Crohns Diet Question

[Paigeyd90]

I'm currently going through the beginning stages of being diagnosed with Crohn's Disease. I have been trying to decipher what foods cause flare ups and such. I have noticed that cream based items cause abdominal pain and cramping like a cream based soup. For some reason, yogurt and ice cream doesn't cause the pain and cramping. Is it normal for some foods in a food group to cause flare ups and others to not? I feel like it is so random and sporadic.

 

[eleanorruby]

Yes, this is very common, particularly in the case of yogurt. Yogurt is full of probiotics, which are great for the gut. That's awesome that the ice cream is agreeing with you, too, though. It's a constant battle, but paying attention to what you eat and listening to your body certainly makes it easier over time.

 

[theOcean]

It may also be that you're developing lactose intolerance, which is common. About a year after my diagnosis I found I couldn't deal with milk or cream anymore, but I'm fine with hard cheeses and frozen yogurt. It's a very inconsistent thing, but it has to do with the amount of lactose.

 

[AJC - Australia]

It is different for everyone Paigey…so if you find something that works for you, that is great!
Most people will suggest avoiding dairy milk….and there is also a theory that there is a bacteria in cows milk which may cause the disease! (see link in my signature).
I avoid dairy milk and have done for years.
Some people cant eat bananas, yet i live off them!
Some people dont like spicey food, but i love it!!! (having said that, when i was very sick with crohns i couldnt eat anything, especially spicey food as the spice would hit the ulceration and i would be in agony).

i think someone with a compromised digestion should avoid;
- processed foods (from supermarkets) and make their own foods from learning how to cook…cooking can be quite relaxing and all crohnies need to stop stressing!
- coffee kills me i need to go to the toilet every time
- refined sugars (coca cola, buscuits, lollies, cream buns etc…anything like that with sugar, sugar is toxic)
- meat is hard to digest…i used to eat loads of meat and not much vegetables/fibre…these days i eat not much meat and loads of fibre (fruit and vege)
- drink rainwater rather than chlorine

good luck with it all and keep your chin up

 

[Ladyslipper]

I find this such a hard thing to figure out as well in regards to what to eat. I was just diagnosed with crohns in March Since then I gave up lactose and have started eating lactose free yogurt and that does seem to feel good on my stomach. I am very limited in what I am eating for fear of causing the horrible pain and d. I have been having a low residue diet with very little fiber and this along with the prednisone has seemed to keep the d away. I have my first appt with my GI dr this week and am very curious about what foods I should try to reenter into my diet. Right now it is very restricted but am too scared to put anything in that may upset my gut. I was told the disease involved my small bowel and terminal ileum

 

[Paigeyd90]

I find this such a hard thing to figure out as well in regards to what to eat. I was just diagnosed with crohns in March Since then I gave up lactose and have started eating lactose free yogurt and that does seem to feel good on my stomach. I am very limited in what I am eating for fear of causing the horrible pain and d. I have been having a low residue diet with very little fiber and this along with the prednisone has seemed to keep the d away. I have my first appt with my GI dr this week and am very curious about what foods I should try to reenter into my diet. Right now it is very restricted but am too scared to put anything in that may upset my gut. I was told the disease involved my small bowel and terminal ileum

Yeah, I am starting to figure how many foods really do upset my stomach. It makes me afraid to eat anything! I'm in the same boat as you. I'm interested to see what my doctor suggests and what I should stay away from. Luckily, I'm not much into spicy foods anyway, so it works. My small intestine is what is affected as well... good luck to the both of us as we start this journey.

 

[AJC - Australia]

hi lady slipper…that is the sort of crohns i had….terminal ilieum and a 'stricture', where the gut narrows and food cant get through easily. IN memory i couldnt really eat anything without pain….and I ended up on liquids, sort of smoothie shakes that had all the vitamins and minerals the body needs and also i used to make vegetable soups and strain out the liquid and throw the fibre into the garden.
doctors dont know what you should or shouldnt eat, they approach it from a very medical point of view….so, if you have a stricture they will say 'avoid fibre as it may cause an obstruction'…that is a very real threat when you have a stricture, i had two obstructions (both times from eating macadamia nuts and bananas, that gelled together and formed a fibrous ball that got jammed = very painful)….
Soups are good.
Liquid foods (from chemist) are good.
water with a bit of lime in it - very good

awww, i feel for you two - that was me when i was 18 - but now I am 38, happily married and have two kids and I can do pretty much everything i want to do, within reason…..there is hope!

 

[alexga]

listen
its really a matter of habit
try to avoid preservatives, additives foods
processed food, and milk, any kind.

you do that and see how the body react, how do you feel

 

[Jabo]

listen
its really a matter of habit
try to avoid preservatives, additives foods
processed food, and milk, any kind.

you do that and see how the body react, how do you feel

I agree

 

[Susan2]

It's a very personal thing - our bodies seem to react in totally different ways. I was, for a long time, only able to digest dairy products (milk, butter, most cheeses, yoghurt, home-made icecream), grated apple, steamed white fish and a little white bread - many of the things that other people have to avoid.

I would agree that processed food, especially processed meat seems to be bad for most IBD sufferers.

 

[nogutsnoglory]

Like others have said it's so varied. I'm fine with dairy although it increases gas but otherwise I tolerate it will and it helps me maintain a healthy weight. It's trial and error and individual.