) Increased risk of this if you have small bowel CD vs UC. Most IBD patients will have a temporary lactose intolerance during a flare.
2) Gluten free: currently no research proving it shows improvement in IBD population. In general population, 1-2% have this. In IBD 5% have celiac on top of IBD.
3) Low Fiber
So just try and find a balanced diet. Avoid triggers (acid, fat, caffeine, red meat, fiber, milk are common ones). But do experiment so that you can try and enjoy food again.